Fear in the Sunlight by Nicola Upson Read Free Book Online

conscious of it. Innocence was one of the few qualities that could never be faked. That was what made it so precious. ‘There’s something real about you, something very English, and women will like that. Women like any star who reminds them of their daughter – or rather, of the person they’d like their daughter to be – and women buy the tickets. All directors know that.’ A young man walked past the window and winked when he saw Astrid. ‘Of course, men aren’t immune to those charms either,’ Bella added with a wry smile. ‘Just be careful.’
    ‘Oh, I wouldn’t . . . That’s Daniel Lascelles. We’ve worked together a couple of times, and I was so pleased to bump into him. We both felt a bit out of our depth, but . . .’
    ‘Look, I don’t care about your honour,’ Bella said, laughing. ‘I know what it’s like when you’re young and you want to get on and everyone’s telling you what’s good for you and what isn’t. Believe me, when I was your age, I sometimes thought I’d have more freedom to do what I wanted if I signed up with her lot.’ She pointed over to the coastal path, where a nun was strolling out towards the headland. ‘A film set can be worse than a convent – financers, directors, producers, all telling you what to do and what to be, and every single one of them looking out for themselves and their investment.’ Astrid smiled wearily, and Bella realised that the pressures of the studios were already beginning to threaten the very qualities that gave her potential in the first place. ‘You remind me of myself, a long time ago,’ she said, ‘and there’s nothing wrong with having some fun and making your own mistakes. I’m not saying don’t do it – just don’t get caught. Apart from anything else, Hitch doesn’t approve of fraternisation among his chosen ones, so be discreet about it.’ She put her cup down and added more seriously‚ ‘And whatever you do, stay away from Leyton Turnbull.’
    ‘Oh, I just felt sorry for him. It must be terrible to be his age and to know in your heart that you’re not as good as you used to be.’
    ‘He was never good.’
    ‘But he’s harmless enough.’
    ‘Don’t be fooled. He once raped a girl on set.’
    Astrid looked shocked. ‘I’m sure that can’t be true,’ she said. ‘Everyone would know about it if it were.’
    ‘Would they?’ Bella asked cynically. ‘No charges were ever brought, of course. Nobody wanted a fuss, and we work in an industry where everything can be bought, especially a blind eye. But that didn’t help the girl. She tried to kill herself – unsuccessfully, thank God, but it might have been kinder if she’d managed it. She was destroyed in so many other ways.’
    ‘What happened to her?’
    ‘Her career, her self-respect, her life – they were all ripped out from under her. Not surprisingly, she found that difficult to cope with, so she relied on anything that would help her to forget what had happened: drink, drugs, pills, whichever form of oblivion was closest to hand. Of course, with the way the world works, it was she who acquired the unfortunate reputation, not Turnbull. No one will touch a hysterical actress. It plays havoc with a budget.’ Astrid continued to look disbelieving‚ and Bella added‚ ‘I don’t want to frighten you, Miss Lake, and I certainly don’t want to patronise you, but can I say something?’ The actress nodded. ‘These are dangerous times, and they will only get worse. People can be born with nothing and transformed into gods overnight – that’s the magic and the danger of cinema. Looks are important, talent less so, but ambition is what really counts. Having the taste for it. Marlene Dietrich is rumoured to have signed a deal for eighty thousand pounds for her next picture, so the money alone is incentive enough to lose any capacity to care about other people. But it’s about more than money. It’s about power. When people start to believe that they really