go ahead?’
Though finding it ironic that she should have come to reproach him for instigating a project which Paul had dreamed-up, he managed to sound friendly as he said, ‘I really don’t intend to involve you.’
‘Anything that involves Paul involves me.’
Matthew smiled pleasantly. ‘I certainly don’t envisage making it a vehicle for Paul. Apart from Roy’s progress, it won’t be about personalities.’
‘Then what is it going to be about?’
‘Pop music,’ he replied, stung by her peremptory tone.
She looked at him with astonishment. ‘But it’s such awful trash.’
‘You think so?’
‘Don’t you? I mean the words are fatuous, the music’s bad. For idiots by idiots, if you ask me.’ She smiled. ‘Be honest … it’s nothing like your usual serious stuff.’
Too surprised by this cheerful onslaught to feel angry, Matthew told her that it was listened to by millions and therefore couldn’t be ‘negligible from a social point of view’. He frowned. ‘It’s as typical of average Britain as bingo and holiday camps.’
Eleanor laughed delightedly. ‘When did you last play bingo?’
‘I’m not very typical.’
Her black eyes narrowed. ‘Paul doesn’t give a damn about “social points of view”, so what’s his interest?’
Guessing that what he said would go back to Paul, Matthew decided not to give too damning an account of hismotives. ‘I imagine he’s hooked on the problems. A star having to seem original and be entirely typecast. A teasing problem for a detached mind.’
‘You mean some kind of game?’
Taken aback by her anger, Matthew did not answer.
She looked up sharply. ‘Would you ever have thought of making this programme if he hadn’t asked you to?’
‘Probably not. In my business one finds ideas where one can.’
‘And favours one’s friends?’
‘If his idea is as good as the next man’s, where’s the favour?’
Eleanor stared at the shafts of sunlight fanning-out through the slatted window blinds. ‘I suppose Paul stands to make pots of money out of Roy as a result of this film?’
‘I can’t see that mattering to Paul.’
She looked at him steadily. ‘Would it matter to you?’
‘Not in the least,’ he replied, certain that if she had noticed the Hobbema’s absence, Paul would not have told her where it had gone. ‘You see, if the film sells heaps of records for Roy, I’ll still only be paid my salary.’
She showed such scant interest in his reply, that Matthew was unsure whether she had really been implying that Paul had persuaded him to make the film by promising a share of the profits. She was still staring aimlessly at the drawers of a grey filing cabinet when she said, ‘Remember that time when we were finishing dinner – the night before Paul’s jokey evening ? You seemed so sure you wouldn’t do what he wanted.’
Matthew’s cheeks felt warm. ‘We all change our minds occasionally.’
Her lips were smiling but her eyes studied him intently. ‘Would it be awful of me to ask why you changed your mind.’
The silence started to get on his nerves. She was waiting; watching him with a half-amused, half-expectant expression. Why not tell her part of the truth? It’d cause Paul more difficulties than it’d cause him. Matthew said, ‘Have you ever noticed the way Paul thinks he’ll always get his own way? It was like that with the film … never crossed his mindthat he wouldn’t be calling the tune if we went ahead. So I thought why not try him and see. More of a challenge than refusing outright.’
She seemed bemused. ‘Aren’t you worried that I’ll tell him that?’
‘He knows already. Part of the fun for him … overcoming opposition.’
He noticed how pale and strained she had become. ‘And if it goes your way, he’ll end up looking a fool?’
Matthew shrugged. ‘Only if he is one. I want to tell the truth.’
She got up and walked towards the door. ‘You realize I’m going to try to stop
Though finding it ironic that she should have come to reproach him for instigating a project which Paul had dreamed-up, he managed to sound friendly as he said, ‘I really don’t intend to involve you.’
‘Anything that involves Paul involves me.’
Matthew smiled pleasantly. ‘I certainly don’t envisage making it a vehicle for Paul. Apart from Roy’s progress, it won’t be about personalities.’
‘Then what is it going to be about?’
‘Pop music,’ he replied, stung by her peremptory tone.
She looked at him with astonishment. ‘But it’s such awful trash.’
‘You think so?’
‘Don’t you? I mean the words are fatuous, the music’s bad. For idiots by idiots, if you ask me.’ She smiled. ‘Be honest … it’s nothing like your usual serious stuff.’
Too surprised by this cheerful onslaught to feel angry, Matthew told her that it was listened to by millions and therefore couldn’t be ‘negligible from a social point of view’. He frowned. ‘It’s as typical of average Britain as bingo and holiday camps.’
Eleanor laughed delightedly. ‘When did you last play bingo?’
‘I’m not very typical.’
Her black eyes narrowed. ‘Paul doesn’t give a damn about “social points of view”, so what’s his interest?’
Guessing that what he said would go back to Paul, Matthew decided not to give too damning an account of hismotives. ‘I imagine he’s hooked on the problems. A star having to seem original and be entirely typecast. A teasing problem for a detached mind.’
‘You mean some kind of game?’
Taken aback by her anger, Matthew did not answer.
She looked up sharply. ‘Would you ever have thought of making this programme if he hadn’t asked you to?’
‘Probably not. In my business one finds ideas where one can.’
‘And favours one’s friends?’
‘If his idea is as good as the next man’s, where’s the favour?’
Eleanor stared at the shafts of sunlight fanning-out through the slatted window blinds. ‘I suppose Paul stands to make pots of money out of Roy as a result of this film?’
‘I can’t see that mattering to Paul.’
She looked at him steadily. ‘Would it matter to you?’
‘Not in the least,’ he replied, certain that if she had noticed the Hobbema’s absence, Paul would not have told her where it had gone. ‘You see, if the film sells heaps of records for Roy, I’ll still only be paid my salary.’
She showed such scant interest in his reply, that Matthew was unsure whether she had really been implying that Paul had persuaded him to make the film by promising a share of the profits. She was still staring aimlessly at the drawers of a grey filing cabinet when she said, ‘Remember that time when we were finishing dinner – the night before Paul’s jokey evening ? You seemed so sure you wouldn’t do what he wanted.’
Matthew’s cheeks felt warm. ‘We all change our minds occasionally.’
Her lips were smiling but her eyes studied him intently. ‘Would it be awful of me to ask why you changed your mind.’
The silence started to get on his nerves. She was waiting; watching him with a half-amused, half-expectant expression. Why not tell her part of the truth? It’d cause Paul more difficulties than it’d cause him. Matthew said, ‘Have you ever noticed the way Paul thinks he’ll always get his own way? It was like that with the film … never crossed his mindthat he wouldn’t be calling the tune if we went ahead. So I thought why not try him and see. More of a challenge than refusing outright.’
She seemed bemused. ‘Aren’t you worried that I’ll tell him that?’
‘He knows already. Part of the fun for him … overcoming opposition.’
He noticed how pale and strained she had become. ‘And if it goes your way, he’ll end up looking a fool?’
Matthew shrugged. ‘Only if he is one. I want to tell the truth.’
She got up and walked towards the door. ‘You realize I’m going to try to stop
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