Annie felt like a bunny in the headlights.

'Ummm ... the next few days are very hectic,' she stalled, 'we're preparing for this fashion show.'

Now Lana was leaning in, getting up to speed with the conversation.

'Are you going to "Train with Gawain trademark"?' she asked, trying not to giggle. 'That is so cool, Mum. I can't believe you're going to do that. He's really, really good. He was just telling me about his special squats, guaranteed to lift your b.u.t.t by at least two inches "trademark".'

'I don't know. We'll be so busy with the show.'

'Squeeze it in, Mum,' Lana urged. 'C'mon, early one morning, maybe?'

'That would be perfect,' Gawain confirmed. 'I have a 5.30a.m. slot. The gym does get really busy after 6.30 with my trader clients who need to be at their desks by 8a.m.'

'5.30a.m.??'

Annie wasn't sure if she'd heard properly.

Yes, jet lag might have been working for her on the first few days in town, allowing for some outrageously early mornings, but now she stayed out late and lay in bed till 8.30.am. just like all the other fashionistas in her apartment.

'5.30a.m. on Friday?' Gawain asked, nail poised over his phone.

'Fine,' Annie replied, completely confident that something would come up and she would be able to back out of this torment.

Chapter Twenty-Three.

Tiffany's a.s.sistant: White shirt (Gap)

Black suit (Uniform)

Comfortable black trainers (Geox)

Diamond earring (Tiffany's with staff discount)

Watch (Tiffany's with discount)

Total est. cost: $620

' ... always very happy to talk ...'

It was 8.30p.m. and growing dark when Annie managed to extricate herself from the 'Connor comes to NYC' reunion party. Both Elena and Lana tried to persuade her to stay on, but Annie needed to get away from Gawain's critical gaze and dieting suggestions.

She'd been in New York for nearly three weeks and there were still so many places that she hadn't seen. With Ed, she'd chalked off a few museums, so she wasn't going to worry about that too much, but there were still so many unvisited shops!

She hadn't yet set foot inside a Coach handbag store, although Coach was the bag every second New Yorker she pa.s.sed was carrying. She still hadn't been into a typically US jeans warehouse, or to Century 21, Bergdorf Goodman, Dooney & Bourke, Brooks Brothers or to any of the famous New York names she'd promised herself she would at least browse around.

Hurrying towards the top of Fifth Avenue, she was delighted to see that she still had a good hour or so before the shops closed.

And here was Tiffany's the fabulously famous Fifth Avenue jewellers.

Right here.

She couldn't possibly walk past the windows, thinking of Audrey Hepburn, without going in to take a little look.

Inside the store, it was cool and glittery and much bigger than she had expected: a vast ground floor, then elevators at the back leading to even more dazzling goodies. Smart and sophisticated sales staff stood behind the gla.s.s cases where Tiffany's jewelled delights were beautifully displayed. Annie walked slowly past key-shaped pendants encrusted with diamonds.

'Good evening, ma'am and how are you today?' the salesman behind a counter began with a fresh and friendly smile, although he must have asked the question hundreds of times today.

'I'm great, thanks, but I think I'll keep on walking ... there are too many diamonds here for me.'

'I'm always very happy to talk, if you need me,' he added with direct eye contact and another smile. Whoa ... now that was service.

As she rounded a cabinet studded with some of the most graceful diamond necklaces she had ever seen, her phone began to ring. She was delighted to hear the deep and melodious tones of her favourite multimillionairess on the other end of the line.

'Annnnnaaaah,' Svetlana began, 'what is the news from New York?'

'Svetlana, h.e.l.lo!'

Eyes widening at the price tag on the diamond pendant she'd been admiring, Annie added: 'I'm in Tiffany's ... I was just thinking of you.'

'Tscha, Tiffany's for tourists, go to Harry Winston or Cartier, if you like to buy something nice.'

'I wasn't really buying. I was looking.'

'Buy!' Svetlana instructed, 'you have some money now and your jewellery is all ...'

Annie waited for the killer blow. How would Svetlana, usually dripping in hundreds of thousands of pounds' worth of jewels dismiss Annie's jewellery, which was usually an impulse buy from Accessorize?

'Unimpressive.'

Ouch! That was understated yet harsh.

Unimpressive.

'Well, we didn't all marry money,' Annie snapped, unable to stop herself.

'Big mistake,' came the tart reply, 'but I not phone to talk about this. Tell me about the new dresses, the orders and the show you are organizing. I hear from Elena, of course, but I like to know what you think. Is it vorrrrking?' she asked.

'The dresses look brilliant. We used cheap jersey material but made them very stylish,' Annie began with the positive, 'but the orders are not so good, which is why we are holding the show. We've invited everyone who made an order to come and take a look at the dresses in the nicest setting we can find for $1,800.

'Oh, and Bloomingdale's has cancelled. You know that?'

'Ya. Is very, very upsetting. But this to do with Elena finishing with Sye. Like I tell her to.'

'You told her to finish?' Annie bent down low to look at the cabinet in front of her. The Tiffany keys. She loved them. She wanted all of them. The slim gold key-shaped pendant on a delicate, sliver of a gold chain would that be impressive enough for Svetlana? No, Svetlana would treat herself to the huge platinum one, smothered in diamonds, with the five-figure price tag.

'Ya,' Svetlana replied casually.

'And she did that for you?'

Annie decided she would keep the information that Elena and Sye were totally back together to herself, for now.

'Ya, I tell her not to waste time on some photographer whose mother work in clothes store. This is waste of her beautiful talents.'

'She should be marrying rich?'

'Of courrrrrse, just like her mama.'

Now Annie felt tetchy enough to remind Svetlana: 'The rich men did not make you very happy.'

'No. But divorce settlements did.'

'Only the last one. And remember how he tried to get away with leaving you nothing.'

'All forgotten now I have my millions and my Harry.'

It had, in the end, worked out very nicely for Svetlana, Annie had to admit. And it was no use griping that she hadn't worked hard to get where she was today.

Being a millionaire's wife was one very, very high maintenance career choice. It explained why Svetlana had 'settled' for just a 'very wealthy' man for husband number five. Harry loved her just the way she was, apparently.

Just the way Svetlana was involved a daily personal trainer, a live-in maid, quarterly Botox, anti-ageing laser treatments, jewels, furs, and purely designer clothes and accessories.

This explained why Svetlana, believed to be in her late forties, looked like most women did in their mid-twenties.

'Where is the show? Has Elena picked good place?'

'It's a lovely hotel with an old-fashioned Russian emigre theme. It's chandeliers, marble and leather but with a cool edge. Dark blue walls, very moody. She's calling it the Eastern Bloc Party. A DJ friend is doing the music, lots of S-'

Ooops, Annie had nearly said 'Sye's friends'.

'Lots of very cool people are coming,' she corrected herself, 'I think it will do wonders for sales.'

'Press?' Sveltana asked immediately. 'No good even breathing in a Perfect Dress if no press around.'

'Some photographers are coming, so hopefully we'll get something into the press.'

'Ha. I know how we will get a fabulous front page story. I am going to come to the fashion show and I bring a very special friend.'

Annie turned away from the latest gla.s.s case she'd been peering into. 'You're going to come ... from London?'

'Ya. I have decided. I arrive just in time for lunch with my especial friend, then we come together for show. Tell the photographers they are getting surprise.'

'Are you going to tell me who it is?'

'Of course not!'

'Why not?'

'I like surprises. Also, tell everyone you invite that I am giving out goodie bags. Very special goodie bags. Everyone come for a good freebie. I've found some money I can spend, Annah. I sell some boring old watch I forget who give it to me and I put $15,000 more into this show to make it more special.'

'Fantastic ...' Annie said, although it would have been nice to have known about that before they entered the marathon price negotiating session with the owner of the hotel. Both Elena and Lana had been working like slaves trying to get everything for nothing for this show-on-a-shoestring.

Still, $15,000 now would make a huge difference and yes, plenty of extra guests would come for Svetlana's idea of a goodie bag.

'How is your family, Annah? I not hear anything about them yet.'

Annie was now standing in front of a display of tactile round golden pendants on black silk cords. They were beautiful. She wondered if Svetlana would be impressed. Probably not. Probably nothing short of a rope full of diamond bling would cause Svet to even look twice.

'The babies are fine. I'm missing them much more than I think they're missing me,' Annie replied. 'Owen is good, Lana is loving New York. I'm worried that I won't be able to get her to come home. Ed is somehow managing without me.'

'If this run of dresses sells big, Annah, you should move to New York, like I tell you to, and work for us,' Svetlana said, just as casually as if she was inviting Annie for lunch. 'Why not?'

Chapter Twenty-Four.