her down too. The click clack of the needles was mesmeric and her work in progress took her mind off things when she wasn’t needed on set. At least she didn’t spend her spare time bitching about people behind their backs, she thought, remembering the vitriol which had spilled from Beth’s mouth in between takes in the studio. That woman might have a face that could grace any magazine cover in the world but her language was as foul as a cesspit.
Gemma closed her eyes. It was people like Beth that really made working in this industry difficult. For some reason, the world of acting seemed to attract some of the nastiest examples of humankind and it pained Gemma that she had to spend hours of her life doing her best to dodge them.
‘You ready to rock?’ a voice said, startling Gemma from her thoughts. She looked up to see Sophie enter the room. At least there was one ally on this film set, she thought, thanking her lucky stars that she’d bonded so quickly with Sophie. ‘Time we were out of here.’
Gemma nodded and got up off the bed, her script in her hand.
‘You don’t need that, do you?’ Sophie said light-heartedly.
‘Oh, you know,’ Gemma said, ‘it’s just in case. I like to have it with me.’ She turned round and grabbed her oversized bag, her knitting needles poking out of the opening.
‘Are they yours?’ Sophie asked in bemusement.
Gemma nodded.
‘I didn’t know Anne Elliot knitted. Can I see?’
‘Well, it’s just a little something. It’s not really fin—’
But Sophie had already pulled it out of her bag and was inspecting it. ‘Oh, it’s adorable!’ she said, holding up a little baby’s jacket in pearly pink wool.
‘My sister-in-law’s just had a little girl – Harriet.’
‘This is gorgeous,’ Sophie said. ‘Really gorgeous. Could you make one in a size ten for me?’
Gemma grinned, delighted at the praise.
Sophie returned the little jacket to her. ‘Into the fray,’ she said and, as they closed the bedroom door behind them, Gemma couldn’t help wishing, with all her heart, that she could stay on the other side of that door with her knitting needles.
Kay watched as everybody congregated in the hallway. She’d never heard such a small group of people make so much noise before.
‘We’ve just had the latest weather report,’ Teresa announced, ‘and we might be able to get a couple of shots in on the Cobb before the heavens open. Anyway, into make-up and costume first and we’ll take things from there.’
Les opened the door and everybody spilled out into the early morning.
‘Bye, Kay,’ Sophie said.
Kay beamed her a smile. It was nice of at least one of them to remember her. Then Oli turned around and winked at her. Kay’s mouth dropped open but then clamped shut again as Teresa glared at him and pushed him out of the door and Kay turned away in embarrassment. She should be getting on with tidying up, not standing in the hallway flirting with film stars.
Flirting! He had been flirting with her, hadn’t he? Teresa had said they’d all be wanting an evening meal tonight and Kay had quite enough on her plate preparing to fill theirs without the distraction of flirting.
As the door finally closed, silence filled Wentworth House. It was funny. They’d only been there one night but the bed and breakfast felt strangely empty once they’d left. Kay looked at the enormous pile of dirty bowls, plates and cups, knowing she had plenty to be getting on with but she had a better idea and, flinging her tea towel over a chair, she took the stairs two at a time, rushing into her bedroom and staring out of the window. Her guests had reached the Cobb now where several vans were already in position. It was too early yet for tourists to get in the way but Kay could see that the area had been roped off.
She looked around her bedroom. Now, where had she put them? She started hunting through her wardrobe and the drawers of her bedside table. They were here somewhere, she
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