rapped on the door and she opened it almost immediately. ‘Hello, Puss,’ he said.
‘Terry darling!’ she exclaimed. Her eyes swept over him. ‘Don’t you look gorgeous,’ she added, opened the door wider and led him into her suite.
‘Thanks, and I must return the compliment. Night shooting appears to agree with you, from the way you look.’
‘Merci, monsieur,’ Katharine laughed. ‘Come and sit here, it’s lovely and sunny. I just ordered fresh tea, and this funny peppery sort of cake that I simply adore.’
Terry joined her, glanced at the chunks of moist brown cake on the plate and grinned down at her. ‘That’s parkin, Katharine. One of my favourite treats when I was a kid. And it’s ginger you can taste, you silly girl, not pepper. I think I will have a piece, and milk please, not lemon, in the tea.’ He lowered himself into a chair, and announced, ‘I just bumped into Jake. And get this! Victor’s leaving us today.’
‘Yes, I know,’ Katharine replied blithely, lifting the milk jug. ‘He was here a little while ago – to say goodbye.’
‘Naturally.’ Terry chuckled knowingly, a sardonic gleam in his eyes.
Katharine’s dark head flew up and she frowned at him. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Teacher’s pet … of course he wouldn’t leave without taking his fond farewells.’
‘For what it’s worth, he also stopped off to take his fond farewell of you,’ she retorted in an airy tone. ‘But you were out. So he told me to give you his best, and you’re to “sock it to ’em next week”, quote unquote.’
‘I see.’
‘Oh stop teasing me about Victor, Terry,’ Katharine exclaimed, sounding impatient; but there was fondness in her expression and her turquoise eyes danced with merriment. ‘Victor doesn’t pay much more attention to me than he does to anyone else in the film.’ She smiled dismissively.
‘Oh come on, Katharine!’ Terry spluttered. ‘How can you say that! You have lunch with him practically every day, sit next to him on the set, or with him in his trailer here on location, and he never takes his eagle eyes off you.’
‘But I’m under personal contract to him, or rather, to Bellissima Productions, and anyway I’ve never made a film before. You have. He’s only trying to help me,’ she protested. ‘Besides, you’ve had lunch with him a lot too, and you’ve also been ensconced in the trailer with hi –’
‘Playing poker, Puss.’ Terry’s look was full of speculation. ‘What do you two do in his trailer?’ he asked with a suggestive smirk.
‘Terry! That’s enough! I don’t like the implication, particularly since you know very well I’m dating Kim Cunningham.’
‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Puss. I’m only pulling your leg. How is Kim, by the way? I thought he looked awfully morose last night.’
‘He’s all right – I suppose,’ Katharine sighed, her face becoming sombre. ‘I think he feels a bit neglected. He’s made it very difficult for me in some ways. He thought we’d be seeing each other every night while we were shooting in Yorkshire, but that’s been impossible. You know what it’s like at the end of the day. Frankly, I’m drained, and I’ve had my new scenes to concentrate on at night, and my preparations for the next day. Mark’s such a stickler about every single detail, as we’ve all found out. And Victor’s been on my back about getting lots of rest.’ She made a small moue. ‘I haven’t had a great deal of spare time for poor Kim, and I guess he resents it.’
‘The work does come first with you, doesn’t it, love?’
‘Yes,’ she agreed emphatically, and hesitated. ‘But –’ Katharine leaned back, and changing the subject, she said, ‘You sounded so mysterious on the ’phone. I’ve been dying to know why you wanted to see me this morning. Come on, my darling, tell me what this is all about.’
He looked at her carefully, a small smile trickling across his mouth. ‘It seems as though I never stop thanking you these days, Puss darling. That’s why I’m here. To thank you again for another good deed.’
‘What do you mean –’ She stopped abruptly. Her eyes filled with happiness, and she clapped her hands. ‘Oh goody! Hilly Steed! It worked, didn’t it, Terry?’ He nodded, excitement bubbling over in him. ‘Yes. And how! He offered me a three-picture deal with Monarch. The contracts arrived yesterday from my agent. I signed them this morning and posted them a little while ago. It looks as if we’re going to be in Hollywood together, Katharine. I start my first picture under the contract in October, when you’re starting yours. I’ve read the script and it’s bloody marvellous. A superb drama. I’ve got the second male lead, but after the first film I’ll be playing only leading men. So Hilly promised me. He’s got great plans, wants to build me.’ Terry reached out and patted her hand. ‘Anyway, I owe my good fortune to you, love. You started the ball rolling with Hillard, and whatever you said to him obviously made the right impression.’
‘Oh how wonderful, darling! I’m so excited for you, and thrilled,’ Katharine cried, her pleasure and sincerity genuine. ‘And I didn’t do much, Terry. You did it yourself really. You’re marvellous in the picture. Hilly was ecstatic about the rushes –’
‘What did you say to him?’
‘Do you really want to know?’ She did not wait for a reply. ‘I was quite clever really. That day I had lunch with Hilly at Shepperton he was raving about you, and I told him Victor felt the same way. Then I said, “In fact, I think Victor’s going to sign Terry to a personal contract with Bellissima. He believes Terry is going to be very big after Wuthering Heights is released.” I let that sink in, and I could see Hilly was turning rather green with envy. He’s very competitive with Victor, as a producer I mean. Then I delivered my punch line. I sighed, a bit sadly, patted Hilly’s arm in commiseration and said, “What a pity you didn’t think of signing Terrence Ogden first, Hilly. After all, you just missed getting me by a hair’s breadth. It looks as if Victor is about to steal another march on you. Certainly he’s cornering the market on new young talent.” Poor Hilly, he couldn’t finish his lunch. Awfully upset, poor thing. I do believe I ruined his day,’ she laughed. ‘I could see his mind ticking over. He asked me a few questions, also whether you had actually signed with Victor or not. Naturally I was suitably vague. I suggested he call you.’ Katharine sat back, looking sweetly innocent and gratified with herself.
‘You’re incorrigible, Katharine.’ Terry shook his head.
‘Oooh, I know I am.’ She smiled at him prettily, for all the world like a mischievous child. ‘But sometimes it’s fun to be incorrigible. And I did get the desired results, didn’t I?’
‘Yes. And what if Hillard had spoken to Victor first? Then where would you have been?’
Katharine gave him the benefit of a withering look and said, her tone scathing, ‘You don’t know Hilly Street very well. He would never tip his hand like that. I was positive he would approach you immediately, that he would try to cut Victor out, and he was true to form.’ She shrugged. ‘Elementary psychology, my dear Watson.’
‘Quite so, Holmes, quite so,’ Terry responded, taking her cue, amusement tugging at his mouth.
