Me and Mr Carrington: A Short Story Read Online Free PDF

Blimey, she must be important – I didn’t think dogs were allowed instore.
    ‘Oh Mother, there you are. Isn’t this handbag divine?’ I hand the bag back to the girl and she puts it on her arm, stroking the soft textured leather lovingly.
    ‘Is it a sale item?’ she demands, ignoring her daughter’s question. The chauffeur surreptitiously rolls his eye before wandering towards an exit.
    ‘Yes, and such a bargain.’ The mother slaps a palm to her chest – so dramatically, anyone would think she’d been shot through the heart with a poison dart.
    ‘Take it off! Take it off your arm at once,’ she hisses, her black kohl-lidded eyes amphibian-like as they scan the store.
    ‘Will you wrap it please?’ The girl hands the bag back to me, ignoring her mother.
    ‘Um, yes, of course,’ I hesitate, before heading towards my counter. God, I really hope this doesn’t turn into a scene. The last time we had an incident like this, a mother–daughter spat over what constituted ‘a sensible school bag’, I had to call security when the teenage girl had a hissy fit and ended up hurling a ‘boring black rucksack’ into the window display – I think she wanted the Juicy Couture neon pink cross-body bag instead.
    ‘Stop right there,’ the mother demands, making me jump. And I do as I’m told. ‘My daughter does not need to purchase
sale
items,’ she says, barely able to bring herself to say the actual word.
Hmm, so why would you come to a SALE preview evening then?
I open my mouth, unsure of what to say, but luckily, Eddie appears just in the nick of time, having dumped the clipboard and changed into a dapper grey suit complete with waistcoat. Very debonair.
    ‘Countesssssss … there you are! I’ve been looking all over for you,’ he says in an extra camp voice.
    ‘Oh Paola, pleeeeease …’ the Countess purrs, before extending her free hand for Eddie to shake or kiss or whatever – he plumps for a kind of two-handed clasp before leaning in to do three alternating air kisses either side of her head.
    ‘Certainly, Paola. Enchanted.’ And I swear Eddie almost does a little courtesy in reverence. I stare, mesmerised and bemused at the schmooze coming from his mouth – I’ve seen Eddie fawn before, but never as sycophantically as this. ‘And my sincere apologies for not being at your car door to greet you as discussed. Maybe you’d like a flute before we show you our finest collection.’ Eddie flaps a hand wildly and a waiter with a silver tray of pink bubbly materialises immediately next to the Countess. She downs a glass in one before helping herself to another.
    ‘Yes, the finest. That’s what we want, and definitely no sale items for Adrianna,’ the Countess replies, tossing a glare in our direction.
    ‘Please, here’s my credit card.’ Ignoring her mother, Adrianna offers me a black Amex.
    ‘I’m so sorry, we don’t take American Express,’ I cringe, willing my cheeks to stop flaming. I’m going to talk to Tom, because if Carrington’s is to attract this calibre of customer – glamouratti and royalty – then we really need to up our game …
    ‘No problem, I have cash.’ Adrianna pulls a bundle of notes from her purse instead.
    ‘I said NO! Sale items are for people who can’t afford to pay full price. It would be mean of us to deprive them …’ the Countess says, adopting a mock-concerned voice now.
    The woman with the purple spiky hair is within earshot and quickly elbows her mate before muttering ‘flaming cheek’ under her breath. The Countess necks another flute, oblivious to the commotion she’s causing and goes to shoo Adrianna away from the counter with her cane before toppling slightly. Oh my God, Paola is trollied!
    ‘Mother, please. You’re embarrassing me.’
    ‘Ha! You need no help from me where that’s concerned. No wonder Mr Carrington chose your sister over you. Yes, Lucia knows how to behave properly.’
    Whaaaat?
    What’s she going on about?
    A weird icy