“Well,” Mummy said as the door closed behind him. “This isn’t bad, is it? Apart from having to learn lines by tomorrow. I don’t think I’m going to take to films. On the set at six a.m.? Really not me. Thank God the theater is more civilized.” She sank onto the brightly upholstered sofa and picked up a peach from an enormous bowl of fruit on a rattan table. “Frankly, darling, I don’t know why I agreed to this. I mean, I don’t need the money. I don’t really want to become a film star. It must be Stella’s fault.”

“Stella?”

She took a bite of peach then looked up at me. “I suppose it was just that I wanted to prove to Stella that I still had it. You know, last time we worked together she was just a little nobody. I was the big star of the pantomime and Stella and her sister were the novelty act—skinny little girls with big eyes like waifs. They were quite good little dancers and acrobats, I seem to remember, and they adored me.” She sighed, remembering being adored, I suspected.

The luggage arrived with Queenie. She looked around with approval. “This ain’t half bad,” she said. “I think I’m going to like California. They were telling me on the train that everybody’s equal in America. None of this bowing and scraping and calling people ‘my lady.’” And she gave me a disapproving stare.

“If you want to find you still have a job when we return to England, I suggest you don’t get carried away by what is done in America,” Mummy said. “Face it that you’re hopeless, Queenie. Nobody else but my good-natured daughter would employ you. Now hurry up and unpack your mistress’s cases. I’m sure she’d like to go for a swim while I study.”

Queenie stomped off.

“That girl is getting too big for her britches,” Mummy said. “You may have to replace her whether you like it or not.”

“I know,” I said, “but it’s rather like taking in a stray animal that you know can’t survive on its own. You’re stuck with it.”

“Not me, darling. You must learn to be more ruthless. It’s the only way.” She went to the window and looked out. “We’ll have to go shopping before anything else. Our clothes are simply too formal for California. Look at those women in shorts. And none of them has a good bottom.”