Distant Music

Life was tough in England after the Second World War - at least it was for those who were not part of some particular elite, the fabulously wealthy, or the tiny coterie of British film and theatre stars. Little wonder then that Elsie Lancaster, the granddaughter of a theatrical landlady, thinks of nothing else but trying to become one of that shining constellation. Surprising therefore, given their very different origins, that Oliver Plunkett shares the same ambition, for his is the pampered background of old money. Groomed from an early age by his father's theatre-mad butler, there is no other world to which he aspires. No such ambition infuses his best friend, the kooky Coco Hampton. Theatre for her is all about costume, costume, costume. That they all become involved with Portly Cosgrove - sometime manager, and soon-to-be-agent - is part of the inevitable flow of theatrical life, as is the fact that they become emotionally entagled with each other. Come success or failure, the music they dance to is the distant music of fame and fortune, a tune which is often dim and, at other times, tantalisingly clear - only to fade once more.Biographie de l'auteurCharlotte Bingham comes from a literary family - her father sold a story to H. G. Wells when he was only seventeen - and Charlotte wrote her autobiography, CORONET AMONG THE WEEDS, at the age of nineteen. Since then, she has written comedy and drama series, films and plays for both England and America with her husband, the actor and playwright Terence Brady. Her published novels include the highly acclaimed bestsellers SUMMERTIME, THE SEASON, THE BLUE NOTE, THE LOVE KNOT, THE KISSING GARDEN, LOVE SONG, TO HEAR A NIGHTINGALE, THE BUSINESS, IN SUNSHINE OR IN SHADOW, STARDUST, NANNY, CHANGE OF HEART, DEBUTANTES, THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS, GRAND AFFAIR, THE CHESTNUT TREE, THE WIND OFF THE SEA, THE MOON AT MIDNIGHT, DAUGHTERS OF EDEN, THE HOUSE OF FLOWERS, THE MAGIC HOUR, FRIDAY'S GIRL, IN DISTANT FIELDS and THE WHITE MARRIAGE.