Yes... but then, a possible interruption...

Snip! Snip! Snip!

Nathalie sits back in the comfortable leather chair, head down, carefully trimming her dark bush with the scissors Adam gave her. She is concentrating carefully to avoid any accidents but is making quick progress, clearly keen to get the forfeit over and done with quickly.

I can't believe he's making me do this, she thinks. She knows her cheeks are burning.

Snip!

Another tuft of dark, curly hair drifts slowly down onto the cellophane wrapping.

"I'm nearly done," she says in a small voice, not looking up. She can't bear to meet his eyes.

Adam grins. What a victory! How she must be hating this.

A public shaving.

**** at last.

"You're not done yet." Adam has a tub with water and shaving foam ready, and a lady razor. He pushes them across the floor with his foot.

Nathalie's face reddens once more, and she looks up indignantly. "You're joking. All the way? You filthy bastard. You never said all the way."

"All the way."

Nathalie thinks, just you wait. Just you wait till I'm in charge. I'll get you. Just you wait.

She reluctantly smears the cream over her privates and sets to work, dragging the razor across her crotch with precise movements. Patches of clean pink skin are visible in gaps in the foam.

Then they both hear Lady Chapman, Nathalie's mother, on the stairs.

They both freeze.

The floorboards creak as she comes down the hall. Slowly.

Coming in... Or going to bed?

Adam holds his breath. If she comes in the room and finds them like this, they'd both be screwed.

The footsteps stop outside the door.

"Nathalie?" Lady Chapman calls through the door in her smooth voice.

Nathalie's eyes go wide with fright. Her crotch is still smeared with shaving foam and the razor trembles in her hand. She looks a little ridiculous, like a half sheared sheep.

There's no explaining this if her mother comes into the room.

And, Adam thinks, I'm not sure which one of us will be in more trouble.