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Page 76
an aura at all, it was of brisk efficiency, not of theatricality. Of course, it was possible that the actors and actresses with whom she was acquainted behaved differently in their family circles than they did in the somewhat artificial surroundings of hotels and rented villas. Still. . .
"I haven't seen either of them on television, have I?" Linda asked tentatively, afraid of offending by ignorance, and added quickly, "Of course, I haven't been in England very long."
"They don't act," Mrs. Sotheby said with a delicate contempt that dated her as definitely as Mrs. Bates's furniture.
Linda found herself concealing a smile again. Actors had stopped being "people not to know" a long time ago. She was relieved, however, because it occurred to her that she was personally known to a number of minor luminaries in the profession, and all of them were inveterate gossips. If Rose-Anne or Donaldgreat Kali's eight arms, Linda thought, doesn't one ever say their names separately?mentioned her by name, she might be in trouble. But that was much less likely if they didn't mix with the actors socially.
"What do they do?" Linda asked, this time with real interest.
"Rose-Anne is in programming," Mrs. Sotheby recited with pride, "and Donald is an assistant producer."
"Yes, so they are," Mrs. Bates remarked, "but

 
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