Chapter 5: Spectacular Spectacular

~Previously~

“What about the Duchess?” Tina asks. She opens the door, to find Wischnia and the real Jodi on the other side.

“My dear Duchess…” Wischnia is saying.

Tina quickly shuts the door, and turns to Bette.

“The Duchess!” she says, her eyes wide in shock.

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“The Duchess?” Bette asks, having no idea what Tina is talking about.

“Hide! Out the back!” Tina hisses.

She rushes across the room to show Bette out, but Wischnia opens the door. Bette has to duch behind Tina to remain unseen. Wischnia bangs the door open and asks heartily: “My dear, are you decent for the Duchess?”

Tina turns to face Wischnia as Bette tries to peer around her legs to see the Duchess, but Tina pushes her to one side.

“Where have you been?” Wischnia mouths franctically.

Tina leans against the drinks trolley, allowing Bette to crawl behind it. The blonde now whispers to her boss: “I was waiting.”

Wischnia, being the picture of bonhomie, turns to bring the Duchess into the room, saying in her smoothest voice: “My dear Duchess, allow me to introduce Tina; the Sparkling Diamond and star of the forthcoming Moulin Rouge presentation ‘Spectacular Spectacular’.”

Tina turns, beaming radiantly. “Mademoiselle, how wonderful of you to take time out of your busy schedule to visit.”

Bette peers over the drinks trolley to look at the Duchess, but Tina gives her a look, so she ducks back behind it.

“The pleasure, I fear, will be entirely mine, my dear,” the Duchess says, eyeing Tina’s silk clad form rapaciously. “And please, do call me Jodi. We might as well get… familiar.”

“I’ll leave you two squirrels to get better acquainted. Ta-ta,” Wischnia says, backing out like mumsy not wanting to interrupt a first date. Nearly out the door, she points vigorously at The Duchess’s back as she mouths silently to Tina: “Investment!” With a final “Tatta!” she shuts the door and Jodi and Tina are seemingly alone.

Jodi takes Tina’s hand and kisses it. Bette peers around Tina, trying to figure out what’s going on.

“A kiss on the hand may be quite continental,” Jodi says.

“But diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” Tina finishes.

“Well, after tonight’s pretty exertions on the stage, you surely must be in need of refreshment, my dear,” Jodi smiles.