Anna took another sip of her wine as she thought carefully about a subject that had been worrying her recently. ‘Daniel, I know we agreed I’d pay for any costs of the exhibition out of my sales, but I’m conscious how much time both you and Charlotte are putting into this. I’m worried that the exhibition won’t be enough to cover all those costs.’
Daniel roared with laughter. ‘We’re not expecting you to pay anything for our time. I offered to mentor you, and so your success will be payment enough for me. And it’s the same for Charlotte.’
‘Okay, maybe I can understand where you’re coming from, but what’s in it for Charlotte?’
‘Charlotte has lots of contacts and has always dabbled in organising parties and events, but she’s never taken anything seriously. Daddy’s allowance means she’s always had a safety net. But I’ve seen a change in her since I suggested this exhibition. She’s got the bit between her teeth and she’s decided she wants to give it a proper shot. If your exhibition is a success and her name is linked with it, she’s hoping other work will come her way.’
Anna nodded. That did make sense, but it also put pressure on the exhibition going well.
‘And what if it’s not a success?’ she asked. The reality of having her own exhibition was very different to what she had dreamed it would be. Going public with her photography was beginning to feel as though she was exposing herself. It made her feel vulnerable — that wasn’t a comfortable place to be.
‘Of course it will be a success. Your work is good, Anna. It’s your self-confidence that’s lacking.’
She nodded. Maybe he was right, but that didn’t stop her feeling any less nervous. ‘You know I’m extremely grateful for you helping me get my foot on the ladder, don’t you?’
He nodded. ‘I do, but that’s not entirely altruistic either. Life was getting a bit jaded before you came along.’
‘And now it’s not?’
‘Definitely not. Although, after a day like today, it does make me wonder. Truth be told I’m getting a bit fed up with the fashion world. Yes, the models look great, but having to deal with their egos and often their tantrums can be very draining. And I’ve decided that I want to do something worthwhile.’
‘Which is?’
‘I want to set up a photography school.’
‘Oh!’ She wasn’t expecting that.
‘You’ve made me realise there’s a lot of talent out there that will go unnoticed if it’s not given a guiding hand. I want to give people who are less privileged than myself the opportunity to follow their dreams.’
She paused, then put her glass down on the breakfast bar.
‘So am I your guinea pig then?’ She wasn’t sure if she was pleased or offended.
‘No,’ he said. ‘You’re my inspiration.’ The way he smiled at her made her heart start to beat a little faster. Was he flirting with her? No, he couldn’t be. Confused, she looked away and tried to think of something else to say.
‘So, when are you going to set up this school?’ She turned back to look at him. He was still staring at her, but instead of that making her feel uncomfortable she had a sudden urge to kiss him. She pushed the thought away. She mustn’t go there.
‘It’s just a thought at the moment. I haven’t really had a chance to look into it properly. I’ll need to wind up some of my business here, look into the legalities of it all, then find some premises, so that will take up more visits to Cheshire.’
‘You’re going to set it up in Cheshire?’
‘Yes, well, Manchester anyway. Didn’t I say?’
‘No, I just assumed it would be in London. Is this about Ben?’
‘Yes, I want to spend more time with him. Obviously I can’t leave the business here, but if I set something else up nearer home then I can be nearer to him, at least some of the time.’
Anna stared at him, trying desperately to figure out what that meant for her and her job. The arrival of their food interrupted their conversation. As they ate, she didn’t have the courage to ask, afraid of what his answer might be.
* * *
Working at London Fashion Week was thrilling. Anna had never experienced an event like this before. The atmosphere was electric, with everyone determined to make a success of their part of it, and with huge out-cries when things didn’t go right — when things or people weren’t in the places they were supposed to be. Anna would have loved to be a fly on the wall and watch the drama unfold, but she was far too busy for that, as both she and Daniel were in the epicentre of the action. Her legs and arms ached with the effort of making sure that every piece of equipment was in the right place at the right time, and her brain hurt with anticipating all of Daniel’s needs to get the right shot in the smallest amount of time. But working behind the scenes had also shown her that the glamorous side the paying public saw was very different to the backstage reality. And Daniel was definitely right — the tantrums she’d witnessed over the weekend could rival any pre-school nursery. Although it was June, the weather was unseasonably cold, and so apart from the moans about who had been given the better designs or position on the catwalk, the main gripe among the models was that they were chilly. And while the whole experience had been exciting, Anna was exhausted, and was looking forward to a gentler pace of life when it was all over. At six o’clock on the last night, she feltsomething akin to relief when all the models lined up to begin the final parade down the catwalk.
Daniel was set to take his closing shots, Anna next to him, ready to assist him if there was anything he needed, when a deafening explosion ripped through the air. Suddenly she was flying — then everything went black.
Chapter Seventeen
‘Anna! Anna!’
