Persuading Annie by Melissa Nathan Page A

was with her family.
    ‘And I have some savings that might be useful.’
    ‘Savings?’ asked George, insulted. ‘What the devil have you got savings for?’
    Annie coloured. ‘A rainy day? Emergencies? A world cruise when I’m old and bored of daytime TV? Why do most people have savings?’
    Susannah intervened while George stared, baffled, at his flushed daughter.
    ‘Another unsurprisingly generous gesture, my dear. It would make your mother proud,’ she said. ‘But I don’t think we’ve come to that quite yet.’ She smiled indulgently at Annie. ‘Keep your savings for that rainy day.’
    For a flash, Annie felt herself dangerously near confessing her one secret from Susannah – she realised none of them had any idea how much money she really had.
    OK, she thought. Your loss. My secret. I quite liked the idea of a cruise anyway.
    ‘But my dear,’ continued Susannah gently, ‘we may have to re-address Markhams’ sponsorship of your lovely little artists.’
    Annie’s face fell. She could easily give up her home, but not that, surely? Using a fraction of Markhams’ money to transform the lives of impoverished, gifted artists had been one of the few satisfactions in Annie’s life. Markhams’ money had single-handedly spring-boarded three young artists on to respectable careers by funding their first exhibitions in the two years that Annie had started doing it in conjunction with her boss’s gallery. For Annie, this was the only worthwhile thing Markhams had ever done. But it didn’t make profits and it didn’t hit the glossies, so of course, it would have to go. If she had more guts, she’d use her own money to fund the artists, but that silent, growing nest egg of hers was her protection against life and its uncertainties. It was her secret weapon.
    She looked calmly at Susannah. ‘Of course,’ she said quietly. ‘I understand.’
    George buzzed Shirley. ‘Shirley get your roller-blades on. Prepare the New York apartment to accommodate three, book three first class flights to New York and put Victoria’s flat on the market. Oh, and call my barber, I want a trim this afternoon.’
    He looked smugly round at everyone as if the entire idea had been his.
    ‘To accommodate three , George?’ Asked Susannah as mildly as she could. ‘ Three flights to New York?’
    George looked over at Davina and patted her elegant hand. ‘Think it’s high time Davina saw the New York office,’ he winked, touching the toe of her stilettos with his Gucci loafer. ‘And she can live with us at the apartment.’ He coughed. ‘Nice for Katie.’
    Katherine and Davina both screamed and hugged each other, while Susannah and Annie looked on, mute, helpless.
    Katherine turned on Susannah.
    ‘At least this will make up for sacrificing everything else and getting a furred colon.’
    Susannah forced herself to look motherly at her eldest god-daughter.
    Within half an hour, the meeting was adjourned. Charles was preoccupied with returning to his game and giving Victoria the good news about the move. Once they were safely ensconced in the family mansion, she would stop resenting him for having moved her down the social ladder. This could transform their marriage. Katherine, Davina and George were preoccupied with the delights of temporarily living in New York. And Susannah was preoccupied with maintaining a bright façade. Annie alone was terrified for their future.

5
    TWO WEEKS LATER, Annie felt no less terrified. She stared at the mirrored wall of Markhams’ office lift as it carried her up towards another meeting. Was it the unreal smoothness of the lift or the thought of facing her family that had thrust a clenched fist in the pit of her gut?
    The door slid open and Shirley appeared before her, smiling, proffering a cup of black coffee that, should Annie grow bored during the meeting, she could try to stand her teaspoon up in.
    Annie jumped. She’d never got used to the fact that the lift opened into Shirley’s office