Having a Ball (6 page)

##

From: Stevie Winfield

To: Louise Edwards

I very much doubt Marsh
is worried about me. He's got Jane and the sprog to worry about now.
Besides, it's not really any of your business, I'm sorry to say. It's a
family thing, between me and my brother.

From: Vienna Jansen-Verlag

To: Tom Blackwood

Tom Darling, how are
you?
It's been the longest time since I last saw you. I'm going to be
popping up to Oxford several times in the next three weeks--my client
is based up there and prefers for me to come to them. Do you still go
and see your mum some Sundays? I could pop up early for my Monday
meeting and you could show round your charming mansion. I haven't
seen it since your parents started doing it up, I'd love to see what
they've made of it.
I haven't seen your mother since the funeral.
How is she?
Also, I've got a corporate schmooze coming up on the
23rd of next month. Black tie. Can you do it? Please say you will. I need a
body to accompany me and I can't think of a body I'd rather be attached
to than yours!
Vienna
X X

##

From: Tom Blackwood

To: Vienna Jansen-Verlag

Vienna
Of course you
should go up and see the house. I'm sure Mum will be delighted to see
you too. The house looks fabulous. Mum's done a great job finishing off
what she and Dad started.
Just give me a bell on the Saturday
beforehand, so that I can make sure I'm there to meet you.
Re the
company party. Of course. I owe you for the last time.
Gotta go.
Work to do.

##

From: Vienna Jansen-Verlag

To: Tom Blackwood

Fantastic that you can come
to the event. We can go back to mine afterwards for post party drinks.
;-)
Looking forward to it.
Vienna
X X

* * * *

Stevie spent the next few days furiously brainstorming and making
phone calls. She went up to Oxford midweek to meet Evelyn's friends in the charity
group. They turned out to be a group of three, all sitting in the library, having tea
and biscuits. Stevie accepted a cup of tea and smiled attentively as Evelyn
introduced her to the two others.

Both ladies were middle aged and exuded a sort of confidence that came
from knowing their strengths. Priya, the lady who was championing that year's
charity, was a soft-spoken Sri Lankan. She had brought a folder containing
information on the charity, which she showed Stevie. She had lost friends and
relatives to the tsunami and her passion for the cause was contagious. By the time
she'd finished, Stevie wanted to help the poor children as much as she could.

Lady Beryl, whom Stevie had imagined to be a large woman, was actually
a small, chubby lady with elegantly cut silver hair and perfect posture. Her voice,
however, was pure Lady Bracknell. Stevie expected her to say "
A handbag
?"
at any moment.

"There's usually more of us," said Evelyn. "But Jean's ill with bronchitis,
Greta is on one of her consulting jaunts and Hilda and June have gone to Australia
for a wedding."

"So." Lady Beryl's lips stretched into the shape of a smile, but her gaze
was pure steel. "What plans have you got for us then Stephanie?"

"Please, call me Stevie." She opened her notebook. "To be honest, what I
have is a long list of questions."

Everyone was watching her with interest, apart from Lady Beryl, who
was eyeing her sceptically.

"First of all, the tickets. How many have you actually sold?"

The women exchanged a few glances. "Not as many as we'd like," said
Evelyn. "About forty."

"Okay. That's not great. I'm assuming you've approached all your nearest
friends and relatives?"

All three ladies nodded.

"So we need to promote this to the wider public. Fine. Now, I gather you
haven't done any advertising as yet, is that right?"

More nods.

"Okay, we'll start by taking out an ad in the local paper. I'll phone up and
check prices." Stevie wrote this down. "Does anyone know anyone famous?"

There was some silence as the ladies thought about it.

"Why is this relevant?" said Lady Beryl.

"Because, if we can get some famous people backing the cause, we're
more likely to get people interested. Especially, if we can persuade the famous
person to come to the ball. People will come along hoping to see them."

Lady Beryl digested this. "Sounds awfully...tawdry."

Stevie smiled. "You're right, of course. But needs must. It is a good cause
and a little bit of the common touch would be worth it if we can raise more
money."

"I suppose."

"I know a novelist," said Priya, suddenly. "Used to be a student of mine.
Shame she went into the novelist business really. She had the potential to be a
brilliant historian."

"Is she famous?"

The lady named someone Stevie had never heard of. "Why don't you see
if she'd like to come?" said Stevie. "And maybe she could talk about it on her
website."

A few more suggestions were thrown in and various people tasked with
acting on them.

"Next," said Stevie, bracing herself. "Catering."

"We've
got
to have a good caterer," said Lady Beryl. "We're not
doing a main meal, just canapés and
amuse-bouche
. They've got to be
excellent or else it looks awful."

"I see," said Stevie. "But there's a small problem."

"Which is?" Lady Beryl's eyebrows arched.

"We can't afford one. Also, all the ones recommended by my contacts are
busy and can't fit us in at such short notice." She didn't have any contacts. She'd
phoned everyone local she found on Google.

"Surely you're not suggesting we do without nibbles," said Lady Beryl.
"Don't be ridiculous, girl. People will be drinking and they have to something to
soak up the alcohol. Or else there'll be absolute mayhem." She fixed Stevie with a
stern glare. "Don't you know anything?"

Stevie forced herself not to react to the criticism. "What I'm suggesting,
Lady Beryl, is that we cater for the occasion ourselves."

There was a murmur of concern.

"Sounds risky," said Priya. "Don't you need all sorts of health and safety
certificates before you do that. In case you poison someone."

"Exactly." Lady Beryl snorted. "Stupid idea."

Stevie glanced at Evelyn. They had discussed this beforehand.

Evelyn smiled, a little triumphantly. "Actually," she said. "We do have an
accredited kitchen right here in the house."

Everyone turned to look at her.

"But there's only you who has any certification," said Lady Beryl. "You
can't make canapés for a hundred and twenty people all on your own."

"Only one of us needs to be accredited," said Evelyn. "And I am, so we
could, legally, cater for the ball ourselves."

"Making canapés for a hundred and twenty," said Priya
thoughtfully. "Just us. Sounds like fun. Let's do it."

"But..." Lady Beryl sputtered.

"A vote?" suggested Evelyn. "All those in favour?"

Two hands went up. Lady's Beryl's stayed firmly in her lap.

"Well," said Lady Beryl. "Fine. I just hope we can come up with an
acceptable menu with the so called budget."

"Actually." Stevie pulled out a wad of paper. "I've got some suggestions,
with approximate costings." She handed them round.

There was a silence as everyone read the proposed menu.

"It's a bit...predictable," said Priya, after a moment.

"Is this really all the money we can spend?" Evelyn said. "Seriously?"

"I'm afraid so." Stevie scanned the list. She had done her best, looking up
recipes and prices on the internet. She had been expecting some resistance, but not
this level of disappointment. She bit her lip, then, remembering she had to look
professional, took a small sip of tea in an attempt to seem nonchalant.

"This will never do," said Lady Beryl, frowning. "You haven't even got
angels on horseback."

Stevie stared. She had no idea what the woman was talking about. Evelyn
leaned forward. "Scallops. It's a sort of canapé," she whispered. Aloud she
said, "We can't afford scallops, Beryl. You can see that."

"But we can't serve...this. This is the sort of thing the students would
serve." She injected a huge amount of contempt into the word students.

Priya laughed. "No, they'd serve crisps and nuts."

"Graduate students then," Lady Beryl snapped.

"Perhaps, I could help," Priya said.

Everyone turned to her. "Since it's a Sri Lankan charity... How about Sri
Lankan nibbles?"

Stevie perked up. "Is it likely to be expensive?"

"Not particularly," said Priya. "I have enough recipes and expertise. I can
show you how."

"No offence, Priya," Lady Beryl said in a voice that suggested she was
going to cause it anyway. "But isn't Sri Lankan food palate-searingly hot?"

Priya smiled. "Not if you don't put any chili in it."

Lady Beryl looked thoughtful. "I must admit," she said slowly. "It does
have a certain...
je ne se quoi
to have Sri Lankan food at a ball for a Sri
Lankan charity ball."

"Excellent," said Evelyn. "That's settled then." She beamed. "I'm liking the
sound of this already."

"Okay. I'll sort out a menu. We might have to go to London to buy some
ingredients," said Priya.

"That's not a problem. I live in London." Stevie scribbled notes. "Shall we
discuss prices and things?"

* * * *

From: Marjorie Verita

To: Tom
Blackwood >
Dierdre Smith

Dear Tom and
Dierdre
I have arranged for a projection meeting with Pickering for
Tuesday the 10th. I should inform you that Mathais will be attending
the meeting in person.
Regards
Marjorie Verita, PA to Mathais
Groenberger.

##

From: Human Resources

To: Tom Blackwood <
Thomas.Blackwood@ Krantzsolutions.com >
Dear
Thomas
Thank you for your interest in the position of Regional
manager Doha office. We are pleased to invite you to a formal interview
at 14.00 on Wednesday the 11th of July, please come prepared to give a
20 minute presentation on your ideas of how to set up and maintain
the Doha office and how you would expand our footprint in the Middle
East area.
Regards
Gillian Smythe
Human
Resources

##

From: Tom Blackwood < Thomas.Blackwood@
Krantzsolutions.com>
To: Olivia Gornall

Help. I've got two
major presentations in two days. One for phase two of the Pickering
project and one for the Doha interview panel. One of the VPs is going to
be there for the Pickering one.

##

From: Olivia Gornall

To: Tom
Blackwood < Thomas.Blackwood@
Krantzsolutions.com>
Congratulations on getting an
interview with the Doha thing. Why are you stressing? You've got stuff
prepared for both, right? It'll be a walkover.

##

From: Tom Blackwood < Thomas.Blackwood@
Krantzsolutions.com>
To: Olivia Gornall

Yes, I have stuff
prepared for both, but it's nowhere near ready. I'm still busy
trouble-shooting the handover on part one of the project and I won't have
everything until the day, pretty much. And I've got to keep all my slides
and conclusions updated as we go. I haven't got enough time to cover it
all as it is. Now I have to do a second presentation. I don't know where
I'm going to find time to do that.
And my head feels like it's
splitting, which isn't bloody helping. I'm off to buy more
Nurofen.

##

From: Olivia Gornall

To: Tom
Blackwood < Thomas.Blackwood@
Krantzsolutions.com>
How badly do you want this
promotion? Are you sure you can handle it? You seem to be working
yourself into an early grave as it is...

##

From: Tom Blackwood < Thomas.Blackwood@
Krantzsolutions.com>
To: Olivia Gornall

I WANT that
promotion. What's more, I intend to get it. I'm certainly not letting
Dierdre walk away with it.

With Priya working on the catering, Stevie turned her attention to the rest
of her list. Top of the list was advertising. She and Alice designed an advert to go in
the local papers and information sheets. A slightly larger version was turned into
flyers, which they personally delivered to carefully selected bars, pubs and
restaurants around the city. By the end of the day, both Stevie and Alice were
exhausted.

"Do you think it'll bring in enough people?" said Alice, as they sat in the
front room, each stretched out on a sofa. Evelyn had poured them glasses of cold
apple juice and told them to go and relax after their endeavours.

"I don't know." That was an understatement. Stevie doubted they'd sell
nearly as many tickets as they'd need to. She needed to think of another way to
shift more tickets. She stared out of the sunlit window and let her mind wander. "If
only there was a way to make it the event to be seen at."

Alice picked up a magazine and flicked through it. "Hmmm. Apparently
Coldplay were at the St John's college ball this summer. I would have liked to have
gone to that."

Stevie glanced across as her. "How did you know? About Coldplay, I
mean?"

"There was a buzz about it on the forum." Alice didn't even look up from
her magazine. Clearly a 'buzz on the forum' was a commonplace occurrence.