Under a Dancing Star — Ethel M. Comins

A little girl sits on the lap of an aging Russian empire.

"You are going to be great one day, Melody Warner," Madame Sulkova said. "You were born under a dancing star."

That had been many years before, and Dee had dreamed often of Madame Sulkova's prediction.

And now she was making it come true.

She had it all planned. She had taken an substitute teaching job at a Queen's, New York, high school, which would enable her to take ballet lessons in Manhattan at night and on weekends.

What she could not foresee, however, was the huge workload the job entailed and the constant criticism of her immediate supervisor, Miss Little.

Another thing she could not foresee was her involvement with two men, Phil Scandrett, a trainer of racehorses, pursued Dee relentlessly. He was handsome and rich and kept saying he would be patient. Ron Darrough, also a teacher, was mysterious and charming. He seemed more understanding of Dee's dream to dance, but he wouldn't, or couldn't take her into his confidence.

When Dee had first arrived in Manhattan on that hot September afternoon, it had all seemed so simple. But now she was faced with obstacles that she had not bargained for.