Студопедия

Главная страница Случайная страница

Разделы сайта

АвтомобилиАстрономияБиологияГеографияДом и садДругие языкиДругоеИнформатикаИсторияКультураЛитератураЛогикаМатематикаМедицинаМеталлургияМеханикаОбразованиеОхрана трудаПедагогикаПолитикаПравоПсихологияРелигияРиторикаСоциологияСпортСтроительствоТехнологияТуризмФизикаФилософияФинансыХимияЧерчениеЭкологияЭкономикаЭлектроника






Strange Behavior






 

" What sort of trouble? " Nancy asked, although she could already guess the answer.

" Mr. Ullman's furious, " Ned replied. " He blames the film club's carelessness for the stable burning down. He says in all the years the house stood empty, there was no fire. But we were there one day and look what happened! "

Nancy was as dismayed as Ned at the realtor's attitude, but added, " I suppose we should have expected this. It does look bad for us. Ned, can we be absolutely sure it wasn't due to any negligence by the film club? "

" Positive! I told Mr. Ullman that none of us smoke, and there were no matches lit or anything else done that might have caused a fire. I’ve checked with everyone in the group. Nevertheless, he's threatening to stop us from using the mansion."

" Oh dear, that would ruin everything, wouldn't it? " Nancy declared.

" You bet it would! Wed never have a chance of finishing the film on time. Finding another place to shoot as good as Grimsby Mansion is practically hopeless." Ned sounded desolate.

" Well, it hasn't happened yet, so don't give up. We'll just have to convince Mr. Ullman that the film club wasn't to blame."

" That may be easier said than done." Nevertheless, Nancy's encouragement seemed to have given Ned at least a small ray of hope. " How about having lunch with me tomorrow? "

" I'd love to. And we can talk over what to do."

Monday morning dawned sunny and pleasantly warm, yet not quite so humid as usual for mid-July. After breakfast, Nancy donned a tailored shirt, jodhpurs, and boots, then added a brown belt and brown scarf. Taking her riding crop, she dashed downstairs to ask her father if he would drop her at Rainbow Ranch on the way to his office.

" I'd be glad to, honey, " he replied. " Is that where you're stabling Black Prince now? "

" No, Prince is still at the usual place. I've been asked to model for a TV commercial, Dad, and some stills have to be taken today to show the advertising agency."

" Well, well, Carson Drew smiled proudly at his daughter. " That's wonderful, Nancy. What's the product to be advertised? "

" I haven't even asked yet, " she giggled. " I'll probably find out today, and then I can tell you and Hannah all about it tonight."

When Nancy arrived at Rainbow Ranch and walked up the tree-lined, gravel drive, she saw four men standing talking near the stables. Some camera cases, tripods, and other equipment were piled nearby on the grass.

" Ah! Here comes our leading lady now! " Tony Traynor greeted her with a look of smiling approval. " Nancy, I'd like you to meet Marty Martin, my assistant." He indicated a slender young man with a shock of brown hair. " And this is Monsieur Philippe, our makeup artist."

The latter, a bearded man in his late twenties with a receding hairline, bowed and beamed at Nancy.

Tony examined Nancy's costume. " Your clothes should be just fine for these shots, Nancy. So if you'll just put yourself in Philippe's hands..." Turning to the makeup man, he said, " Take over."

Monsieur Philippe stepped Forward, scrutinizing Nancy's features and hair. " There's not much I shall have to do, " he announced judiciously. " A little more eye makeup and some highlighting of these wonderful cheekbones ought to do it."

With a few deft touches, shadowing the planes of Nancy's face, he achieved a surprising effect. Nancy scarcely recognized herself when he held up a mirror.

" What do you think, Tony? " Monsieur Philippe asked.

" She looks terrific to me! "

" Indeed, she does! " put in Roger Harlow, speaking for the first time. Up until that moment, he had remained silently in the background, letting the photographic specialists deal with the model for the commercial in their own way.

Nancy smiled back gratefully at the master of Rainbow Ranch. " We haven't even said hello yet, " she greeted him.

" We'll chat later, Nancy."

At Tony's suggestion, they proceeded to the fenced-in paddock where a stablehand was waiting with a beautiful bay filly, saddled and ready for Nancy to mount.

" Oh, she's a beauty! What's her name? " the girl asked, patting the horse.

" This is Molly Malone. She never gives any trouble." The stablehand smiled and handed the reins to Nancy.

Tony Traynor and his assistant were busy preparing the cameras and using a light meter to check the intensity of the sunshine reflected from their subjects. Presently, as Nancy continued patting and talking to the horse, Tony began snapping pictures.

Without any trace of self-consciousness, she found herself responding easily to the orders and suggestions he called out.

As Nancy posed, she noticed a pretty little golden-haired girl some distance from the paddock. She was standing half-hidden by a tree, watching shyly as Nancy and the horse were photographed. She looked to be about seven years old and seemed ready to duck out of sight behind the tree at a moment's notice.

" Okay, Nancy, now mount up and ride around the paddock a couple of times, " Tony called out. " Then come out of the gate and, let's see, ride across that brook on the far side of the drive and then circle back this way again."

Nancy obeyed, carrying out his instructions with the grace and poise she had acquired from performing in numerous horse shows. As Molly Malone finally cantered out of the paddock, she noticed that the little girl had disappeared.

Nancy spurred her mount into a gallop as they approached the brook. She was pleased at the way the filly cleared the stream with an easy leap. As they circled through the trees beyond, a small, open pavilion came into view. The little blond girl was inside it, comfortably reclining on a wicker chaise, reading a book.

At the sound of approaching hoofbeats, the child looked up, her eyes widening in fear. With a scream of fright, she scrambled to her feet, her book flying to the floor of the pavilion.

Nancy reined up quickly and jumped down from the saddle, intending to apologize and reassure the little girl. But the child was already running off toward the house.

Disturbed by the incident, Nancy picked up the book, remounted, and resumed her ride. Tony was still snapping pictures swiftly as she came galloping up to the paddock, reined the horse to a halt, and swung down again from the saddle.

" Wonderful, Nancy! " Tony Traynor congratulated her. " I got some great shots! I think these should do it. I’ll have them developed and show them to the agency tomorrow."

He turned and grinned as the owner of Rainbow Ranch came walking toward them. " Well, how did you like our star? "

" She's every bit the horsewoman that you said she was! "

Roger Harlow smiled and patted the bay. " And how did you like this little filly, Nancy? "

" She's a lovely horse, Mr. Harlow." Nancy's face clouded as she went on, " But I'm afraid I accidentally frightened a little girl who was reading in the pavilion. I do hope she's all right! Here's her book."

" Thank you, Nancy. That was my granddaughter Tina, who's staying with me this summer."

As they strolled away from the paddock, Mr. Harlow went on, " I don't know what's gotten into the child. She was such a contented, outgoing little girl, but now she's so timid and unhappy she's even afraid of horses."

A sad look came over Roger Harlow's face. " Maybe she misses my wife. Tina loved her grandmother very much." He was silent for a moment, staring at the brook. " And then Tina's mother, my daughter Zona, had a bad fall from a horse soon after my wife's death. Perhaps all that was enough to cause the change in Tina."

Nancy said softly, " I'm so sorry, Mr. Harlow. I wish I could help. Is your daughter here? "

" No, she and Tina's father are taking a leisurely cruise while she recovers from her accident. The odd thing is that, for the first week or two after Tina arrived, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Then she changed suddenly." The master of Rainbow Ranch shook his head. " I don't understand it."

As he finished speaking, a car came crunching up the gravel drive. It stopped near the stable where Tony Traynor had now joined Nancy and their host. A fair-haired man with a pencil-thin mustache stepped out from behind the wheel and waved to them.

" Hello, Hugh! " Mr. Harlow waved back.

" Uh—oh! Look who's here! " Tony muttered in an amused aside to Nancy. " That's Hugh Morston. He owns a New York ad agency that's been trying to snag the account we're doing this commercial for. I'll bet he came to find out what we're up to! "

As their visitor approached, Mr. Harlow said, " Nancy, I'd like you to meet Hugh Morston, my closest neighbor and fellow horse breeder. Hugh, this lovely young lady is Nancy Drew."

The newcomer flashed a wide smile. " Not related to Carson Drew, the lawyer, are you? "

Nancy smiled back. " Yes, I'm his daughter. Nice to meet you, Mr. Morston."

" And this is Tony Traynor, " Harlow went on. " Or do you two know each other? "

" Yes, indeed, " Morston replied as they exchanged cool smiles and a brusque handshake. " Well, Traynor, out here on business or pleasure? I heard you were shooting a commercial for Biddle and Downes."

" That's right. And this jobs pure pleasure, " Traynor said, smiling at Nancy.

" By the way, Roger, " Hugh Morston said, turning to Mr. Harlow, " I don't like being the one to tell you, but I thought you ought to see a story in this morning's paper."

He took out the newspaper he was carrying tucked under one arm and handed it to Roger Harlow. It was folded open to the racing page. " I hope you'll publicly denounce this nonsense in the strongest possible terms! " he added, pointing to the article in question.

As Mr. Harlow read it, his expression darkened like a thundercloud. " This is outrageous! " he exclaimed, his face red with anger.

Suddenly, he clutched his chest as if struggling for breath. The next moment, he swayed and his legs seemed to give way beneath him!

 






© 2023 :: MyLektsii.ru :: Мои Лекции
Все материалы представленные на сайте исключительно с целью ознакомления читателями и не преследуют коммерческих целей или нарушение авторских прав.
Копирование текстов разрешено только с указанием индексируемой ссылки на источник.