Page 41 of A Summer Scandal

‘Okay?’ Cal asked, as she walked past his room when she headed back inside.

She paused. ‘Yeah. Just chatting to Barty about his life here.’

‘He’s probably one of the oldest long-term residents here now,’ Cal said. ‘My mother’s coming up a close second, though.’

His mention of Mayoress Gladys Dearheart made her heart sink.

‘Any more rumbles about the compulsory purchase order?’ she asked, crossing her fingers that he said no.

‘Well, she’s planning to come over here tomorrow to see what’s happening,’ he said, grimacing. ‘Sorry, she only texted a few minutes ago to tell me. I can’t really say no, given that the pier is open again now.’

‘Great,’ Vi sighed. ‘I might make myself scarce.’

‘No, don’t,’ Cal said. ‘If you run, she’ll catch the scent of fear and chase harder.’

What an odd opinion to hold of your own mother, Violet thought but didn’t say. Had Gladys been a terribly harsh mother to her son? Violet could well imagine that there had been strict rules in the Dearheart household, and almost see a wild-haired younger Cal rebelling every chance he got. He’d probably been quite a handful; there must have been some colourful rows in their household when he hit his teenage years.

‘What time is she coming?’

‘Eleven,’ Cal said. ‘Which means eleven. Not five to or five past. Eleven on the nose.’

Violet felt her insides shrivel up a little. ‘Okay. I’ll tell everyone else. Be here with our game faces on.’

At just before ten o’clock the following morning, Violet was hard at work in her studio, immersed in finishing off the third of the military showgirl outfits. Holding the corset up in front of her eyes told her there was something not quite right about it but she couldn’t quite work out what it was.

‘Looks fabulous,’ Keris said, coming in to see what she was up to. ‘Make me one in green? I reckon I’d kill it down the ballroom in that.’

‘The ballroom?’ All Violet knew about the ballroom so far was that Barty went to tea dances there. Surely Keris wasn’t planning to head down there to waltz with the local octogenarians dressed like Lola the headless showgirl?

‘Yeah,’ Keris said. ‘They have things on there sometimes in the summer. You know, Robbie tribute acts, that kind of thing. We should go.’

Violet nodded, distracted. ‘There’s something not quite right about this,’ she said, looking at the corset again. ‘Can you see?’

They stood together and stared at it.

‘I’m not sure,’ Keris said. ‘Is it fractionally longer on that side than this?’

Vi bit her lip. ‘I’m sure I measured it correctly.’

‘Shall I try it on?’

Violet looked up at Keris and found her eyes sparkling with excitement. Shereallywanted to try the corset on.

‘Um, okay,’ she said. It would actually help to see how the corset looked and moved on a real body. ‘You’re sure?’

‘God, yes!’ Keris closed the door quickly and unceremoniously whipped her T-shirt over her head. ‘Do you want me to take my bra off?’

Outside Violet’s door at that very moment, Melvin and Linda stood staring at each other, agog. They’d arrived a few seconds earlier and decided to come and let Violet know they were in for the morning to set up their consulting room. Finding Violet’s door closed, poised to knock, they distinctly heard Keris moan, ‘God, yes! Do you want me to take my bra off?’ so they thought better of knocking and tiptoed back to make a start on their room instead.

‘Jesus God! I bloody love this,’ Keris said, standing barefoot in the middle of Violet’s room wearing the red feather and rhinestone corset and her black denim mini. ‘I was kidding earlier when I said make me one. I’m deadly serious now. I’ll pay, Violet. Whatever it costs. I’ve never felt sexier in my entire bloody life.’

‘Violet? Have you seen Keris anywhere?’

Cal tapped the door and opened it without waiting to be called in, and then stood there with his mouth open.

‘Bloody hell,’ he said. ‘What are you two doing in here? Playing dress-up?’

‘Did you want something?’ Violet asked.

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