Celebrity Shopper by Carmen Reid Page A

what he’d said, the accent had been so chunky and unexpected.
    ‘I Janucek, vorrrrrk with Al, I leave my tools. Is possible to collect them from yourrrrr house?’ Janucek repeated.
    All thoughts of a mess lecture, a demonstration of what plaster dust and mud did to polished floors and woollen carpets, was completely forgotten as Annie heard strains from the Diet Coke ad break out in her head.
    ‘Yeah … course,’ she mumbled, ‘come in.’

Chapter Twelve
     
    Harry dressed (down) for dinner:
     
    Pink shirt (Turnbull & Asser)
Pink and grey Argyle V-neck (Pringle)
Grey flannel trousers (Gieves & Hawkes)
Monogrammed velvet slippers (Shipton & Heneage)
Total est. cost: £620
     
    ‘To the day I met you …’
     
    Whenever Svetlana arrived home, she called from the car. She didn’t do keys. Keys were for women who didn’t have staff.
    Svetlana called before arriving at her own glossy black front door so, within moments, her maid Maria was holding it open, welcoming her in and taking her coat and bags.
    ‘Has everyone else started?’ Svetlana asked, knowing that the rest of her family would already be in the dining room.
    ‘No, they just sit down,’ Maria assured her, ‘they wait for you.’
    Svetlana stepped into the nearest bathroom to freshen up. There, she washed her hands, combed through her luscious blond mane, applied a fresh coat of lipstick to newly plumped lips and a fresh spritz of perfume. Only then did she emerge, ready to face her family.
    As she opened the door of the dining room, she paused to appreciate this lovely little scene. It wasn’t often that all of them could eat together and she wanted to enjoy every moment of the meal.
    Her sons, Petrov and Michael, usually ate early in the kitchen with Maria, but here they were, looking all neat, combed and washed, their serious little faces turned in her direction.
    Harry, Svetlana’s latest husband, had made it back from work earlier than usual. He’d showered, changed and was seated at the head of the table.
    Even Elena looked as if she’d lightened up for the evening. She was sitting beside Petrov in a thoroughly unbusinesslike pink flowered top with a broad smile on her face.
    ‘Hooray!’ Harry said, standing up as soon as he caught sight of her. ‘We’re all just waiting for you, darling. Congratulations!’ and he pointed to the bottle of champagne which he’d had Maria put on ice as soon as he’d heard Svetlana’s news.
    ‘Fantastic!’ Elena grinned. ‘You have been fantastic, Mama, I knew you could do it.’
    Svetlana had rung them at home as soon as she’d finished her late-afternoon business meeting.
    She’d raised every last penny required. The full £75,000 was going to be in the Perfect Dress bank account by the end of the week. The champagne cork was about to pop because now, really and truly, Svetlana and Elena were in business.
    Svetlana swooped down on every member of her family, kissing and squeezing them tightly.
    ‘W-onderful!’ she said, making a huge effort to pronounce the ‘w’ properly. ‘It is just w-onderful.’
    ‘Does this mean you’re going to be as rich as Daddy?’ Michael wondered.
    This question made all the adults round the table laugh. Because Daddy Igor, even post-stock-market crash, was still a mega-millionaire.
    ‘Of course, my darling,’ Svetlana answered without hesitation, ‘and I make you very proud, no?’
    Harry reached over to lift the champagne bottle from its bucket of ice. Carefully, he eased off the cork, then filled the three crystal flutes on the table.
    Holding up his glass, he looked at Svetlana and made his familiar toast: ‘To the day I met you, my beautiful girl.’
    Maria entered carrying a silver tray laden with the first course just as Svetlana clinked her glass first with Harry, then Elena. She held the champagne under her nostrils for a moment, breathing in the fresh, prickly scent. Champagne, drink of champions. No?
    ‘So,’ Elena began, needing to get back to