Death of a Beauty Queen Read Online Free Page B

should feel that way myself. It would never do. Only, how are you going to stop it? They’re both of age.’
    I will find a way. I will not have Leslie ruined – ruined body and soul,’ the other answered, with a slow concentrated force that had about it something almost terrifying. ‘That’s what it would mean,’ he added, more quietly. ‘I’ve seen it happen. I would give my own soul to make sure it does not happen to Leslie.’
    As always when he spoke of his son, his voice softened to gentleness, for the moment a sort of radiance surrounding him, though soon it passed, and soon he was his own stern self again.
    â€˜Oh, well,’ Sargent muttered, scared a little by the almost demoniacal energy that throbbed in the other’s tones, ‘there’s no need to worry. As a matter of fact, I happen to know Miss Mears has given him the chuck – I mean, she’s breaking off her friendship with him, completely and entirely.’
    â€˜With Leslie,’ repeated Mr Irwin, and something that was nearly a smile plucked momentarily at the corner of his mouth. He made a little gesture of incredulity with one hand – such a gesture as a man might make if he heard that another had refused a fortune. ‘She’ll never do that,’ he said slowly. ‘She may pretend, for her own purposes, but that’s all. I doubt he’ll never be safe while she’s alive – never. Only death will make him safe from her.’
    â€˜It’s through here,’ Sargent said, opening the door. He turned, and looked up suddenly at Irwin, who was some six or nine inches the taller. ‘Maybe you’re right,’ he said, ‘and death’s the only cure.’
    He had spoken with some energy. A stage-hand, who was passing, heard, and turned to stare. Sargent saw him, and shouted angrily:
    â€˜You, there, get on with your job, can’t you?’
    The man vanished in a scutter, and Sargent said morosely: ‘They spend half their time yarning and gossiping instead of working. Come this way, Mr Irwin.’

CHAPTER THREE
‘Behind’
    Paul Irwin had never since his childhood been in any place of public entertainment – museums excepted, if they come within the terms of the definition – and never even in his wildest imaginings had he supposed that one day he would find himself behind the scenes of a theatre or a cinema.
    He had no idea, therefore, that what he was now witnessing was not entirely normal, or that in the ordinary way activity ‘behind’ is as disciplined, controlled, and regular as that in any warehouse or office, all present knowing their jobs and intent only on carrying them out.
    That every corridor should be swarming with excited girls; that rushing about in every direction should be equally excited relatives and friends; that a bewildered stage-doorkeeper should have given up all efforts to keep out unauthorised persons without legitimate reasons for claiming entry, since while he was arguing with one man, who might prove to be the father of a competitor bringing her some fal-lal she had to have or die upon the spot, various others on equally important errands, or on no errands at all, would be dashing wildly by; that girls in smart evening dresses that Paul took for undress, and girls in undress he hoped was smart evening attire, should be darting in and out of overcrowded dressing-rooms sometimes as many as a dozen had to share since there was nothing like enough accommodation for such a tribe of competitors – all this he supposed to be quite normal. He had no idea, even, that the confusion and the excitement were growing worse every minute, for, by now, Wood, the door-keeper, had finally thrown in his hand, and was complaining bitterly to a crony of the opprobrious epithets heaped upon him by a young man he had endeavoured to eject in the belief that he was a mere intruder, but who had turned out to be Roy