A Face To Die For by Jan Warburton

mention her… but what about Susannah? How will this affect her? Won't she expect to be with you a good bit, if you're to spend more of your time here? Surely she'll want to join you sometimes?'
    'Don't worry about Susannah, honey... she's the least of our worries.'
    Remembering what Vanessa had said about Alex's marriage I decided not to question him further. And when she called in later she was astounded to find us in such good spirits. Once we’d explained everything to her, not only was she pleased - for my sake - but she was also delighted that Alex had made up his mind about taking over the flat.
    'That's fab! Save me having to put it in an agent's hands… avoid all that frightful hassle of showing people around! Of course the family lawyers now can simply sort out the sale, once we agree over a price. I promise I won't sting you,' laughed Vanessa, disappearing off to her bedroom.
    'Ha! That's a joke! When have you and I ever agreed that easily over anything, Vanessa, honey?' Alex called back to her through the open door. 'I'll give you a fair market price, and not one cent more!'
    Here I feared we might end up with a sibling row, but to my surprise, Vanessa returned with a wide smile on her face; a huge pile of clothes over her arm.
    'No problem, brother darling. I wouldn't dream of making a big issue over it … as long as you agree to continue sharing the flat with Annabel. Remember she is a sitting tenant. I don't want her evicted.’ She grinned at me. ‘Of course if she chooses to go of her own accord, that's quite different.'
    'Oh, I'm staying all right!' I chortled, kissing Alex.
    We all laughed, although Vanessa raised a quizzical eyebrow at me; obviously recalling our lunchtime conversation.
    That night I made things all right again on the bedroom front; I told him that, in the strange way a woman's body behaves from time to time, my period had quite suddenly stopped again. So for another blissful night we once more melted into each other's bodies, and even though I believe a certain word was uttered again, it didn't worry me any more.
    *
    A few reluctant compromises were finally reached between Edward and me over the next few months, while the Spring/Summer collection came together, but I still felt creatively impeded.
    Alex bought the lease of the flat in Eaton Square and I continued living there with him in blissful, more semi-permanent contentment. Aware of my work frustrations he often hinted that I ought to think about setting up my own fashion business. Of course he was right, but I was not in a financial position to contemplate such a move yet.
    Kate Marshall had sadly proved extremely difficult to make contact with. Since seeing her in the Harrods fashion show two and a half years earlier, she had become quite illusive. I tried to get in touch a couple of times about doing one of our collection shows but her agency explained...
    'Sorry, she's still modelling abroad. She’s under contract to a French fashion house for the time being; so she's only considering photographic and show work in either Paris or Milan.'
    'But I really would like her to model for Miss Courtney here,' I pleaded. 'How long do you think before I can use her?'
    'Try again later in the year.'
    I'd discovered that Norman Parker Brown was now mostly working exclusively in France for Paris Vogue and other French magazines. It was easy to guess therefore why Kate was so tied up over there.
    In the end, many months elapsed before I finally met up with her. Meanwhile her face appeared on more and more glossy covers and inside all the big international magazines. Paris Vogue especially seemed to have a particular claim on her; but then Parker Brown was one of their chief photographers. He certainly managed to bring out the best in her photographically. Soon I'd begun to worry that she was becoming too big in the business to ever consider modelling for us.
    Therefore, I was amazed when months later I'd received a call from her agent