Plain Jane in the Spotlight Read Online Free PDF Page A

did.’
    ‘But Helena won Demetrius in the end,’ Travis pointed out.
    ‘Only because someone cast a spell on him. It wasn’t true love. It doesn’t happen in real life. Oh, look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be going on like this, making you listen. You’ve been really nice to me, although I can’t think why, considering that I assaulted you.’
    He’d been wondering that himself. He had a kind heart and often went out of his way to help people, but he didn’t normally linger. Strangely, her clout across his face had been a turning point. Her horror and dismay had aroused his pity, making him want to defend her. He didn’t fully understand it, but she ignited his protective instincts in a way that only one other person did. And that other person was his mother.
    ‘I’ll get out and stop bothering you—’ she hastened to say.
    ‘You’re not bothering me.’ He took her hand in both his and spoke gently. ‘Look, I’ll be honest. I have a selfish motive. I don’t like Lee. I’m not sure why. There’s just something about him that gets up my nose. It’ll be a real pleasure to annoy him. You wouldn’t be so hard-hearted as to deny me that pleasure, would you?’
    It was a performance. The twinkle in his eyes revealed as much, and also the fact that he expected her to share the joke. And why not, she thought, since she gained from it?
    ‘How could I be hard-hearted enough to deny you anything?’ she said lightly, matching his theatrical fervour with her own.
    He brushed his lips against her hand. ‘That’s good,’ he murmured, ‘because Lee’s watching. No, don’t turn your head. Just look at me. Try to seem entranced.’
    She sighed, throwing back her head and giving him a glance of adoration, plus a brilliant smile.
    ‘Well done,’ Travis said. ‘That’ll teach him.’
    ‘If he saw.’
    ‘He did. He edged just closer enough to see everything. Trust me, I’m directing this production. Am I doing a good job?’
    ‘They should give you an award,’ she assured him, and he grinned. ‘Is he still watching?’ she asked.
    ‘I’m afraid not. He’s concentrating on Penny, which makes sense because she’s the female star of the show.’
    ‘And she can do him a lot of good,’ Charlene mused.
    So Lee’s interest in Penny was mostly professional. She would cling to that thought.
    Travis read her mind and burst out, ‘Forget him. He can’t matter that much.’
    ‘He does,’ she said softly. ‘But I can’t talk about it.’
    ‘All right, I won’t press you. We’ll talk some more tonight, over dinner.’
    ‘I can’t promise that—’
    ‘You mean you want to stay free for him. But he’s engaged this evening. He’s got to go to this ghastly dinner they’re giving for Frank Brenton. He and I can’t stand each other so I won’t be— Wait a minute! ’ He slapped his hand to his forehead. ‘What am I thinking of? It’s been staring me in the face all the time.’
    ‘What is?’
    He didn’t answer but grasped her hand, looking round and calling, ‘Denzil!’
    Denzil had appeared in the doorway and Travis hailed him loudly. He came straight over. Charlene felt Travis tighten his grip on her hand, urging her to say nothing.
    ‘What’s up with you suddenly?’ Denzil asked, sitting down.
    ‘I’ve been thinking about tonight, and maybe I was a little unreasonable. I’d like to attend that dinner after all, if they can accommodate me at the last moment.’
    Denzil beamed. ‘I don’t think there’ll be any problem about that,’ he said.
    ‘Fine, I’ll want a table for two. Charlene will be my guest.’
    Denzil nodded slowly, as though something had just become clear to him.
    ‘Leave it to me. I’ll fix it.’ He vanished.
    ‘So that’s settled,’ Travis said. ‘Lee will be there tonight, so dress up to the nines. Let him know what he’s missing.’
    Her head was in a spin. Travis was making everything happen so fast, it was like being taken over by a whirling dervish.