Unfinished Portrait by Anthea Fraser Read Free Book Online

ago.’
    She felt his quick glance, and added defensively, ‘Everything’s OK, you know.’
    â€˜Is it? I worry about you, sweetheart; I just wish you could find the right one and be happy, like Rona.’
    â€˜Well, you always said our similarity was only skin-deep.’
    He laughed. ‘That’s true, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.’
    Lindsey took a quick sip of her drink, willing the tears not to come. When she and Rona had quarrelled as children, she’d always run to their mother, Rona to their father, and she’d grown up suspecting – no doubt quite wrongly – a corresponding bias on the part of her parents. It was oddly comforting to know her father worried about her.
    His large, warm hand closed briefly over hers. ‘Just remember I’m in your corner,’ he said.
    She nodded, incapable of speech, and, realizing this, he turned back to the others.
    â€˜Well, Rona, what have you been up to since we last met?’
    She smiled across at him. ‘You’ll be glad to hear I’ve agreed to another bio.’
    Tom and Catherine exclaimed together. ‘Now, that is good news!’ Tom went on. ‘And who’s it to be this time?’
    â€˜The artist, Elspeth Wilding.’
    â€˜Really?’ Catherine’s interest quickened. ‘Did you know that as a child she attended St Stephen’s? Well before my time, of course!’ Catherine had been head of the Buckford primary for twelve years. ‘She was one of our most illustrious old girls!’
    Rona leant forward eagerly. ‘Did you ever meet her?’
    â€˜Unfortunately, no. We kept inviting her to present prizes at Speech Day, but she always declined.’
    Disappointed, Rona sat back again. ‘That’s par for the course; she seems to have shunned any kind of publicity.’
    â€˜I did see her occasionally, about town. It was odd, though; you’d expect people to recognize her, since she’s so famous, but no one ever seemed to.’ Catherine smiled. ‘I always thought she was a bit like Alec Guinness.’
    Tom gave a bark of laugher. ‘I think that requires an explanation, darling!’
    â€˜Well, you know how brilliant he was at looking completely different every time you saw him? Most actors, however good they are, look the same, even if the characters they play are entirely different. But he was like a . . . a blank canvas, seeming to paint on a different face for each part.’
    â€˜You mean she looked different, every time you saw her?’ Rona asked with a frown.
    â€˜Not exactly; it was as if she was that blank canvas. What I’m trying to say is there was nothing memorable about her, no distinguishing feature you could latch on to. Apart, that is, from her hair, which was silver-blonde and often bundled under a hat anyway.’
    â€˜Didn’t she die a year or two ago?’ Tom asked.
    â€˜No,’ Rona corrected, ‘she disappeared, and hasn’t been seen since.’
    â€˜I trust finding her isn’t part of your remit?’
    She smiled. ‘I’ve a feeling that’s what her family’s hoping, but I’m not to be drawn. A bio is what they requested, and a bio is what they’ll get. Full stop.’
    â€˜But you’ll have to look into it, surely?’ Catherine said. ‘It’s something that happened in her life, after all.’
    â€˜Thankfully, it’ll be some time before I come to it,’ Rona replied. ‘When I do, I’ll play it by ear.’ She glanced at Catherine. ‘You knew about her disappearance?’
    â€˜Yes; I’d left Buckford by then, but it was reported in the press. “Her family are anxious to contact her” sort of thing, and a rehash of her career to date, presumably to keep up the interest. There were several reported sightings, but nothing ever came of them. So, when do you start work?’
    â€˜Eddie