A Girl Called Tegi Read Free Page A

Dorothy bent to his lighter.
    Dorothy blew out a line of cigarette smoke ceiling-wards, lifting her chin to show a lovely white column of throat. Her glance at Tony was provocative.
    ‘So, Tegi hides you in the kitchen, ’ she drawled with a lift of delicate eyebrows .
    ‘Tony has come to see Dad,’ Tegi explained, and Gary, finding the conversation only fit for adults, gulped down some milk, grabbed another scone and left them to it.
    Dorothy gave a practised laugh. ‘How kind of you , Tony,’ she cooed softly. ‘Poor Dad! He lives for the visits of the boys who come over for the races. But surely you aren’t one of them?’
    ‘Why not?’
    ‘You are?’ Dorothy lifted a soft innocent glance tip at him. ‘How nice! I love the boys on their magni f icent machines,’ she cooed. ‘They’re a fine breed of men, so polite and well-mannered. I adore them !’
    Tegi’s mouth fell open at such hypocrisy. Her sister had never had any time for the boys or their motorbikes, preferring the expensive cars of her wealthier friends. Placing the pot of fresh tea on the tray along with a hot water jug and a few more of the sandwiches her mother had made, Tegi was prevented from lifting the tray by Tony.
    ‘Allow me,’ he said. ‘Thank you.’
    When he had left the room Dorothy took several deep draws of her cigarette.
    ‘Cup of tea?’ Tegi asked, reaching for cups and saucers from a shelf.
    Dorothy nodded, then said thoughtfully, ‘Is he really a rider in the T.T.? I’m a little curious, since most of them are on a budget when they come and Tony seems to be prosperous.’
    Tegi put milk in two cups and made tea. ‘Probably makes a good thing out of it. His name rings a bell. Isn’t he famous internationally? I’m sure I’ve see him in commercial advertising for multi-grade oil and things.’
    Dorothy clicked her fingers. ‘Of course! He’s some looker. I was trying to remember where I’d seen his face before—I remember now. He came to the studios once to do a commercial. Smiled a lot, but didn’t m ix. He was o f f directly it was over. Rather intriguing, isn’t he? I can see I’m going to enjoy my visit home.’
    A calculating expression came into her face as she drank tea and smoked her cigarette. ‘Any idea where he’s staying?’ she asked.
    Tegi shook her head and tightened her hold on the cup of tea she was drinking.
    Dorothy gestured with her head towards the lounge. ‘Have you seen the rest of the company in there? What are they like? Anyone worth cultivating with me in mind?’
    Tegi drank the rest of her tea and put down the cup.
    ‘They’re boys who’ve been coming to see Dad for some time. They’re all in the races and they’re all married. Sorry I can’t present you with a millionaire, ’ she said drily.
    ‘I’ll get my own,’ Dorothy said pertly. ‘You have a fairly safe job here with the parents behind you. You’d be looking for model suits in expensive material regardless of what kind of man is wearing them if you had to rough it for a while.’
    Tegi laughed derisively. ‘You’re breaking my heart! The times you send home for money. You’ve never had to rough it.’
    ‘I don’t intend to.’ Dorothy put down her cup and stubbed out her cigarette firmly. ‘The thing is to set your sights on what you want and to go out for it deliberately. I’ll start now by putting on something eye-catching and joining the boys in the lounge. Who knows, I might at least get a lift into Douglas for the evening? Cheerio.’ She pushed herself to her feet. ‘ What about you coming along?’
    Tegi rose to her feet to carry the used cups and saucers to the sink.
    ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I promised to play Scrabble with Gary this evening.’
    ‘Big deal,’ scoffed Dorothy scathingly. ‘Don’t get carried away.’
    The remark stung as Tegi washed up. Little chance of getting carried away by anyone romantic here, she thought. But then did people get carried away these days by knights in