So Phil, I see that the curse of the twin tubes has you firmly in its grasp.
I totally get your apprehension.
If you're going to do it, you may as well do it right from the beginning, and if that means a VC then it is certainly not an insignificant purchase, but certainly well worth while in terms of the quality of the product you receive.
You just want to be sure that it is right for you.
As you know, personally I did not make the transition to shooting a double as easily as I thought it was going to be, and never in a million years could I hope to replicate the efficiency I can produce when armed with a bolt-gun and had to therefore admit that I simply wasn't going to be an effective double rifle shooter.
There's a big difference between being able to hit a target and to being truly efficient with a firearm, especially so in DG circumstances.
In those circumstances I had to admit to myself that i am way more efficient with a magazine bolt-gun, despite the nostalgia and pride of ownership of a double.
Best of luck with your purchase, talk to Jerome in detail and also speak to other experienced double shooters about getting your fit correct.