“I thought it might be. What a little charmer.” And he smiled down at me. “What is your name, you adorable creature?”

“It’s Georgie.” I could hardly stammer out the words.

“I am really glad to meet you, Georgie,” he said. “Really glad.” He was still holding my hands but he looked past me to Mr. Goldman. “You know, Cy, I think this is going to work out very well all around, don’t you?”

At the time I didn’t know what he meant. I was still in shock that Craig Hart was paying attention to me and not my mother. After a lunch when I could hardly swallow a thing we went back to the set. Mummy was giving me curious and amused glances. I’m sure my face was still beet red.

“Isn’t Craig being kind to you,” Mummy said. “What a nice man, making you feel special like that.”

She went back to makeup before returning to the set. I was about to go in when Ronnie stopped me. “Not a pretty scene in there at the moment,” he said. “Cy has just told Juan that he’s not playing Philip any longer. Juan is upset. Stella is furious.”

Even as he said it the door burst open and Stella stormed out, dressed in full Elizabethan costume with long red hair flowing over her shoulders. Cy came hot on her heels.

“I can’t believe you.” She turned on him like a tiger. “You promise him the moon and then you let him down like that.”

“He wasn’t good enough, Stella. Be reasonable,” Cy shouted, grabbing her arm and whirling her back to face him. “He didn’t make the grade. He was nothing. A Spanish peasant. He should be damned grateful I brought him here.”

“He’s not a peasant. He comes from an old, old family with a castle, parts of which you tried to buy, if I remember rightly. You take everything you want from Spain, don’t you?” Stella demanded. “The great Cy Goldman. Just because you have money you think you can buy everything. Well, you can’t buy me.”

He pulled her close then so that their faces were only inches apart. “Don’t forget, sweetheart, without me you’re done for. You were a has-been. Your voice isn’t really good enough for the talkies, is it? Who else would give you a starring role in a picture, huh?” He released her then. “Maybe you’re getting just a little too fond of the Spanish peasant, huh? You want to watch your step, Stella baby. There’s plenty more where you came from. Now get back in there and try a little harder, because you know what? Claire Daniels will outact you in every scene.”