“I can’t help it,” Juan said. “This is the way I talk. This is the way Spanish men talk. You wish me to play King Philip of Spain, do you not?”

“Sure you should sound Spanish but the people in Peoria need to understand you. Try again.”

Makeup women darted out to dab at Mummy’s face. She went back behind the table and the scene was played again. And again. When they broke for lunch she came over to me. “Now I know why I prefer the theater. We have gone over the same little bit thirty-four times. Of course Juan isn’t going to lose his accent overnight. He’ll have to work with a speech coach for weeks. Cy isn’t pleased.”

Cy Goldman himself came over to join us. “Come and eat in my private dining room,” he said. “You’re doing great, Claire. So believable. What an actress your mother is, Georgie. I’m going to make her a big star.” He led us at breakneck pace across the lot, where a real-looking castle had now been built, and into a small dining room. “But Juan,” he said. “I’m having second thoughts about him. It’s the accent, isn’t it? He’s not ready for the big time yet. He’s got the looks and the sex appeal all right, but the audience has to understand him. It’s just not the voice of a macho guy. So I’m bringing in an alternative. I’ve asked him to join us for lunch.”

And as if on cue the door opened and in came someone whom I recognized instantly. Even if I had hardly seen a film in my life I knew Craig Hart. Everyone in the civilized world knew Craig Hart. Women threw themselves at his feet. And in real life he was as tall, dark, handsome and rugged in the extreme as he was on the screen.

“Craig. Good to see you.” Cy pumped his hand. “Come on in and meet my new star. Claire Daniels.”

Craig sauntered across the room, moving with animal grace, and held out a big hand to my mother. “Well, hello there, gorgeous. I am delighted to meet you,” he said in his deep, rumbling voice that had reduced millions of females to a trembling jelly.

“Well, hello, yourself,” Mummy said, her eyes lighting up with pleasure. “I think I’m going to enjoy working with you, Craig.”

Oh dear, I thought. Now we might never go home to Max. Then, to my amazement, Craig turned his attention to me. “And who is this enchanting young woman? Another new discovery, Cy?”

He took my hands in his. His dark eyes held mine and I felt my own heart beating faster.

“This is Claire’s daughter, Craig,” Cy said. “The one I told you about.”