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so stern!’
    Of course – Henry Fonda!
    As she and Ben Daniel formally shook hands, Jess found herself blushing. Oh, what a piece of nonsense, eh? Thinking Rusty’s boss was like a film star. She was relieved when Sally said they must be on their way, they’d to have a quick sandwich before the girls arrived and it was matinee time.
    â€˜Seeing your first customers, eh?’ Ben Daniel asked Jess with a smile. ‘Or patrons, as our Mr H likes us to call ’em.’
    â€˜Patrons!’ Sally echoed, shepherding Jess away. But Rusty was at the door.
    â€˜Good luck, Jess – shall we meet later?’
    â€˜She’s got a lot on today,’ Sally said firmly. ‘Thanks, Ben! Jess, come on, then.’
    â€˜Goodbye, Rusty!’ Jess called. ‘Goodbye, Mr Daniel.’
    â€˜Call me Ben!’ he cried after her. ‘I’ll show you round when we can fix it up.’
    In the small staffroom where there were lockers and pegs and a washroom, Sally put on the kettle and opened up a packed lunch.
    â€˜I meant to tell you to bring a sandwich,’ she told Jess, setting out cups. ‘But I’ve brought enough for two, anyway. Can’t afford to eat at the cafe every day, eh? Of course, when you start at one o’clock, you can have something at home, anyway.’
    â€˜Feel bad, taking your lunch, Sally.’
    â€˜No, I told you, there’s enough here for both of us. I should be cutting down anyway! What’ll you have – cheese and chutney or ham?’
    â€˜So glad Rusty got the job,’ Jess remarked, choosing cheese and chutney. ‘Wonder how he’ll get on with Mr Daniel, though?’
    â€˜Now, he told you to call him Ben!’ Sally made tea and poured it out. ‘Och, he’s no’ so bad. A bit tetchy at times, but then he’s got a lot of responsibility. If things go wrong in the projection room, that’s it – no picture!’
    â€˜What’s his wife like, then? Another Mrs Hawthorne, forever worrying?’
    â€˜He’s no’ married. Escaped so far, anyway, and he was thirty last birthday. Plenty of girls after him, of course. Some think he looks like Tyrone Power.’
    â€˜Tyrone Power?’ Jess frowned, as she considered a mental picture of another handsome, dark-haired actor. ‘I suppose he has a look of him. Maybe seems more serious.’
    â€˜That’s what draws the girls,’ Sally said lightly, then, as Jess raised her eyebrows, vehemently shook her head.
    â€˜Hey, don’t look at me! I’m no’ chasing after Ben Daniel. I’ve got my own laddie and he’s all I want. You’ll meet my Arnold soon enough – he’s always dropping in. Works in an office up the Mound.’ Sally passed Jess an apple. ‘How about you, then? Anyone special?’
    â€˜No one at all.’
    â€˜Think you’ve got an admirer here, though.’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜Why, Rusty, of course! Talk about sheep’s eyes!’
    â€˜Sally, we’ve only just met.’
    â€˜Needn’t take long, to know what you feel.’
    â€˜Well, I don’t feel anything.’ Jess crunched her apple. ‘I’ve enough on my plate, learning a new job.’
    â€˜The way you’re going, that won’t take long. Listen, I think that’s the girls coming in now.’
    â€˜The usherettes?’
    â€˜That’s right. Renie MacLeish and Edna Angus are on this afternoon. Then Faith Pringle’s swopping with Edna this evening. It’s a complicated timetable – comes of having to work such late nights. But we all get our time off – never worry about that!’
    Jess replied that she wasn’t just then worrying about time off – only seeing the customers.
    â€˜Never saw any at Dobson’s, you know. Only their bills of sale and accounts.’
    â€˜Heavens, it’ll no’ take you five minutes to get used to seeing the