Doctor Who_ The Last Dodo - Jacqueline Rayner [18]
The woman, frowning, gestured for the hordes of servants to leave the room. ‘I shall be fine,’ she said in a deep European accent, as one or two looked ready to protest.
‘Yes, your ladyship,’ said one, the butler who had fetched her, and led the rest out of the door.
‘You requested an audience,’ said the woman, turning to the Doctor and Martha. ‘From the manner of your arrival, I am thinking that I know from where you haf come. And yet I was notified of no such visit.’
The Doctor shrugged his shoulders. ‘Please accept our apologies.’ He waved at Martha. ‘Breaking in a new recruit, can’t get anything right…’
Martha opened her mouth to protest, and then thought better of it.
‘…lowest rung of the ladder, hasn’t even met the boss yet – I suppose you were expecting to hear from the boss if you heard from anyone at all.’
The woman gave a disdainful half‐nod. ‘I do not usually deal with underlings.’
‘And I don’t blame you, Mrs. But he –’ at this, the Doctor stared hard at her expression, but she gave no indication that he was wrong in his assumption – ‘had to delegate this time. Pressures of business and all that. After all, in such a multi‐million concern…’ He narrowed his eyes and let them roam over the woman’s body. ‘Yes, that coat’s well worth 3.7 million, if you ask me. Wouldn’t you agree, Martha?’
‘It’s a bit short,’ said Martha critically.
‘I hear what you’re saying.’ The Doctor maintained a look of unconcerned interest. ‘But usually a coat is made up from two or three animal skins – large animals, that is – and obviously in this case that just wasn’t possible.’
The woman nodded. ‘I did consider combining it with the skin of a zebra,’ she said. ‘But the colours, they would haf clashed, and that would haf diluted the effect, no? Diminished it.’
‘Oh, quite. But as it stands, you’re happy with it? Happy with the service you received?’
The woman indicated that Martha should sit down next to the Doctor, then took a chair herself. ‘Well, it is hard to say. Of course, in many ways the skin is not ideal for the purpose, and perhaps the style is not all it could be –’
‘Where I come from,’ Martha put in, unable to help herself, ‘zebra print is considered a bit trashy.’
The woman looked her up and down, clearly taking in the red leather jacket and silver hoop earrings. ‘Ah yes, I see that you come from a place most stylish, most… chic,’ she said with one perfectly plucked eyebrow raised. Martha felt her cheeks grow warm.
‘But as I was saying, to possess that which no one else in the world possesses – that is what elevates this above mere style. Skin qua skin, it is nothing. But it is so much more. Just to see Lady Horsley’s face…’ A complacent smile spread across her own face for a moment, then she became businesslike and tossed her hair impatiently. ‘But surely this is not just a customer satisfaction survey? I take it that you haf news for me? My next order, it is ready?’
‘Oh, the Tasmanian Tiger handbag?’ said the Doctor, carelessly.
The woman frowned. ‘The what?’
‘Sorry, my mistake,’ said the Doctor, ‘confusing you with someone else. Maybe Lady Horsley.’ She looked both worried and furious at that, but he pretended not to notice, just carried on speaking. ‘No, actually, this really is more in the line of a customer satisfaction survey. Young Martha here, learning the business like I said, essential that she sees what goes on… I wonder, would you be so enormously, enormously good as to run through the procedure for her, with your opinions on your treatment at each stage?’
She frowned, but gave a short nod. ‘You understand, however, that my time is valuable…’
‘Oh, quite. Half a million discount for next time, guaranteed.’
A smile, as she turned