Getting Even (7 page)

Twenty minutes later there was a cough behind her. She turned around.

It was Russell. He glanced about. “Er … Is Ivy around?”

Unless she was mistaken, he looked a little uncomfortable. “She's gone to the gym. Did you want her?” Orianna had noticed that on certain projects Russell worked with Ivy quite closely, in private. She said it was so he could give her insight into their financial clients.

“No, no.” Russell seemed in a hurry. “It's you we want to see. Got a second?”

“Mm.” Orianna was mystified.

“Could you come and join us in the board meeting, then?”

“Yes, of course.” Damn, she thought. I'd have worn something smarter had I known I was meeting them all.

Russell led the way. The room was the largest in the agency, with a ceiling so high it echoed. Its windows looked out across the rooftops of W1, and a sheet of the palest green smoked glass ran the length of the wall facing into the creative department. It was hung with Venetian blinds, which could be pulled down for increased privacy—all but one were lowered now.

“She was free.” Russell smiled at his colleagues, and shut the door.

Orianna noticed he appeared relieved to have gotten her out of public earshot. Oh dear, she thought, have I done something wrong?

“Sit down,” invited Neil.

She looked at him. He grinned at her; he didn't appear cross at all.

Orianna took at seat opposite Neil, Clare, and Russell and between the other board directors—Gavin, the head of client services, and Stephen, the managing director.

“Have you any idea why we wanted to talk to you?” asked Neil. As her immediate boss, he knew her best. They'd always gotten along rather well.

“No.” Orianna's concern mounted.

Neil coughed. “We wondered if you'd be interested in becoming the creative director.”

“
Oh!
” Despite the conversation over the weekend, this was a total bombshell. Her mind clicked and whirred. “Did
Dan
say something to you?”

“Dan?” Russell shook his head. “I did hear you two were seeing each other…” Orianna flushed. “… but no, he's not said anything to us at all. Not to me, at any rate.” He turned to the rest of the board. “He said anything to you guys?”

They all shook their heads.

“Oh,” said Orianna again. Now their relationship was public whether she liked it or not. Weird, she thought, I wonder how he found out? Dan had asked Ivy to keep it quiet. But she didn't have time to contemplate. “It's just he suggested it, yesterday, and I assumed—”

“He'd put us up to it? No.” Neil laughed. “We came up with it all by ourselves.”

Orianna was aware the spotlight was on her, but was too astounded to speak.

“It's not
such
a bizarre idea, you know,” said Neil.

“You've been with us for years,” said Gavin.

“And brought in lots of new business,” said Clare. “Your performance at Bellings Scott was a triumph.”

“You work on some of the agency's most profitable accounts,” said Stephen.

“Plus you've won even more awards than I have,” said Neil, a touch sardonically.

“And to be perfectly frank, we can't find anyone better,” said Russell.

“Right…” Orianna was trying to keep pace.

“So you would seem the obvious choice,” concluded Neil.

“Thank you.” She paused. So many compliments; a life-changing offer—it was a lot to take in. She was only beginning to digest it all when she remembered Russell had wanted to catch her on her own, without Ivy. “And Ivy? She would be joint CD with me? The Bellings Scott win was as much her work as mine, if not more.”

The board members looked at one another. There was no mistaking it; they were awkward.

Eventually, Neil spoke up for the rest of them. “We think it would be better if there was only one creative director. The agency is used to things being run that way, and we're not sure that it would be appropriate to have a team.”

“Gosh.” Orianna didn't know whether to be flattered or dismayed. Perhaps they couldn't afford them both?

Then Clare said, “Frankly, we think you'd do a better job,” which put paid to that.

“As a matter of fact I saw a great art director for lunch last week whom you might like to bring in to team up with Ivy,” suggested Neil.

“Oh. Right.” Yet again a response failed her. Her world was being turned upside down.

Neil prompted, “I leave in six weeks. It would mean a new title, obviously, and a position on the board, maybe not immediately, but within, say, three months. We can discuss money later, if you'd prefer.”

Then Russell, clearly impatient, interposed. “Though we need to establish right now—otherwise we'll carry on looking. Are you interested in the role or not?”

 

7. I grace my cause in speaking for myself

“Yes,” said Orianna.

It came out before she could stop it. She might be modest compared to most of her peers, she might be more concerned for Ivy (altruism was hardly the hallmark of agency employees), but one trait overrode them all.

Ambition.

Without ambition, Orianna would never have flourished in an industry where ruthlessness and drive counted as much as talent, often more.

Swiftly, silently, she reasoned. Modesty aside, I'm talented. Deep down I'm sure I'm as good as—if not better than—the next man. I've worked under enough ineffectual bosses to know I can do the job, and do it well. Wasn't it the combination of diplomacy and conceptual skill that set Neil apart? I've learned from him, but he's grown weary of the commercial world, whereas I've fire in my belly regarding work. And people say my enthusiasm is infectious. All good reasons for taking the job …

Hmm, Orianna pondered, that still leaves the problem of Ivy … Yet, if the situation were reversed, would she do the same for me? Give up promotion, more power, prestige, and money? I'm not sure she would. Ivy's always looked after numero uno—until now that's meant not jeopardizing our relationship. If Ivy were offered this opportunity, wouldn't she take it too?

“Yes,” Orianna repeated. “Naturally, I am interested.”

“Good.” Neil sat back, openly relieved.

He may well be the one who put me forward, she thought. Certainly, as my boss, he'll have given my promotion his blessing. Without his recommendation I wouldn't be here. She continued, her voice restored, “As you mentioned, I have been playing a key role in Green Integrated for the last few years.”

“It's hardly a similar level of responsibility,” said Russell.

“Obviously a group head only oversees a few people, not a department. But in some ways it will be more of the same.”

“How do you mean,
more
of the same?” Russell didn't mask incredulity. “Surely it's a different role entirely?”

He wasn't going to make this easy; he seemed keen to turn the conversation into more of an interview. Well, if need be, she'd argue her case. She said, “You've already said I've helped win new business; as a creative director I'm sure you'd want me to do more.” They all nodded, no one more vigorously than Clare. “You've also noted that I work on some of the agency's most profitable accounts”—Gavin nodded—“and I'm sure you'd want me to make them even
more
profitable.” Now it was Stephen's turn to give his silent approval. “Plus, you've observed my track record when it comes to awards.” Orianna looked directly at Neil, growing increasingly buoyant.

“No need to rub it in.” Neil winced.

“I'd like to aim for more golds next year. Though the main thing is—no disrespect to you, Neil, but you'll understand me saying this—hopefully I'd have a free rein. So I'd be able to accomplish these in the way I see fit, rather than deferring to someone else.” She turned back to Russell, determined to win him over. “So that's what I mean by delivering more of the same. All this you'd expect from a good CD. In addition, I'd like to make sure that I operate in as sympathetic a fashion as possible. I'd like to be a good manager of people. Something”—she recalled Dan's pep talk—“I believe I've already shown I can do. I've not had to trample on anyone to get where I have today, and I'd rather not start now.”

“Very noble.” Orianna didn't miss Russell's sarcastic tone. “I'll eat my hat if you manage that.”

“Yes—what about Ivy?” nudged Clare.

“I'll handle Ivy,” said Orianna. Instinct told her now was not the time to abdicate responsibility. Having been offered a senior position, she had to seem worthy, lest it be snatched away before she'd proven herself. Although she'd yet to acknowledge it, she was beginning to see her life differently—her attachments were shifting as a result of her involvement with Dan. “I'd rather none of you mentioned this until I've had the chance to talk to her.”

“Fine,” they concurred, clearly delighted to be let off the hook.

“And what about Dan?” asked Russell.

“Sorry.
What about Dan?
”

“Well, you're having an affair, aren't you?”

“We're in a relationship, if that's what you mean,” Orianna corrected. She wondered again how he knew. Was it Rob? He could have let it slip to someone at the gym, perhaps word had spread from there … Oh well, she thought, I could have made the same mistake myself.

“Don't you think being involved with another senior employee might cause the odd problem?”

This riled her. “Such as?”

“Like conflicts of loyalty, giving each other preferential treatment, bringing personal issues and arguments into the workplace, perhaps showing yourself up as unprofessional to your junior colleagues? You know the sort of thing.”

“It hasn't caused difficulty so far,” said Orianna. What business was it of his?

He forced a nod.

“I truly don't see it as a problem,” Clare interjected.

“There are others dating in the agency,” Stephen pointed out. “I'm not sure it's relevant, if Orianna thinks she can handle it.”

“I didn't know you
were
seeing one another,” said Neil. “But now that I do, may I say I think you make a nice couple.”

“Thank you.” Orianna smiled. What a decent guy Neil is, she thought. I'm going to miss him. Then she saw Ivy flash past the smoked-glass wall. She took the initiative, turned again to her colleagues. “Are you offering me the job?”

Neil glanced at Russell.

Russell nodded.

“Yes,” said Neil.

“Then I'd like to accept.”

“Great,” said Neil.

Orianna continued, “Before we finalize the salary, I'd like to have a deeper think about what I'd plan to do for the agency. It might be good to set aside some time in a few days, and meanwhile I'll gather my thoughts into a short presentation. I'd prefer to leave discussing the package until then. Would that be all right by you?”

“Good thinking.” Neil nodded.

Stephen checked the agenda. “We've got quite a lot to crack through.”

“I'd be happy to move on,” said Clare.

“Then would you mind if I left you to it? I've a meeting shortly.”

“That's fine,” Russell granted.

Orianna glanced through the smoked glass to verify Ivy was out of sight and surreptitiously left the boardroom.

*   *   *

Dan was in the middle of being shown some uninspiring product shots by a photographer's rep when he noticed Orianna hovering. He could tell from her jigging feet she needed to speak urgently, so while the rep was concentrating on a particularly dull transparency, he mouthed, “Give me ten minutes.”

Afterward, he went to find Orianna. She was brainstorming ideas with Ivy. “Did you want me?”

“Er … no, it's OK.”

But she seemed uncomfortable, even jumpy. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah. It's nothing. I'll catch up with you later.”

“Now you two lovebirds—no secrets in the office,” said Ivy. “Actually, Dan,” she caught his arm as he turned to leave, “you're a man with a fine head of hair, when all around you are losing theirs. How do you feel about hairspray?”

“What, for
me
?” He shook his head. “Never used it.”

“Why not?”

“Hardly a guy thing, is it?”

“Precisely my point.” Ivy turned to Orianna. “We've not a hope in hell of getting men to use this product, as long as it's called hairspray. Unless they're drag queens. We'll have to change the name.”

Dan returned to his desk—umpteen messages had amassed in his absence—and shortly there was the red flag of a priority mail.

Quick, while Ivy's gone to the loo—you psychic or what? I just got called into the board meeting and they've offered me the job of CD! Can you believe it? Trouble is they want me without Ivy—just as you thought. How spooky is that? Need to discuss where I go from here/what salary to ask for/how to tell Ivy. Over a celebratory drink—where do you fancy? She's coming back. Gotta dash.

O

xxxxx

P.S. Delete this NOW.

“Well, that went well,” said Ivy, as she and Orianna returned to their desks later that afternoon. “Shall we celebrate?”

“Er … I was going to meet Dan.”

“Ooh, ever the doting couple. C'mon, Orianna. You're getting dull in your old age. Get him to join us later. That client's so hard to please—we deserve a reward.”

“Oh … OK.” Orianna chewed her lip. She hated knowing something Ivy didn't already. It was bad enough having been secretive about seeing Dan, the last thing she wanted was to be professionally underhanded too. She'd badly wanted to talk to Dan about how best to play it but …