apparently. Dorothy told me that the Palm Court has the most flattering light of any tea room in Europe. Ha! No wonder she spends so much time hanging around here.’
Richard smiled at her indulgently as she reached over and selected a titbit from the three-tiered cake stand piled high with finger sandwiches, scones and miniature pastries.
‘So, tell me. What do your grandparents have to say about you haring off to Hollywood?’
‘They’re quite keen on the idea, funnily enough. What with all the talk on the radio about evacuating children, they’re glad that I have the chance to get out of the country.’
‘But you’re not a child. Don’t you think you should stay and volunteer for ambulance work?’
‘Richard! It’s the opportunity of a lifetime! No girl in her right mind would turn down a chance to go to Hollywood.’
A pained expression crossed Richard’s face. ‘Hollywood! Even the name has a tawdry ring to it. You really want to be an actress that badly?’
‘I don’t want to be an actress, Richard,’ said Baba. ‘I want to be
somebody
. I want to wear shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo and evening gowns by Madame Grès and hats by Schiaparelli. I want to wear diamond earrings and dance Cuban rumbas and Hungarian waltzes. I want to be a star.’ She bit crisply into her cucumber sandwich.
Richard put on his best sympathetic voice. ‘I know you want to be somebody, darling, and I understand the reasons behind your compulsion, truly I do. Any little girl forsaken by her parents would—’
Baba looked away as if she’d just been slapped smartly on the cheek.
‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ Richard put his head in his hands, sighed, then looked up again and tried another tack. ‘I hate to drag you back to earth, my darling, but don’t you think you’re being a little naïve? There are millions of girls all over the world who have the same idea.’
‘This isn’t an
idea
, Richard. It’s my dream. And it’s not as if I’m going out there with no friends and no money. I’ll have an income, and I’ll know at least some of the crew members who are going, and Sabu will look after me.’
‘Sabu! He’s little more than a child himself! You need someone mature to look out for you, someone responsible.’ Richard fiddled with his earlobe – a habit of his when deliberating. ‘I can let you have a letter of introduction to a friend of mine.’
‘
You
know somebody working in Hollywood? Who?’
‘A chap called Niven. He was at Stowe with me, in the same house. We were in the chess club together – did a bit of beagling, too. I understand he’s doing walk-on parts out there.’
‘Niven! Not
David
Niven?’
‘That’s the fellow.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’
‘It didn’t seem important.’
‘But don’t you know he’s doing more than just walk-on parts? He had a supporting role in
The Prisoner of Zenda
, and now he’s starring in
Raffles
! Oh – could you please get in touch with him for me, Richard? That would be just peachy!’
Richard gave Baba the kind of indulgent smile you might reserve for a pet. Then he leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers, and looked at her over his beautifully manicured fingernails. This made him appear even more grown-up than he already was, and Baba was convinced he did it deliberately.
‘I don’t mean to put a damper on things,’ he said, ‘but the odds of you being plucked from the ranks and given a speaking role are infinitesimal, darling.’
‘Richard. I know you don’t understand, but the movies are my
future
! I
have
to do this.’
‘You have such a theatrical streak, Baba. It’s really rather endearing.’ He gave her that indulgent smile again. ‘You do know that I’m fearfully fond of you, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do.’
‘And that I probably know you better than anyone?’
Baba bridled a little. ‘Allow me a modicum of mystique, please!’
‘And allow me to remind you that I’ve lived next door
Richard smiled at her indulgently as she reached over and selected a titbit from the three-tiered cake stand piled high with finger sandwiches, scones and miniature pastries.
‘So, tell me. What do your grandparents have to say about you haring off to Hollywood?’
‘They’re quite keen on the idea, funnily enough. What with all the talk on the radio about evacuating children, they’re glad that I have the chance to get out of the country.’
‘But you’re not a child. Don’t you think you should stay and volunteer for ambulance work?’
‘Richard! It’s the opportunity of a lifetime! No girl in her right mind would turn down a chance to go to Hollywood.’
A pained expression crossed Richard’s face. ‘Hollywood! Even the name has a tawdry ring to it. You really want to be an actress that badly?’
‘I don’t want to be an actress, Richard,’ said Baba. ‘I want to be
somebody
. I want to wear shoes by Salvatore Ferragamo and evening gowns by Madame Grès and hats by Schiaparelli. I want to wear diamond earrings and dance Cuban rumbas and Hungarian waltzes. I want to be a star.’ She bit crisply into her cucumber sandwich.
Richard put on his best sympathetic voice. ‘I know you want to be somebody, darling, and I understand the reasons behind your compulsion, truly I do. Any little girl forsaken by her parents would—’
Baba looked away as if she’d just been slapped smartly on the cheek.
‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ Richard put his head in his hands, sighed, then looked up again and tried another tack. ‘I hate to drag you back to earth, my darling, but don’t you think you’re being a little naïve? There are millions of girls all over the world who have the same idea.’
‘This isn’t an
idea
, Richard. It’s my dream. And it’s not as if I’m going out there with no friends and no money. I’ll have an income, and I’ll know at least some of the crew members who are going, and Sabu will look after me.’
‘Sabu! He’s little more than a child himself! You need someone mature to look out for you, someone responsible.’ Richard fiddled with his earlobe – a habit of his when deliberating. ‘I can let you have a letter of introduction to a friend of mine.’
‘
You
know somebody working in Hollywood? Who?’
‘A chap called Niven. He was at Stowe with me, in the same house. We were in the chess club together – did a bit of beagling, too. I understand he’s doing walk-on parts out there.’
‘Niven! Not
David
Niven?’
‘That’s the fellow.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’
‘It didn’t seem important.’
‘But don’t you know he’s doing more than just walk-on parts? He had a supporting role in
The Prisoner of Zenda
, and now he’s starring in
Raffles
! Oh – could you please get in touch with him for me, Richard? That would be just peachy!’
Richard gave Baba the kind of indulgent smile you might reserve for a pet. Then he leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers, and looked at her over his beautifully manicured fingernails. This made him appear even more grown-up than he already was, and Baba was convinced he did it deliberately.
‘I don’t mean to put a damper on things,’ he said, ‘but the odds of you being plucked from the ranks and given a speaking role are infinitesimal, darling.’
‘Richard. I know you don’t understand, but the movies are my
future
! I
have
to do this.’
‘You have such a theatrical streak, Baba. It’s really rather endearing.’ He gave her that indulgent smile again. ‘You do know that I’m fearfully fond of you, don’t you?’
‘Of course I do.’
‘And that I probably know you better than anyone?’
Baba bridled a little. ‘Allow me a modicum of mystique, please!’
‘And allow me to remind you that I’ve lived next door
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