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‘Why not?’
Katerina sighed and filled Heidi and Ana in on what had happened when she was there that morning, and it was Heidi’s turn to wrap her arms around her friend. ‘I’m so sorry, Kat. Okay, how about we head over to the bookshop instead? I’m sure Miranda could do with some moral support, and I’ll take my makeup trunk with me.’
‘Great idea.’
The four women headed off to the book shop, conversation at a minimum as they descended into their respective thoughts. When Suzie walked through the door, she was pleased she wasn’t the first person Miranda saw because she knew her jaw had dropped in surprise, and it took her a few moments to wind it back in.
Despite the extra-thick layer of foundation, Miranda’s face still possessed a satsuma-esque glow, with particularly noticeable streaks around her laughter lines, along her forehead, and across her chest. However, her skin didn’t look puffy or red, just as though it had been stained with an especially vibrant shade of self-tanning cream.
‘Thanks for coming,’ said Miranda, giving them all hugs before rushing into the bookshop’s kitchenette to make coffee, the cups clinking in the saucers as her hand trembled when she delivered them. ‘The sugar is over there.’
‘I'msosorry, Mirrie,’ said Heidi, tears collecting along her lashes. ‘I really can’t figure out what could have happened.’
‘It’s fine, Heidi, these things happen when you’re experimenting with a new product. It’ll fade, I’m sure, and believe me when I say that it’s not theonlybeauty disaster I’ve had to endure over the years. I once had a perm that made me look like I’d stuck my finger in an electric socket, and it took over two months to grow it out! Now, drink your coffee and let me see that wonderfully cheerful smile back on your face! Oh, look, there’s Robyn!’
When Suzie saw Robyn approach their gathering, she just about managed not to expel her coffee and gasp the words “Oh my God!” out loud, but Heidi wasn’t so circumspect.
‘Oh Robyn, not you as well!’
‘Hilarious, isn’t it, darling? I look like I’ve been baked in an oven.’ Robyn laughed, a rich, deep throaty sound that made Suzie smile. ‘You have no idea how many people have checked me out on my way over here. Here I was, thinking that once I got to fifty I’d become invisible to the rest of the population – now I knowexactlywhere I’ve been going wrong. I’m seriously considering making this part of my new look! Would you believe I’ve even had people photographing me on my way over like I was a celebrity from that fabulous TV makeup show!’
Robyn struck a pose, her hand on her hip and her chin raised haughtily as she swayed from left to right like a catwalk model, the skirt of her plum-coloured hippie dress whipping around her thighs, the tiny metal embellishments around the hem making a jaunty tinkling sound.
‘I’m really sorry, Robyn,’ Heidi muttered, tears starting to fall again.
‘Don’t be, darling! While I admit it was a bit of a shock when I looked in the mirror this morning, I’m keen to know which product you used so I can purchase a couple of jars from you for when I next need to garner attention from my adoring public.’
‘That’s just the thing. There’s nothing in any of my products that could have caused this. I definitely didnotuse anything that’s even remotely like self-tan, which is obviously what this is.’
‘How did it happen, then?’ asked Katerina.
‘I don’t know. I’ve prepared this particular recipe lots of times, and Ana and I have been using it on our faces for weeks, andwe’venever turned orange.’
‘So you think it’s a rogue batch?’
‘Yes, that must be it.’
‘Shame,’ said Robyn, looking genuinely disappointed.
‘Come on,’ said Heidi, her face finally brightening. ‘Why don’t you sit down over here, and I’ll do your makeup for you.’
‘Oh, how fabulous!’ Robyn declared, taking a seat in one of the bookshop’s reclining leather chairs and tipping her face to the ceiling. ‘Thank you so much, darling! Out of adversity springs opportunity!’
Heidi’s smile returned as she set to work on Robyn’s makeup, choosing a shade of foundation that enhanced Robyn’s natural skin tone and adding a sweep of blusher to the apples of her cheeks to give her a radiant and healthy look. Next, she drew on a line of pale lilac eyeliner, blending and smudging to create the perfect frame for Robyn’s blue-grey eyes, before turning to the glitzy eyeshadow she adored, giving her model first a swipe of lavender, then of rich dark magenta before finishing off with a thick layer of lash-lengthening mascara.
‘Wow, Heidi, you’re a cosmetics maestro!’
‘Thanks, Robyn. Mirrie, why don’t you let Ana add a little enhancement?’
‘Oh, no, I’m not sure I—’
‘I promise to stick to a more muted colour palette,’ said Ana, showing her a gold compact containing browns, beiges, and nudes with only a hint of shimmer. ‘What about these?’
Miranda beamed. ‘I love them! You know, I could get used to having my makeup done professionally. It’s such a treat. Roger always said that pampering was a waste of money.’
Suzie glanced across at Katerina and, to her bemusement, she saw that her friend had been watching the exchanges between Heidi and Robyn, and Heidi and Miranda, closely, her eyes narrowed, her forehead creased in thought, and when she took her coffee and pastry to a table in the bookshop’s courtyard, she followed her.
‘What’s wrong, Kat?’
