Superstar Read Online Free PDF Page B

which they pushed through
the bars. Mark ignored them as he helped her out, his touch cool
and impersonal, though it sent shivers through her. She turned her
back on the media as the cameras clicked in a frenzy. Mark walked
up to the front door as it was flung open and a grey-haired,
motherly woman flew out. She flung her arms around Mark's neck and
kissed him on both cheeks. He bore it with a slight smile, kissing
her back.
    "My darling
boy," the woman gushed, "it's so good to see you. It's been so
long!"
    "I know,
Ollie. I've been busy."
    "And you must
be Carrin." The woman approached Carrin, hand outstretched. Carrin
shook it, and the woman beamed. "It's so nice to meet you."
    Mark said,
"Carrin, this is Olivia Reed, a good friend, and writer."
    "Oh, I'm
retired now, dear." Olivia waved a hand. "Let's go inside before
those ghouls at the gate get too many blurred photos."
    Mark
scowled in the direction of the still-clicking cameras. "How on
earth did they know I was coming to see you, Ollie?"
    "I don't know,
unless they've stooped to tapping phones."
    They followed
her into a cosy interior furnished in chintz and polished antiques,
walking through it to a back patio beside a pool and a rockery.
When they were seated at a garden table, a maid appeared with a tea
tray. The tea set looked like Dresden, and a collection of creamy
cakes filled two plates. Olivia poured the tea and made sure that
everyone had a cup and a cake before settling back.
    "So, Carrin,
you're a writer."
    "Trying to
be."
    Olivia
smiled. "If you don't try you'll never succeed my dear, and if Mark
likes your work, you must be good." Carrin glanced doubtfully at
Mark, and Olivia chuckled. "Don't worry; he's not just being kind.
He's very serious about his work. He'll always tell you the
truth."
    Carrin nodded.
"Oh, I'm sure he's not trying to be kind." As soon as the words
were out, she regretted them. Mark's brows rose, and Olivia glanced
at her sharply.
    "I mean... as
you said, he's a serious actor," Carrin hurried on as a tense
silence followed her ill-considered remark. "And why should he be
kind? He hardly knows me. It's not as if I'm a friend, is it?"
    Mark shifted,
staring at Carrin as if she was some rare and indescribably ugly
bug he had just found swimming in his bathtub. Olivia looked
uncomfortable and gulped her tea. Carrin reached for a sticky cake
and got her thumb stuck in it. Mark cleared his throat, finished
his tea and rose to his feet.
    "Ollie,
I must go. I'm late for a meeting with my accountant."
    "Of course,
darling." Olivia gazed up at him with adoring eyes as he bent to
kiss her. He nodded at Carrin. "I'll send John for you."
    After he had
gone, the silence stretched until Olivia replaced her cup with a
clatter. "May I ask what brought on that display of bad manners,
young lady?"
    "It's the
truth. We only met two days ago."
    "He sent you a
ticket to come here. You're staying in his house, enjoying his
hospitality, to say nothing of his much sought after company. Don't
you know how lucky you are? He's trying to get your script made
into a movie. He's allowing your name to be linked to his in order
to help your career. My god, girl, he's doing everything he can to
help you. How dare you be so nasty to him?"
    Carrin's eyes
burnt with mortification, and her nose itched as it always did when
she was embarrassed. Put like that, it did seem terrible. "I only
said the same thing as you did."
    "Not quite.
What has he done to you to make you dislike him?"
    "Nothing. I -
I just don't think he's as nice a person as you think he is."
    Olivia looked
aghast. "What? Mark Lord is the kindest, gentlest, most generous,
unselfish man I have ever met. He's not like most movie stars who
love themselves to bits and look down on everyone else. Don't you
realise how lucky you are to have met him?"
    Carrin sucked
the cream from her thumb miserably.
    Olivia sighed.
"I think I know what the problem is. You've developed an enormous
crush on him, and he's not