Glamour by Louise Bagshawe Page A

Jane’s voice.
    “Does she have family there?” Helen, always practical, tried to process the information. “Maybe an uncle . . . a grandmother?”
    “Nobody. Her father never got along with them.”
    “Then who’s going to look after Jane?”
    Helen wandered in and both girls flopped down onto Sally’s huge California king bed with its silken Pratesi sheets.
    “I guess I am,” Sally said, finally. “She’s my best friend. I told her she can come live here, like in one of the guest cottages.We can afford it. . . .”
    “Her family will take care of the money, I’m sure. Won’t she inherit . . .”
    “No, that’s the thing.” Sally Lassiter wasn’t book-smart, but she had some of her father’s savvy.“It was all government stuff . . . dependent on her dad’s job. Now that’s gone, so’s everything else. She has no house . . . nothing.”
    “But her maid. Her driver . . .”
    “Helen, her dad didn’t really fall. It was suicide.” Sally dabbed at her red eyes. “He was embezzling . . . taking bribes. They said he passed info to the Chinese . . . who the ambassadors were meeting and when. Even what they said. He had a gambling habit.The Brits had him under surveillance . . . they told him last week they were going to let the U.S. try him. He’d have gone away for life. Maybe more.”
    “More?”
    “Treason. Spying carries the death penalty over here.”
    “Oh, God!” Helen cried out. “Poor Jane . . .”
    “Everything he did own will be forfeit to the Brits.”
    “But they’ll have to look after her. She’s still a legal child.”
    “I guess.” Sally mulled that over. “She didn’t sound like she wanted anything to do with them.”
    Helen bit her lip. “We’ll have to stay with her at school—all day.”
    Even with the party and Jane’s newfound beauty, Julie and the other bullies would see their chance now. No way could Helen let them snigger over her father’s death.
    “She’s not coming back to Miss Milton’s.” Sally rubbed her eyes; the thought of losing Jane, whom she felt like she’d known forever, the closest thing to a sister, was dreadful. “She says she never wants to see that school again. And you know what? I think she means it.”
    “Well, whatever she decides, we’ll be here.” Helen knew it sounded lame.“Maybe I could get a transfer to her new school . . . wherever the Brits decide to send her.”
    “Maybe.” Sally was anxious. She didn’t think Jane Morgan would want to go to any new school. “They might try to send her home. . . .”
    “This is her home,” Helen said stoutly. “L.A.” She looked at Sally, anxious. “My father . . . he booked a surprise vacation for the family. First-class tickets, to Cairo.” She blushed at even mentioning cost to Sally Lassiter. “For us that’s a lot of money. We are . . . going to visit some relatives and then going back to Jordan. I could ask Baba to cancel but I don’t think he’d go for it.” She shivered. “Will Jane be okay?”
    “Absolutely. She’ll be in Washington for a little while anyway. We’ll come by when y’all get back.” Sally was stout. “I can take care of Jane, don’t you worry.” She hugged her friend.“When are you coming home?”
    “Not sure. About a week, I guess.”
    “Okay.Y’all hurry back, you hear?”
    Sally smiled, but they were both on the verge of tears. There was no joy in vacations now, no joy in rehashing a fabulous party. Their dear Jane was hurting, and both the girls felt the wound with her.
     
     
    On the way back home, Helen thought of nothing but her friend. She was worried—extremely. What if Jane went off the rails? There was a strange streak to that girl. What if she wanted revenge . . . on the embassy . . . was that so crazy? Surely she wouldn’t think of killing herself. No. That was not Jane’s way. But Helen couldn’t blame her for not wanting to deal with the shame. School would be appalling. Who could handle Julie and her crowd’s