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First published in Great Britain by HarperImpulse 2014
Copyright © Georgia Hill 2014
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This novel is entirely a work of fiction.
The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are
the work of the authorâs imagination. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is
entirely coincidental.
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Ebook Edition © September 2014
ISBN: 9780007562190
Version 2018-05-03
Digital eFirst: Automatically produced by Atomik ePublisher from Easypress.
âIâve danced the Charleston at many a party, although I hasten to add Iâm far too young to remember the dance in its heyday. One can dance it on oneâs own â but itâs far more fun with a partner. As are most things!â Dame Venetia Denning, actor.
Step One.
Meredith left the stage in a kind of quiet despair. There must be more to life than this, she thought, towelling the perspiration off her brow. Once again, sheâd died. Once again, the jokes sheâd thought so funny when hunched over the laptop had raised hardly a giggle from a live audience.
âNot so good tonight then, Merry?â Del, the owner of The Last Laugh Comedy Club, caught up with her in the grubby excuse for a dressing room. He gave her a sympathetic smile.
âIâm really sorry, Del. I thought the stuff about being a ginger would go down a storm with them.â
Del laughed. âYouâre so not ginger. Post-Christmas itâs always a bit flat,â he offered as explanation. âPeople are partied out. And there arenât enough students, and not enough booze in the ones who are here. This lot just want cheap mother-in-law gags.â
They stopped and listened as the crowd rallied out of its stupor to greet Fred Loss, their favourite and a stalwart of the club.
âAt least heâll get a laugh,â Meredith bit out.
âI donât know what it is, Merry. I think youâre really funny, always have.â Del looked her up and down and raised his eyebrows. âPerhaps itâs your obvious assets.â
Merry put her hands over her not inconsiderable bosom. âWhat, flatten myself down?â She tugged at a lock of auburn hair despondently. âShave my head? And Iâve tried every diet known to man â and woman.â She looked down at herself. âIâm just built to be curvy.â
Del blew out a breath. âItâs always tough on women in this business and even harder if youâre an attractive one. People say they donât find beautiful women funny.â He shrugged apologetically. âAs I said, I find you hilarious, but then I know you. Look Merry, I donât know how to say this.â Del rubbed a hand over his face, embarrassed.
Meredith put up her hands in surrender. âDonât worry Del, Iâll spare you the speech. I quit.â
âWell, itâs thatâ¦â Del began.
âI know. I know. If the comic isnât funny, the audience goes home.â
âAnd stays home.â Del finished miserably.
âYouâve given me a chance in a lifetime. More than a chance. I canât thank you enough.â Merry gave a tight smile.
The club owner grinned sheepishly. âGive my love to your aunt wonât you? Fancy a drink later?â
Merry shook her head. âNo, Iâm shattered. Going home. Iâll make sure I give your regards to Venetia.â
Merry watched as Del hurried out of the door of the tiny room, towards the bar, clearly relieved he hadnât had to actually sack her. It had been his relationship with her aunt Venetia that had got her the job in the first place. Venetia had called in a favour from Del. Sheâd known him, when heâd been a die-hard Goth, back in their wild partying days. Venetia, now a respectable Dame and doyenne of stage and screen, was terrifyingly bossy. Few dared to say ânoâ to her and live, or at least survive professionally.
âWell,â said an annoyingly persistent voice in Merryâs head, âIâll have to ring her up and admit Iâve failed. Again.â She picked up her bag, hunted for her bottle of water and drank deeply. Once her thirst had been satisfied, she stuffed her things into her rucksack and swung it onto her shoulder. Giving a last affectionate glance around the cramped dressing room, she called goodbye to one or two people through the murk in the club and went out into the unwelcoming night.