Read Online My Week with Marilyn by Colin Clark - Free Book Online Page A

surely it’s not a crime to admire beautiful women? I’m not having an affair with anybody, you know.’ Anne was very attractive herself.
    â€˜Well, Marilyn is not just any beautiful woman, is she? There’s a lot of money riding on her, you know. There’s this film, and poor Larry’s reputation as a director as well. And don’t forget that she’s on her honeymoon. That’s definitely not the time for her to start making new young male friends. I heard that she had a terrible row with Arthur the other night. I hope it wasn’t about you.’
    â€˜Of course not. Perhaps Marilyn doesn’t like the way Arthur looks at her – as if she was a prize that he’d won in a raffle. She seems rather scared of him to me. She treats him like a very strict father whom she adores but can never quite please. Why he’s gone to Paris
I can’t imagine. It may have been pre-arranged – they would be over in Europe anyway, and all that – but the rumour is that he’s going back to New York before he returns here.’
    â€˜Oh, poor girl,’ said Anne. ‘She must be miserable.’
    Just then I heard the noise of a car, and I went out to see who had come to visit. To my surprise there was Roger’s elderly black Wolsey crawling up the gravel drive. Had he bought it when he retired from the police, I wondered. His faithful steed.
    Tony had heard the arrival too, and strode out from behind the house to investigate.
    â€˜What’s the problem, Roger?’ he barked. Tony liked a problem. His military manner gave everyone the impression that he could cope in an emergency. In fact he was just an actor, and he always missed the point.
    â€˜No problem at all, Mr Bushell,’ said Roger. ‘I’ve just come over to take Colin out to lunch.’
    â€˜Now, Roger, you’re not taking him back to Miss Monroe’s house, are you?’ said Tony severely. ‘That would be very much frowned on indeed.’
    â€˜Definitely not,’ said Roger. ‘I’m not here to take Colin back to Miss Monroe’s house. I promise you that.’
    â€˜Oh well, that’s all right, then. Just for a moment I thought she might have sent you over to collect him.’
    â€˜No,’ said Roger. ‘No, she didn’t. Colin, why don’t you hop in? It’s time we were off.’
    â€˜Where to, Roger?’ I asked, climbing into the front seat. ‘Where on earth are we going?’
    â€˜Never you mind. Just shut the door, would you?’ He scrunched the Wolsey into first gear.
    Tony peered nosily through the rear window, but we were already on the move.
    â€˜Wait a minute! What’s under that rug in the back seat? I thought I saw it move.’

    â€˜That’s my little dog, sir,’ said Roger over his shoulder. ‘We’re going to take her for a walk in Windsor Great Park.’
    We lurched off round the corner of the drive, leaving Tony standing on the lawn scratching his head.
    â€˜Why have you left Miss Monroe alone, Roger?’ I asked. ‘I thought I told you never to do so.’
    â€˜Surpri-hise!’
    Marilyn’s blonde head suddenly erupted in the rear-view mirror like a jack-in-a-box, giving me partial heart failure.
    â€˜Marilyn! What on earth are you doing here?’
    Peals of giggles. ‘Well, that’s better. It’s “Marilyn” at last. I’m fed up with that “Miss Monroe” stuff. It sounds so pompous. And anyway, I don’t want to be Miss Monroe today. I just want to be me. Roger and I thought we’d come over and give you a surprise. Aren’t you pleased to see me?’
    â€˜Of course, I’m thrilled to bits. It’s just that yesterday, er, everyone seemed very cross that I’d gone over to Parkside at all, and that I was interfering with your life and the film and all that.’
    â€˜Oh, nonsense,’ said Marilyn.