An Evening of Long Goodbyes

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Much of the material relating to Gene Tierney is based on Tierney’s autobiography, Self-Portrait, written with Mickey Herskowitz (Berkley Books, 1980). The title was inspired by the song ‘An Evening of Long Goodbyes’ by Rachel’s, from their album Selenography. With thanks and respect to Rachel’s. For their support and generosity during the writing of this book, I would like to thank my parents, Christopher and Kathleen Murray, Simon Prosser, Natasha Fairweather, Juliette Mitchell, Sarah Castleton, Andrew Motion, John Boyne and everyone who helped with the early chapters, especially Tim Jarvis, Andrew Palmer and Neil ‘Stewarty’ Stewart. Neel Mukherjee and Chris Watson provided a home from home and some fine cuisine. Thank you to Miriam McCaul for keeping the world turning and the sun shining.

A black wind was blowing outside the bow window. All afternoon it had been playing its tricks: scooping up handfuls of leaves and flinging them over the lawn, spinning Old Man Thompson’s weathervane this way and that, seizing rapaciously at Bel’s ruby leather coat as she battled down the driveway to her audition. Now and then, from the rear of the house, I would hear it shriek through the bones of the Folly, and I’d look up from the TV with a start. If this were Kansas — I remember thinking — it might have been the beginnings of a terrible Twister; but this wasn’t Kansas, and what the wind blew in was worse than witches or winged monkeys. For today was the day that Frank arrived at Amaurot.

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