‘But you deserve better than me.’
‘Don’t say such a thing. I don’t care for noble comments like that. Now is the time to be honest.’
He leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. ‘All this is new to me. How I feel about you … it’s unnerving.’
‘The unflappable British serviceman is unnerved,’ I said with amusement and then more softly: ‘I don’t believe in regrets. Not anymore. Not when life is so precious and can be taken away without warning.’
‘You’re making it very difficult for me to think with a level head.’
‘Don’t think too hard.’
‘I can’t say no to you,’ replied Marcel, his voice gruffer than I’d heard before. ‘Whatever you ask, I’ll agree to. I knew that from the first moment I saw you. I knew you were special, but I didn’t think you were mine to take.’
‘I belong to no one,’ I said. ‘I give myself. No one takes me.’
His breathing was becoming faster. ‘I want you,’ he whispered.
‘I want you too.’ My voice was ragged, and I could feel my body reacting to his. It felt natural and spontaneous.
I didn’t wait for him. I took the initiative and kissed him. He responded immediately as we matched each other’s hunger and desire.
Chapter 16
Darcie
Despite feeling pretty tired from all the excitement, not to mention all the walking the previous day and the evening out with Matt, Darcie didn’t sleep that well. She wasn’t quite sure what was disturbing her the most. Christophe Padgett had come across as uninterested and indifferent to the dress, and yet the way he had wanted to keep hold of the sketchbook, to the point of her having to force it from his hands, made her think he wasn’t being honest with her in some way. Then there was the excitement that Matt had another contact. On top of that, there was the thrill of attending the Chanel haute couture fashion show later.
She showered and dressed, choosing to wear a pair of 1940s white wide-legged trousers that had been in her shop for a couple of months, together with a white short-sleeved blouse. Darcie folded a colourful headscarf into a hairband and tied her hair back. Before leaving, she texted home to make sure everyone was OK. Chloe replied almost immediately.
Chloe: All good here. Stop worrying and enjoy your holiday! We love you. Xx
The show wasn’t until later in the afternoon, so Darcie planned to spend the morning at the La Galerie Dior, which had long been on her wish list of places to visit.
The Dior museum exceeded every one of Darcie’s expectations, from the beautiful glass staircase showcasing fashion accessories in a spiral of rainbow-colour blocks to the amazing evening dresses in various shades of cream, gold, and white.
She left the building in something of a daze and was glad of having a couple of hours to sit and have some lunch before meeting up with Matt for her next round of fashion extravaganza.
Lunch was a much more grounded affair of a pastry and a hot chocolate, giving Darcie time to reset herself. After checking the route and making sure she had allowed enough time, she set off to the fashion show. It took her nearly an hour to get there but she actually arrived early. She didn’t mind and only had to wait ten minutes before Matt showed up.
‘Great, you’re here,’ he said, once again giving her a peck on the cheek.
She liked it and it made her feel warm inside. ‘Told you I wasn’t going to stand you up.’
‘Come on, let’s go inside.’
Darcie followed Matt, along with the other photographers, into the building. She thought she was going to have to pinch herself, to believe she was there. Her stomach was somersaulting with excitement. Looking around at the faces of the photographers, she could tell this wasn’t their first time attending one of Chanel’s shows.
Going through a set of double doors, Darcie almost stopped in her tracks. The fashion show was being held in a large exhibition room, with white walls, floor, and seating. Around the edge of the room were three layers of boxed and terraced benches for viewing. In the centre of the room, set out in a triangular formation, were soft, rounded bench-like cushions. Instead of a traditional catwalk running down the centre of the room, there were a series of large white steps cascading gently down the wall on the far side, leading out onto the ground floor. The catwalk would essentially flow around the centre seating, thus giving everyone a full 360-degree view of the outfits. Dotted around the ceiling hung clusters of highly polished silver domes and discs.
Matt guided Darcie towards a cluster of seating reserved for the press, directly opposite a huge plasma screen mounted on the far wall. Within a few moments of settling themselves, the screen came to life, showing a musician sitting in front of a pared-down drum kit.
‘That’s Pharrell Williams,’ said Matt. ‘American rapper, record producer, singer songwriter.’
‘That’s so cool,’ said Darcie, watching as Pharrell opened the show with his music. He was wearing a silver bomber jacket, which was in keeping with the futuristic feel of the show.
Darcie had watched live-streaming of Chanel haute couture shows on YouTube before but it was nothing compared to actually being there in person. The atmosphere, the setting, the outfits and the sheer luxury were hard to comprehend. She wanted to savour every moment of it. She knew she wouldn’t get an opportunity like this again. This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, feeling the atmospheric charge of the room.
She opened her eyes a moment later just as the first model descended the staircase, followed by a procession of other models.
