Voice of the Heart (64 page)

‘What does liggin mean?’

‘It’s Yorkshire dialect for lying—as in lying in bed wasting the day away.’

‘Is it now. Humph. No offence intended, laddie. I mean about being out and about at this hour. I was merely surprised to see you, considering how whacked you looked at two this morning. Mind you, the night shooting was gruelling, especially hard on you and Katharine. Come to think of it, the rest of the cast were pretty done in by the time we finished. Or so it appeared. Actually, I haven’t seen hide nor hair of a single actor this morning. Usually they’re milling around the hotel when we’re not filming. Have you run into any of your confrères perchance?’

‘No, I haven’t perchance,’ Terry responded with a chortle. ‘I did speak to Katharine earlier, on the ’phone. She sounded full of beans, as usual. She told me half the cast have gone off on a picnic, up to Middleham Castle in Wensleydale. Shades of Richard III, no doubt. He was born there, you know.’

‘They must be made of iron.’

‘Stamina is an actor’s stock in trade, Jerry.’

‘True enough. But a picnic. Ugh! Jolly good luck to them! I saw you do Richard III. At Stratford. Memorable, Terry, memorable.’

‘Thanks, Jerry. It’s a bloody tough role.’

‘Mmmm. Funny though, how you make it look so easy.’ The production manager glanced at Terry and said, ‘We got some damned good footage in the can last night, and providing there are no more mishaps, and the weather holds, we should be able to get out of here next Friday, as planned. That should make you delirious.’

Terry threw Jerry a baffled look. ‘I haven’t minded being on location, mate. As a matter of fact, I’ve quite enjoyed it
this time around. I was pretty miserable when we were here in May, but then who wasn’t, with all that rain. Getting sodden to the skin every day is hardly my idea of a joy ride.’

Jerry laughed at Terry’s dour expression, his glum delivery. ‘Nor mine. And I wasn’t singling you out in any sense,’ he remarked. ‘We’ll
all
be glad to get back to London and the studios. A week of final interiors and then it’s a wrap.’

Terry eyed him, a faint smile flickering. ‘Still, despite the problems, and the weather, we’re on schedule and within the budget. That should make you delirious, Jerry.’

‘It does.’ He leaned across the bicycle, and said, ‘You’ve been a real trouper, Terry, taking so much rotten flak from Mark Pierce as good-naturedly as you have. He’s a difficult bugger.’

‘But a great director. I simply put it down to the temperament of a genius. And to be fair, he’s been hard on the entire cast, as well as on me. They’ve been troupers too.’

‘Yes,’ Jerry said quietly. He thought: But Mark’s had his knife in you and to the hilt. He had his own ideas about the real cause of the trouble between the actor and the director. Victor was suspicious and had attempted to get to the root of it, without success. Too much tension, too many undercurrents on this film, Jerry said inwardly. I’ll be relieved when the last bloody frame has been shot.

‘I heard a rumour you’re going to be on the Bolding picture, Jerry. True or false?’

‘Affirmative, old boy. And I’m looking forward to it. A classy production. Shooting in the South of France later this summer. Good cast too.’

‘Congratulations.’

‘And you? Anything in the offing?’

‘A couple of things,’ Terry said cautiously. ‘A play in the West End for starters, if I want it.’

‘Stick to films from now on, Terry,’ the production man advised. ‘You can really cut it, and you come off well on the screen. When I saw the rushes I was most impressed. You’ve
brought something very special to the role of Edgar Linton, given it dimension and stature.’

‘Thanks. That’s nice to hear. Especially from you. Getting it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.’

Jerry smiled but said nothing and the two men walked on in silence. Within a couple of minutes they reached the entrance to the hotel grounds, and ambled through the gates and up the short driveway. As they drew closer to the front steps of the Spa Hotel, both of them stopped short and glanced at each other swiftly.

‘Our star departs!’ Terry said.

‘Looks like it.’ Jerry’s response was gruff and a flash of annoyance replaced his startled expression as he surveyed the scene ahead. Victor Mason’s gleaming wine-coloured Bentley Continental was parked in front of the door, and Gus was loading the boot with Victor’s expensive luggage.

‘I thought he wasn’t leaving until next week,’ Terry said.

‘So did I. Tuesday to be precise.’

At this moment Jake Watson came through the door and hurried down the steps, his arms laden with cans of film. He carried these to the car and placed them inside on the back seat. Turning, he saw them and waved. ‘Hi, you guys!’

‘’Morning, Jake,’ Jerry said, moving forward quickly, pushing the bicycle.

‘Good morning.’ Terry returned Jake’s wave and grinned. ‘Are we losing our star?’

Jake nodded. ‘Yep. Victor’s about to leave for London.’

‘I wish to hell you’d told me!’ Massingham exclaimed heatedly, his face colouring. ‘If I’d known earlier it would have saved me the bother of getting that package of documents to the post office. Victor could have taken it with him,’ he groused. ‘Racing up and down the roads on this bloody thing is all I need this morning.’ He stomped off to park the bicycle, bristling.

‘Don’t get so hot under the collar, Jer,’ Jake soothed, staring after him, recognizing his nose was out of joint.
He probably thought he had been cut out of some top-level decision-making. ‘Victor only decided to beat it an hour ago. I came looking for you, as soon as I knew about his change in plan, but you’d already split.’

‘When’s he coming back? Correction. He’s not, if the luggage is anything to go by,’ Jerry muttered, swinging around to face Jake, glaring at him.

‘That’s right.’

‘It was my understanding Mark needed Victor for an extra scene on Monday,’ Terry remarked carefully, his curiosity aroused.

‘Mark changed his mind,’ Jake said, deciding it would be more discreet to tamper with the truth than tell it the way it really was. ‘He had a breakfast meeting with Victor this morning, to go over the rest of the shooting schedule, and he decided the additional scene would be redundant, a waste of film,
and
everybody’s time. He’s got far too much footage in the can as it is, he’s over-shot like crazy as he always does, and a lot of it has to end up on the cutting room floor. Victor agreed the scene wasn’t really necessary. It wasn’t in the script in the first place. It’s the one Mark added, you know, when Heathcliff is walking on the moors late at night and thinks he sees Cathy ahead of him… well, the ghost of Cathy. The scene would’ve had to be shot at night, which they wanted to avoid. Also, they both decided it was a bit too esoteric,’ Jake finished, feeling rather pleased with his censored version of the stormy breakfast meeting at which Victor had finally put his foot down.

Jerry Massingham’s attitude changed, and for the better. He grinned delightedly. ‘Well, I’m glad to hear it. A smart decision. I knew all along we didn’t need that new scene. We’ve got enough mystical bloody mumbo-jumbo in this picture as it is. Not that I would presume to tell Mark how to make his
bouillabaisse
, of course. Good. It’ll save us some money in the long run.’

Jake said, ‘That’s the spirit, Jer. I was pretty damned sure
you’d see the practical side. And listen,
bubeleh
, I’m sorry you had to sweat it up to the post office, particularly on that antiquated machine.’

‘No harm done, laddie,’ Jerry replied with geniality, his good humour completely restored.

‘Well, you two, I’ve got to push off, I’m afraid. See you later,’ Terry announced and edged in the direction of the steps.

‘Righto, old boy,’ Jerry said, and Jake added, ‘Take it easy, Terrence.’ He put his arm around Massingham’s shoulders and went on, ‘I need to talk to you about a couple of production matters.’

Terry left them with their heads lowered, huddled together near the car, and bounded up the front steps. Inside the lobby he stopped at the desk to inquire if there were any messages, and then took the lift to the second floor. He peered at his watch as he went down the corridor, saw that he was late. Katharine wouldn’t mind, he was sure of that. She had said she was going to study her scenes until he arrived.

He rapped on the door and she opened it almost immediately. ‘Hello, Puss,’ he said.

‘Terry darling!’ she exclaimed. Her eyes swept over him. ‘Don’t you look gorgeous,’ she added, opened the door wider and led him into her suite.

‘Thanks, and I must return the compliment. Night shooting appears to agree with you, from the way you look.’

‘
Merci, monsieur
,’ Katharine laughed. ‘Come and sit here, it’s lovely and sunny. I just ordered fresh tea, and this funny peppery sort of cake that I simply adore.’

Terry joined her, glanced at the chunks of moist brown cake on the plate and grinned down at her. ‘That’s parkin, Katharine. One of my favourite treats when I was a kid. And it’s ginger you can taste, you silly girl, not pepper. I think I will have a piece, and milk please, not lemon, in the tea.’ He lowered himself into a chair, and announced, ‘I just bumped into Jake. And get this! Victor’s leaving us today.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Katharine replied blithely, lifting the milk jug. ‘He was here a little while ago—to say goodbye.’

‘
Naturally.
’ Terry chuckled knowingly, a sardonic gleam in his eyes.

Katharine’s dark head flew up and she frowned at him. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Teacher’s pet… of course he wouldn’t leave without taking his fond farewells.’

‘For what it’s worth, he also stopped off to take his fond farewell of
you
,’ she retorted in an airy tone. ‘But you were out. So he told me to give you his best, and you’re to “sock it to ’em next week”, quote unquote.’

‘I see.’

‘Oh stop teasing me about Victor, Terry,’ Katharine exclaimed, sounding impatient; but there was fondness in her expression and her turquoise eyes danced with merriment. ‘Victor doesn’t pay much more attention to me than he does to anyone else in the film.’ She smiled dismissively.

‘Oh come on Katharine!’ Terry spluttered. ‘How can you say that! You have lunch with him practically every day, sit next to him on the set, or with him in his trailer here on location, and he never takes his eagle eyes off you.’

‘But I’m under personal contract to him, or rather, to Bellissima Productions, and anyway I’ve never made a film before.
You have.
He’s only trying to help me,’ she protested. ‘Besides, you’ve had lunch with him a lot too, and you’ve also been ensconced in the trailer with hi—’

‘Playing poker, Puss.’ Terry’s look was full of speculation. ‘What
do
you two do in his trailer?’ he asked with a suggestive smirk.

‘Terry! That’s enough! I don’t like the implication, particularly since you know very well I’m dating Kim Cunningham.’

‘Don’t get your knickers in a twist, Puss. I’m only pulling your leg. How is Kim, by the way? I thought he looked awfully morose last night.’

‘He’s all right—I suppose,’ Katharine sighed, her face
becoming sombre. ‘I think he feels a bit neglected. He’s made it very difficult for me in some ways. He thought we’d be seeing each other every night while we were shooting in Yorkshire, but that’s been impossible. You know what it’s like at the end of the day. Frankly, I’m drained, and I’ve had my new scenes to concentrate on at night, and my preparations for the next day. Mark’s such a stickler about every single detail, as we’ve all found out. And Victor’s been on my back about getting lots of rest.’ She made a small moue. ‘I haven’t had a great deal of spare time for poor Kim, and I guess he resents it.’

‘The work
does
come first with you, doesn’t it, love?’

‘Yes,’ she agreed emphatically, and hesitated. ‘But—’ Katharine leaned back, and changing the subject, she said, ‘You sounded so mysterious on the ’phone. I’ve been dying to know why you wanted to see me this morning. Come on, my darling, tell me what this is all about.’

He looked at her carefully, a small smile trickling across his mouth. ‘It seems as though I never stop thanking you these days, Puss darling. That’s why I’m here. To thank you again for another good deed.’

‘What do you mean—’ She stopped abruptly. Her eyes filled with happiness, and she clapped her hands. ‘Oh goody! Hilly Steed! It worked, didn’t it, Terry?’ He nodded, excitement bubbling over in him. ‘
Yes
. And how! He offered me a three-picture deal with Monarch. The contracts arrived yesterday from my agent. I signed them this morning and posted them a little while ago. It looks as if we’re going to be in Hollywood together, Katharine. I start my first picture under the contract in October, when you’re starting yours. I’ve read the script and it’s bloody marvellous. A superb drama. I’ve got the second male lead, but after the first film I’ll be playing only leading men. So Hilly promised me. He’s got great plans, wants to build me.’ Terry reached out and patted her hand. ‘Anyway, I owe my good fortune to you, love. You started the ball rolling
with Hillard, and whatever you said to him obviously made the right impression.’

‘Oh how wonderful, darling! I’m so excited for you, and thrilled,’ Katharine cried, her pleasure and sincerity genuine. ‘And I didn’t do much, Terry. You did it yourself really. You’re marvellous in the picture. Hilly was ecstatic about the rushes—’

‘What
did
you say to him?’

‘Do you really want to know?’ She did not wait for a reply. ‘I was quite clever really. That day I had lunch with Hilly at Shepperton he was raving about you, and I told him Victor felt the same way. Then I said, “In fact, I think Victor’s going to sign Terry to a personal contract with Bellissima. He believes Terry is going to be very big after
Wuthering Heights
is released.” I let
that
sink in, and I could see Hilly was turning
rather
green with envy. He’s very competitive with Victor, as a producer I mean. Then I delivered my punch line. I sighed, a bit sadly, patted Hilly’s arm in commiseration and said, “What a pity you didn’t think of signing Terrence Ogden first, Hilly. After all, you just missed getting me by a hair’s breadth. It looks as if Victor is about to steal another march on you. Certainly he’s cornering the market on new young talent.” Poor Hilly, he couldn’t finish his lunch. Awfully upset, poor thing. I do believe I ruined his day,’ she laughed. ‘I could
see
his mind ticking over. He asked me a few questions, also whether you had actually signed with Victor nor not. Naturally I was suitably vague. I suggested he call you.’ Katharine sat back, looking sweetly innocent and gratified with herself.