As it happened the question didn’t arise. When she phoned him he said,
“I can’t anyway. It’s the night before my show is opening.”
“Oh yes of course! I’m going!” She bit the words back, but too late. She was going because he’d invited her. But as Isabel.
“I’ll be far too psyched up. Anyway it’s rehearsals all day.”
At least he didn’t seem to have noticed a give-away mistake.
Some days later she was phoned by Eve Arnot, who said,
“I know I’m due for another strip with you. I’ve heard how successful your Benediction act was. I appear there too sometimes. I’m willing to make it a double.”
Once, a double with Eve was Isabel’s great ambition. Now her immediate feeling was that she didn’t want someone diluting her act. She wanted the audience’s attention on her, undiminished. She felt as
