Her World of Submission (House of Submission 3)

‘Yes, but so is Jasper, at heart, I think. I mean, he was an actor before he started making films. He likes to perform. He’s very perfectionist about it, actually. So much attention to detail, it’s almost exhausting to behold.’

‘But now he’s a director, and that suits him. He can put his vision out there, but he doesn’t have to let it interfere with his private life.’

‘He wants me to be in the film, though.’

‘And you don’t want to?’

I shook my head. ‘I don’t know. If I’m caught up enough in the moment, it’s easy, but I think knowing it’s for public consumption will make me too self-conscious. I won’t be able to lose myself in it. It won’t be the same.’

‘Well, it’s Trix who’ll be providing the bum shots. So you don’t need to worry about that.’

‘Yeah, no, I know, it’s just …’

I ran out of steam, figuratively, although it still poured into the icy air.

‘He asked me to marry him.’

Rosie inhaled sharply then squealed, ‘Oh, my God!’

‘Don’t! I mean, I haven’t said yes. I can’t seem to … I love him but I can’t seem to …’

‘Sarah,’ she said eagerly, but whatever words of wisdom she was about to impart were driven back inside her by the sound of rustling and snapping some distance away. She pricked up her ears. ‘Is that Dimitri? Quick. Let’s get out of here.’

Suppressing our urges to laugh and whoop, we beat a hasty path through the trees, relying on their coniferous coverage to conceal us from our pursuer.

I was more warmly dressed than Rosie, but she was faster, darting ahead of me like a character in one of those speeded-up Benny Hill sequences. I had the distinct feeling I was in one of them as we pelted round and round the woods. We only needed the saxophone music.

It was heart-poundingly exciting, though, and I found myself wishing Jasper was hunting me as assiduously as Dimitri seemed to be chasing Rosie.

We were breathless and tired, our cheeks stinging and eyes shining, when Dimitri stepped out in front of us with an arrogant flourish and made an easy lunge for Rosie.

‘Oh, so my little doe has a friend?’ he said, smiling widely at me beneath the fulsome brush of his moustache. ‘Well, I am only hunting this one today but perhaps if you go back to the house you will find somebody looking for you.’

‘Is Jasper looking for me?’

‘He is in the kitchen, I think, making a breakfast. He wonders where you have gone.’

‘Aren’t you going to help me?’ pleaded Rosie as I turned to leave, but I don’t think she really wanted my help. And the shrieks of laughter and pretend-outrage that followed me through the wood confirmed my suspicions.

Lucky Rosie, I thought, seeing the house in sight, the kitchen windows flooded with light. I felt nervous at the prospect of seeing Jasper. She has no doubts. I wondered what she had been about to say before we were interrupted by the stalking Dimitri. She seemed more confident about my relationship than I was myself. Was this a good sign?

The back kitchen door opened as I strode through inches-deep snow and Jasper stood, illuminated in it, dressed for the outdoors. Perhaps he hadn’t been making breakfast after all, unless he felt the need to grill bacon in a padded ski jacket and sheepskin-lined boots. I came close enough to hear him call to me through the snow-muffled air.

‘Where have you been?’

‘Just went for a walk, that’s all.’

‘I woke up to an empty bed. I was worried.’

‘I saw Rosie out here and thought I’d like to chat to her.’

‘Ah. OK. But Dimitri was looking for her.’

‘I think he found her.’

A high-pitched yelp travelled high over the fir trees.

Jasper smiled. ‘So it seems. Aren’t you cold?’