'My dear, I want you to meet an admirer of yours. This is Mr. Carl Ruher and these people are his associates. Mr. Ruher is the former musical director of the Berlin Philharmonic, and now works for the prestigious recording company Deutsche Gramophone.'
'Please, call me Carl, Miss Dee,' he said in near-flawless English. 'I was just asking my old friend Herr Howard here if you were currently under contract to do any recording. He has said "No," so I am asking, before someone else discovers you.'
Pamela could only stare, feeling blank. 'Recording? Recording what? I'm not sure what you're telling me.'
To her bafflement, the men before her smiled.
'Pamela Dee,' Mr. Howard told her, 'you are sometimes too unworldly and innocent to be believed! Have you never heard of Carmina Burana, by Carl Orff? I thought not. Well, my dear, you had better locate a recording and listen to it soon, because in two months' time, you will be singing in it.'
Pamela wanted to protest that they were making a serious mistake while wondering vaguely if they were having it on at her expense, but these men were very no-nonsense, professional types and made her feel as though any protest or objection she might make would make her appear childish and frivolous. Feeling trapped, Pamela sensed a presence at her elbow, turned around and caught her breath. It was Theo.
'When will you be wanting her for rehearsals?'
'A week before the recording date will suffice,' Carl Ruher said with a smile. 'I'll be in touch with you through Mr. Howard to arrange flights and accommodation. Good day to you. Come, Howie, where's this village of Haworth with its famous Black Bull? I believe you owe my colleagues and I a pint or two.'
'Flights?' Pamela asked Theo as the others wandered off, 'Where is this recording supposed to be done?'
'Why, Berlin, of course,' Theo replied as though stating something obvious.
'What? But what about . . . Theo . . . Mr. Dewhurst, I have work to do! The paperwork for that contract in Bradford comes up in the beginning of May.' She didn't mean to sound desperate, but the prospect of having to do something she knew absolutely nothing about made her experience the same sort of panic as though someone had casually asked her to walk a high-wire strung between two tall buildings.
'Not to worry,' he said with maddening calm. 'That's what laptop computers are for. You'll have plenty of time left over to get your work for me out of the way.'