Tamara in the Green Bugatti, 1929, Tamara de Lempicka

The man in the showroom let me sit in the car and Betty took a photograph. Someone came in at just the right moment and a gust of wind blew the scarf about. It looks wonderful, doesn’t it? I told the salesman I’d have to save for a bit longer before I could buy it. He asked if I wanted to put down a deposit – Betty snorted at that – he would be unlikely to accept one shilling and seven pence – the grand total of my savings so far.

When we got back to the house Betty crept into Mr James’s study to put the camera back and I returned the coat, hat and scarf to Miss Ellie’s dressing room. We’d made it! Though I don’t know what will happen when Mr James finds out someone’s used his camera and he will when he gets the film developed. He might not recognize me – who looks at housemaids? There’s quite a few photographs. The one in the car but we also stopped by the stream on the way home to take some more.

We’d planned this day for ages. Next time the family went away we’d decided to have an adventure. Betty dreams of having a camera – she knew exactly what she wanted, telling me how to stand and where. In Miss Ellie’s clothes I looked very fancy and felt it too – I noticed as soon as I put the coat on I felt different, as if it was my coat, as if I had a housemaid of my own.

I don’t know if we’ll get in trouble – Mr James will know someone’s had his camera – maybe he’ll fall in love with the beautiful woman in the photographs and search for me, like Prince Charming searching for Cinderella. Who fits behind the wheel of this green Bugatti?