When the HEART MELTS
THE STORY SO FAR: London 1802. Nancy works as a dogsbody for Mrs Celia Suggs, who owns an exhibition of waxworks she runs with her nephew, Ned, who’s attracted to Nancy. But Nancy’s passion is for drawing. Mrs Suggs is agitated by news a rival has landed in London from France, by the name of Marie Tussaud. Nancy makes a bold suggestion – that she sketch Colonel Drayton, a revolutionary about to be tried for treason. If she can draw a likeness to turn into a waxwork, the public will flock to see it. Mrs Suggs agrees and Nancy goes to the courthouse. She gets her sketch, but is jostled by a man and her sketchbook falls in the gutter, ruined. The culprit flees, but Nancy catches him and pins him to the ground. He confesses to being a rival artist – who works for Madame Tussaud.
Philippe Dufort, realising Nancy had guessed the identity of his employer, looked sheepish.
Nancy’s anger drained out of her. She had not only failed to deliver what she’d promised Mrs Suggs, she’d also lost out to a bitter rival! Her ruined sketchbook still clutched in one hand, she sat back and flung her head into her hands, Philippe watching her.
She looked up at him. ‘Go then!’ she said bitterly. ‘You have won the race to secure the colonel’s likeness! Mrs Tussaud will soon have a wax model ready for her new
