Free Lauren's Designs by Elizabeth Chater Page A

Lauren said briskly.” I am not going to marry Herbert Masen.”
    “Well, I’m glad. He’s a nerd.” Dani perused the menu crossly. She always seemed enraged that she had to stick with the diet that ensured her model’s thinness.
    Lauren herself wasn’t very hungry.
    While they sipped grapefruit juice, Dani said with an attempt at brightness, “You’ll want a rehearsal before Thursday, Ms. Rose. “We’ll have to—uh—synchronize our movements if there’s just the two of us to handle the show.”
    Lauren debated whether to tell Dani about the radical change of plan. The girl was honest and fairly loyal, but she had an unguarded tongue, which might easily wag in the wrong quarters. While Lauren was considering how much to tell, the model glanced around the table.
    “What happened to those actors or dancers or whatever they were? Did they get a different table?”
    “I think they prefer to eat a little later,” Lauren said vaguely.
    “Where does Mr. Masen eat? I’m surprised he doesn’t sit with you, if he thinks you’re going to get married.”
    “Herbert prefers to eat in one of the more elegant dining rooms. I’ve never seen him in here.”
    “I saw him last night, in the casino. He had his arm around a girl young enough to be his daughter. I’m glad you’re not going to marry that old creep. At his age, you’d think he’d have more sense.”
    “Don’t be too harsh on Herbert. It’s not easy to picture yourself worn out, of no more value.”
    Dani’s shudder was sincere. Her large eyes glazed with fear that was very personal.
    “Don’t worry, Dani,” her employer advised her.” You’re at the top of your profession. A good show on board the QE II will send your ratings up.”
    “Then we’ve got to make sure this one’s good,” Dani vowed. “When do we rehearse?”
    Lauren made up her mind. “Tomorrow morning, Dani. We’ll go right after breakfast.” She would check with Derek today, make sure he had things in hand, explain about the model’s sensitivity and how she must be made to feel important in order to do her best work. She was sure the Stranges and their group could handle one temperamental model. In fact, she’d like to seek them out right now and see how the choreography was coming along. She set out happily from the Tables of the World Restaurant, leaving Dani to finish her Sanka and the last sweet roll.
    Herbert was waiting for her outside the restaurant, glaring.
    Lauren beat him to the punch. “So, you’re living it up, Herbert. That was a very pretty child you had on your arm last night.”
    Herbert looked at her sourly. “Why didn’t you stop when I called you?”
    Lauren laughed.
    Herbert’s face got redder. “I looked for you at dinner, and at the Maartens show. Where were you?”
    “Minding,” Lauren said clearly, “my own business. You should try it sometime, Masen.”
    “Then you’d better watch that honcho you were running with,” he snapped. “That’s what I was trying to tell you last night. The guy’s taking you for a ride.”
    “Why should he? What have I got that he wants?” Lauren prodded. If Herbert knew something, she’d better find out what it was.
    Herbert was giving her his nasty smile. “Well, I don’t suppose he’d mind a roll in the hay. But you don’t even know who the guy is, or what he does for a living—if anything.”
    “His name is Michael, and he’s a talent scout.” It did seem rather bare, Lauren thought gloomily.
    “Never heard of him,” said Herbert. “If he’s not a crook, he’s some cheap gigolo living off foolish women—”
    “Then he must have been doing good business lately,” Lauren retorted. “I had the best dinner I’ve ever tasted in his suite last night. And you could have put my sitting room into one of his bathrooms.”
    “You had dinner in his suite?” Herbert’s eyes narrowed to slits. “What’s between you two? Making out on deck for anyone who walked past to see—”
    Lauren