If You Leave, I Leave novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: Two Models Each

"He's still married to me," Tilda said, to the screen on the wall. "You old goat."

We were standing in the west wing in our dressing gowns, watching the Crown's decree play for the fourth time.

"Piers named heir. Verity named Luna-elect. And nobody has asked the actual wife."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to do the one thing Piers has never survived," she said. "A live audience."

His fan event was at seven that night, in the foyer of the Grand Theatre.

Four hundred thousand people watched it live.

Piers sat on a velvet chair, signing posters for a queue that ran round the block.

At ten past seven, the doors at the back opened.

Tilda walked in with two very large men in tight black T-shirts, one on each side of her.

They had been hired that afternoon from a company that supplied models to perfume launches.

"These are my plus-twos," she announced to the foyer. "I'm entitled to bring guests."

The queue parted for her.

Piers stood up.

"Tilda."

"Evening, darling. I'm going to ask you three questions, and I'd like you to answer them honestly in front of your fans."

The camera operator, who was a professional, turned his lens straight on them.

"One. Who called the photographer who took that picture on Thursday?"

"I don't think this is the place."

"Two. Why were you at that table?"

"Tilda, please."

"Three," she said, over him, very clearly.

"Who told you the King had agreed to my divorce before I'd even asked you to sign it?"

Piers looked at the camera, and at four hundred thousand strangers.

Then he sat down on the arm of the velvet chair and rubbed his face with both hands.

"Verity called the photographer," he said.

A gasp went round the foyer.

"She asked me to dinner. She said she needed to talk about the new film."

"When I got there, I knew it was a mistake, and I told her so. She'd already made the call. The picture was the point."

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