“Because I’m not as pretty as my sister… Right.” Eloise was seriously regretting sitting down next to these people. It wasn’t like her confidence needed any more knocks than those dealt to her by her sister. Where was Vincenzo when she needed him?
“No, because I was almost expecting a fat and disfigured old spinster with some kind of a learning disability based on what Lenore told us. Sure, I know that models have a slightly skewed view of reality when it comes to the looks of others. But the way she talked about her own sister. I’m amazed that you put up with it.”
Eloise felt her cheeks go red. “What exactly did my sister tell you about me?”
Alyson Nicholls was starting to look a bit uncomfortable now. “I probably misinterpreted her. She talked about how you didn’t care about your weight and looks and lacked ambition. That you were happy in a monotonous job in your secure London environment. Really, I’m sure I got the wrong end of the stick when she said that you didn’t want to be in the wedding party since you didn’t feel that you’d fit in.”
“I didn’t want to be in my sister’s wedding?” Eloise shook her head. “Tell me, what happens to the exclusive deal if photos from the wedding are leaked to the rest of the press?”
“Then it’s off. Or they won’t get paid the full amount. It depends on the quality of the other photos and what they actually show.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, any leak of photos of your sister, her bridesmaids and the dresses would be devastating. As would photos of the kiss and first dance. Any other photos would still be a problem, but not quite as bad.”
“Right.”
Eloise stepped outside and pulled her mobile phone from her handbag and dialled Peter’s number. He answered almost immediately.
“Peter? How much do you want photos from the wedding?”
“Eloise, darling, if you get me photos from your sister’s wedding you can have whatever you want.”
“How about a permanent job and a company car?”
“Deal.”
“Then have someone text me instructions for how to work this damn thing!”
She hung up and turned around to walk back in and walked straight into Vincenzo’s arms.
“Careful, bella. Did I hear you correctly? You’re seriously going to sell photos from your sister’s wedding?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” Tears started streaming down Eloise’s cheeks. “I mean nothing to my sister. I mean, I can put up with her constant fussing about my weight, my hair and my clothes. I can even put up with being excluded from the wedding party. But to hear that she’s been telling people that I refused to take part in the wedding because I’m too dumb and ugly, that’s it. I can’t take anymore. She’s always been selfish and self obsessed and I never expected her to take care of me, but I refuse to be treated like crap any longer. If turning her wedding into a profit spinning media circus is more important to her than the feelings of her own sister, then why shouldn’t I take my fair share?”
Vincenzo walked her into a small office and took her in his arms and let her cry. She cried for minutes, smearing her makeup all over his crisp white shirt. When she finally stopped crying and was only sobbing she finally looked up into his eyes and saw the warmth. He kissed her softly.
“You won’t take your ‘fair share’ because it’s not in your nature to use people.”
“I know,” she admitted. “I’m jolly well tempted to though.”
“I know you are. Now dry your tears and go get ready for the wedding. Your sister’s brought in her own hair dresser. Do you want me to see if I can pull some strings with the hotel hair dresser? She’s great with hair and makeup.”
“You don’t have to do that for me.”
“I know I don’t. But I think you deserve it. Not that you need that kind of thing to look gorgeous, but I think your self esteem could do with a bit of a boost right now. Let me see what I can do.”
Eloise went back up to her room and called Peter again. She explained to him that she’d been hurt by her sister, but she couldn’t do that to her own flesh and blood, no matter how despicable they were in turn. He was disappointed, but understanding.
She had a long shower and was relaxing on the balcony when there was a knock on the door.
“I’m Elena, the hotel hair dresser,” said a very short woman with stylish short hair. “Compliments of the hotel.”
Eloise couldn’t believe that Vincenzo had managed to pull that one off. She guessed that he was just the kind of lovable guy that nobody could say no to. Elena marvelled over her strawberry blonde curls and started working. When she was done Eloise looked at her own reflection and admitted to herself that she’d never looked as pretty in her life. Elena asked to see her dress so that she could do her makeup. She pulled the dress that Lenore and Grazia had picked for her.
“Signorina Goddard,” said Elena. “That colour is all wrong for you. It’ll make your skin look pasty and your eyes dull. What was that blue dress that I saw in the wardrobe?”
“Apparently it’s last season,” Eloise said. “My sister told me that it wasn’t good enough.”
Elena opened the door and pulled the dress out. “Your sister doesn’t know what she’s talking about. So what if it’s last season. Anyone can see that it’s a colour that suits you and a design to hug your curves. The one she wants you to wear has been designed for someone with neither breasts nor hips. You can’t wear that. It’ll look much more stupid than wearing last season’s dress. You’ll be drop dead gorgeous in the blue dress.”
Eloise considered the Italian woman’s words. “Let’s try them both on and see?” She wasn’t quite ready to veto Lenore yet.
Elena nodded and helped Eloise into the new dress. It was ill fitting and the colour did indeed make her look lifeless. “I look like a prostitute in this thing, don’t I?”
Elena agreed and helped her out of it. Then she put on the blue dress and Elena’s smile spread across her face. “You know that this is the one you have to wear,” she said confidently. Eloise couldn’t help but agree. It looked like it had been made especially for her. Elena did her makeup and she’d only just left when the phone rang. It was Vincenzo telling her that the car to take her to the chapel was waiting. Eloise was sure that Lenore had said that she’d be walking to the chapel, but they’d obviously changed their minds. They were probably afraid of the paparazzi in the helicopters she could hear hovering above.
When she walked through reception she saw Vincenzo’s eyes widen and then a smile spread across his face as he watched her. She wished that she could’ve brought him as her date. He would have kept her nerves in check. The car dropped her off at the chapel entrance and she was ushered to her seat. As Lenore’s only family she was placed in the fourth pew on the bride’s side. She recognised some of Lenore’s model friends and her agent in front of her.