‘I’m not sure that I’d feel comfortable,’ she murmured doubtfully and for the first time since she had known him Richard sneered as he stepped away from her.

‘In that case I really can’t see you being able to pursue your career as a model,’ he said harshly. ‘Models can’t afford to be prudes. They must model whatever they are asked to wear and if you can’t do that …’

Kitty’s eyes were anguished as she caught at his sleeve. ‘But I’m not a prude,’ she said with a sob in her voice. ‘It’s just that I’ve never done anything like this before.’

He shrugged her hand away and crossed to his camera where he started to fiddle with the lens. ‘Then that’s a shame,’ he said carelessly. ‘There’s a lot of money to be made from modelling – even more than you could earn singing, but if that’s how you feel …’

‘Perhaps I could just try it on,’ she gushed, terrified of losing him and again he shrugged.

‘Only if you want to. Never let it be said that I forced anyone to do anything they didn’t wish to.’

Without a word, Kitty snatched the corset up and hurried off behind the screen where she fumbled with the buttons on her blouse. Her heart was pounding so hard that she was sure Richard must be able to hear it and she was all fingers and thumbs. At last she managed to get the corset on. It was a very good fit but she felt very embarrassed. No other man had ever seen her dressed – or rather, undressed – like this before, but her fear of losing Richard was greater than her self-respect, so she stepped from behind the screen with her arms folded across her chest.

Suddenly Richard was all smiles again as he advanced on her. ‘Why, you look absolutely beautiful, darling,’ he told her warmly. ‘You have a lovely body so I really can’t see why you should worry about showing it off.’

He gently unfolded her arms as she stared at him adoringly.

‘Now, let’s just make a few adjustments and then we can get started. We may as well do it now, this afternoon, and then I’ll take you home. How does that sound?’ He slipped the shoulder straps down, to show off her smooth, creamy skin, and tugged the front of the corset lower so that it revealed her cleavage. Her cheeks burned with shame, but she didn’t try to stop him as he led her to the chaise longue and got her to lie across it before disappearing off behind his camera again.

‘Now raise one knee – that’s it, and let your arm dangle … very good. Now look towards the window with your other arm behind your head as if you are just relaxing … perfect. Keep that pose. Hold still … perfect!’

She could hear the camera clicking and after a few minutes of striking different poses she began to relax a little. It wasn’t so bad really, she told herself. It wasn’t as if she was lying there naked, was it?