What do you call that? Derek is referring to Mrs Whitmarsh. I have finished Mrs Whitmarsh and reckoned her to look good for someone who is dead.
She looks grey, says Derek. She looks ill, son. Get some colour on her before the resus team arrive.
Despite Derek’s superiority I do not take this lying down.
I was going for a natural look, I say.
Well, you’ve overdone it. She looks terrible, he says. Dear God. No one wants to see their relative looking dead, Lee. They want to see the face they loved back when, OK? An approximation of the good old days, Christmas morning after a nip of sherry. That’s the look you’re after, he says. Are you with me?