The Little One [Quick Read 2012] by Lynda La Plante Page B

photograph showed Margaret holding up a hand to shield her face from the camera. One report stated that she’d collapsed on set
while filming. Then came a series of screaming tabloid headlines:
    ‘Further Heartbreak as Star Loses Baby’
    ‘Actress Attempts Suicide’
    ‘More Tragedy for Star as TV Series Folds’
    Barbara read on and pie ced together the story. Clearly Margaret had left Harwood House after her miscarriage and suicide attempt. Viewing figures dropped week by week. Finally, to the
sadness of all the cast, the show was taken off.
    Barbara slammed shut her laptop and rang Mike Phillips. Even though he had just sacked her, this was too good an opportunity to miss.
    When Mike answered her call, he sounded surprised. He started to remind her that she no longer worked for the magazine, but Barbara interrupted him.
    ‘Listen, Mike, what if I could get hold of Margaret Reynolds? She’s the star from Harwood House . I may be able to come up with some inside information about the BBC bringing
back the show.’
    Mike hesitated and then said, ‘If you get some good material I might consider it. Only “might”, mind you.’
    ‘It could really be an amazing opening to my “Where Are They Now?” series. I could email you the list of all the other stars—’
    Mike stopped Barbara, telling her to produce the Margaret Reynolds piece first.
    ‘I’ve got Kevin Shorter to do the photographs,’ Barbara went on.
    ‘Well, he’s one of the best. Let me know how it pans out and I’ll make a final decision.’
    When she put down the phone Barbara was flushed with excitement. She could already imagine herself winning an award for Journalist of the Year. The fact that she had not contacted Margaret
Reynolds yet, and didn’t even know where the woman lived, was not important.
    She began to plan exactly how she would persuade Alan to take her to the surprise party.

 
Chapter Two
    Alan came home a little later with a Chinese takeaway for both of them. He laid out all the different cartons in the kitchen: crispy duck and pancakes, sweet and sour pork,
chicken with noodles. As he was taking plates from the dresser, Barbara smiled and then clapped her hands.
    ‘Of course, Alan! I recognize you now. It’s been bugging me since I got here.’
    Alan said nothing. Instead he opened a bottle of wine and handed Barbara a glass.
    ‘Weren’t you the butler in that series . . . Now, what was it called? It was brilliant.’
    ‘You mean Harwood House ?’
    ‘Yes! You were a butler and that amazing actress, what was her name . . . was it Margaret something?’
    ‘Yes, Margaret Reynolds. But that was over five years ago.’
    ‘No! Surely not five years?’
    Alan offered her chopsticks so she could help herself to the food.
    ‘Yes. And it’s funny you should mention that show and Margaret now. A few of the cast are arranging a surprise party for her.’
    ‘Oh, how extraordinary. I was such a fan and you were so good.’
    Barbara ate hungrily as Alan described how the show had ended and what had happened to Margaret. No sooner than she had dealt with the loss of her gorgeous husband her sister died in a car
crash.
    Barbara made all the right noises. The more she heard, the better it sounded for her article.
    Alan was flattered by all the attention. After dinner he showed Barbara a scrapbook of photographs
and reviews of him in many different roles. In fact, it was all rather boring for Barbara. She had to be very careful not to put too much emphasis on Harwood House and Margaret Reynolds.
    Luckily, Alan made things easy for her. He picked up the letter that Barbara had already read.
    ‘I got this last week. It’s from Felicity Wright, who was an actress in the show. Just imagine, Felicity and her husband bought an old cottage in Kent and now she’s seen
Margaret in the village.’
    ‘Good heavens,’ Barbara exclaimed. ‘What a coincidence.’
    Alan nodded.
    ‘She keeps a very low profile. Felicity doesn’t think