Francesca was disappointed by the woman's response. She had no interest in any of their products, and certainly didn't want to waste her time discussing them.

"I also need to discuss whether you have any layaway plans," she said briskly. "You see, I can't pay today. Due to circumstances," she said with a dramatic lowering of her voice, implying both that it should have been obvious what she meant by that but that it would have been horribly uncouth to ask. "But I have several months before I need the piece. And I suspect my husband may already have an account here that I could charge it to."

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