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‘I think you’re very brave,’ Tatiana husked emotionally.
Chloe felt uncomfortable with the praise. ‘No, the people being awarded tonight are brave.’
She’d never thought of herself as brave but she had thought that she had come to terms with her injury. However, watching a filmed conversation with the little girl she was due to present a bravery award to tonight had destroyed that particular illusion for Chloe.
‘So what do your friends think about your scars, Kate?’ the reporter had asked.
The little girl had put down the doll she was playing with and thought about it.
‘Well, I think they thought my arm looked funny at first, and some kept staring. A few people, not my proper friends, were mean and made me cry, but everyone’s used to it now, so they don’t even notice it cos they see it every day and I’m still me.’ She’d picked up the doll, applied a comb to its hair and added thoughtfully, ‘I still cry sometimes cos I liked my arm the way it was.’
The hard-nosed reporter had had tears in his eyes as he’d wound up the segment and Chloe doubted anyone watching would not have been similarly affected.
She herself had wept gallons but her tears had been partly out of shame. She had been hiding, Chloe realised that now, and if she hadn’t, if she’d been truly honest with herself and everyone else, that devastating scene with Nik a few weeks ago on Spetses would never have happened.
Now she’d have to live with the memory for ever, all because she had preferred to be treated like a woman with no imperfections. Of course, there had been a price to pay for her deceit: she’d fallen deeply in love. Flaws and all, she loved Nik Latkis, but he didn’t love her in return. Unrequited love had seemed much more romantic when she was a teenager with a lurid imagination, but the reality actually sucked.
It didn’t help that her youthful imagination was still hanging in there inventing implausible happy-ever-after scenarios, not that she was ever in any danger of identifying her fantasies as anything other than what they were.
It was the thought of Nik’s far more sinister dreams that continued to haunt her. She wondered and worried about the demons that visited him in the night and the eventual toll they would take on his health, both emotional and physical. She longed to comfort him but knew that was never going to happen after what had happened between them. She didn’t blame him for that; he’d tried, but her scars were obviously an issue for him and he wasn’t interested in helping himself, either.
Would he be watching the awards ceremony?
Would he disapprove of her decision?
She knew full well that her big reveal would go viral on social media, sparking thousands of debates, which was good, and an equal number of cruel comments, which was not, from people who thought anonymity gave them the freedom to say vile things about people they had never met.
She was prepared for the impending blaze of publicity as much as it was possible to be prepared.
‘Lady Chloe.’ One of the organisers, an efficient-looking woman in a blue evening dress, appeared. ‘You look lovely,’ she gushed. ‘Has Tatiana explained the format to you? Excellent. You really do look amazing. Oh, excuse me.’ She stepped to one side as, at a nod from Chloe, Tatiana moved forward to remove her floor-length cape.
‘It’s OK,’ Chloe whispered when the older woman hesitated.
Chloe smoothed down her hair, which tonight she was wearing gathered in a simple jewelled clasp at the base of her slender neck. Her dress was the same bold red as her lipstick, a silk sleeveless sheath cut high at the neck and low at the back, the reverse cowl open almost to her waist, and plain except for the pattern traced in hand-sewn beads along the daring slit that was cut high on the left side that fell open to reveal her thigh.
It wasn’t accidental; she had asked Tatiana to do it that way.
‘Stunning!’ the woman began then stopped; she’d clearly reached the revealing slit. There was a pause before she lifted her eyes and during the slight hiatus Chloe fought the urge to twitch the fabric over the scars.
When the woman did finally speak, her voice was husky. ‘That,’ she said, looking at Chloe as though she were seeing her for the first time, ‘is beautiful.’ Then, clearing her throat, she waved away the assistant who had clearly been allocated to escort Chloe. ‘I’ll take Lady Chloe in myself.’
The lift was empty as they stepped in.
As the lift whooshed silently upwards the woman cleared her throat. ‘My sister was born with a cleft palate and lip; it’s fine now and you’d never know, but I remember the comments she’d get when my mum used to take her out in the pushchair. People can sometimes be very cruel and what you’re doing is...good, very good. I’m Jane, by the way.’
Backstage was actually pretty crowded, but Jane found Chloe a seat in a corner that wasn’t occupied by what seemed to be the entire cast of a hit West End musical, who were waiting to go out and do the opening number.
Jane left but returned almost straight away with a glass of wine, and stayed with her while the comedienne who was hosting the event introduced the musical stars.
‘Your turn.’
Chloe jumped at the touch on her arm.
‘Don’t worry. Pretend the cameras aren’t there.’
Chloe straightened her shoulders and walked out onto the stage.
* * *
