Page 94 of The House of Hopes and Dreams
Hearing our voices, Rufus came out of one of the stables and he and Carey vanished into the barn to have a look at the gates, while I went upstairs to Izzy’s workshop and knocked on the door, feeling quite excited to see my new jacket, the first bespoke garment I’d ever had!
And when I did, I was absolutely stunned, because it was simply beautiful! It was sewn in squares of embroidered or patterned velvets in bright, jewel colours: rich reds and greens, amber and darkest rose. It was so gorgeous that when I put it on I was speechless, so for a minute Izzy was afraid I didn’t like it, but didn’t know how to tell her!
‘Just as well you do like it,’ she said, when I finally found my voice, ‘because I got carried away and made a dress to go with it, though of course, you don’t have to buy it if you don’t want it.’
It was a tunic style, the sleeves and body in plain dark green velvet, but with a long trail of tiny tumbling diamonds in the same jewelcolours as the coat. They ran from one shoulder down and across and round in a great sari-like swirl that finished at the hem. When I put it on, I thought I looked quite transformed, even if I was still wearing my jeans and big black boots under it.
‘You’re so petite that you can take that design, and I haven’t made the squares very big in either jacket or dress,’ she said, critically admiring her own handiwork.
‘Oh, I love both – and of course I want them! They’re worth every penny and I’ll wear them to death, like I do all my favourite clothes.’
‘I’ll give you a discount: mate’s rates,’ she said with a grin. ‘They’ve given me an idea for a whole new collection of jackets and dresses for next winter, too. Yours are one-offs, so they won’t be exactly the same, just running with the appliqué velvet idea.’
‘I’ll probably be back for more,’ I said, then invited her, Rufus and Foxy to my workshop opening party on the 14th at six o’clock, for drinks, nibbles and a cake.
It sounded terribly civilized, though if Nick and the gang came up for it, it probably wouldn’t stay that way for long.
The day after the fifth of Seamus Banyan’s programmes aired, Carey’s agent called and told him that since the current series was bombing, they wouldn’t be renewing Seamus’s contract.
‘And they wanted to know if I’d go back,’ he said, relaying this conversation to me. Then he explained, immodestly, ‘My many fans are clamouring for my return.’
‘So … are you thinking about it?’
‘You have to be joking, Angel, after the way they dumped me!’
‘Yes, they were a bit hasty, to say the least. But I suppose they thought that even if you recovered, it would be a long time before you were ready to work again.’
‘They made a snap decision and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it, because of that clause they slipped into the contract,’ he said, and it was clear this still rankled.
‘Did you tell your agent you’re not interested?’
‘He didn’t really expect I would be, because ITV are definitely taking the new series.’
‘Really? Oh, that’sgreatnews!’ I exclaimed delightedly.
‘It will be, if it’s a success.’
‘Of course it will be. It’ll run for years and years. When will the news be out?’
‘As soon as the contract’s been drawn up, I suppose,’ he said. ‘That’ll ruffle a few feathers!’
Daisy must have been delegated to change Carey’s mind about going back to do a new series ofThe Complete Country Cottage, because she rang up that evening while we were in the studio. He’d just been talking to his mum on a faint and faraway line to Arizona, so the phone was turned up to max volume and she came across loud and clear.
‘Carey?’
He grimaced at me and made ‘stay put’ gestures when I would have tactfully retreated.
‘Well, this is a surprise, Daisy,’ he said. ‘Where did you get my number from?’
‘You rang me from it a few days ago, remember? I rang your mobile first, though, and sent you loads of texts, but you didn’t answer.’
‘I forgot to charge it – it’s still plugged in in the kitchen, come to think of it. What was so urgent?’
‘Well … it’s this way,’ she began in soft, persuasive tones. ‘Carl,The Complete Country Cottageproducer—’
‘I know who Carl is,’ Carey interrupted. ‘The slight concussion didn’t affected my memory.’
‘Right … Anyway, he – we – just wanted to say how disappointed and surprised we are that you don’t want to return for the new series. Naturally, we only saw Seamus as a temporary replacement until you were ready to return, but perhaps we didn’t make that clear enough?’
