course. But he said he thought they were overrated.”
“Overrated?” Venetia seems taken aback.
“Uh-huh.” I fix my gaze dead on hers. “Overrated.”
“But…he took masses of pictures of them.” She gives an incredulous laugh. “We talked about them for hours!”
“Yes, well, we talked about them all night!” I shoot back. “About how overrated they are.”
I casually fiddle with my wedding ring, making sure my engagement diamond glints under the lights.
I’m his wife. I know what he thinks about frescoes.
Venetia opens her mouth, then closes it again, looking flummoxed.
“Sorry about that!” Luke enters the room, putting his phone away, and Venetia immediately turns to him.
“Luke, d’you remember those frescoes in—”
“Ow!” I clutch my stomach. “Ouch.”
“Becky! Darling!” Luke hurries to my side in alarm. “Are you all right?”
“Just a little twinge.” I give him a brave smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.” I glance in triumph at Venetia, who is frowning as though she can’t quite work me out.
“Have you had these pains before?” she says. “Can you describe them?”
“They’ve gone now,” I say blithely. “I think it was just a stitch.”
“Let me know if you have any other pains,” she says. “And remember to take things easy. That blood pressure shouldn’t be a problem, but we don’t want it to edge any higher. Did your previous doctor explain to you about preeclampsia?”
“Absolutely,” Luke says, glancing at me, and I nod.
“Good. Well, you take care. You can call me anytime. And before you go…” Venetia opens her desk diary. “We must arrange an evening for us all to meet up. The twenty-fourth…or the twenty-sixth? Assuming I’m not delivering a baby, of course!”
“The twenty-sixth?” Luke nods, consulting his BlackBerry. “OK with you, Becky?”
“Fine!” I say sweetly. “We’ll be there.”
“Marvelous. I’ll call some of the others. It’s so great to have made contact again, after so many years.” Venetia sighs and puts her pen down. “To be honest, it’s been pretty hard, starting again in London. My old friends have their lives; they’ve moved on. Besides which, I don’t always keep sociable hours, and Justin travels abroad a lot, of course.” Her bright smile slips a little.
“Justin is Venetia’s boyfriend,” Luke explains to me.
The boyfriend. I’d almost forgotten he existed.
“Oh, right,” I say politely. “What does he do?”
“He’s a financier.” Venetia reaches for a framed picture of a dull-looking man in a suit, and as she surveys it her whole face lights up. “He’s incredibly driven and motivated, a bit like Luke. I sometimes feel left behind when he’s pursuing a deal. But what can I do? I love him.”
“Really?” I say in surprise. Then I realize how that sounded. “I mean…er…great!”
“He’s the reason I came to London.” Her eyes are still fixed on the picture. “I met him at a party in L.A. and just fell hook, line, and sinker.”
“You moved all this way?” I say, incredulous. “Just for him?”
“That’s what love’s about, surely? You do crazy things for no rhyme or reason.” Venetia looks up, her green eyes shining. “If my job has taught me one thing, Becky, it’s that love is the only thing. Human love. I see it every time I deliver a baby right into its mother’s arms…every time I see a fresh, eight-week-old heart beating on the screen and watch the faces of its parents…every time my patients come back, second or third time around. It’s love that makes the babies. And you know what? Nothing else matters.”
Wow. I am totally blown away.
She’s not after Luke, after all. She’s in love with the boring guy! And to be honest, that little speech has practically got me in tears.
“You’re so right,” I say huskily, clutching Luke’s arm. “Love is all that counts in this crazy, mixed-up world we call…the world.”
I’m not sure that came out right, but who cares? I have completely misjudged Venetia. She’s not a man- eater; she’s a warm, beautiful, loving human being.
“I really hope Justin will be able to make the twenty-sixth.” She finally puts the picture back in its place with a fond pat. “I’d love for you to meet him.”
“Me too!” I say with genuine enthusiasm. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“See you soon, Ven.” Luke kisses Venetia. “Thanks very much.”
“Bye, Becky.” Venetia gives me a warm, friendly smile. “Oh, and I nearly forgot. I don’t know if you’d be at all interested, but a journalist from Vogue called me up yesterday. They’re doing a big feature on London’s yummiest mummies-to-be and wanted me to put forward some names. I thought of you.”
“Vogue?” I stare at her, frozen.
“You may not be interested, of course. It would involve a photo shoot of you in the baby’s nursery, an interview, hair and makeup…. They’ll provide designer maternity clothes….” She gives a vague shrug. “I don’t know — is that your kind of thing?”
I’m practically hyperventilating. Is it my kind of thing? Is having my makeup done and wearing designer clothes and being in Vogue…my kind of thing?
“I think that’s a yes,” says Luke, looking at me in amusement.
“Great!” Venetia touches him on the hand. “Leave it to me. I’ll fix it up.”
Rebecca Brandon 37 Maida Vale Mansions
Maida Vale
London NW6 0YF
18 August 2003
Dear Fabia,
I just wanted to say how much we love your gorgeous, beautiful house. It’s the Kate Moss of houses!!In fact, it’s so stunning, I think it deserves to appear in Vogue, don’t you?
That reminds me of a teeny favor I wanted to ask. Coincidentally, I am being interviewed by Vogue — and I wondered if I could use the house for the photo shoot?
I also wondered if I could put up some personal props and say that Luke and I live there already? After all, we will by the time the magazine comes out…so it makes sense, really!
In return, if there is anything I can do for you or any fashion item you would like me to track down, I will be only too glad!
With very best wishes,
Becky Brandon
Not in size, obviously.
FABIA PASCHALI
DATE: 19/8/03
TO: Rebecca Brandon
Becky,
