The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows by Jenni Keer
But a new job working at an auction house puts her in the path of Theo, a gorgeous but unattainable man who she can’t help but be distracted by. As their bond begins to grow, Maisie finds herself struggling to fulfil the promise she made to herself – but the universe has other ideas, and it’s not long before the Meadows family are thrown back together in the most unlikely of circumstances…
Can dealing with other people’s treasures help Maisie to let go of the past, and teach her who she ought to treasure the most?
Thank you so much for having me on
your blog. It’s lovely to be here and to share a small section of
my latest book The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows with
you all. I’ve chosen the scene where Maisie is looking around the
weird and wonderful world of Gildersleeve’s Auctioneers, with the
flamboyant Johnny interviewing her for a job at the company. It’s a
pivotal moment, because her decision to accept is about to set in
motion a very unlikely chain of events...
Maisie
stood in the doorway to Saleroom Two. It was the upmarket version of
the larger barn they’d just walked through. Saleroom One held
household and modern effects; this was antiques. Both had the large
central space divided by trestle tables, strewn with boxes. Larger
items, such as furniture, stood around the edge and pictures and rugs
hung from the walls.
At
the far end stood a glass-fronted cabinet that contained small
objects of value, every item proudly displaying a numbered sticker,
which Johnny explained was cross-referenced in their printed
catalogues. In her efforts to understand the system she looked up the
lot number for a pair of silver cufflinks and read the description
with a £130–£190 estimate. It seemed a frustratingly vague idea
of their value to her.
Having
never been to an auction, Maisie was wary of them as a concept. She
liked the certainty of wanting an object, knowing its price and being
able to purchase it without competition. There were too many elements
of chance associated with the random and unstructured nature of
bidding for her liking.
Johnny
leaned an elbow on the top of the cabinet and ran a hand through his
bouncy hair. There was a pause when all she could hear was the
echoing footsteps of the porters at the back of the barn.
‘Look,
I’ll be brutally honest,’ he said, ‘I’ve only had seven
applicants and interviewed three. You are far and away the most
impressive candidate and possibly over-qualified for this job. We
need marketing skills like yours to help the company grow but you’ll
also be asked to lift tables, offer practical help on auction days
and even sweep up occasionally.’ His foot toyed with some dead
leaves blown in by the wind, letting them crunch beneath his highly
polished shoes.
The
advert in the local paper had been optimistically worded: Growing
firm of Auctioneers seeks individual with marketing and
communications skills to contribute to vibrant team.
Maisie was beginning to suspect
General dogsbody who knows a bit about computers because we’re
largely clueless, and who’ll probably be asked to clean the toilets
if we’re a man down
might be a more accurate job description.
‘However,
I promise you won’t have anyone looking over your shoulder or
making you account for your movements, and I will genuinely listen to
any input and ideas you have. I liked your portfolio, particularly
the unusual Wickerman’s beer mats you designed for the Felixstowe
Beer Festival. You are clearly creative and focused. But more
importantly, I like you.’
For
the first time that morning, Johnny looked slightly nervous; tiny
beads of sweat forming on his corned beef-coloured brow. He was
wringing his hands together and looking intently at her face. ‘So,
my darling, I fall procumbent at your alabaster feet, and ask if you
are in or out?’
Not
quite sure whether being procumbent was a good thing or not, Maisie
gazed across the cluttered room of miscellaneous objects,
contemplated the joy of a ten-minute commute, and the distinct and
welcome lack of potential romantic partners in the workplace.
‘In,’
she said.
The fictional Gildersleeve’s
was inspired by the wonderful T.W.Gaze Auction Rooms in Diss, and the
staff gave up their time to let me research the setting. I hope I
have done them justice.
(photo)
I hope you enjoyed this little
taster, and if you’d like to read more about the eclectic staff,
including the terribly sweet older porter Arthur, the frustratingly
laid-back but handsome Theo and the emotional significance an unusual
black and white teapot has for Maisie when it appears in the sale,
then do pop over to Amazon to view the eBook, which is out now.
The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker was published in January 2019.
The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows is out in July 2019.
Twitter @JenniKeer
Instagram jennikeer
Website - https://jennikeer.co.uk/
Giveaway to Win a signed copy of The Hopes and Dreams of Lucy Baker, pack of Scratbag notelets, pretty purple pen and a Maisie bookmark (Open to UK Only)
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