The Importance of Being Emma by Juliet Archer Page A

I’m only too happy to help Marketing out in any way I can, any way at all . And that strapline’ – he grinned, unpleasantly – ‘I’m sure it won’t take someone as clever as you very long to work out that it contains the name of my ideal woman – ’
    ‘ It’s glaringly obvious,’ I put in, with a pitying look, ‘even Harriet – ’ I stopped as she came back into the room with my camera. ‘Thank you, Harriet, why don’t you stay and help Philip print those extra hard copies we discussed?’
    Philip stepped away from me with a scowl. ‘Unfortunately, I have to go out now. And anyway, you need to take Harriet back to Hartfield to get her car.’
    ‘ And the flowers,’ Harriet added. ‘I might have to borrow a vase thingy from you, Emma, there’s nothing like that at my house.’
    I sighed. I felt like knocking their heads together, but on the other hand I was delighted at the way matters were progressing. ‘Come along then, Harriet. Thank you so much, Philip, see you tomorrow.’
    ‘ I hope so, Emma. ’Bye, Harriet.’
    As I drove off, I checked the mirror and saw him standing at his front door, gazing wistfully after us.
    ‘ A very long but successful day,’ I said. ‘We’ve got our photos taken and printed off and we’ve even got a strapline. “Get emancipated in the kitchen … with Harriet’s Secret Recipes.” It’s growing on me.’ I paused. ‘While you were out of the room, Philip told me it contains the name of his ideal woman. He had the nerve to say it wouldn’t take me long to work it out. I mean, Harriet’s Secret Recipes – duh!’
    Harriet said slowly, ‘But don’t you remember? When he said it, he made “emancipated” sound so-o-o like “Emma-ncipated”. So couldn’t he mean you?’
    I burst out laughing. ‘Oh, Harriet, really! You’ll be saying next that he brought that huge bunch of flowers to give to me . You’re far too modest for your own good, you know.’
    She giggled. ‘Oh, you’re right, silly me, I wish I was clever like you, Emma.’ She hesitated, then went on, ‘By the way, did I tell you I’m going out with Rob tonight? So I couldn’t have stayed at Philip’s anyway.’
    It was an effort, but I said nothing. I made up my mind, though, to move things up a gear on the matchmaking front. Philip was obviously interested; I just had to get any notions about Robert Martin out of Harriet’s head and suggest to her that, in my humble opinion, Philip was far superior.
    Harriet didn’t need to be clever; she had me to do all the brain work for her.
     
    ~~MARK~~
    After Hartfield, I went to Abbey Mill Haulage to discuss the latest food transportation directive with Rob Martin. We sat drinking tea in his office, putting the European Union to rights and regretting that it was run by politicians rather than sensible people like us.
    I liked Rob a lot. His bulk – he was built like the proverbial brick shithouse – and stern, craggy features put people off, but to me he was just a gentle giant.
    When I mentioned I’d been at the photo shoot, his face lit up. ‘Harriet’s telling me all about it tonight. We’re going on our third date and I’m really looking forward to it.’ He gave me an anxious look. ‘How did she get on today?’
    ‘ She did as well as could be expected, given the limitations of the photographer.’
    ‘ That was Emma, wasn’t it? She’s been very friendly to Harriet, even invited her to Hartfield the other week. Surprised me, that did. Emma’s so posh, I wouldn’t have thought she’d bother with Harriet outside work. I hope it doesn’t give her the wrong idea, you know, that she could be like Emma Woodhouse.’
    ‘ No one could be like Emma Woodhouse,’ I said drily. I almost added, ‘She has the attention span of a gnat, so when she loses interest in Harriet, make sure you’re there to pick up the pieces.’
    But I didn’t. Experience told me that the most innocent of remarks had a tendency to come back and bite you,