Page 26 of Merrily Ever After
‘But, luckily, she’s got me, and her wedding dress is to die for.’ Nell smiled. ‘That’ll be five pounds twenty pence please.’
‘Andyou’vegot me,’ said Tina, handing over the money and flashing Emily a loving smile. ‘And, of course, I’ll help you. Let me know what you need me to do.’
She let out a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks, Mum, I will.’
That was one parent on board with the plan, now all she had to do was work out how to get the other one to cooperate.
Chapter Ten
Merry
18 NOVEMBER
‘OK, so one last update from me, ladies and gentlemen,’ said Simone, one of Hester’s colleagues, as she flashed her pearly veneers at the camera. ‘Get your orders in for the cosy fleece blankets before they all go. The cougar is sold out, there are very limited numbers of the snow leopard and the new tiger fleece in pink and white is proving very popular!’
Simone held her smile for five more seconds before breathing a sigh of relief. She dropped the thick blanket she’d been holding onto the velvet chair which served as a prop and walked off set.
‘All yours, Hester,’ she said, removing her earpiece. ‘Ooh, Merry, save me a set of those Christmas candles, darling. Just the thing to give the nanny.’
I gave her a thumbs up and stood still while one of the studio staff fiddled with my microphone pack. I checked that I didn’t have lipstick on my teeth and took a couple of deep breaths.
‘All good?’ Hester asked, leading me away from the blankets to the other half of the brightly lit studio. It had been set up with a shelf unit stacked with candles and two armchairs and a coffee table.
‘Raring to go,’ I told her and the two of us positioned ourselves beside the shelves of product.
Hester was such a pro; she never displayed a hint of nerves. I, on the other hand, had legs like jelly despite this being my eleventh appearance on her show, the penultimate slot for Merry and Bright before Christmas.
The studio manager counted us down and then we were live. Hester did her welcome spiel and I smiled and nodded, never entirely sure if I was in shot or not.
Today we were selling my Christmas gift sets and I was giving viewers an exclusive offer on a brand-new product for next year, a large candle with three wicks with a scent that I was excited about.
‘So.’ Hester beamed into the camera and picked up one of my gift boxes. ‘I’ve got something very special for you and I know you’re going to love it, but before I hand over to Merry, just a quick update on the lion-print blanket in chestnut …’
I tried to pay attention and not fidget while she whipped the audience up into a state of panic about the imminent extinction of big-cat-themed fleeces. I always forgot how hot it was in the studio under the lights. I was wearing a maxi dress and boots and could already feel a prickle of heat under my arms, I’d have a sweaty upper lip before long. Hester, in a silk shirt and leather trousers, seemed impervious to the temperature.
Finally, she turned her smile to me. ‘And now, Merry, tell us about the candles …’
Before long I was in the swing of things and able to chat naturally to Hester about our Christmas candles, at least as naturally as could be expected with a cameraman almost in my face.
‘These are perfect if you’re having a quiet night in with a loved one. Or a great way of adding a touch of luxury toa dinner table. You can even incorporate them into your Christmas decorations,’ I said. ‘The more, the merrier.’
Hester laughed. ‘Absolutely! Merry and Bright candles are all handmade by you, in Derbyshire, aren’t they?’
‘Yes, that’s correct.’ I nodded to Hester, making sure I ignored the camera as instructed. ‘We make everything in our workroom in Wetherley in small batches using only the best ingredients. Our shop is there too, it’s easy to find, opposite the market.’
‘And all your packaging is recyclable?’
I told her it was and then gave a few statistics – not too many, viewers were easily bored, I’d learned.
‘So, what have you got new and exclusive forRetail Therapyviewers?’
‘Something very special.’ I picked up a packaged candle from the display on the table in front of us and removed the box. ‘We’ve developed a new scent calledHome. It’s a blend of vanilla and cocoa beans, with soft undertones of cedarwood and musk.’
‘Mmm, that smells delicious even before you’ve lit it.’ Hester enthused. ‘Let’s light some, shall we?’
‘Sure.’ I lit each of the three wicks.
‘Mmm, this is definitely an aroma I’d like to come home to,’ Hester said to the camera and gave a quick run-through of the prices and reminded her audience just how lucky they were to be getting a sneak preview.
