Becoming Elle

* * *

Almost a year, to the day, after Max had taken the first 'test shots' of Elaine, test shots that had led to the shoot with Micky Martin, that had led to the deal with Suzy Trondo, that had led to Elaine becoming a full-time model, that had led to... well, that had led to Elaine at least becoming on the way to finding fame and fortune, Max asked her if she had ever been to Sardinia.

'Sardinia? No. That's Italy, isn't it?'

'Sort of.'

'I've been to Spain,' Elaine said. 'And Portugal. But that's about it. Oh... and we went on a school trip to Normandy. In France.'

'Would you like to go to Sardinia?' Max said. 'I'm thinking of going there for a few days. Take a bit of a break. Pay for it by taking a few snaps. There are the parts that most people know, but there are also some truly beautiful parts awaiting the traveller who is prepared to leave the main road, so to speak. And I could use a model. Places and faces, that's what they used to tell us at art college.'

Max booked flights and accommodation, and organised a 4WD to take them off the beaten track.

* * *

On the flight out to Sardinia, Max brought Elaine up to date on a meeting he had had with a couple of the Suzy Trondo's people the afternoon before.

'Suzy is negotiating to sell a half share of her business to the PJS Group,' he said. 'You've heard of PJS no doubt. They own several top fashion brands. Also, a couple of cosmetics brands. And, of course, Marcus Valour Watches. Anyway, part of the deal is that PJS want you locked in -- exclusively -- for three years.'

'Three years?'

'Yes. It would mean that you won't be able to work for any other fashion brands during that time.'

'What if they change their minds?'

'They won't be able to just drop you. They will have the right to buy-out your contract. But that means that you will still be paid. You just won't be able to go off and model for a competitor. Not until the end of the original contract period.'

'Oh.'

'I said that I thought that you might agree. But I said that there would need to be an annual fee adjustment. An upward adjustment, of course. I told Henry, their in-house legal chap, that we'd get back to them next week.'

'Oh.'

'We don't need to decide right now,' Max said. 'Just... well... think about it.'

* * *

On Day Three of their visit to Sardinia, Max knocked on Elaine's door just after seven. 'Are you awake?'

'Sort of.'

'I think today's the day,' he said. 'Time for us to go and explore the lesser byways.'

'OK,' Elaine said. 'Give me half an hour.'

'No rush,' Max said. 'We'll grab some breakfast before we go. Prima colazione. Well... coffee and a pastry anyway. They don't really do proper breakfast in this part of the world, do they?'

'What should I wear?'

'Just something light and comfortable. I have an over-sized white shirt and a sunhat for you to wear for the shoot. Oh... and bring your trainers. If Mr Google is to be believed, we might have to scramble over some rocks to get to the beach.'

After a light colazione, Max and Elaine set off across to the other coast. And then they headed south, following ever-lesser highways until they reached 'the end of the road'.

'We should be almost there,' Max said. 'Let's take a look.'

They got out of the vehicle, walked to edge of the small gravelly plateau, and peered over. And there it was: an uninhabited indentation in the cliffs. Hardly big enough to be described as a bay. A nibble, perhaps? A nibble carpeted with white sand, leading to a waveless bright aqua pool, leading to a patch of sparkling blue sea.

'What do you think?' Max said. 'Can we scramble our way down there?'

'We can give it a try,' Elaine said.

Max nodded. 'Perhaps if you slip the shirt on now,' he said. 'I think it will be the easiest way to carry it. Leave both of your hands free in case you need them.' And Max handed Elaine the shirt.

'Bra? Or no bra?'

'Umm... probably just the shirt,' Max said. 'I think it might...' And he made a little fluttering gesture with his own hands, starting at his shoulders and moving down.

'Drape?' Elaine suggested.

'Yes. Drape.' And he discreetly turned his back.

'What do you think?' Elaine said, when she had swapped her travelling attire for the thin over-sized white shirt.

'Yes. That looks pretty near perfect to me,' Max said. And he slung his knapsack-style camera bag over his shoulders, handed Elaine a white straw sunhat, and headed for the narrow track that led down to the small-but-perfect beach. 'Maybe I should go first,' Max said. 'If you slip, I'll be there to make sure that you don't fall too far.'

'And if you slip?'

'I'll be waiting at the bottom for you,' Max said.

Elaine smiled. Nervously. 'Nice to know,' she said.

Max paused his descent on a broad rocky ledge about three metres above the sand. 'Yes,' he said, as Elaine joined him. 'Perfect.'

'It is pretty nice,' Elaine admitted. 'Look how clean that water is.'

Max nodded. 'And the sand. It looks as though it has never been walked on. Your footprints will be the first. Well... the first today, anyway. That's for sure.'

Max placed his camera bag on the ground and took out his trusty Nikon DSLR. Max had 'better' cameras, more advanced cameras, but, for tasks like this, his ten-year-old Nikon with an 18-55 Nikkor lens was his go-to tool. 'Right,' he said. 'I think if you start down in this corner... and then just walk in a more or less diagonal line... across to the foot of that narrow bluff. And maybe just carry the sunhat.'

'It's going to rain,' Elaine said.

'Rain?'

'Yes. Look at that sky.'

The sky was, indeed, changing before their very eyes. In the time that it had taken them to descend from where they had parked their vehicle, the sky towards the mainland had turned almost indigo.

'I think the rain's going the other way,' Max said. 'But the sky's a brilliant colour. Let's catch it before it disappears. Are you ready?'

'When you are,' Elaine said. She slipped off her trainers and carefully descended the final few steps.

The first peal of thunder coincided with Elaine placing her first foot on the white sand. 'I think we're going to have to hurry,' she called back as she began to almost float across the small beach.

The first drop of rain to fall was more like a dollop than a drop. It was as if someone hovering just above Elaine had up-ended a teacup. And the first dollop was followed by an equally-large second dollop. And a third. And, by the time that Elaine was halfway across the beach, she was soaked to the skin. Literally. 'Now what?' Elaine called back to Max.

Max laughed. 'Best laid plans,' he said, trying to stuff his camera under his shirt.

The downpour only lasted two or three minutes. At the most. But it was long enough to turn the elegant white-shirted Elaine into a proverbial drowned rat. 'This shirt is stuck to me,' she said.

'Maybe take it off,' Max suggested. 'See if we can dry it off.'

For a moment or two, Elaine just looked back at Max. And then she laughed. 'Thea was right,' she said.

'About what?'

'She said that you just wanted me to get my kit off.'

Max laughed. 'I hope she appreciates how much effort it has taken,' he said. 'You know... arranging for just the right downpour in just the place at just the right time.'

Elaine nodded. 'Yes. Quite an achievement,' she said. 'I'll give you that.' And she removed the soggy, clinging garment. And then, wearing just the white straw sunhat, she made her way back up to the ledge where Max was trying to dry off his camera.