We all mumbled our agreement as we got out of the Dodge. Vicky and I hadn’t bothered to do our hair and makeup at home,since we’d be in costume for the day. Mama had overseen the costumes for most of the productions over the years, though there had been others to help her in the busier times. Now she only had the help of one seamstress who had been working for weeks on the simple Civil War–era dresses and suits we would wear. Thankfully, we’d been able to borrow or rent most of the costumes, but they needed alterations.
“Let me know the moment Spencer arrives,” Papa called as he walked in one direction toward his office and we went in the other toward the makeup and wardrobe department.
Vicky stopped. “Spencer who?”
Mama shared a quick look with me. In all my worries about the fire, I’d almost forgotten about Spencer. We hadn’t spoken about him since the agreement had been made last night. It was important that everyone, even Vicky, believed mine and Spencer’s relationship was real. So the less we spoke about it, the better.
“Spencer Hayes,” Mama said, trying to act nonchalant. “Mr. Mayer is loaning him to us for the movie.”
Vicky’s lips parted in disbelief.
Mama slipped her key into the lock and pulled the door open. It creaked on its hinges, and she sighed. “I’ll need to add this door to our repair list.”
Vicky wouldn’t easily be deterred. “How in the world will we afford him, and why would L.B. Mayer let his most famous actor play inourmovie?”
It was a good question, and because I couldn’t tell her that I had agreed to date him, it would be hard to explain.
“L.B. and Papa have known each other for years.” Mama flipped on the lights, and we were greeted with half a dozen clothes racks filled with costumes. Our characters’ names had been painted on plaques hung above each rack, so we knew where to find our costumes and where to return them. Mirrors lined one wall with lights over each one and tables underneath.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” Vicky stood outside the door.
Mama took off her hat and set her purse on a hook. With a slight shrug, she said, “L.B. owed Papa a favor, and Papa called it in.”
I had never known Mama to lie, not once. And this wasn’t a complete lie, because L.B. would owe Papa a favor—or rather, me—if we convinced the world that Spencer Hayes had straightened up his act. But it still wasn’t the whole truth, and though Mama looked calm, I knew it bothered her.
My sister stood outside the wardrobe and makeup department, squinting in the sunshine as she studied Mama with skepticism.
“Mr. Factor will be here soon to work on your makeup.” Mama bustled around the room, setting down her bag. “We don’t have time to lallygag.”
Vicky’s questioning gaze slipped to mine, and I offered a quick, uncomfortable smile.
Thankfully, Vicky didn’t ask any other questions, and it wasn’t long before others began to arrive for the day. Our oldest sister, Julia, entered with her daughter Annette. Julia was in her late thirties and was a happy, busy housewife. She had given up acting when she was only twenty to get married, and she had quickly filled her home with babies. Annette was her oldest child at the age of seventeen and would play Beth March, the third sister and the quietest and meekest of them all. Just like the rest of us, Annette had been in the movies since she was young.
I watched the clock, waiting for Spencer to step through the door. Papa had told him to arrive no later than eight, and it was dangerously close to that time now.
When the door opened, my breath caught in a funny way, but it wasn’t Spencer who walked through. It was one of the producers.
“There are a couple of people here to see you, Ally,” he said. “Can you meet them in the garden?”
Frowning, I exchanged glances with Mama, who had been pinning Annette’s hem.
“Who is it, Cal?” I asked.
“MGM’s press secretary and photographer. They want to bein place when Mr. Hayes arrives to capture a fewcandidphotos.” He stressed the word because there were rarely candid photos of movie stars—unless they got into trouble, and then the more candid the better.
“Mr. Hayes?” Julia asked, helping Annette get ready. “As in, Spencer Hayes?”
The name caused a cascade of delight to ripple throughout the room as people turned to hear the news.
“Spencer Hayes will be playing Laurie,” Mama announced to everyone assembled. “It was decided last night.”
More excitement bubbled up, especially among the younger women.
“Go on,” Mama said to me. “We don’t want to hold up filming.”
My hair was in a snood, and my makeup had been applied by Max Factor, but I was still wearing my street clothes. The makeup was heavier than I usually wore because of the lighting and cameras. After Mr. Factor had applied his skin-colored cake makeup to fix any blemishes on my skin, he had added rouge, lipstick, and mascara with a bit of eyeliner to make my blue eyes look wider.
Vicky was sitting in the canvas folding chair next to me as Mr. Factor worked on her makeup. Her blue eyes caught mine in the reflection of the mirror. They were filled with questions, though she didn’t voice them.
