"I don't think anyone's watching the building." " Not yet, anyway." " Not yet, no." "Better keep away from the window, just in case." "Think you can sleep?" "I don't know." "Usually I can sleep anywhere, but tonight I'm not sure." "Ah, so you're not as calm as you look." "Thank God for that." "You were beginning to make me nervous." "Where are you going?" "I was gonna try and find something for us to eat." "Then I've got to work out a way of getting you out of the country." "I'm gonna make you the number-one band in Britain." "Mr Masterson asked if I'd clear this up." "What a mess." "I was so clumsy last night." "Goodness knows what people must think." "Mr Masterson's having a picnic." "You really must join us." " ls anybody sitting here?" " No." "By all means." "I'm very ambitious, Louis." "So should you be." "You think I'm not?" "She's incredible, isn't she?" "Do you think she'll ever like me?" "I need to find something to really impress her." "Mr HoIt is a British citizen." "The deadline cannot be extended." "Nor is there any other process of appeal." "That important telephone call is taking place as we speak." "I do hope you will be here to entertain your future king." "When do we get the cake, Mummy?" "It must be time for the cake." "Where is the cake?" " Where is the cake?" " Listen to the funny music." "It's a very nice cake, Mummy, but why haven't the band got those black and white faces?" "You said they would have black and white faces." "Louis!" " What are you doing here?" " Some business with Mr Schlesinger." " That's not much of a greeting." " You're the last person I want to see." " What have I done?" " Exactly, Stanley." "You've done nothing." " Remind me what I was meant to be doing." " Don't try that." "You know perfectly well." "We're without a manager still - l have to do that" " and we're playing children's birthday parties." "You're still the top featured band in this hotel." "And, of course, no-one's gonna get deported while you're here." "We've not been on the wireless or made a record yet." "Someone boasted they could make us the number one band in Britain." "And I will. I haven't changed my mind about that, but these things take time." "I thought it's what you believed in, Louis, things taking time." " Mind you, I like seeing you a bit impatient." " Oh, you do?" "I'd better not." " Not after what happened to Wesley." " Yes, and that's the most serious, of course." " l still don't know what really went on." " How do you mean?" "I don't know why he was thrown out of the country." "Mr Donaldson said he was handling everything." "He lied." "That's a serious charge, Louis." "Do you want the opportunity to say it to his face?" "So you wanted to see me, Mr Lester." "Yes, I did." "Very much." "The bar is closed." "But perhaps I can use my influence, as it's almost the legal hour," " and get you a glass of wine." " No, thank you." " l don't need anything." " Except to know if I lied to you." "Whether I ever really tried to stop your friend from being deported." " You'd like to know that, wouldn't you?" " l would, yes." "Sometimes one overstates what one can do." "Maybe out of arrogance, or a desire to please." "It is a terrible thing to suddenly be thrown out of the country." "It is, yes." "And I don't know what happened to him, and I probably never will." "And now you have no manager, and you're stuck playing in this old place." "Well, it's good to have a regular job, of course." "But after the Prince of Wales heard us play, and all that excitement..." "You were going to be making records?" " You were going to be on the wireless?" " Yes, I did think that." "Trouble is, Mr Lester, the people in charge of these places are quite unbelievably conservative." "Sir John Reith, for instance, at the BBC, detests jazz music." " So it's never going to happen, then." " Mr Lester, I'm a man of leisure who is addicted to the new." "Whose chief excitement in life is spotting and encouraging new talent." "I do want to help you." "Will you let me do that?" "It depends in what way." "I've actually come with a request right now." "Lady Cremone, an old friend of mine, would like you to play at a funeral." "To play at a funeral?" "And that's going to help us?" "Yes." " Whose funeral is it?" " Her estate manager." "She's a very interesting woman, Lavinia." "We tend to get excited about the same things." "She's become a bit of a recluse recently." "She lives in an appalling remote spot." "You will be staying in her house." "But that's no guarantee you will get to meet her." "But if you do, Mr Lester, she is someone who knows even more important people than I do." "Stanley will be going to the funeral to try to get to meet her, and so will Sarah." "Lord,leadme on" "Lord,leadme on" "Guidemeon my finaljourney" "Leadmeon" "Lord,leadme on" "Oh, Mr Lester." "I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming all this way and..." "and playing for Charlie." " l'm delighted to be here, ma'am." " He would be so thrilled." "He is so thrilled." "He had all the latest gramophone records sent over from America." "Yes, he did." "There's one in his coffin now." "There is." "You will come and play for everybody later?" "Please. I know they would so like that." "Oh, do say yes." " Do I dare?" " Dare what?" "Do I dare run over there?" " l don't know what's stopping you, Stanley." " You're right." "Your ladyship, forgive me." "I just wanted to introduce myself." "I'm Stanley Mitchell." "I'm friends with the musicians." " Are you a journalist?" " Blimey. ls it that obvious, is it?" " Yes, er, yes, I am." " l have nothing against journalists." "I just never talk to them." "And certainly not at funerals." "Of course. I understand that." "But, er, actually, we might bump into each other later on because you're kindly allowing the band to stay on your estate." "And well, um..." "I've always wanted to meet you." "And just in case we run into each other later on, I just thought I'd say hello." "And now you have done it." "And at considerable length." "Oh, I don't expect it would mean anything to you, but, er, I'm deputy editor and chief writer for Music Express." "Are you, Mr Mitchell?" "How very interesting." "Why don't you come for tea at four o'clock?" "You and the band leader, Mr Lester." "Did she invite me too, do you think, to tea?" " Of course." "You know her, anyway." " l don't know her." "I photographed her once in London." "She didn't like that very much." "Here goes." "This was the perfect funeral for Charlie." "I know there is the view that your kind of music can only appeal to a very small audience, but we saw just now in the village how all sorts of people can respond." "You're absolutely right, your ladyship." "I'm sure you're wondering if I know anything about music, your music," " someone of my age." " l wasn't wondering that." "Mr Mitchell, if you would be so kind..." "Over there, on the second shelf, where you see the red binders." "Blimey!" "I don't believe it." "Bound copies...of Music Express." "I've never seen that in somebody else's house before." "Of course not. I don't suppose anyone else would be mad enough." "I know what I'm about to say is very stupid." "Well, what is it, Mr Mitchell?" "You wouldn't...you wouldn't, would you?" "Let me interview you, now?" "I've always wanted to interview you." "That would depend on the quality of the questions." "Sarah, Louis, you want to go and have a look at the garden, don't you?" "Stanley!" "He's incorrigible!" "He's such a rogue!" "Don't change your mind." " l think I've already changed my mind." " No, no, you can't." " l hate talking about myself." "I always have." "I'm gonna say "is it true?" And you're gonna agree." "Or rather, if you'd be so kind as to agree or not." "And I'm gonna see how many I can get away with before you stop me." "is it true... ..Noel Coward sends you all of his plays to read before he puts them on?" "Yes." "It is true that you told MGM to sign Greta" "Garbo after you saw her in a Swedish film?" "Well, when I was living in America, I spent time both in New York and Los Angeles, so I met all sorts of people." "Some of them were in the film business, and sometimes they asked for my opinion." "I'm gonna say that's true, then." "This must be the memorial garden for her sons." "All three of her sons were killed in the war." " All three?" "That's terrible." " Yes." "How do you get over something like that?" " Are your parents still alive, Louis?" " No, they're not." "My father did fight in the war, but he didn't die in it." "Yes, there were coloured soldiers, Sarah." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look so surprised." "I'd just never heard of that before." " Of course there must have been." " Yes." "He survived the war, my dad, but both my parents died in the flu epidemic." "It happened very quickly." " What did you do?" " That's when I started travelling." "I went to all sorts of places." "I spent time in Paris, playing in bars." "Time in New York, and a lot of time on the ocean liners, as you know." " So you've seen more of the world than I have." " Yes." "is it true that you've been trying very hard to get different things played on the wireless, a more exciting repertoire, especially jazz music?" "But I've been extremely unsuccessful so far." "Now, Mr Mitchell, this has got to stop." "It's been oddly enjoyable, but that's quite enough." "Just one more, please." "is it true that famous artists have trekked across the world to see you," " just turned up on your doorstep?" " That is not true." " Are you sure?" " lt is not true, Mr Mitchell." "Now, shall we?" "But could somebody come here, almost by accident, who was extraordinary, and then you'd want to see them properly?" " You mean the Louis Lester Band?" " And the singer, Jessie." "Ah, that young girl?" "Yes, I saw her sing at the funeral." "Yes, but you were an awfully long way away." "Can she sing again for you in the morning?" "You too?" "Oh, my God, it's freezing, isn't it?" "It's so cold." "We just had to have some tea." "Yes, I don't think I've been this cold in my life." "Perfect." "Right, I'm gonna go back with this, see if I can make it through the night." "Cheerio." "Isn't it funny?" "A lady with such modern taste and her house is this cold." "And it creaks, too." "That's a bit warmer, isn't it?" "I think she might be awake, so best not to...take any chances." "Night-night." " We're not late, are we, your ladyship?" " No, no." "Any time during my breakfast will do." "So, my child, would you like to sing something for me?" "I'll try, yes." "Windblowsroundthe steeple" "Emptyworldandsleepypeople Ilieawakeand listen" "Forthemidnighttraina-whistlin'" "What's the matter, child?" "I don't think Jessie's ever seen an artichoke before." "Have you not, my dear?" "Well, then you must have one." "Of course." "At once." "That's very good, your ladyship." "Hold it like that." " Did she say anything about Jessie?" " No, not a thing." "Are there going to be many more of these?" " l'm beginning to wonder why I agreed to it." " Just one or two more." " Have we done ourselves any good?" "It's hard to tell." "I really don't know what she is doing on the cover." "Lady Cremone?" "Course I've heard of her, I know who she is, but she's not a band leader, she's not a musician of any sort." " What on earth is she doing on the cover?" " You agreed to it, Mr Wax." "I don't believe I did, Stanley." "You must have misheard me." "And yet again, there is an article on the Louis Lester Band." "I've lost count of the number of your articles on them." "They'll be the biggest band in Britain and we will have helped create them." "There he goes again." "He's always exaggerating." "Stanley, you make me laugh with all your claims, you really do." " Do you think I'm exaggerating?" " Maybe." " Mr Wax is right, you often do." " You're still angry with me, Rosie, aren't you?" "No. I know what to expect from you, Stanley." "After all, I've seen enough of it over the last two years." " Quite enough." " You're not quitting, are you?" "Of course not. I know this magazine's going to really grow, and soon you won't be able to write it all yourself." "You'll be looking round for another writer, and there'll be one right here in this office." " Won't there?" " And so there will, Rosie." "There you are!" "I just dropped by to give you this." "These are for you, Jessie." "Oh...thank you, Mr Luscombe." "They're beautiful." "And these...are...for...you." " For me?" " Yes. I meant to get them the same size." " Don't worry about that, they're lovely." " Look at this room." "No, I won't come in, thank you." " This room isn't nearly good enough." " We love this room." "It's the best room I've ever slept in." "No, no, no." "I would like to arrange something better for you both." "I can do it easily." "No, please don't." "We're really happy here." "Please don't, Mr Luscombe." "Oh, well if you don't want me to, then I won't." "Soon, of course, you'll be staying in the biggest suites in the most fashionable hotels" " all across the world." " That's not going to happen, Mr Luscombe." "Oh, yes." "And people are going to be crossing the" "Atlantic just to attend one of your concerts." "They'll wait for nights in the street just to get a glance of you as you drive away in a car." "You mustn't do this, Mr Luscombe." "And when you go abroad, even to the most faraway places, people will come running out of their houses into the streets, calling your name and...blowing kisses." "Julian!" "I can't believe it." "He's found me, even up here." "Julian!" " lt's my employer." " Julian!" "Excuse me." " You have to go?" " Mm." ""This is a call to arms." "The audience are crying out for more exciting music on the wireless and this has to be delivered now." "They're being fed a tired and endlessly familiar diet of the same bands." What do you think, Mick?" " Quite strong stuff, Mr Mitchell." " Damn right." ""Listeners will switch off or hunt with their dials to find more exciting sounds which are readily available from the rival stations abroad."" " Oh, it's you!" " Oh, it's me, yes." "Give this to Rosie, tell her to take a look at it and see if she approves." "Sorry, you...you took me by surprise." "Don't worry." "Most people don't say, "Oh, it's you!" when they see me," " so I suppose you can." " l'm just a little behind is all." " l'm interrupting." "Forgive me." " No, you're not." "I'm always behind and, er, well, I always catch up." " l'm very glad to see you." " l'm glad to see you too, Stanley." "Please." "I think about you, every week when I read your magazine." " You think about me once a week?" "is that all?" " Yes." "But that's quite good, isn't it?" "I know you think I'm not really interested in your magazine." " Did I ever say that?" " No, but you think it." "I have noticed a few things." "It's changing, isn't it?" "It's getting more political." "I wouldn't go that far." "I still have to get it past Wax." "But you're sneaking more and more things in." "Like... ..Farquhar and Tonk running a soup kitchen." "That's right." "We managed to get that past Mr Wax." "You'll laugh but, as it happens," " l know what it's like to be hungry." " You do?" "You don't have to look quite so serious, Stanley." "I starved myself for ten days a couple of years ago." "I could say it was to try and understand what it's like to be really hungry, but actually I was just trying to shock my parents who are quite the dullest people in England." "Don't say anything to that, Stanley." "Probably best I don't say anything, no." "So now you can put me in this cartoon, looking like a skeleton, mad eyes popping out, dressed in a ball gown with a coronet on my head." " You think I'd do that?" " Yes, Stanley, I really think you would." "There's a telephone call for you, Mr Mitchell." "Yes!" "I'm coming." " Hello?" " l'm on the cover of your magazine, Mr Mitchell." " You never said you were going to do that." " Too good an opportunity to miss." " l hope you don't mind." " Well, it's an extraordinary thing to do." "I'm not a performer." "Who wants to see what I Iook like?" "More people than you think." "I should be furious with you." "In fact, I am furious with you, but that's not why I'm ringing you." "I have another reason." "Something a little more interesting." "I've had a notion, Mr Mitchell." "Hello, Louis." " You won't like what I'm about to say at all." " Same as most days, then." "You got to go back to that basement club where we first met." " Says who?" " Says me." "You're gonna play the most important session of your life." " Deirdre, you look magnificent." " Thank you, Stanley." "Don't often get a chance to dress up like this." "I hate to say this, Deirdre, but you've got to clean this place." "It's been cleaned!" "What do you think I've been doing?" "We're not leaving anything to chance." "Mr Lester!" "Mr Masterson needs to see you." "I can't see him tonight, Harry, it's our night off, we've a booking elsewhere." "Mr Masterson indicated it was rather urgent." "Come in, Mr Lester, come in." "You've been here before, of course." "I have, yes." "I like this suite." "There are even bigger suites in the hotel, but I'm fond of this one." "When you've seen as many hotel rooms as I have, you get a feeling for one that fits." "Yes, you may have heard about my interest in gold, Mr Lester, keeping it close." "You can think you've covered every possible eventuality, how things can go wrong, but you never have." "There will always be something that comes up from behind and tries to destroy everything one's created." "Not matter how powerful one's position appears to be." "So, one has to be prepared." "I like to know I can fight back." "Mr Masterson, I have an urgent engagement tonight, so if we could..." " Julian will be at the club tonight, won't he?" " l don't know who'll be there." "We've not been given the guest list." "Would you just tell Julian not to worry?" "I've completely taken care of it." "And would you give him this?" "You will remember, won't you?" "I will, yes. I really must go." " lf you were wondering..." " l wasn't wondering." "It's a little debt I've taken care of." "You will tell him that, and give him the envelope?" " Where the hell have you been?" " Something came up." " Give me your coat." " Are you mad?" " This is the one time you couldn't be late." " ls it that full?" "Louis." "Louis, let me look at you." "Um..." "Your Royal Highness, I'm so sorry I'm so late." " Something happened and I..." " Please, Mr Lester." "You're here now." "That's what matters." " You nearly disrupted the whole plan, Louis." " lt's the most delightful plan." "No, no, no!" "What are you doing?" "Has no-one told him?" "We're not starting yet." "You need to be brisk!" "You took so long on your pudding." "I've never been to a club like this." "We usually send junior staff to these places." "We don't even do that now." "There you are, the last ones." "Please hurry." "Hurry?" "She's not going to stop us getting a drink, is she?" "Bar's closed." "Maybe you've met His Royal Highness Prince George before." "This is Mr Boxley, from His Master's Voice Recording Company, and Mr Hardiman from the BBC." "Your Royal Highness, please accept our apologies." "I'm most dreadfully sorry for being so late." " We'd no idea..." " No idea at all, no." "Lady Cremone didn't warn us." "Please accept my abject apologies." " l-l didn't have an inkling." " Not an inkling, no." "It's very rude to be late." "I'm never late." "And now it's raining." "Let me apologise again, sir." "Please, why don't we stop these apologies and listen to the music?" "That's why we're here, isn't it?" "Don't let the rain put you off." "Myman'sgoneaway" "Leftmefeelingblue" "Nogoodtryingtochasehim" "Coshe'srunstraightback toyou" "Sayshedoesn'tloveyou" "Thoughhe'llstick through thick and thin" "Hefeltlovefor the likesofme" "BecauseI don'twearhis ring" "Idon'tknowwhy Ilove him Ishouldquitand startagain" "Butthere'san arrowthroughmyheart" "Saysheain'tlikeothermen I'vegotthoselovelornblues I'vegotthoselovelorn" "Blues" "Truckin'alongandI'm happytoseeyou" "Ain'trightor wrongifI do orIdon't I'mholdin'on for a dance at the Voodoo" "Crazyinamoodforlove" "Neversayyouwon 'tbeleaving" "Youcanbuymetime andteasing" "Youcanshowmeways ofpleasing" "Crazyinamoodforlove" "Crazyinloveand  I'm lookin' to make it" "Thisisachanceand I'm going to take it..." "So far so good." "My hands are shaking." " l've never seen you nervous before, Stanley." " lt is a fairly unusual audience, Deirdre." "Icanshowyou waysofpleasing" "Crazyinamoodforlove" "Crazyinlove,crazyinlove" "Crazyinamoodforlove" "Marvellous!" "Absolutely marvellous!" "Wouldn't you agree, Mr Boxley and Mr Hardiman?" "Yes, Your Royal Highness." "And you, Mr Hardiman." "Just right for the wireless, is it not?" "Lavinia, I think that can be counted as a triumph." "Let's hope so." "Poor little chickens." "They look so mortified still." "It's just like one of your cartoons come to life, isn't it, Stanley?" "Except it's a little sexier." "You sang wonderfully, my dear." "All those important people, and they were so close!" "Well, I'm not used to crowds either, so I am holding on tight." "Ah, Mr Lester." "It's been nice talking to you." "Your Royal Highness." "Mr Lester, we must get to know each other a little better." "That would be an honour, Your Royal Highness." "D-Do you mean that?" "Of course I do, sir." "Well, I wonder when we can do this." "I'm going to be here a little while longer yet, but then maybe we can move on to some...other place of entertainment." "Or whatever takes one's fancy." "Look at those poor fellows." "Shall we put them out of their misery?" "They cannot leave until I do, that's protocol, but we've tortured them long enough." "Mr Boxley and Mr Hardiman, you don't need to be here any longer than you want to be." "Oh, no, Your Royal Highness, we're enjoying ourselves greatly." " We've no wish to leave." " But I know you want to make telephone calls in private to your superiors about tonight." "I shan't be a moment." "You go, too." "Go now." "I'll grab another taxi." "Best to slip away before the prince gets too interested." "That's unless, of course, you want that, Louis." "Let's go to the hotel." "God, no, he'll probably follow you there." "Hang on." "Here's the keys to Music Express." "There's nobody there." "It's the one place in London he won't think to follow you." "Look at them!" "They won't be able to sleep all week because of tonight, the embarrassment of it all." " They're going to wake up screaming." " l hope so." "You know, Mr Hardiman has to introduce the bands sometimes from the wireless himself." " lt'd be so funny if he had to do that for you." " God, I forgot Julian." " l forgot to give him the message!" " What about Julian?" "I have to do this. I said I would." "I won't be a moment." "Julian, I have a message for you from Mr Masterson." " When did he give it to you?" " Tonight." "He says everything is taken care of." "I think that's what he said." "He did, did he?" "You got soaked for me." "My heartfelt thanks, Louis, my dear friend." "All is right with the world." "I knew it would be, but sometimes you never know." " Everything all right?" " Yes." "Let's go." " Let's go now." " Yes, before they come after us." "The prince and his courtiers." "This is exciting." "I've never been allowed in Stanley's domain before." "There are some terrific photographs in here." "Everything that's ever interested Stanley is right here." "This room is like being inside his brain." "A toothbrush." "And a vest." "Yes, I think this is the nearest Stanley gets to a home." "I don't think he has a proper house or flat at all." "Sleeps here, or at his mother's, or he doesn't sleep at all." "He's got my photos up!" "He asked me for some big copies but I thought he was just being polite." "I didn't realise they'd be on display." "You know they slept together." "On the train." " Pamela and Stanley." " They didn't." " l didn't know that." "Are you sure?" " Yes." "But I don't know what's happened since." "You couldn't get two more different people, could you?" "And here are all the others about to play havoc with the band." "Don't say that. I told you, it's all real, their enthusiasm." "They absolutely love your music." "And so do I." " What on earth is that?" " lt could be another earthquake." "Don't laugh." "There was an earthquake in London last year." "It was quite bad, actually." "What an incredible storm!" "We have to go out in that." "Can't let the chance go." "We'll never forgive ourselves." "Come on." "It feels amazing!" "Come on, everyone!" "My dear brother, always so quiet and well behaved." " Your Royal Highness, you must come too!" " Oh..." "Yes, come on!" "Please, come, come, come." "He's right. lt's not the sort of thing one gets a chance to do every day." "There you are!" "Royalty in a hail storm." "Oh, it's amazing being here tonight, isn't it?" "Come on, Arthur, you're next." "Last chance to be young." "What's the matter, Sarah?" "It's just a little strange, being watched by all of them." " Well, I could take them all down." " No, you don't." "They're my photographs, remember?" "On second thoughts, I can easily cope with them." "For God's sake, stop fussing!" "I will survive, don't worry." "Why don't you sing for us, Jessie?" "Yes." "That would warm us up." " Sing like this?" " Yes, please, that would be nice." "Especially as Mr Lester has deserted us." "Well, of course, Your Royal Highness." "TherewasatimeIfeltsolow" "Eachdaywastough,itscaredme" "DidnotbelievethatIcould live" "Lifemyway" "WhenI cameto ,my mindwas clear" "Saidmygoodbyesand shedatear" "Thingswillneverbethesameagain" "Myheadup high Icameto town" "Andlearntto lovealittle" "Youshowedme howtoplay thegame" "ThatI succeedalittle" "NowI candreamaboutus" "HighasIcan go I'mjuston top" "Oftheworld" "Jessie!" "It's in the shops now." "Have you seen it?" "But you've bought so many of them, Mr Luscombe." "I just thought I'd help it along a little." "Not that it'll need it, of course." "Now, will you come for a spin?" "I'montopoftheworld  I'montopoftheworld  I'mjuston topoftheworld" "Therewasatime" "Ifeltso low" "Eachdaywastough..." "Don't laugh, but I've been imagining for a long time playing your record for the first time in this spot, with you sitting opposite me." "Why would I laugh?" "I'd never laugh at that." "Good." "Then don't laugh at this either." "You have to say yes." "That car is a present." "I bought it for you." "Mr Luscombe, you didn't." " But I can't drive." " l'll teach you." "And Louis can use it too." "Say you'll keep it?" "Please, say yes." "Yes!" "I like this edition." "I had a feeling about this Louis Lester Band." "I always said put them on the cover, didn't I?" "I knew they'd become a big news story." "And now, coming directly from the imperial hotel, London, for the first time ever on the wireless, we are delighted to present the Louis Lester Band." "One, two, one, two, three, four." "AllmylifeI'vebeen somebody" "Allfiredup andnot nobody" "Shoutitloud,beatthecrowd" "Thisgirl'sgoingfar" "blowJoeblow,don 'tyou know" "I'mgonnabe astar" "What do you think, Mum?" "You think she can sing?" "Very nice, dear." "They always manage to find such good new singers on the wireless, don't they?" "When they listen to me, they do." "I tried everything to get this band on the wireless." "Of course, dear." "But they do know best in the end, don't they?" "YouoncetoldmeI wasworth nothin', now I realise you were just bluffin'" "Strutmystuff,Idon'tsaymaybe" "Looksthatkill,he'snotmybaby" "Stay for this." "She's such a good young singer." "Take a seat, please, and listen." "Shoutitloud,headupproud" "Thisgirl'sgoingfar" "BlowJoeBlow,let 'em know I'mgonnabe astar" "Bravo!" "Bravo!" "Ladies, are you about to leave the hotel for the day?" "Yes, Mr Schlesinger." "Well, if you wish to, and only if you wish to, you may use the front entrance from now on." "Miss Taylor!" "Can I have your autograph?" "Can I have your autograph too, please, Miss Taylor?" "Make it out to Julian." "I was jealous of all these people wanting your signature." "Didn't I tell you this would happen?" "Now, will you come to lunch with me?" "Let's talk about movies, and the possibilities for you there." "I've been hearing some interesting things." "Mr Schlesinger?" "Nathan. lt's time you started calling me Nathan, Mr Lester." "Of course." "And, er, do call me Louis, Nathan." "I've just been reading another article about you, Louis." "This time in the Melody Maker." " l'm losing count of how many there've been. - l'm not." "I have some good news for you." "You're received another royal summons." "From the Prince of Wales." "And it's a rather surprising invitation, Louis." "To play at an RAF dinner, which he's attending in his role as Air Marshal." "He's a bit of a pilot, you know, a bit of a flyer." "I almost wish I could come." "Jessie!" "Excuse me." "Jessie!" "Jessie!" "Interesting news." "The Prince of Wales wants us to play again." " That's nice." " That's nice?" "That's all?" "Yes, well, he liked us before, so he'll like us again, won't he?" "Jessie!" "Jessie, something awful's happened." "I had this cleaned for the Prince of Wales tonight, but they've made a mark on it and it won't come out." "I haven't got anything else good enough." " What's the matter with you?" " l'm not feeling well." "I'm not going to be able to sing tonight." "What?" "You..." "You've got to." "It's the Prince of Wales." "You have to!" "I can't. I'm not well." "You can do it instead." "You know you're able to, Carla." "Stanley, you are marvellously on time." "Of course I am." "Because I'm excited." "Excited by what, Stanley?" "Well, about having tea with you, of course." "And seeing you here in London again." "I'm here to see the opening of a play I put money into." "Mr Masterson is accompanying me." " He's an interesting fellow, isn't he?" " He is indeed." "And I thought I'd wish the band good luck for tonight." "Their evening with the Prince of Wales and the Royal Air Force." "What an extraordinary occasion that's going to be." "Talking of which, I've brought you the Christmas edition of Music Express." "Hot off the press." "Thank you very much for that." "A perfect present." " lt's tremendous what you've made happen." " What I've made happen?" "Yes." "For the band." "The success they're having." "Well, it really helped that everybody was trapped in the club by the storm." "Yes, but you laid that on, too, didn't you?" "You can do anything." "Oh, you flatterer." "Of course, I think I had something to do with it, too." " You most certainly have." " But I couldn't have done it without you." "So, thank you." "I feel that my sons would have loved their music very much." "You know, Stanley, all my energy for seeking out new things, for discovering the next new exciting voice..." "..is still all about me dealing with grief, really." "Even after 1 5 years, it doesn't seem to be getting any less." "And obviously at, er, Christmas..." "..one feels... I'm sorry." "Thank you, my dear." "Lavinia." "Here we all are to wish you a happy Christmas." "And, of course, to wave the band off on their big day." " What do you mean you can't sing?" " l'm not well." "Carla can do all the songs instead of me." "They won't notice the difference." "Don't be ridiculous!" "This is for the Prince of Wales!" "Well, I can't sing tonight." "I have a fever." "I have to go to bed now." "Where do you think you're going?" "Jessie!" "I haven't finished with you yet!" "Have you seen a doctor?" "They called a doctor for me." "I have a temperature." " lf l find out..." " Find out what?" " That you're going out tonight..." " l'm not going out tonight." "Of course I'm not." "If you're going out with Mr Luscombe, or anybody else..." "Why would I do that?" "I'm ill." "That's all it is." "is it?" "You start getting a little attention and then this happens." " l'm really disappointed in you, Jessie." " Disappointed in me?" " Because I'm ill?" " She is ill, Louis, I promise." "You'd better be." "If I discover that you left the hotel for a single moment tonight, you may not have a job with the band any more!" "Mr Lester!" "Mr Donaldson and his party are downstairs, and it's not long till the time of departure." "You won't find that I've left the hotel, or even left my room." "I promise you I won't, Louis." "Why don't you take our car to the air base?" "Have a good spin in that and all your anger will go away." "Good luck, Louis." "I'd give anything to be there too." "To take pictures of you playing to all those military types." "Yes, well, let's hope we get away with it without Jessie." "You will." "Hey!" "Make sure you send our love to His Royal Highness!" "I do hope they manage without Jessie." "Yes. lt's a pity she can't go, isn't it?" "I wondered where everybody was." "Nobody seemed able to tell me." " l'm waiting for Lady Cremone." " And here she is." "I'm so sorry, Walter, to keep you waiting." "We have rather a lot of people to meet before the show tonight." "Off you go, Walter." "You mustn't be late for all your meetings." " Are you still going to Paris, Julian?" " l am." "Yes." "Catching this evening's night train." " You will telephone me when you get there?" " l don't know." "l-l hope I'll have the time." "I'll only be gone for three days." "You won't even notice that I'm not here." "Did you give me the telephone number for the apartment in Paris?" "I don't think that you did." "Go, Walter." "Go." "If it was a hotel, of course, I wouldn't need the number." "But it isn't, and I don't have the address." "I'd like to take the number, if I may." "Don't be silly, Walter." "You're being absurd." "Come on, you have to go." "Off you go." "I must have that number!" "Give me the number!" "I have to have it." "I'm sure Julian will telephone you." "I will get hold of the number myself and give it to you, Walter." "Julian's always so vague about these things and he's hopeless with numbers." "What a good plan." "See you in three days." "Long face." "He's always got such a long face." "Sometimes it drives me mad." "When you're that rich, why do you need to have such a long face all the time?" "Musicians this way!" "Through here!" "Better hurry!" "Top brass'll be arriving any moment!" " l'm a little afraid, Louis." " You're going to be fine, Carla." "Well, the wireless has spread so fast, faster than anyone could have imagined." "I mean, millions more each year." "So what will the next thing be?" "The next trend that will spread like wildfire." "Cinemas on trains." "Every train will have a cinema carriage." "A movie while you move." " No, no, I think the cinema, it will be in the sky. - ln the sky?" "Yes. I went to a demonstration the other day." "A little man, I think he was called Grindle." "He's going to project images onto clouds." "Cinema in the sky at night," " hanging over the city." " Oh, that would be fantastic." "Imagine Greta Garbo over the whole city." "Her gigantic face!" "Or Farquhar and Tonk in a cartoon, jumping over the Houses of Parliament." "But if you could do that, somebody could also have fascists goose-stepping across the sky," " and that'd be pretty terrifying." " One would have to have a limit." " You couldn't allow that." " Who could stop them?" "People would find a way." "But my point is, we have no idea what's coming next." "What time's your train, darling?" "You don't want to miss it." "Oh, no, I won't miss it." "Don't worry." "Sergeant!" "In you go." "Give 'em 'ell." "Fogontheriver" "Mistinmy heart" "You'renotnear" "We'refarapart Ilovedyouthen" "AndI lostyou" "Downriver" "Fouro 'clock" "Here she is." "Doesn't she look beautiful?" "I just thought I'd say hello." "That tree is so lovely." "Jessie, should you be out of bed?" " l thought one drink might make me feel better." " Course it will." "Of course she's right." "You must be feeling very unwell to miss singing to the Prince of Wales." "I am. I don't feel well at all." " Your voice has gone, has it?" " lt's quite gone." "When I sing." "Louis loves performing in front of royalty." "He can't have been very pleased." "He understood." "Well..." "let's hope Carla manages to bring it off." "Amemory" "Adistantmemory" "Floats" "Away" "Thank you." "We're very pleased, and honoured, to be here, playing to Your Royal Highness again." "And to the Royal Air Force." "I've never been in an aeroplane myself, but maybe that'll change after tonight." "Would you like to dance?" "Starsburnin'brighter, I'm on an all-nighter" "Serenadingtoatune" "Apopat thebull's-eye in a celestial night sky I'mdancingon themoon I'mdreamingof thebig time" "Achanceto digagoldmine" " Have another one." " Maybe that's enough, Julian." "Too much drink doesn't mix well with a fever." "Yes, I ought to go." "That's best, isn't it?" "I need a beautiful sleep, and then everything will be all right." " l'll be back on my feet." " Let me see you to your room." "They didn't arrange this between them, did they?" " She didn't miss the concert because..." " To be with my brother?" "I certainly hope not." " lsn't this magical?" " lt is." "Magical." " So, this Hollywood producer." " Mm?" " Where are we seeing him tonight?" " He's upstairs." "Oh, he's in the hotel?" "Oh, that's all right, then." "I don't need to break any rules." "Another slow number, please." "I do find the slow ones the best, don't you?" "She'll be in his bed tonight." "Course she will." "It's what's expected." "If you catch his eye, that's what has to happen." "It doesn't matter who you're married to." "Looks like your music's really helping." " l may have something to eat." " You'll miss your train, Julian." "Maybe that's for the best." "It's meant to happen." "Disappoint my friends in Paris, make Walter even more angry." " Maybe I'm good for absolutely nothing." " Don't be ridiculous." "Go and get your train right now." "I'm gone." "Pamela, what's the matter, darling?" "My little brother, when he's like this..." "I'm sorry." "Excuse me." "I worry about him so much." "He's so young." "So young for his age." "I can't be there for him all the time." "I just can't." "And when I'm not, I can't stop thinking..." "He could be so brilliant if he wanted, do so much." "But something always stops him." "He can look after himself, I'm sure." "I'm certain he can." "Do you think?" "I do hope you're right, Stanley." "Please be right." "I know I'm right." "He'll be fine." "Course he will." "You want to take a bit home?" "It's pretty disgusting cake." "It's funny our esteemed guests and their friends can't tell the difference." "I think it's lovely." " You can have a plane." "Want a little aeroplane?" " No, thanks." "The real ones aren't much bigger, but it's all we've got to take on Germany, or the French, or whoever we fight next." "Everybody thinks they're absolutely marvellous, that they're all we need." "They don't look like much." "They're fucking useless." " l think I need to go, if you don't mind." " l don't mind, Louis." "You go." "I'm so happy." "If I wasn't so drunk, I would go and join in." "The Imperial Christmas Concert, not to be missed, apparently." "All the dowagers staying up really late for a sing-song." "Oh, yes, the Duchess of Northampton singing Once ln Royal David's City is an absolute highlight." "Does it every year." "Some things never change." "GoodKingWenceslas" "Louis!" "I'm just off, my dear friend." "Got to run." "Must have missed the train, but I'm still going to Paris." "See each other soon." "Jessie?" "Jessie." "Jessie?" "Jessie!" "Help!" "Help!" "Help!" "An ambulance is coming." "Louis."