The Melody Girls by Anne Douglas

joking.’
    He touched her arm. ‘Listen, tonight we’ll be finishing late, I won’t have the chance to ask you to go on anywhere, but tomorrow we’ll be free until the evening. Couldn’t we meet for lunch somewhere?’
    Still starry-eyed from the news of the broadcasting engagements, she said at once, ‘Why not? If you know any good places to eat?’
    â€˜You mean you’re interested in the food?’ He gave a mock groan. ‘And I’m only thinking about seeing you.’
    â€˜Ah, you are joking, aren’t you?’
    â€˜Honestly, I’m not.’
    Now, she really looked at him. ‘We have only just met, Rod.’
    â€˜What’s that got to do with it?’
    â€˜Well – nothing, really, I suppose. Where shall we meet, then?’
    â€˜I’ll call for you at twelve. No trouble, it’s on my way. We can go into town together. All right?’
    â€˜Oh, yes. Fine. But I’ll see you tonight, anyway.’
    â€˜Not going home now? We could get the tram.’
    â€˜We’re going shopping,’ Flo interrupted, coming up with Ina. ‘Have to fit shopping in sometime, you know.’
    As Rod left them, saying he’d see them at the hotel dinner dance, Flo shook her head at Lorna.
    â€˜Well, that frightened him off, eh, talking about shopping? But honestly, he’s turning into a limpet. If you don’t want him, you might have a job to get rid of him.’
    â€˜I’d hang on to him, if I were you,’ Ina said with a smile.
    Do I want him? Lorna asked herself. Apart from her unwillingness to be sidetracked from her career, it was true what she’d said – they’d only just met. But that didn’t seem to matter to him.
    â€˜Great news about the broadcasts, eh?’ Ina asked, as they set off for the shops, and Lorna, glad not to have to think any more about Rod, eagerly agreed.
    â€˜Oh, it’s grand, really grand. Couldn’t be more thrilled.’

Fifteen
    For lunch next day, Rod took Lorna to a pretty little tea room in Sauchiehall Street.
    â€˜No, not the famous Willow Tea Room,’ he told her apologetically. ‘You know, the one designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh way back. I thought we’d never get in there, and this place seems right for you.’
    â€˜Right for me? How?’
    â€˜Well – pretty and sort of feminine.’
    â€˜Feminine?’ Lorna, looking round at the elegant little cafe, smiled a little. ‘You mean, for the little woman?’
    â€˜Ah, now, come on, Lorna! What’s wrong with being feminine?’ Rod passed her a menu. ‘The light lunches are right for everybody, anyway, in spite of rationing. I think you’ll find them OK.’
    â€˜Of course I will! Everything’s perfect. No, I mean it, Rod. I think you’ve got hidden depths to choose a place like this. And knowing about Rennie Mackintosh, as well. I must say, I don’t know much about him myself.’
    â€˜That’s because he was a Glasgow artist, and you’re from Edinburgh.’
    â€˜Ah, now, that’s unfair!’ Lorna flushed. ‘As a matter of fact, I don’t know much about art at all. Music’s all I’ve been interested in up till now.’
    â€˜Snap, then!’ Rod’s eyes were dancing. ‘I don’t know much about art, either. It was Flo who told me about Rennie Mackintosh, after we all went out to the Willow Tea Room one time. And did you know that “Sauchiehall”, as in the street, is really “Sauchiehaugh” which means willow meadow? She told me that as well.’
    â€˜Flo’s very clever,’ Lorna murmured. ‘Very intelligent. And deserves better from Luke than she gets.’
    â€˜How do you mean?’ Rod asked with interest, but when a waitress came to take their order for soup and herb omelettes, Lorna made no reply.
    â€˜Are you talking about money?’ he pressed.