‘Thank you,’she said, removing the pins from her hair.
‘You seem to be in a rush.’
‘Not at all,’ she said.
‘Well, you should be if we’re going to make dinner with Lord and Lady Peckworth. They want to talk about this new production I’ve been envisioning.’ He threw his chin into the air and breathed in deeply, as if a new wave of inspiration was soaking in.
‘Okay.’ She swallowed.‘I’ll be down in a few minutes. Just let me get ready and —’
‘Don’t lie to me,sweetie.’ Hamish’s knuckles were now white as he gripped his cane. ‘This doesn’t need to be difficult.’
‘I’m not being difficult.’ She smiled and as she felt it reach her eyes she realised she was a much better actor than she had been giving herself credit for.
‘Then I’ll see you downstairs?’ Hamish’sshoulders relaxed, and the blood returned to his hands.
‘Five minutes,’ she said as she playfully shooed him from the room. She waited until she heard his footsteps disappear down the corridor and then she locked the door, grabbed everything she needed and threw it into her satchel and quickly made her way down to the stage left wing. She ran quickly so as not to be heard but as she turnedthe corner where the double doors to stage left came into sight, Randall stepped out into view.
‘Going somewhere?’ Randall made quick work of lifting her around the waist with one arm, as he clamped his other hand down over her mouth when she tried to scream out for Walter. He carried her up and out of stage door, not caring who saw, and bundled her into the back seat of a car where Hamishwas already waiting. Randall swiftly got into the driver’s seat and drove them away from the fans and their flashing cameras and the fluttering pages of their autograph books. Hamish turned towards Fawn, and placed the cold silver end of his cane under her chin, lifting her face so the moonlight could illuminate her tears.
‘You’re not that good an actress.’
