A Question of Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

yodelling in the background. It tore at my heart.
    ‘Okay then. I will.’
    I took a couple of deep breaths to compose myself then looked at my watch. It was twenty-five past one and the studio session started at two. I ran inside, got the lift to the fifth floor and went straight into the small make-up room. Marian, the make-up artist, looked at me appraisingly.
    ‘Nice jacket,’ she said. ‘Great cut.’ Ya boo sucks, Nerys, I thought. ‘But I’m not too sure about that green.’ Oh. ‘It’s a bit acidic for your skin tone. Here…’ she grabbed an oyster-pink one from the wardrobe rail. ‘I think this might look better.’ To my surprise, it did. Oh well, Nerys is clearly right about some things, I decided generously as I buttoned it. Small things at least. Now, as Marian put up my hair, and sponged foundation on to my cheeks, adrenaline began to burn through my veins. Over the tannoy I could hear the murmurs and giggles of the studio audience as they were ushered into their seats. Then I heard Tom welcoming them to the programme and explaining that, although we record as live, there would be a few retakes to do at the end. Then he asked them not to raise their hands, or fidget or cough, although it’s not really possible to cheat on this show.
    ‘And please don’t shout out the answers!’ I heard him say. There were titters. ‘You may laugh, but it has been known.’
    Then Ray, our sound technician—popped in. ‘You’ve got three minutes, Laura.’ He clipped the tiny microphone on to my lapel, then tucked the talkback pack into the back of my jacket and handed me the earpiece. ‘Give me some level would you?’
    ‘Hello, one, two, three…I had toast for breakfast…and I was late getting to the studio…and I still haven’t looked at the list of contestants.’ I rummaged in my bag for it again, while he repositioned the mike. ‘Where the hell is it?’
    ‘Thanks Laura, you’re sounding fine.’
    ‘And would you now please give a warm welcome to our four contestants!’ I heard Tom say over the loudspeaker. The audience applauded enthusiastically as the four players went up. I heard their footsteps tap across the wooden stage.
    ‘What are they like?’ I asked Marian as I stared at my reflection. She had done their make-up before she did mine. ‘Will you tell me about them as I can’t find my list?’
    ‘Well there are two nerdy ones,’ she replied as she dabbed concealer under my eyes. ‘Complete train-spotters. Plug ugly.’
    ‘Par for the course.’
    ‘Then there’s quite a pretty girl in her mid-twenties, and, I must say, one absolutely gorgeous man. I was quite taken with him actually,’ she added with a giggle. ‘He made me come over all funny. Wonderful eyes,’ she confided as she pulled mascara through my lashes. ‘And it was obvious that he was rather excited about meeting you. ‘
    I looked up at her. ‘Was he?’
    She tucked a hank of ash-blonde hair behind one ear. ‘Oh yes.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I really don’t know.’ She selected a lipstick from the ten or so standing on the counter in their metal cases, like bullets. ‘He told me how much he was looking forward to it—so I just assumed he was already a fan.’
    As Marian blended two lipsticks together on the back of her hand, I carried on rummaging in my bag for the list of contestants, but still couldn’t find it. Damn.
    ‘Look up please, Laura,’ Marian said.
    As she applied the lipstick with a small brush, then dabbed on some gloss, I heard Tom giving the contestants his usual advice.
    ‘Make sure you listen to each question properly,’ he said. ‘And don’t just blurt out the first thing which pops into your head because, on this show, if you get it wrong, you lose points so it’s important to think before you speak.’ Then, as Marian swiftly stroked on some blusher, then brushed powder on to my brow, I heard Tom say, ‘Well, I think we’re ready to start.’
    ‘Are you finished in make-up,