Stan
Jane
Can you hear me
Just about
I am in London
When will you return
In a couple of hours
Are you missing Rome
Very Much
I can meet you
That would be nice
In an hour
Where
I will be outside of the old French Institute in Leicester Square
Know it well
I have purchased a present for you
From Rome
No I only found it an hour ago
But you must not be cross as it cost a great deal
It is your money Jane
I will tell you now
Why the rush
Because I am so excited
Sounds fun
Do you remember Richard Gibbs-White
The artist
Yes I posed for him a few times when I was at college
Well I had just had coffee with Ana Musical
How is she
Spanish
She is auditioning today and is a bag of nerves
For what
A musical version of Anna Karenina
I will play the railway engine at Obiralovka
Not nice Stan
Well I was trotting off towards Oxford Street when I passed an art gallery and guess what
It was open
Better than that
It was showing an exhibition of Richard’s work
There were about forty paintings and sketches there
I know what is coming
Yes I found myself staring at the student me
Were they his life studies
Mostly
And then I found
The Violet Seller
Which was by far my favourite work
It was for sale so I purchased it
I had such a lovely time
Were you in Southern France that year
Yes
I spent many hours quite naked
With only violets for company
Violet Remembered Hills
Come again
Violet Remembered Hills
He has painted it as a commission
But nonetheless I loved it
He gave me some sketches
I still have them at Mummy’s
I had been introduced to the dealer before
And he remembered me
Martin Type
In one
He asked for my memories of thartsummer
So that he could use them
I will send them to him later
He let me in on a secret
That being
Richard actually worked on The Violet Seller twice
Two paintings
Yes
Which one was on show
The copy
So you purchased the copy
No the original
Confused dot com
Richard did not care for the chap who commissioned the work
Why
I never found that out
So he worked on it twice with very subtle differences
Almost invisible
If you look at the original there are seven bunches of violets half covering my left breast
I have never counted them
Take my word for it
Also my pubic area is slightly different
It is thicker
In the copy it resembles Goya’s La Maja Desnuda to an extent
A Violet Seller is always going to be a woman of the streets
I think Richard was having a bit of fun
Would that not have pissed his client off
Possibly but he would have been none the wiser
When you enter into a contract unless there is a clause
I see where you are coming from
The copy in Richard’s view was slightly inferior
What if the collector walked through the door
That would be interesting
So you purchased Richards original painting
No I purchased the copy and that was why I could afford it
How much did it cost you
That would be telling
Bad boy
You should not question the expense
But you are quite rough Stan so I will tell you
No need
Two thousand five hundred
It was listed at five but the dealer
Sold it to me for two five
What did you do give him a blow
STAN
Only joking
But did you
I think that he is glad to be rid of it
Hot potato
Slightly
Your notes
Will be anonymous and will describe the summer that all
A well known artist and his model
They will replace your painting with a sketch
Richard is in London next month
Is he aware of this chess game
I would imagine so
Do you keep in touch
Off and on he is in LA now
I am his past but he is fond of me
So you are telling me that you found the gallery by chance
Yes
Liar
Do you like your gift Stan
Very much
But it is not my birthday
Need it be
So why
Guess
Guess what
I have some really good news for you
Promotion
No
Think about it
Ana is returning to Spain
No
Perhaps you might take me to dinner tonight
Maybe at Marco’s
You have gained promotion
No
They have sacked you
No such luck
Stan would you bring my green backless and my black heels
Why
Because I have just flown back from Rome
Okay but why the mystery
Time will tell
Jane
Yes
Thank you so much for the painting
You are a very bad girl
I will hang it in our bedroom
And buy you violets each week
You are a hopeless romantic Stan
Jane
Yes
The news
Yes