Dancing On Air by Nicole Hurley-Moore Read Free Book Online Page A

replaced and it left a door leading to nowhere. Well, nowhere wasn’t quite true — it could lead an unsuspecting person to certain death. The door opened into nothingness, just a sheer drop from above the top of the stage to the bottom of the orchestra pit. But the danger never stopped Lisette. Even now, as an adult, she would sit by the open door and stare out into the theatre and dream.
    Dreams were easy in a theatre. They were the stuff of longing and imagination and went hand in hand with the magic and illusion each performance brought. Sometimes, Lisette would dream that she still lived in Paris with her mamma. As the years rolled on, she found it more difficult to remember her mother’s beautiful face. That frightened her. And somehow, over time, her mother’s image and the face of Terpsichore merged.
    ‘You were superb.’
    Lisette turned her head, jolted by the voice. She could not see who spoke as they were at the back of the stalls, standing in shadows.
    ‘Who’s there?’ Lisette watched as the shadow began to move and out of it stepped Tinder Michaels. ‘Oh, Mr Michaels. I did not know it was you.’
    ‘Sorry Lisette, it was not my intention to startle you. I was in my office and... Well, I heard voices.’
    Lisette noticed that his face had flushed as he spoke and he appeared to have a little difficulty in looking her in the eye.
    ‘I am sorry if I disturbed you,’ Lisette said.
    ‘No, no... Not at all.’
    Lisette stood on the edge of the stage. An awkward silence settled over them.
    ‘Well, I should go...’ Lisette said as she started to back away.
    ‘Yes, yes... Of course. I just wanted to let you know that I thought that you were marvellous,’ Tinder answered. ‘And, good luck for tonight.’
    Lisette stopped for a moment and smiled. ‘Really Mr Michaels, if you are going to own a theatre there are certain rules to which you must adhere.’
    Tinder looked up at her with a mixture of concern and surprise on his face. ‘Rules?’
    ‘Why yes, of course. Before you bought The Imperial did you have a lot to do with theatre?’
    ‘No... Well, I had my fair share of attending it but...ah, no.’ He faltered and Lisette could hear the uncertainty in his voice.
    ‘Well, that explains it. You see, Mr Michaels, we are a superstitious lot.’
    ‘We?’
    ‘Yes, we . We , the dancers, performers, players of dreams... We are theatre people, and we are very superstitious.’
    ‘Oh, I understand... Actually, no I don’t. The truth is, Lisette, I really have no idea what you are talking about.’
    ‘You should never use “good luck” or the opposite will befall us.’ She mouthed the words ‘good luck’ just to be on the safe side.
    ‘Good Lord, I had no idea. Please accept my humblest apologies,’ he said with a growing grin on his face.
    Lisette looked down at Tinder. It was really the first time she had actually looked at him; truly looked at him. Perhaps it was his smile. It was the first time she had ever seen it. In truth it transformed his face from a worried theatre owner to an almost handsome man. He had dark blond hair, a pleasant face and greenish grey eyes.
    A small laugh escaped from her throat. ‘It’s just as well I said something. Hopefully we have managed to avert disaster.’
    ‘Just as well, indeed! One shouldn’t go about and curse one’s own theatre and employees... What exactly should I be saying?’
    ‘Break a leg.’
    ‘But of course, I don’t know why I didn’t think of that,’ Tinder said as he leant on the edge of the stage and looked up at her. ‘Is there anything else I should know?’
    ‘Don’t whistle in the theatre.’
    ‘I’ll try to remember.’
    ‘Lisette!’ Sally called out from the wings. ‘Lisette, are you there?’
    ‘Yes Sally, I’m here,’ she said. ‘I should go.’ Lisette once again started to back away. ‘Goodbye, Mr Michaels.’ She spun around and saw Sally approaching.
    ‘Lisette,’ Tinder called.
    Sally walked on stage