Read Online A Midsummer Night's Romp by Katie MacAlister - Free Book Online

you to stay, at no little expense, with the crew itself, that you will be agreeable to helping us out where you can.”
    My heart turned to lead and dropped to my feet. My stomach compacted into a little black hole of misery. My spirits took one look at the next week or so of trying to pretend I was a photographer while spending time with a real one, and evaporated to nothing.
    I tried one last protest, but my heart—leaden and in my feet—wasn’t in it. “I’d be happy to just chitchat with the people digging if that would help out. . . .”
    â€œYou will be personable and interesting, and the audience will love you.” It wasn’t a prediction; it was an order, one that was spoken in an unyielding tone.
    I was beaten, and I knew it. “I see. Well, if you feel that way—”
    â€œI do. Gunner has all the qualifications to bring you up to speed on the dig, and will start this evening. I’m sure you’ll have no trouble making yourself available to him for that.”
    â€œEr . . .” I had planned to “accidentally” run into Paul that evening.
    â€œWe’ll film you while he teaches you the ways of the dirt—nice turn of phrase, that; I’ll have to give it to Sue for the narration—which will show the audience just what it is the archaeologists do, and why they do it.”
    â€œWell, I suppose—”
    â€œOf course, you are encouraged to ask questions thatour audience might ask, and I have no doubt that you’ll also want to participate in some of the reenactments that we have scheduled.”
    â€œIf I have time,” I said weakly. “Books take a lot of work, you know.”
    â€œMust remember to add slaves to that list. I think we’ll try for your first piece to the camera this afternoon when we officially open the dig. Just some basic information, nothing too complicated.” He beamed at me just like he’d done me the biggest favor in the world.
    I closed my eyes for a moment, trying desperately to find a way out of this scenario, but failing miserably. “I guess I could do that. But I do have a lot of work to do on my own, what with all the pictures to take, and the . . . er . . .” I struggled for something that sounded journalistic. “All of the interviews to be conducted.”
    â€œThat’s why this opportunity is so perfect for you!” He whapped me gently on the arm. “Gunner can help you out! Any extra time you spend away from your work to be with him will be more than offset by the information he’ll be able to give you. It’ll be wonderful for you, because not only does he know his potatoes, archaeologically speaking, but he’s also the brother of a baron. Your readers will eat that up with a spoon and ask for seconds.”
    â€œYes, of course it will be wonderful for the book.” My smile was wan at best.
    â€œSmart girl,” he said, clapping a hand on my shoulder in a way that had me wincing. He pulled out a walkie-talkie, and shoved it at me. “I knew I could count on you to be a team player. We’ll let you have one of these so we can alert you when we want to do a piece for the camera. Channel four is Gunner’s channel. Two is dig personnel. Three is production team—don’t use that channel except in emergencies. And of course, I am on channel one. Now, I must go see what the geophys people are up to.”
    â€œGeo . . . what?”
    â€œGeophys. Stands for geophysics. They’re the folks who use the machines to look into the earth and find our Roman remains. It looks like they’re out doing their shtick already, and they know full well we need to film them for the intro. . . .”
    He hurried off, leaving me staring glumly at a walkie-talkie. What the hell had I just gotten myself into?

Chapter 6
    â€œH ello, my lovely one. Any luck selling my brother the