A Seaside Affair (24 page)

‘One or two lasagnes, or one or two girlfriends?’

‘Have you been on the Taliban’s interrogation course? You’re frightfully good at this.’

‘Answer the question.’

‘I’m obliged to tell you only my name, rank and number, and I must warn you I have been trained to withstand any amount of terrorist interrogation.’ He smiled at her, hoping he could make her laugh.

Brooke was debating whether to create a scene and spoil a lovely evening? Or accept that yes, he had had plenty of girlfriends, that this relationship was leading nowhere and that she’d better enjoy the ride while it lasted. She chose the latter.

‘Well done, Squadron Leader Suffolk. You have passed my test with flying colours. Now kiss me.’

*

Something woke her. She looked at her bedside clock: 2.27. She felt Louis, alert, next to her.

‘Are you awake?’ she whispered.

‘Shh,’ he replied, before slowly and silently slipping out of bed and going to the window.

‘I heard something outside.’

She listened. Her ears straining in the silence. There was a creak on the stair. She moved her head to the sound.

‘That’ll be Hutch. He’s heard something too.’

The bedroom door opened and Hutch’s voice whispered urgently: ‘Sir, get away from the window.’ Louis did as he was told, dropping to the floor. Brooke’s heart was beating like a drum.

‘The garden is clear – I’ve checked,’ Hutch said. ‘But there was definitely someone out there. I heard voices.’ He pulled out a mobile phone and made a call that was answered immediately.

‘This is Papa Lima Two Zero requesting assistance. We need to clear the area.’

Five minutes later and Brooke was on her own. Two more dark Range Rovers had appeared out of the night and six men, two in uniform and four in plain dark suits, had spirited Louis out of Granny’s Nook. Where had they come from? Were they always shadowing her and Louis?

She locked and bolted the front door and checked the back door and all the windows. By the time she got back to bed her clock read 2.36.

Eventually she managed to dose off, but it had been a restless sleep, her imagination running wild. Had there been someone in the garden? If so who? Press? Kidnappers? Someone looking for a lost cat?

She’d heard nothing from Louis and he hadn’t replied to her text. She’d even tried phoning him, but a recorded message told her that the number was not in use. She arrived at rehearsals tired and fretful.

Brooke and Jess were sprawled on the saggy sofas in the green room, drinking coffee from chipped and stained mugs and laughing over a shared joke. Ollie saw Brooke first.

‘Hi, Brooke. Sleep well?’

Brooke painted on her best smile. ‘Sure did. You guys?’

Jess reached her arms above her head and yawned extravagantly. ‘Slept like a baby. This sea air really knocks me and the girls out.’

‘The girls?’ queried Brooke.

‘She has the most adorable miniature dachshunds,’ Ollie chipped in. ‘Ethel and Elsie.’

Brooke did some mental reframing. Ollie and Jess had clearly been getting to know each other. He’d met her dogs … Hmm. Quite an age gap between the two of them – and wasn’t he going out with Red? And wasn’t she engaged to Ryan Hearst? Brooke made a mental note to watch this space.

*

Jonathan was a good director. He understood actors and was paternal in coaxing out their performances and soothing their fragile egos. He had started the day with a vocal and physical warm-up. The entire cast were asked to jog around the stage while laughing deeply from their diaphragms. A young actress called Rowena did the jogging for the Colonel while he walked, with his ubiquitous stick, and laughed in genuine delight at the ludicrousness of it all. While they were running, Dan the stage manager chucked some bean bags into the jogging mass, telling them to toss them to one another at random, backwards, forwards and across. Ollie threw his repeatedly at Jess, who returned them, aiming at his head or his bottom. The laughing became less forced and more real. Brooke was being targeted by the actor playing the baddie who steals her from Ollie. A huge man with a fake tan and muscles to die for, but for all his testosterone and jockeying for male supremacy, women were not his cup of tea. Brooke liked him though and enjoyed lobbing the bean bags at his carefully gelled hair.

The warm-up over, Jonathan was pleased to see it had had the desired effect. The ice was broken and every last shred of inhibition had vanished.

‘Right, everyone. Grab a coffee and a loo break and I’ll see you back here in fifteen for Act One Scene One.’

The day progressed with lots of fun and hard work. Brooke was included in the Ollie/Jess gang and their relationship both in and out of character was clearly a good one.

‘I say, chaps,’ said the Colonel over lunch, ‘I think I shall call you the three musketeers!’

By the afternoon tea break, Brooke had still heard nothing from Louis.

So sure was she that she’d never hear from him again, she offered Jess her spare room in Granny’s Nook. ‘It’ll save you a lot of money, and it would be nicer for the girls: their own back garden, the beach just down the lane …’

‘Would you mind? It would be so nice to live in a home where I could cook my own food and do my own laundry,’ Jess asked hopefully.

‘Would you cook for me too? I’m useless.’

‘Of course I will.’

‘So, when can you and the girls move in? They can be our guard dogs.’ She thought about the prowler in the garden the previous night. ‘Do they bark and growl?’

‘No.’

‘Do they yap?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’ll do.’

*

Finally five o’clock came and they broke for the day. Jonathan was pleased with how things had gone so far. He’d forgotten how enjoyable it could be, working on a traditional English production with a maddening, loveable, idiosyncratic group of actors such as he had here. He was particularly intrigued by Jess. She was calm, with a diligent and thoughtful approach to acting and with a remarkable lack of ego, which was a rarity in their profession.

As they collected up their coats and bags, Jonathan managed a quick word with her.

‘Jess, how did you find today?’

‘Oh, great – exhausting but so much fun. I think all the actors are working really well together, don’t you?’

Jonathan gave her a wry smile. ‘Ye-e-e-es, so far. But don’t forget everyone is on their best behaviour today – including me.’

‘Don’t pretend you have a hidden dark side, I won’t believe it.’

‘I’m a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’

‘Surely not.’ She laughed. ‘Where are you staying, Jonathan? Has Penny blown the budget and put you up in the Starfish?’

‘Sadly not. I’ve forgone the life of luxury and I’m staying at a small holiday let in Pendruggan – paid for out of my salary, I might add.’

‘Pendruggan, that’s brilliant! I’m going to be staying with Brooke in her cottage there. You’ll have to come over for a drink.’

‘I’d love that, Jess. I really would.’ And to his surprise, Jonathan found that he really meant it.

‘What are you doing for dinner tonight?’ he asked.

‘I think Ollie and I are going to grab a bite at the Starfish, probably with our old friend Merlot. Would you like to join us?’

The thought of Jess sharing a tête-à-tête with Ollie was less appealing and Jonathan felt a twitch of jealousy.

‘Um, no, I’m supposed to be going out for dinner with the Colonel to talk about band calls and choreography.’

‘Oh well, another time then. See you tomorrow, Jonathan.’

Jonathan watched Jess trip off to meet Ollie. ‘Careful,’ he said to himself. ‘That was a close call.’

Ollie was in the foyer waiting for Jess to come out of the loo when he had a surprise call from Red. He hadn’t recognised the caller ID and was shocked to hear her voice.

‘Hey, Ollie. How’s it going?’ she asked, as if she’d spoken to him only yesterday rather than three weeks ago.

‘Red. Hi …’ He faltered. ‘I’ve been trying to ring you but I guess the messages don’t get through?’

‘I’m busy, you know. It’s not always possible to speak.’ She sounded mildly contrite.

‘So …’ Ollie didn’t know how to progress the conversation ‘… errr, how’s the tour going?’

‘Good. Great, actually. We’ve got a break before the next big push and I thought I might drop into London to see you.’

‘That sounds … great.’ He tried to inject enthusiasm into his voice. ‘But I’m not in London. I’m in Cornwall … working.’

‘You’re at the seaside?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Are there good fish-and-chip shops?’

‘Yeah.’

‘I’m coming down to get some of them and some of you.’

‘Oh … ah, great.’

‘I’ll get Henrik to sort out a schedule and send it to you. I’ve got to go. Bye, Ollie. I’ve missed you.’

‘Yeah. You too. Bye.’ Ollie looked at his phone. What was this? Red, sounding like the old Red, coming down to see him? His thoughts were interrupted by Jess’s phone ringing. She’d left it on the seat next to him while she nipped off. Caller ID said RYAN, so Ollie answered it.

‘Jess’s phone.’

There was a pause. ‘Who is that?’ The unmistakable voice of Ryan Hearst.

‘Hi, Ryan. Jess has just nipped to the loo, I’m—’

But Ryan didn’t give Ollie a chance to finish. ‘Who are you?’ he demanded imperiously.

‘Ollie Pinkerton. I’m working with Jess on
Hats Off, Trevay!
’

‘Cast or crew?’

‘I’m an actor.’

‘Tell Jess I called.’

‘I will, nice talking to—’

*

Jess was thrilled to hear that Ryan had phoned. ‘Did he say why?’

‘No. He sounded a bit … busy,’ Ollie managed lamely.

‘That’s him! Always busy. He calls when he can …’

‘Hmm.’ Ollie tried to signal agreement.

Jess was watching as Jonathan and the Colonel headed out of the theatre. ‘He’s a lovely man, isn’t he.’

‘Who, the Colonel?’

‘No, Jonathan.’

Ollie was on surer ground. ‘He is – and a really good director.’

‘Do you think he’s gay?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘I think he is. He’s just too emotionally intelligent and kind not to be.’

The opposite of Ryan Hearst, thought Ollie.

‘Oh, by the way,’ Jess continued, ‘Louise will be around at the
Starfish
later. If you want to come down with me, I’ll introduce you – maybe you could strike a deal with her?’

*

They headed out into the car park and watched as Brooke disappeared into the depths of a blacked-out Range Rover waiting for her outside.

‘Wow, she looks happy!’ said Jess as she watched the tail lights move off into the dusk.

‘Sorry I’ve only got the old MG, milady.’ Ollie ushered her to the car and yanked open the creaky passenger door.

‘I wouldn’t have anything different, Pinkerton.’ She did up her ancient non-inertia seat belt while Ollie hopped into the driver’s seat. ‘Did I tell you Ryan bought a Porsche? He drove me and the girls up to the Lakes in it and then proposed.’

‘Did he?’ Ollie faked a smile, thinking all the while,
What is this lovely woman doing with an ego-driven shit prick like Ryan Hearst?

‘Y
ou don’t mind, do you, Mum?’

‘Why would I?’ asked Ollie’s mother as she folded the last of his ironed shirts and passed it to him.

‘At least you know I’m only down the road in Trevay.’ He hugged her and she patted his back, enjoying the feeling of his T-shirt and the warmth of his chest against her face.

‘I’ve had enough of you being here, anyway.’ She tried to sound light-hearted. ‘And the Starfish is closer to work. You’ll save on petrol.’

Privately, she was heartbroken and couldn’t understand why he’d want to waste money living in a hotel, however good a room rate he’d negotiated. But she was wise enough to keep these thoughts to herself. Just having him back in Cornwall and nearby was enough.

‘Thanks, Mum. You’re the best.’ He gave her a final squeeze and let her go. He picked up his bag, his coat and his keys and walked to the front door. ‘Love you, Mum. Come and have supper with me soon? My treat?’

The front door closed and she was on her own again. Her own space. No worrying about when he’d be home and what he’d like for supper. No extra laundry and ironing. She began to realise how much she liked having her own space back … and after all, he was only down the road. She went back into the kitchen and made herself a fresh cup of coffee. Now, where was the crossword?

*

‘Welcome to Granny’s Nook!’ Brooke put her key in the lock and threw open the pink-painted front door. ‘Come in, come in.’

Ethel and Elsie pushed past both Brooke and Jess and skittered across the polished oak floorboards of the small drawing room.

‘Sorry about my girls. No manners,’ sighed Jess as she took the handle of one of her three suitcases and pulled it over the threshold.

‘Let me help you,’ said Brooke. ‘Your room is top of the stairs, second left.’

Like most of the older cottages in the village, Granny’s Nook was two or three hundred years old, with thick, uneven whitewashed walls. Upstairs there were two small double bedrooms and a decent bathroom. Downstairs, a kitchen, drawing room and small, chilly garden-facing room currently decked out as an office.

Jess got the last of her cases into her room and looked around at the pretty lemon curtains and inviting brass bed. ‘It’s lovely, Brooke!’

Brooke was standing in the doorway, looking as if she needed to say something.

‘What is it?’ asked Jess. ‘Are you having second thoughts about me and the girls staying here? If you are, that’s OK. I can find another place.’

‘No,’ said Brooke. ‘It’s lovely to have you here. But I have something to tell you.’

‘Yes?’ asked Jess, her interest piqued. ‘What?’

‘Can you keep a secret?’

‘I think so.’

Brooke faltered. ‘Tell you what, get yourself settled. There are plenty of hangers in the wardrobe. Come down when you’re ready, and I’ll tell you then.’

*

Jess sat with her jaw dropping. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Totally.’ Brooke had told her the whole story. ‘And when I invited you to come and be my housemate, I hadn’t heard from him for a bit and I thought it was all over, but since then he’s got a new number and everything’s OK between us. So you might meet him.’