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CHAPTER ONE

In which our heroine—spinster, secretary, and loyal daughter Miss Martha Berry—discovers she's about to embark on a new assignment.

"Miss Berry, I'm sending you to work with one of our new radio producers."

Sitting across from Mr. Rutherford Hayes, Martha Berry could almost see her reflection in his gleaming mahogany desk. She'd made sure to shine it with furniture polish that very morning—just the way he liked it—and had double-checked that the black Bakelite ashtray onto which he tap-tap-tapped his ubiquitous pipe was empty too. It had been clean as a whistle first thing that morning but now resembled the ruins of Pompeii. The national broadcaster's head of drama was rather fond of his tobacco.

"I see," Martha replied, holding a smile on her face. She sat perfectly still, the way she'd been taught as a girl. Her hands were cupped politely in her lap, her legs crossed at the ankles just like the queen's. That way, there was no risk of her underwear ever being exposed. Her back was ramrod straight even without the aid of a corset. These were skills she had learned thirty-five years before at secretarial college. Don't fidget. Only speak when spoken to. Never, ever take a risk that someone might see your underwear. And always—always—remain polite.

While Mr. Hayes puffed and stared into the middle distance, Martha's attention drifted to the framed photograph of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the wall behind him. It needed straightening. How could she have missed that?

"This young chap is kicking off a new radio serial. Quentin Quinn's his name." Mr. Hayes sucked deep on his pipe, leaned back in his chair, and exhaled a locomotive engine's worth of smoke right across the desk and directly into Martha's face.

She swallowed a cough.

"Everyone at the ABC is in a permanent state of apoplexy about the arrival of television. It's only months away, Miss Berry. It's television this and television that. Personally, I don't think it'll take off here in Australia. People will always want their radios. You can bet on that." Mr. Hayes aimed his pipe at Martha as if to prove his point and then took another puff.

Martha had seen photographs of televisions. They were little movie screens in wooden cabinets with legs; fancy new pieces of furniture for living rooms that would soon compete with the radio cabinets that had until now taken pride of place. The British and the Americans had had television for years, of course, and while some in Australia had been pushing for it, others weren't quite sure about the whole newfangled medium.

"I myself believe it'll be nothing but a conduit for mediocrity and vulgar sensationalism," Mr. Hayes continued, staring up at the ceiling as he pontificated. "The very novelty of it will encourage people to look at anything, no matter the quality of what's served up to them. Goodness me, the television chaps are telling me that judging from what they've seen in America and England, they could broadcast a film of a cat licking its paws and people would watch. What about the children, Miss Berry? What if they develop an addiction and forget how to run and play? What will happen if people stop conversing with each other because they're too busy watching a box? Or if they stop going to lectures or musical performances or the theater or concerts. And, god forbid, reading. What if people stop reading?"

Martha almost forgot to breathe. Would people really stop reading? What would happen to their imaginations if they stopped reading books?

"And... and," Mr. Hayes spluttered, "worst of all, what if people permanently turn off their radios and start watching television instead? Where will we be then? No, Miss Berry, I don't believe this supposed balm for the masses will take off. Radio will always reign supreme. The good women of Australia won't be able to chop up their vegetables and fry up their chops for dinner while they're watching television, will they?"

"I don't believe they will, Mr. Hayes."

"Let us simply put aside all this television-will-be-king thinking. We can't let those chaps working over in the television department get the upper hand, can we? That's why we will continue to invest in original productions. Like this new radio drama."

"I can't wait to hear more about it."