‘No, rotten.’
‘My dear, what do you mean?
I thought she was charming.’
‘You simply wiped the floor with her.
She didn’t even look pretty in the second act.’ Avice’s career! ‘I say, what are you doing afterwards?’
‘Dolly’s giving a party for us.’
‘Can’t you cut it and come along to supper with me?
I’m madly in love with you.’
‘Oh, what nonsense.
How can I let Dolly down?’
‘Oh, do.’
His eyes were eager.
She could see that he desired her as he had never done before, and she rejoiced in her triumph.
But she shook her head firmly.
There was a sound in the corridor of a crowd of people talking, and they both knew that a troop of friends were forcing their way down the narrow passage to congratulate her.
‘Damn all these people.
God, how I want to kiss you.
I’ll ring you up in the morning.’
The door burst open and Dolly, fat, perspiring and bubbling over with enthusiasm, swept in at the head of a throng that packed the dressing-room to suffocation.
Julia submitted to being kissed by all and sundry.
Among others were three or four well-known actresses, and they were prodigal of their praise.
Julia gave a beautiful performance of unaffected modesty.
The corridor was packed now with people who wanted to get at least a glimpse of her.
Dolly had to fight her way out.
‘Try not to be too late,’ she said to Julia,
‘It’s going to be a heavenly party.’
‘I’ll come as soon as ever I can.’
At last the crowd was got rid of and Julia, having undressed, began to take off her make-up.
Michael came in, wearing a dressing-gown.
‘I say, Julia, you’ll have to go to Dolly’s party by yourself.
I’ve got to see the libraries and I can’t manage it.
I’m going to sting them.’
‘Oh, all right.’
‘They’re waiting for me now.
See you in the morning.’
He went out and she was left alone with Evie.
The dress she had arranged to wear for Dolly’s party was placed over a chair.
Julia smeared her face with cleansing cream.
‘Evie, Mr Fennel will be ringing up tomorrow.
Will you say I’m out?’
Evie looked in the mirror and caught Julia’s eyes.
‘And if he rings up again?’
‘I don’t want to hurt his feelings, poor lamb, but I have a notion I shall be very much engaged for some time now.’
Evie sniffed loudly, and with that rather disgusting habit of hers drew her forefinger across the bottom of her nose.
‘I understand,’ she said dryly.
‘I always said you weren’t such a fool as you looked.’
Julia went on with her face. ‘What’s that dress doing on that chair?’
‘That?
That’s the dress you said you’d wear for the party.’
‘Put it away.