at Estelle. ‘Is he sure?’
‘Yes, he’s pretty certain.’
‘How does he know?’
‘Peter, that’s the guy I’m with, runs the London office of a top Hollywood publicity company, who handle a number of big stars and some of the top movies. His Los Angeles office alerted him about the Confidential reporter. Right now some of his company’s biggest clients are filming here in London, or in Europe, and Peter’s been told to warn them to watch their step, and keep their feet dry.’ Estelle giggled and rolled her eyes upwards, then proceeded, ‘He’s also been instructed to scrupulously check out every freelance journalist who requests an interview, just to be sure they’re really accredited to the publications they claim they represent.’
‘Are you trying to say he doesn’t actually know who the reporter is from Confidential?’
‘You don’t think writers who work for that magazine would be foolish enough to announce it, do you? Every door would be slammed in their faces! And anyway, they usually use a phony by-line, so they are hard to check out properly.’
‘Yes, I see what you mean,’ Katharine acknowledged quietly. Then she asked, ‘Does your friend know whether it’s a man or a woman?’
‘He thinks it’s a man. Peter’s been racking his brains to narrow it down, but he’s not been able to pinpoint anyone. Actually, that’s why he mentioned it to me. He thought I might have heard who it was on the grapevine, but I haven’t. I didn’t even know they had someone based in London. Anyway, I think you’d better mention it to Victor immediately. Put him on his guard. It’s more than likely he’s one of the current targets, because of his bitchy wife’s big mouth.’
‘I will. Thank you, Estelle. You’ve been really terrific, alerting me to all this. I won’t forget it, and neither will Victor. Look, I’ve got to get back to the table. I’ll call you tomorrow, and let you know about Sunday. Thanks again, Estelle darling.’
‘Any time, Katharine,’ Estelle beamed, suffused with self-satisfaction about the way she was so cleverly cementing the relationship. ‘I’m only too glad to help if I can.’
When she returned to the table, Katharine sat down and said with an apologetic laugh, ‘Sorry I was so long, but I ran slap-bang into Estelle, and I’m afraid she can be awfully garrulous at times. But she’s quite a good sport, and I didn’t want to offend her.’
‘Oh, that’s perfectly all right,’ Francesca replied. ‘I do understand. Thank you for listening, Katharine. And for the marvellous pep talk. You helped me a lot, and I’m going to take your advice. I’ve decided to take a few days off, and make a new start on the book next week.’
Katharine was delighted. ‘I’m so glad, Francesca. And listen, any time you need a sounding board, I’m here. Incidentally, when I was in the ladies room it struck me you ought to have a literary agent. I assume you don’t have one. Or do you?’
‘No. And to be honest I wouldn’t know where to get one either. Anyway, I don’t have a manuscript to show at this moment.’
‘I realize that. On the other hand, it might be a good idea to talk to a few agents, and see what they say. Later, when you’ve finished the book, you’d be better off using a literary agent, rather than trying to sell it yourself. At least I know that much.’ She paused and then excitement animated her. ‘I know what we can do. We can ask Victor to get you one.’
‘No!’ Francesca cried, and flushed with embarrassment, realizing she had snapped at Katharine, and without good reason.
Katharine gave her a peculiar look, but merely shrugged. ‘Then I suppose I could ask Nicholas Latimer. He’d never do anything for me, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind helping you.’
‘Why wouldn’t he do anything for you?’ Francesca asked with a confused frown. ‘He was very charming at Les Ambassadeurs on Monday night. I thought he liked you enormously. He certainly behaved as if he did.’
‘Oh but he doesn’t,’ Katharine said with a cool and knowing smile. ‘He is pleasant, and he teases me a lot, and behaves as if he’s my best buddy. But haven’t you noticed his flat blues when he’s talking to me?’
‘Flat blues? What do you mean?’
‘His eyes. Flat and blue and hard. His mouth might be smiling, but his eyes drip ice. I know he hates my guts.’
Francesca was flabbergasted. ‘Oh but surely you’re wrong, Katharine! I would have noticed. Anyway, I can’t imagine anyone hating your guts,’ she pronounced with certainty. ‘And please don’t ask him for any favours for me. I don’t want you putting yourself in an awkward position. And as I said, I don’t need an agent at the moment.’
‘No, I suppose you don’t,’ Katharine answered. ‘Anyway, we can always hold Nicholas Latimer in reserve, I guess. Incidentally, talking of favours, I was going to ask one of you –’
‘Would you like the fish off the bone, madame?’ the waiter interrupted, displaying the sole with a splendid flourish.
‘Yes, thank you very much. Would you, Francesca?’
Francesca nodded, and when the waiter was out of earshot, she said eagerly, ‘What kind of favour, Katharine?’
Katharine leaned across the table and explained. ‘I need someone to write the material I want to use for the screen test, and I was wondering if you would do it for me.’
Francesca looked at her in amazement. ‘Gosh, Katharine, I wouldn’t know how! I mean, dialogue and that kind of thing is way beyond me. Good Lord, I wouldn’t know where to begin!’
Katharine said, ‘Oh,’ in a very small voice. Crushed, she dropped her eyes and stared at the tablecloth.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to help you,’ Francesca exclaimed anxiously, her voice rising. ‘I’d do anything for you, Katharine, I really would. I just don’t know how to write something like that. Honestly, I don’t,’ she persisted, feeling downright mean for refusing. Then she was filled with chagrin. Katharine had shown her extraordinary understanding, and kindness, had been so patient and encouraging. She felt she was somehow letting her new friend down by refusing to accede to this request. She said, ‘Please don’t be upset. I couldn’t bear it. Let’s talk about it at least.’
Katharine lifted her head sharply and smiled beguilingly. ‘I know you can do it! I really do, especially since it’s a long passage from Wuthering Heights. You said on Saturday that you knew the book extremely well.’
‘Yes, that’s true, I do …’ Francesca’s brows went up in a quirk. ‘But why do you need me to write something for you? I thought Victor Mason had a finished screenplay.’
‘When I asked Victor for the particular pages I need, he said that I could have them. At first. Later he called me back and told me that Nicholas Latimer was rewriting that whole section of the script, and therefore I couldn’t have them after all.’ Katharine bent her head closer to Francesca’s, and lowered her voice. ‘But I don’t believe Nick is rewriting. Don’t misunderstand me. It’s not Victor being difficult. It’s Nick. I don’t think he wants me to have those pages.’
‘How rotten of him! But surely Victor can –’
‘Nicholas Latimer has a great deal of influence over Victor. It seems to me that anything Nick says goes. They’re as thick as thieves. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear to God they were a couple of fags.’ She burst out laughing when she saw Francesca’s face. ‘Don’t look so shocked. Anyway, they’re not. As I was going to say, their reputations as studs precede them. Nick, in particular, thinks every woman he meets is going to fall flat on her back for him.’ She laughed again, and went on, ‘In any event, Nick probably lied to Victor when he told him he was working on the screenplay, and did it just to thwart me. Victor suggested I do something from Trojan Interlude.’