very lovely indeed. Apart from adoring and admiring his children, Bertie loved their company, they interested him and made him laugh and, perhaps most important of all, restored his faith in himself.
They were his greatest accomplishment, without a doubt: and actually, as he thought increasingly these days, his only one.
Chapter 9
‘Could I have a word?’
Bianca looked up; the person she most liked to see in the office – one of the very few people she ever wanted to see in the office – Susie Harding, stood in the doorway. So pretty, with her long blond hair, her rather remarkable grey eyes, so well-dressed, mostly in wrap dresses or shifts, her long, tanned legs – God, these girls must spend a lot on tanning products – her wonderful collection of high, high heels; so cheerful always, smiling that amazing smile of hers. She was a life enhancer of the very highest degree. Only right now she wasn’t smiling.
‘Susie, of course. Sit down. Glass of juice, water?’
‘No, no I’m fine. Sorry to barge in but your secretary wasn’t there—’
‘She wasn’t there because I’ve returned her to the agency,’ said Bianca. ‘She was depressing me. You don’t have a friend do you who’d like a very nice job as PA?’
‘I’ll put my mind to it, if you’re serious.’
‘Utterly. I want someone bright and calm and, above all, cheerful. And who doesn’t mind working late sometimes. And who finds the same things funny as I do. I mean, you’d do perfectly, but you’re overqualified and anyway, you’re already taken.’ She smiled at Susie.
‘Well – thanks. But it’s actually my job I’ve come about. I’m sure you’re going to brief me in due course and I know you’re terribly busy and—’
‘Don’t let’s worry about that.’
‘It’s just that I’m completely kicking my heels at the moment. The press aren’t interested in us at all, the way we are, and – well, it would be great to get some idea if there was anything I could do now. Instead of irritating all the journos and bloggers trying to interest them in – well, diddly squat.’
Bianca laughed. ‘I love that expression.’
‘You see, I just can’t wait to get to work. Relaunches are the toughest things of all, of course, but they’re also a huge challenge.’
‘You’re right,’ said Bianca, with a sigh. ‘We’re talking about taking something old and stale and difficult and untidy and making it vibrant and desirable and accessible all at the same time. On a fairly tight budget, I might add. Walking on water, easy by comparison.’
‘I know. And then there’s risking losing all the old customers, and finding enough new ones to make that worthwhile. But – goodness, you can do it if anyone can. And it would be huge fun.’
‘Tell me, Susie, if you were me, what would be your first line of attack? The first thing you did?’
‘The products. They’re ghastly, most of them. Too many bad, not enough good. Have you been down to the lab yet?’
‘No, I’m going on Thursday.’
‘Honestly, everyone is at least fifty. All hired by the Farrells decades ago, mostly briefed by Lady Farrell. Ghastly. No use repackaging, or re-advertising anything they make. Might as well try and tell people baked beans are strawberries. That’s not a very good analogy,’ she added. ‘Sorry.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. What products do seem right to you?’
‘The Cream,’ said Susie without hesitation.
‘Really? Even to someone as young as you?’
‘Yes. It’s just the best skincare product in the world.’
‘But it’s not very scientifically based. Surely in these days of free radicals and superdepth vitamin balance . . .’ She made a face at Susie.
Susie laughed. ‘No. But I think it just might be time for a bit less of all that stuff. The Cream is just a yummy, incredibly absorbent night cream. You can wear it to bed with your boyfriend without smelling like an old lady.’
Bianca grinned. ‘Oh, I wish we
They were his greatest accomplishment, without a doubt: and actually, as he thought increasingly these days, his only one.
Chapter 9
‘Could I have a word?’
Bianca looked up; the person she most liked to see in the office – one of the very few people she ever wanted to see in the office – Susie Harding, stood in the doorway. So pretty, with her long blond hair, her rather remarkable grey eyes, so well-dressed, mostly in wrap dresses or shifts, her long, tanned legs – God, these girls must spend a lot on tanning products – her wonderful collection of high, high heels; so cheerful always, smiling that amazing smile of hers. She was a life enhancer of the very highest degree. Only right now she wasn’t smiling.
‘Susie, of course. Sit down. Glass of juice, water?’
‘No, no I’m fine. Sorry to barge in but your secretary wasn’t there—’
‘She wasn’t there because I’ve returned her to the agency,’ said Bianca. ‘She was depressing me. You don’t have a friend do you who’d like a very nice job as PA?’
‘I’ll put my mind to it, if you’re serious.’
‘Utterly. I want someone bright and calm and, above all, cheerful. And who doesn’t mind working late sometimes. And who finds the same things funny as I do. I mean, you’d do perfectly, but you’re overqualified and anyway, you’re already taken.’ She smiled at Susie.
‘Well – thanks. But it’s actually my job I’ve come about. I’m sure you’re going to brief me in due course and I know you’re terribly busy and—’
‘Don’t let’s worry about that.’
‘It’s just that I’m completely kicking my heels at the moment. The press aren’t interested in us at all, the way we are, and – well, it would be great to get some idea if there was anything I could do now. Instead of irritating all the journos and bloggers trying to interest them in – well, diddly squat.’
Bianca laughed. ‘I love that expression.’
‘You see, I just can’t wait to get to work. Relaunches are the toughest things of all, of course, but they’re also a huge challenge.’
‘You’re right,’ said Bianca, with a sigh. ‘We’re talking about taking something old and stale and difficult and untidy and making it vibrant and desirable and accessible all at the same time. On a fairly tight budget, I might add. Walking on water, easy by comparison.’
‘I know. And then there’s risking losing all the old customers, and finding enough new ones to make that worthwhile. But – goodness, you can do it if anyone can. And it would be huge fun.’
‘Tell me, Susie, if you were me, what would be your first line of attack? The first thing you did?’
‘The products. They’re ghastly, most of them. Too many bad, not enough good. Have you been down to the lab yet?’
‘No, I’m going on Thursday.’
‘Honestly, everyone is at least fifty. All hired by the Farrells decades ago, mostly briefed by Lady Farrell. Ghastly. No use repackaging, or re-advertising anything they make. Might as well try and tell people baked beans are strawberries. That’s not a very good analogy,’ she added. ‘Sorry.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. What products do seem right to you?’
‘The Cream,’ said Susie without hesitation.
‘Really? Even to someone as young as you?’
‘Yes. It’s just the best skincare product in the world.’
‘But it’s not very scientifically based. Surely in these days of free radicals and superdepth vitamin balance . . .’ She made a face at Susie.
Susie laughed. ‘No. But I think it just might be time for a bit less of all that stuff. The Cream is just a yummy, incredibly absorbent night cream. You can wear it to bed with your boyfriend without smelling like an old lady.’
Bianca grinned. ‘Oh, I wish we
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