Mo went through her wardrobe and tried on several outfits before settling on a simple white blouse and a full swing black and white skirt with a wide waistband. She studied herself in the mirror and thought that with a heavier make-up than usual she looked striking. She wanted a second opinion from Sarah, but hadn’t heard her come home last night, and Tommy hadn’t pounded on her front door this morning to go to school.

Pleased with her appearance, and convinced it would make a good impression on Barry, she grabbed her handbag and ran downstairs, but when she knocked on Sarah’s door there was no answer. Mo frowned. Fits could be nasty, so maybe Tommy had been kept in hospital overnight as a precaution, and, knowing Sarah, she had probably gone out at the crack of dawn to see him.

Oh, well, she thought, she’d have to do without a second opinion. She left the house to head to Queenstown Road where Barry had a small flat and studio above a toyshop. When she arrived, Mo stood outside his door and pulled a small mirror from her bag to check her make-up before knocking.

‘Well, I say, look at you,’ Barry said, eyeing her with appreciation when he opened the door. ‘Come in, everything is set up and ready for you.’

Mo walked past Barry and into the studio. The curtains were drawn but there were bright spotlights angled towards a large bed covered in pink satin. A wooden stepladder was positioned at the end of the bed, and there were large white screens on either side. This wasn’t what she’d expected, and it looked a bit sleazy, but she trusted Barry, and was sure he knew what he was doing.

Barry was well spoken and dressed smartly, and his confident manner, along with his knowledge of the modelling industry, had quickly gained her confidence. He looked about twenty years older than her, but Mo thought him rather good-looking, with blonde hair and a golden tan, though he was a bit on the skinny side for her taste.

‘What’s all this then?’ she asked, nodding towards the bed.

‘I need you to be relaxed as any tension will show in your jaw, and what better way to relax than on a bed?’ Barry answered. ‘Now then, before we start I want you to sign this.’

‘What is it?’ Mo said, worried. She glanced at the paper and saw there were some long words which she knew she’d struggle to read.

‘It’s nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about. It’s just a contract to say that you are happy for me to show your photographs, which I will need to do if we are going to make you a top model.’

‘Oh, right, that’s fine,’ Mo said, taking the pen Barry held out and signing her name where he indicated.