‘This is stunning work,’ she said. ‘I so admire your technique. I wonder, can you tell me a little bit about how you came to develop it?’
‘Er.’ Jason stalled, obviously thinking about how best to answer. ‘Well, that’s quite a difficult question. It sort of developed itself. I mean, I never had lessons or nothing. Just kind of took in everything I saw and tried things out until I was happy with them.’
‘You’re self-taught, then? How extraordinary. Do you have any particular influences?’
‘Well, uh, I like those Where’s Wally books.’
There was a pause.
‘Are you . . . pulling my leg?’ Georgina asked faintly, turning to Jenna. ‘Is he?’
Jenna grinned.
‘I think he might be serious.’
‘I am serious,’ said Jason. ‘I got one as a kid and I looked at it for hours, every night in bed. Then when I started school they had some in the book corner. I wouldn’t let the other kids near ’em. They were mine, as far as I was concerned. Used to get into bother for it, kept in at playtime. But that was good, cos it meant I got to look at them even more. Do you know them?’
‘I’m not familiar, I don’t think.’ Georgina’s smile was as professionally charming as ever, but Jenna got the distinct impression that a kind of shocked fascination at her new client was underlying it.
‘You should get one. They’re like all these different landscapes and backgrounds with tons of people all over them and you have to find this particular little guy in amongst it all. The detail is amazing. I tried to memorise them. When I was a bit older, I used to copy them, hours and hours it took. Then, when I was even older, and I’d looked at a few more art books and got to know a few more different styles, I had this idea. I’d do Where’s Wally, but in my own style, and with my own voice. I mean, not a voice, cos it’s a picture, but do you know what I mean?’
Georgina’s smile was genuine now, Jenna thought. She was really impressed, drawn in by Jason’s sudden flowering of passion and enthusiasm when he spoke of his work. The grumpy so and so of a few minutes back seemed to have disappeared.
‘I think I do,’ she said. ‘The books were your original inspiration, and you’ve taken that and made it your own.’
‘Yeah. Cos I wanted to say something with my art, not just “can you find this little dude?” Good though that was. I wanted to say something about my world, where I live, what I see.’
Georgina nodded and turned to Jenna.
‘I do think you must retain this unpretentiousness of his. It has a real charm of its own. It would be a shame to lose that.’
Jenna nodded.
Jason scowled.
‘Were you listening to me?’ he demanded. ‘I’m pouring out my heart here and you’re just . . . Well, I thought you were supposed to be the expert on manners. It seems a bit rude to talk about me as if I’m not here.’
Georgina was instantly contrite.
‘Of course, you’re absolutely right. Do excuse me. I’m not used to having a client and a referrer at a session together. It’s rather made me unsure which of you I should be addressing. But of course, it must be both, to the detriment of neither.’
‘Right,’ said Jason, flicking a look at Jenna.
‘What I meant to say, Jason,’ Georgina continued, ‘was that, once you embark on a discussion of your work, you don’t need any kind of polish at all. And that’s as it should be. You need to sound as sincere as you are. What we’re dealing with is small talk. So may I try another scenario with you?’
‘All right.’
‘You’re at a reception or drinks party of some kind. Jenna here introduces you to a friend of hers. I will play the friend.’
The three players convened in the centre of the room, pretending their coffee cups were champagne coupes.
‘Jenna, how marvellous to see you again,’ cried Georgina, air-kissing with a will.
‘Georgina, it’s been such a long time. And you’re looking fabulous. I’d like to introduce you to Jason Watson – you may have heard of him? He’s one of our foremost Young British Artists. Jason – Georgina May. Georgina – Jason.’
Georgina gave Jason a significant look down to his free hand.
He seemed to cotton on all at once, and thrust the hand abruptly towards Georgina.