get more serious about her writing too. Acts of Love,
Riley’s first novel, which was published in 2016,
centred on a tech billionaire and a British journalist;
her second, The Quickening, which is published next
month, plunges you into a dystopian political matri-
archy. “It’s very gory. It’s all about castration. There’s
lots of castration,” she says gleefully.
Riley’s Hertfordshire idyll is clearly her happy
place, and she references how building “the type
of life that I’m trying to create for myself now”
was impossible while being Musk’s housewife in
America. Just over ten years ago she talked of
wanting to have ten children. “I think I’ve moder-
ated — two or three would be nice,” she says,
laughing. What about getting married again? “To
Elon or anyone?” she says, laughing louder.
“I believe in marriage. I love marriage.” First, though,
bring on the goats and that dream menagerie. ■Pistol is on Disney+ from May 31. The Quickening
by Talulah Riley is published by Hodder & Stoughton
on June 23 at £20Dress, POA, Dolce &
Gabbana. Sandals, £1,175,
Lanvin. Serpenti Tubolari
emerald and diamond
earrings, £37,800, BulgariHair Daniel Martin using
GHD. Make-up Kirstin
Piggott at Julian Watson
Agency using Victoria
Beckham Beauty.
Nails Pebbles Aikens at
the Wall Group using
Byredo. Set design
Hana Al-SayedThe Sunday Times Style • 17