Free Painted Faces by L.H. Cosway Page A

look at it as her being brutally honest.”
    “ Or brutally jealous,” he remarks.
    I snicker. “Oh yeah, she's got so much to be jealous of. I splashed a load of water on her in the bathroom, so she's still annoyed about it. She's mad anal about her appearance.”
    “ Did you just suggest anal?” he asks, pretending he didn't hear all of what I said, the sly dog. “That's very forward of you Freddie, but I'll have to decline. I haven't got the conviction for such an endeavour tonight I'm afraid.”
    “ Hardy har har,” I roll my eyes at him.
    When we finally get outside Nora's putting Anny into a taxi. Nicholas and I wait on her by the side of the road. There's no point in the three of us getting a cab back to our block since it's only a five minute walk away. Anny's taxi drives off and Nora approaches us. I'm not in the humour for her bad mood so I simply say, “Come on, let's get home.”
    Our walk to the apartment is quiet, with only one or two jokey remarks from me and Nicholas. Nora is as silent as the dead. The only saving grace is that it's not a long walk. Nora goes on ahead of us when we get to the building and hurries straight to our apartment. I stand outside Nicholas' door with him to say goodnight.
    “ Well, thanks for a colourful evening. I can't wait to see you perform at the club again. I'm thinking I might make the place my new regular haunt. There's certainly something to be said about surrounding yourself with a bunch of men who are more interested in what dress you're wearing rather than what's underneath it.” I'm rambling, I don't know why. It's possibly due to the intense look on Nicholas' face right now.
    “ There was at least one man who wanted to see what's underneath the dress,” he comments drily.
    “ Oh you silver tongued devil!” I mock, in an effort to push away the tension that seems to be filling the air between us.
    Nicholas slots his key in the door. “Do you want to come inside and see my place?”
    He opens the door just slightly, and I really should be running straight to my own apartment, but my eyes land on something red and feathery looking, and like a child who's just caught sight of the ice cream van, I'm compelled to go after it.
    “ I'd love to,” I say, stepping right inside. The feathery red thing turns out to be a cushion made entirely of the softest feathers I have ever laid my hands on. But the most fascinating thing is what the cushion is sitting on, a lime green velvet chaise longue . I feel like I've just stepped inside a boudoir that's decorated in a mix of outlandish psychedelic colours and old world vintage. The lounge area is a lot bigger than mine and Nora's place, I notice.
    I sit down on the lime green creation and plop the feathery cushion on my lap so that I can pet it. My tipsy self enjoys soothing textures.
    “ I've never been in here before. None of our previous neighbours were the friendly type. It's fucking huge. I have to admit Viv, I think I've got apartment envy.”
    He smiles and pops the kettle on. Tea seems like a good idea. I need something to clear my foggy head. “Feel free to visit any time,” he says.
    The place might be bigger than ours, but it's also a whole lot messier. There are unpacked boxes all over. Most of them appear to have women's clothing in them. Show costumes I'm thinking. Over by one of the windows are three wigs sitting on those plastic manikin heads. Eyeing the ginger one I joke, “I can't wait to see you as a red head Viv, why didn't you go for a wig tonight?”
    He sighs as he pours boiling water into tea cups. He never asked me if I wanted tea, but I don't mind him assuming because I'm quite thirsty.
    There's a strange, almost calculating look in his eyes. Then his face goes blank and it takes him another few moments to answer me. “I had to go bare bones because I haven't yet hired a dresser.” He brings the cups over to the coffee table where I'm sitting and drops down beside me. “I'll let you in on a