Page 61 of The Last Love Song
‘No, I only knows ’cos she asked me to water the plants while she’s gone.’
‘So she will be back?’
The woman chuckled. ‘Course. Most people come back from their holidays, don’t they?’
Derek spun around on his heel and bounded off down the road.
‘None so queer as folk,’ the woman muttered as she went back inside to sort the Sunday papers.
Sorcha had only just walked through the door when the telephone rang.
‘Hello?’
‘Hello, Sorcha.’ It was her agent Audrey’s voice. ‘Good news, darling. You’ve got yourself your first modelling job.’
‘I have?’
‘Yes. It’s a two-page spread modelling knitwear. It’s only a morning’s work, but it’s certainly a start.’ Sorcha heard Audrey shuffling through papers. ‘Let me see...you’ll be shooting in St James’s Park next Wednesday. You need to be there at eight.’
‘Will I need to take the morning off work?’
‘Yes. Say you have to go to the dentist or something. We’ll see what this job leads to. If the work begins to come in frequently, as I think it will, you can leave. The pay’s good. It’s twenty pounds.’
‘Twenty pounds?’ Sorcha repeated excitedly.
‘Is that okay?’
‘Oh yes, that’s grand, just grand.’
‘Good. I’ve given the magazine your home number. They’ll call in the next couple of days. Well done, darling. You’re on your way now. Bye-bye.’
‘Bye, and thank you, Audrey.’
Sorcha put the telephone down and sank into the nearest chair. A triumphant smile crossed her face. In the past fourweeks, she had been to two dozen castings and had begun to think that Audrey must have been wrong about her.
The smile left her face as she contemplated telling Con.
A few minutes later, she heard the key in the door. Her fiancé walked into the room, an evening paper tucked under his arm.
‘Hello,’ he smiled. ‘Isn’t it a beautiful evening?’
‘Yes. Con?’ She watched him as he sat down in a chair.
‘What?’
‘I’ve just had some news.’
He looked up at her. ‘Go on.’
She crossed the room and knelt by his side. ‘You have to swear first that you won’t be angry.’
He narrowed his eyes as he stroked her hair. ‘Now how can I do that without knowing what it is you have to tell me?’
‘I tried to tell you before, but there never seemed to be the right moment.’
Con was looking more concerned now. ‘I’m all ears and listening to you, Sorcha. Please get on with it.’
‘Well, a modelling agent has taken me on her books. Today I got my first job, modelling knitwear for a magazine. And guess how much I’ll be paid for a morning’s work? Twenty pounds!Pleasesay you’re happy for me. My agent says this could be the start of lots of work.’
