that your son Sebastian is eight years old.’
‘Yes, he is. Harry and I were engaged in 1939, but he felt it was his duty to sign up even before war had been declared.’
Miss Braithwaite was about to ask another question, when the man on the chairman’s left leant forward and said, ‘So you were married soon after the war ended, Mrs Clifton?’
‘Sadly not,’ said Emma, looking at a man who only had one arm. ‘My husband was badly wounded by a German landmine only days before the war ended, and it was some time before he
was fit enough to be discharged from hospital.’
Miss Braithwaite still appeared unmoved. Emma wondered, could it be possible that . . . she decided to take a risk she knew Harry would not have approved of.
‘But, Mr Needham,’ she said, her eyes not leaving the man with one arm, ‘I consider myself to be among the lucky ones. My heart goes out to those women whose husbands,
fiancés and sweethearts did not return to their families, having made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.’
Miss Braithwaite bowed her head, and the chairman said, ‘Thank you, Mrs Clifton. Someone will be in touch with you in the near future.’
5
N ATALIE WAS STANDING in the lobby waiting for him at 6 a.m. She looked just as crisp and perky as she had done when she’d left him the day before.
Once they were seated in the back of the limousine, she opened the inevitable folder.
‘You begin the day being interviewed by Matt Jacobs on NBC, the highest-rated breakfast show in the country. The good news is that you’ve been given the prime slot, which means
you’ll be on some time between seven forty and eight a.m. The not-so-good news is that you’re sharing it with Clark Gable, and Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and Tweetie Pie.
Gable’s promoting his latest movie,
Homecoming
, in which he stars alongside Lana Turner.’
‘And Mel Blanc?’ said Harry, trying not to laugh.
‘He’s celebrating a decade with Warner Brothers. Now, taking into account sponsors’ breaks, I estimate you’ll be on air for four to five minutes, which you must think of
as 240 to 300 seconds. I cannot stress enough,’ continued Natalie, ‘how important this show is for launching our whole campaign. You won’t be doing anything bigger in the next
three weeks. This could not only get you on to the bestseller list but, if it goes well, every major show across the country will want to book you.’
Harry could feel his heartbeat rising by the second.
‘All you have to do is find any excuse to mention
Nothing Ventured
,’ she added as the limousine drew up outside the NBC studios at the Rockefeller Center.
Harry couldn’t believe the sight that greeted him when he stepped out on to the pavement. The narrow entrance that led to the front of the building had been fenced off and was crammed on
both sides with screaming fans. As Harry made his way through the crowds of expectant onlookers, he didn’t need to be told that 90 per cent of them had come to see Clark Gable, 9 per cent Mel
Blanc, and possibly 1 per cent . . .
‘Who’s he?’ someone shouted as Harry hurried past.
Perhaps not even 1 per cent.
Once he was safely inside the building, a floor walker escorted him to the green room and briefed him on timings.
‘Mr Gable will be on at seven forty. Mel Blanc will follow him at seven fifty, and we’re hoping to get you on by seven fifty-five in the run-up to the news.’
‘Thank you,’ said Harry as he took a seat and tried to compose himself.
Mel Blanc bounced into the green room at 7.30, and looked at Harry as if he was expecting to be asked for an autograph. Mr Gable, accompanied by his entourage, followed a few moments later.
Harry was surprised to see the screen idol dressed in a dinner jacket and carrying a glass of whisky. Gable explained to Mel Blanc that it wasn’t an early morning drink, because he
hadn’t been to bed. Laughter followed him as he was whisked away, and Harry was left
‘Yes, he is. Harry and I were engaged in 1939, but he felt it was his duty to sign up even before war had been declared.’
Miss Braithwaite was about to ask another question, when the man on the chairman’s left leant forward and said, ‘So you were married soon after the war ended, Mrs Clifton?’
‘Sadly not,’ said Emma, looking at a man who only had one arm. ‘My husband was badly wounded by a German landmine only days before the war ended, and it was some time before he
was fit enough to be discharged from hospital.’
Miss Braithwaite still appeared unmoved. Emma wondered, could it be possible that . . . she decided to take a risk she knew Harry would not have approved of.
‘But, Mr Needham,’ she said, her eyes not leaving the man with one arm, ‘I consider myself to be among the lucky ones. My heart goes out to those women whose husbands,
fiancés and sweethearts did not return to their families, having made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.’
Miss Braithwaite bowed her head, and the chairman said, ‘Thank you, Mrs Clifton. Someone will be in touch with you in the near future.’
5
N ATALIE WAS STANDING in the lobby waiting for him at 6 a.m. She looked just as crisp and perky as she had done when she’d left him the day before.
Once they were seated in the back of the limousine, she opened the inevitable folder.
‘You begin the day being interviewed by Matt Jacobs on NBC, the highest-rated breakfast show in the country. The good news is that you’ve been given the prime slot, which means
you’ll be on some time between seven forty and eight a.m. The not-so-good news is that you’re sharing it with Clark Gable, and Mel Blanc, the voice of Bugs Bunny and Tweetie Pie.
Gable’s promoting his latest movie,
Homecoming
, in which he stars alongside Lana Turner.’
‘And Mel Blanc?’ said Harry, trying not to laugh.
‘He’s celebrating a decade with Warner Brothers. Now, taking into account sponsors’ breaks, I estimate you’ll be on air for four to five minutes, which you must think of
as 240 to 300 seconds. I cannot stress enough,’ continued Natalie, ‘how important this show is for launching our whole campaign. You won’t be doing anything bigger in the next
three weeks. This could not only get you on to the bestseller list but, if it goes well, every major show across the country will want to book you.’
Harry could feel his heartbeat rising by the second.
‘All you have to do is find any excuse to mention
Nothing Ventured
,’ she added as the limousine drew up outside the NBC studios at the Rockefeller Center.
Harry couldn’t believe the sight that greeted him when he stepped out on to the pavement. The narrow entrance that led to the front of the building had been fenced off and was crammed on
both sides with screaming fans. As Harry made his way through the crowds of expectant onlookers, he didn’t need to be told that 90 per cent of them had come to see Clark Gable, 9 per cent Mel
Blanc, and possibly 1 per cent . . .
‘Who’s he?’ someone shouted as Harry hurried past.
Perhaps not even 1 per cent.
Once he was safely inside the building, a floor walker escorted him to the green room and briefed him on timings.
‘Mr Gable will be on at seven forty. Mel Blanc will follow him at seven fifty, and we’re hoping to get you on by seven fifty-five in the run-up to the news.’
‘Thank you,’ said Harry as he took a seat and tried to compose himself.
Mel Blanc bounced into the green room at 7.30, and looked at Harry as if he was expecting to be asked for an autograph. Mr Gable, accompanied by his entourage, followed a few moments later.
Harry was surprised to see the screen idol dressed in a dinner jacket and carrying a glass of whisky. Gable explained to Mel Blanc that it wasn’t an early morning drink, because he
hadn’t been to bed. Laughter followed him as he was whisked away, and Harry was left
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