Maneuvering over ropes, she started down the winding stairs that would take her to the stage. “Pete.” She cornered the property master before he could light his cigarette. “I want a few changes.”

“Aw, Ms. Hamilton.”

“Nothing major,” she assured him, putting a hand on his shoulder and walking out onto the set. “Pete, we need to age things a bit.”

He was a small man, hardly taller than she was, so that their eyes were level when he turned and began to scratch at his chin. “How old?”

“Ten years?” She smiled in lieu of an order. “Look, the family’s lived here awhile, right? They didn’t buy all this stuff yesterday. I think if the couch were faded—”

A long, suffering sigh. “You want me to fade the couch.”

“Upholstery fades, Pete. It’s one of those unavoidable facts of life. I think if you took off the cover and had wardrobe wash it a half-dozen times that would do it. And dull the gilt on a couple of the paintings. I don’t want any scratches on the furniture, but … Doilies.” Inspiration hit and she began to scribble again. “We need some doilies.”

“And you want me to find them.”

“Didn’t you once mention that you were a scavenger when you were in the service?” She said it mildly as she moved to a different angle.

“You’d have made general,” he muttered. “Okay, faded couch, dulled gilt and doilies. What else?”

“An urn.” She narrowed her eyes as they swept the set. It had to be just the right place, not center stage, not too far downstage, but— “Right there,” she decided, pointing to the table beside a wing chair. “A big one, Pete, with some carving or a pattern. And I don’t want anything too tasteful. Red, really red, so it stands out like a beacon.”

He scratched his chin again. “You’re the boss.”

“Trust me.”

“Ms. Hamilton, none of us has a choice.”

She accepted this without a blink. “Don’t spend over thirty for the vase. We’re not looking for an heirloom.”

He’d been waiting for her to get to the bottom line. “You want cheap, you’ll get cheap.”

“I knew I could count on you. Now on the bedroom set, I think it would be effective if we had some jewelry, gold and a little tacky, left on Cat’s vanity.”

“Already got the bottles and that big box of dusting powder.”

“Now we’ll have the jewelry. If wardrobe doesn’t have anything suitable, we can pick up something. Why don’t you check with Ethel? I’ll be in my office for the next twenty minutes or so.”

“Ms. Hamilton.”

Eve turned at the leg on stage right. “Yes?”