Wild Melody by Sara Craven Read Free Book Online Page B

the faded pattern on the carpet. 'I'm
    much obliged to you,' she said eventually.'
    Jason gave a swift, impatient sigh. 'Don't be,' he said brusquely. 'I'm sure
    Cinderella would never have said that to Bluebeard. Goodbye, Catriona.
    Keep in touch.' And he was gone.
    'Now you see him, now you don't,' said Sally cheerfully from the doorway.
    'Old Moira will certainly have to go some, if she intends pinning him down
    for life.'
    'Moira?'
    'Of course you don't know. Stupid of me,' Sally sat down on a
    battered-looking armchair and sighed. 'Moira Dane, I mean. She's playing
    the lead in the TV play I'm in, and at the moment she's hell-bent on letting
    us all know it. And now she's got her beady eye on Jason. She's been
    sticking to him like glue ever since casting.'
    'Does he produce plays as well as his other work?' Catriona asked.
    'No-o.' Sally looked at her oddly. 'Didn't he explain? Well, perhaps not.
    Anyway, he's in and out of our rehearsals quite a bit for one reason and
    another, and I'm afraid one of the reasons could be Moira.'
    'I suppose she's very attractive,' Catriona said.
    'Absolutely gorgeous. She's a redhead like me, but that's about all we have
    in common. We're supposed to be sisters in the play, so our colouring had to
    be similar, I suppose,' Sally said. 'It's a marvellous chance for me as long as
    I don't let Moira goad me into walking out or anything daft.'
    'Is she that bad?' Catriona was sympathetic.

    'She gets us all down at times—except Jason. He doesn't let anyone,
    especially a woman, get to him to that extent,' Sally said. 'But she can be
    really nasty. I suppose she's the sort who would stand on your foot if she
    thought you had a corn.' She got up briskly. 'Now, I have a rehearsal in
    about an hour. I'd better show you our splendid kitchen.' She whisked back
    a gingham curtain in one corner to reveal a miniature sink and cooker
    crammed into an alcove. 'Food in left-hand cupboard, under fridge. Soap,
    cleaning stuff and everything else in the other one. Any questions?'
    'Is there any room for them?' Catriona laughed.
    'Not really,' Sally twinkled back at her. 'I am glad you're here. Are you
    going to have a few days' sightseeing and general enjoyment before you
    look for a job? I should.'
    Catriona looked at her doubtfully. 'If that's all right.'
    'Of course it is. I'll try and get you a pass to see round the TV centre too.
    Perhaps you could watch the dress rehearsal for the play. I'm sure Hugo
    wouldn't mind—he's the producer. I'll mention it to him.'
    'I don't want to be any trouble...' Catriona began diffidently, and Sally
    grinned at her.
    'That's not what Jason said about you on the phone this morning. He said
    you were a permanent thorn in his flesh— a little Scottish thistle.'
    'And he,' said Catriona clearly, 'is quite the most arrogant,
    detestable—creature I've ever met.'
    'That's because you haven't met Moira,' said Sally.

CHAPTER THREE
    THE rest of the week passed in a buzz of sightseeing for Catriona. To Sally's
    amusement she bought a guide book and settled down to visit all the places
    that had hitherto been only names to her.
    "The Tower?' Sally gasped. 'I've never been there, and I've lived within
    twenty miles of London all my life.'
    'Then you should be ashamed,' Catriona told her with mock severity. 'It's a
    fascinating place—all those stones steeped in history. Just think of all the
    suffering that's gone on there down the centuries, the tears and blood that
    have been spilled there.'
    'There's enough blood and tears at the TV centre to last me for a while,' said
    Sally with a groan. 'Keep up the good work, darling, and I'll try and make it
    to the Zoo with you at least. I can't resist the bears.'
    Under Sally's guidance, Catriona had made one or two modest additions to
    her wardrobe and a dark green trouser suit with a sleeveless tunic top had
    proved a favourite buy. Sally had shown her too how to blow-dry her hair
    into the style she had worn at the party and