by Margaret Way
'Little Lucie!' Carlo swept up with an absurd flourish that was meant to and made her laugh. 'You look ravishing! I've never actually seen a girl wear camillias. Very feminine.' He eyed them admiringly.
He didn't have much time for further study, for Damien, who had often partnered her, fought his way through the crowd and came to a standstill. 'Gracious, Lucie, it's not like you to be out of bed at this hour.'
'Julian said I might come,' she told him.
'My goodness, he is being kind to you!'
'A reward for doing what I'm told.'
'Well, if you're going to ignore me,' Carlo shrugged.
'You've got a dishy girl of your own,' Damien told him jovially. 'I'll look after Lucie.'
The drinks were already flowing and taped music spilled through the imaginatively decorated old terrace house. There were exotic sometimes unnerving paintings, symbolic, erotic, whatever—Marianne's; groupings of beautiful shells they had collected from the
Great Barrier Reef and Fiji, secondhand shop finds, decorative ballet posters and on an end wall, the piece de resistance, a gigantic blown up press photograph of Julian, stunning in the extreme.
'Unwise, wouldn't you say so, with Carlo so bloody jealous?'
'What a photograph!' Lucie couldn't quite control her own lurch of excitement.
'Poor old Marianne thinks it's priceless!' Damien told her.
'Amazing!' Lucie began to laugh. A lot of women seemed to fantasise about Julian, thinking exactly what they wanted to. From Marianne's paintings, Lucie would have thought the fantasies to be somewhat bizarre. Wisely she turned her own back on Julian's Heathcliff-type regard.
It was then that an extremely elegant older woman with superb presence and a splendid head of auburn hair drew Carlo towards them, obviously wishing to be introduced.
'I've seen you dance, my dear,' the woman said, then winced very slightly as though realising Lucie wouldn't care to be reminded.
'Sarah's the fashion and beauty editor of Flair,' Carlo told them after the, usual exchange of pleasantries.
'I know it well.' Lucie looked at the woman with warmth and admiration. 'You must have a very exciting and stimulating career.'
'I do!' Sarah exclaimed. 'But when I really start to enjoy myself is when I find a new face.'
'God, on top of everything else, not Julian!' Damien struck his brow.
'Be a good boy and let me talk to Lucienne,' Sarah said.
'You mean Lucie?' Damien demanded, suddenly awestruck. 'You're talking about Lucie?'
'It would be a problem putting make-up on Julian,' Sarah pointed out mildly. 'Of course I'm talking about Lucie.'
'Then I'll drag this guy off.' Carlo smiled at them both and did exactly that.
'I'll bet you photograph exceptionally well, Lucie?' Sarah asked immediately they were alone.
'Flattering, yes.' Lucie admitted modestly.
'All those lovely delicate bones!' Sarah spoke sweetly even as she was frowning with concentration. 'It's difficult to tell sometimes. I've had beautiful girls come into my office, girls who are marvellous on the catwalk who simply don't translate into film. Beautiful girls who can look awful and real freaks who can look terrific. We laugh about it, though it's not really funny if you're trying to break into an overcrowded world. I have seen publicity stills of you. You look magical.'
'Thank you,' Lucie responded quietly, thinking the only way she could ever be magical was to dance.
'My dear, I'm so sorry.' Sarah studied that transparent expression with great sympathy.
'It helps,' Lucie said. 'I try not to think of my life's work as being over, that it's inexcusable to keep feeling sorry for myself. . . .'
'I know, I know,' Sarah said quickly. 'You've had a bad experience, but so many people, not the least of them Julian, have told me you're coping far better than anyone expected. Julian was even quite fierce about your bravery. He's very proud of you.'
At first Lucie thought she couldn't be hearing right. Julian proud of her? However had this clever, pleasant woman arrived at that conclusion?
'I thought he considered me over-protective of myself,' she commented.
'In what way, dear?' Sarah's mobile face puckered with startled thought.
'Well, I scarcely know which leg to favour. Usually I'm breathless before I decide.'
Sarah faced her levelly, her blue eyes very honest. She even placed one long-fingered hand across her heart. 'My dear, it would make your heart glad to hear Julian describe how you've survived your ordeal. I'm telling you because I can see it's important to you.'
'So important.' Lucie looked down at her hands, suddenly recalling how strongly Julian had held them on the terrible night she had been fighting out of the anaesthesia. 'I can't think how I'm ever going to be able to repay him for all he's done.'
'In fact there could well be a way!' Sarah argued, her undeniably freckled face quite animated. 'Zara Blanchard,' she named the top female dress designer, 'is introducing a cosmetic line, and the moment I saw you I said to myself, it's settled, I've found our girl. It's uncanny—you're exactly the type Zara and I had in mind. We had thought of Penelope Archer, but to be cruelly honest, she's not young enough. You won't be amazed to hear models have a short life.'
'But that kind of work has never crossed my mind.' Lucie saw a friend standing across the room and waved to her. 'I may be hopeless at it, Sarah.'
Other girls would be thrilled out of their minds, but Sarah could see she was going to have to convince
Lucie. 'One photographic session would prove it. A top model has to sell the product she's advertising as well as selling her own model girl image. She has to be something of an actress, as well as an exceptionally photogenic face. I've seen you on stage, so I know your precious talents. You fit perfectly the girl Zara has been looking for, and best of all, you're as fresh as the product. In other words, neither has been seen before.'
'So what are the disadvantages?' Lucie smiled.
'I'm not supposed to tell you that, or you may change your mind. No, seriously, let me arrange a session for you and we'll go from there. The best laid plans can go astray,' Sarah said cheerfully. 'Only last week I had a glorious creature show me some terrible pictures. Of course she knew nothing about photographic make-up and she went to a photographer I'd rather not mention. That won't happen to you. I'll arrange everything. I love to score with Zara. We went to school together, she from the upper echelons of society, me from the very heart of the dreadful slums. Scholarship, you know. It was the sort of school that prided itself on being very democratic. There were five of us all told.'
A mixture of feelings were flashing across Lucie's small face. Sarah was cut out to sell sunsuits to an Eskimo, but the thought of being a model girl did not give her any pleasure. On the other hand if it paid well she could settle her debts. The trouble was she had not yet learned to live with the destruction of a brilliant career.
'I can hear the wheels going around in your head,' Sarah said. 'Think of it as an adventure, Lucie. There are a lot of people who really want to help you.'
The thought was comforting. There were a lot of good people in the world, people who stepped in quickly to help.
'You're nice, Sarah,' she said.
'Sweetie, I too have had a rugged life.' Sarah said it calmly, but behind the bright twinkle Lucie could see it was true.
Damien came up behind them and took Lucie into his arms with a rush. 'Come on, girls, you've talked long enough.'
'I'll be in touch, Lucie,' Sarah smiled, her blue eyes sparkling. 'Take her away, laddie. I'm aware this is a party.'
'Oh, wicked, wicked!' Damien exclaimed ten minutes later. 'It's that awful bitch, Price.'
Lucie turned swiftly and there in the doorway was Camilla with a tall man behind her who looked like a well-dressed zombie.
'The very embodiment of evil!' Damien hissed. Once Camilla had physically attacked him and Damien had been brooding about it ever since.
And she was s
inister, Lucie thought—a petite, very attractive woman, but with her jealous, vengeful nature written on her face.
'I wonder what she'll get up to tonight?' Damien breathed. 'There's one thing you've got to say for her, she knows how to dress.'
And the make-up and the dressing was a large part of her attraction, Lucie thought. Camilla was wearing a flowing silk kimono over a tiny camisole top and shaped silk pants, her long hair drawn back tightly into a topknot and decorated with some Oriental-looking baubles. Her companion clung to her as though he were afraid not to.
'Of course she's looking for Julian,' Damien said, following those boring eyes.
No, she's looking for me, Lucie thought. She did not know how she knew it, but she did. Seconds later, Camilla found her, saw what Lucie was wearing and raised her eyebrows.
'The way I see it,' Damien said, 'Camilla is out to get you.'
'What interest could she have in me any more?' queried Lucie, 'I can't dance.'
'Maybe it's a case of sexual jealousy. You're Julian's little pet.'
'You'll have to pay more attention at class.'
'So he does yell at you from time to time.'
'A lot of the time,' Lucie said wryly.
'I guess that's because you're so damned good,' Damien retorted, simultaneously recording that Lucie wasn't so good any more.
Lucie's pleasure in the evening was almost totally destroyed. It struck her, too, that she had best not show it, just as she never showed her fear of Camilla at class. Her days of dazzling technical feats might be over, but she still knew how to move. Damien tightened his arm around her and they began a quickening series of movements to a disco beat that finished up as a performance. A lot of the others fell back and let them have the tiny floor, and Carlo clapped his hands together sharply on the beat. Classical dancers, all of them, Lucie and Damien were handling modern with extraordinary skill.
When they finished with Lucie, the little ballerina, on Damien's shoulder, spontaneous applause broke out.
'Great! You're great!' Carlo called*
'Beautiful!' Julian straightened up and moved over to them, indicating to Damien he should put Lucie down. 'As a matter of fact, if you wanted to work at it, you could win that Dance Fever.'
'Be in it, Lucie?' Damien laughed.
'No, dear heart.'
'Why not?'
'She can't,' said Julian. 'I won't let her.'
'That's not fair, taking my partner away,' Damien protested.
'What about Sonia?'
'Sure.' Sonia swirled up to Damien's side. 'I'm dying to try out.'
'What about a test now?' Julian suggested, and drew Lucie away.
Neither of them spoke for a moment and Lucie was experiencing the unique quality of Julian's touch. The first time he had held her arm when she had auditioned for him she had been struck by the extraordinary male power, the vibrancy. She had never known it before or since, though she had heard about this particular quality in Nureyev and Baryshnikov. It was rapturous for the ballerina when it was there. But Julian wasn't interested in partnering ballerinas, only creating ballets that tested dancers to the limit.
'You're trembling,' he said.
'That was exceedingly hard,' she pointed out.
'You made it look easy. Not many classical dancers can handle modern and jazz.'
'I was only having fun.' The air was beautiful in the small garden, her skin overheated now in the thin black sweater.
'Just watching you has given me an idea,' Julian told her.
'I'm sure that's why you keep me around.'
'Maybe,' he smiled, and looked down at her with his mocking, derisive eyes. 'Surely it gives you more confidence to know that workout hasn't left you exhausted?'
She gave him a lightning glance, realising it was true. 'On the other hand, I'm shaking.'
'But then you always do when I touch you.' His black eyes were intense. 'I think perhaps you dislike— no, fear, being excited.'
'Or rather I very wisely wish to protect myself.'
'You know something, little Lucie? You will never succeed with me.'
'I believe you,' she said slowly, and her voice shook. 'What I don't know is, why?'
'You are in my life now,' he ran a finger down her flushed cheek. 'The first moment I set eyes on you I knew that.'
'Because somehow I offer inspiration for one of the world's greatest choreographers?'
'Surely that's a great honour?' he asked, and there was a hint of amusement in his voice. 'Why does it make you angry?'
'I'm not angry!' She swung her head away.
'Oh, don't do that.' He cupped his hand beneath her chin and turned her head back. 'It's not often I get to see blazing violet eyes. It's almost a contradiction.'
With his hand beneath her chin she was experiencing a strange, melting sensation that made her draw in her breath.
'You need to be made love to,' he said almost harshly.
Unable to deny it, Lucie remained silent, her violet eyes now swimming in tears.
'Little fool!' His other arm came round her unrelentingly hard. 'I could take you tonight.'
'Jessie wouldn't let you,' she whispered. 'Have you forgotten Jessie?'
'I wonder if she would object?' His mouth twisted engagingly. 'Jessie and I are very much in agreement about most things.'
'She wouldn't let you hurt me.'
'Why are you whispering?' he asked.
'I don't know.' Lucie tried to pull away, but her head was swimming. 'I know you like teasing. It's a terrible characteristic.'
'Now isn't this nice and cosy!' a brittle, familiar voice announced.
'Yes, it was.' Julian looked over Lucie's gleaming tilted head to the tight-faced Camilla who was making her way decisively towards them. There were lots of things in her way, but she stepped out with speed and confidence.
'I always thought this silly little thing had a crush on you, now I'm absolutely convinced!'
'Who gives a damn?' said Julian with undisguised boredom.
'I've given you half my life, Julian,' Camilla cried, all control disintegrating.
'I ache for you, darling,' he drawled.
'Bastard!' Camilla ran at him as though she intended to score him deeply with her nails, and Lucie hurriedly withdrew to one side, trapped by a latticed screen.
The blusher on Camilla's cheekbones was standing out starkly in contrast to her drained skin and, petite as she was, her flying figure struck terror to Lucie's gentle heart.
Not so Julian, who only carelessly drew himself to attention and put a crushing grip on Camilla's birdlike wrists. 'Please, Camilla, must you go through life in turmoil?'
'You're such a bully!' Camilla charged him, her expression ugly.
'Indeed I am. It's expected, with wildcats like you around.'
'Help me, Julian,' Camilla begged, seesawing to a little-girl plea.
'I guess I have to,' he said oddly.
'I'm so miserable when you're mean to me.' Camilla relaxed her rigid body and laid her head against his shoulder. 'Send her away, Julian. Send that girl away!'
Julian dropped his arms to Camilla's narrow waist, and Lucie was somehow so shocked at the sight of them she could scarcely move or utter a word. Of course they were lovers. Julian's hands on Camilla's white body, pouring kisses all over her. It would invite madness having Julian's love withdrawn.
'Go back inside, Lucie,' Julian ordered.
Camilla was still huddled against him, making funny little moaning noises as though she was about to crack up.
'Yes.' Lucie edged away with near horror. It was incredibly upsetting seeing Camilla in such a state in Julian's arms. It looked so natural—that was it. Julian had wrapped his arms around her body so long and so often it still showed.
She couldn't remember getting inside.
'Lucie, Lucie!' Damien exclaimed incredulously,
jerking her by the shoulder as she went white-faced and vacantly past him.
'Oh, I'm sorry.'
'What's the matter?' he looked at her with astonishment.
'Nothing much. I'm tired. I want to go home.'
'But Marianne is just bringing out the supper.'
Staring ahead of her, Lucie saw Marianne and three of the girls putting dishes along the buffet table.
'I'm not hungry,' she explained.
'Not at all?' Damien shook his head. 'Listen, kid, there's something wrong, I know.'
Lucie still did not move or speak.
'What happened?' Damien turned her slightly towards the buffet table. He was starving.
'It's no good. Camilla told me to go away.'
Damien looked at her with disgust. 'And you're going?'
'Ah!' Lucie drew a deep breath. 'Is it really worth staying?'
'But you made such a good start, sweetie,' Damien pointed out. 'Don't let that vixen slap you around. You go off and she Won't be able to contain her glee. I tell you, she's wicked—or she's grown wicked ever since she went on drugs.'
'Camilla?' That shocked Lucie into a response.
'That's the word. The thing is she always knows when to stop.'
'I don't believe it,' was all Lucie could say.
'A lot of people do, even if no one has any hard evidence. Surely you've noticed her pupils?'
'I try to avoid looking into her eyes.'
