Voice of the Heart (73 page)

‘She acts the lady, plays the role to the hilt, I’ll grant you that. Never forget, she is
acting
. On the other hand, you are one, Francesca, born and bred. There’s a big difference, so don’t delude yourself into thinking otherwise.’

Deciding to ignore this last comment, Francesca replied with firmness, ‘What I started to say originally, when I saw Vic and Kath so engrossed and obviously talking about the film, was that I realized, yet again, how apart I am from his professional life. Sometimes I feel like a spare wheel, sort of on the fringes and uninvolved in his world. But frankly it never crossed my mind there was anything between them, other than business. I know Kath only has eyes for Kim, and besides, I trust Victor completely.’

‘Does he know how lucky he is, Francesca?’

She smiled, her eyes suddenly clear and untroubled. ‘Do you think he is, Nicky?’

‘Sure I do. He’s been blessed, finding you.’

‘But I’m the luckiest of all, having him.’ As she spoke her head pivoted on her slender neck. Nick followed her gaze, which had settled on Victor once more. He stood out, larger than life, towering above his worshipful colleagues, one arm flung around Terry’s shoulders. He was laughing unrestrainedly, his eyes irreverent, his startling good looks and masculinity overpowering.

Nick said, ‘You’re on a fast track with a downhill racer, kid.’

She swung her head. Her eyes grew enormous and she frowned. ‘What on earth is that supposed to mean?’

He regretted the remark, was furious with himself. Intended flippantly, it had come out sounding… cautionary. Fuming at his own stupidity, he remained mute.

Francesca searched his face, shook her head. ‘You’re saying some awfully strange things, Nick, awfully strange indeed…’ Her face had paled.

‘Yes, that I am, kid,’
Nick agreed hastily. ‘Forget everything I’ve said in the last half hour. Come on, let’s get another drink and find Diana.’

Propelling her across to the bar, he asked himself why he was viewing the world through such jaundiced eyes today.

He had no ready answer. But he made his mind up to one thing: he was going to play everything in a lighter vein, a much lighter vein.

With fresh drinks in their hands, Nick and Francesca skirted the perimeters of the sound stage, eventually spotting Diana talking to an exotic-looking girl with raven hair and sloe eyes. She was introduced to Nick as Hilary Rayne Pierce, Mark’s wife, and the costume designer on the picture. Apparently they had been discussing fashion, and the conversation continued along these lines for the next few minutes. Nick hovered next to them, sipping his vodka.

Suddenly, Hilary was excusing herself, saying she must find Mark. Nick thrust out his hand to take hers, was amazed at its iciness, curious considering the heat in the studio, which was stifling. He was about to remark on this, then bit back the comment that had sprung to his lips. ‘It was nice meeting you too,’ he said with a smile.

Diana stared at Hilary, ‘What a lovely person, Cheska. So charming, and well informed about fashion. She gave me some helpful tips about buying clothes in London… for the boutique.’

‘Yes, she is awfully nice, and I’m glad she was helpful. I told you she would be, Dibs.’

‘She’s Indian, isn’t she?’ Nick asked Francesca.

‘Anglo-Indian. Her mother is the daughter of some maharajah from a minor principality near Rawalpindi. Her father is Sir James Rayne, and seemingly there was quite a fuss when he upped and left his regiment and married the little Indian princess, or maharanee, or whatever she was. But that was over thirty-five years ago, and the dust has long since settled. Times
have
changed. Anyway, everyone adores
Lady Rayne, and she’s quite a remarkable person. She’s still rather beautiful, and Hilary looks a lot like her.’

‘You’re a walking encyclopedia, kid,’ Nick grinned.

‘Actually, I’m just naturally nosy,’ Francesca said, her equilibrium now fully restored. ‘Always asking questions. Consequently I’m a fountain of information, most of it absolutely useless.’

‘I wouldn’t say that. And maybe you can supply the answer to another more pertinent question: where is our star taking us to dinner tonight?’

‘Now
that
I don’t know, I’m afraid.’

‘You can ask Victor yourself, Nicky darling,’ Diana informed him. ‘He’s making a beeline for us right now.’

***

Victor said, ‘I know you’re upset about something, old buddy, so come on, let’s have it.’ He sat sipping a drink in Nick’s suite at Claridge’s. ‘I know you far too well, Nicky, not to understand something’s amiss. You’ve been very subdued with me for the last five days, ever since the wrap party. Have I offended you in some way?’

‘No, of course not,’ Nick rejoined hurriedly.

Victor grinned. ‘You’re a poor liar, kid. Anyway, you don’t have to spell it out for me. I can guess. It’s to do with Francesca, isn’t it?’

‘Sort of,’ Nick found himself admitting.

Victor lit a cigar, sat back, and met Nick’s inspection unflinchingly. ‘I thought as much. I realize I was pretty dismissive about her the other day in my dressing room, but only because it was the wrong moment for that type of discussion. I told you then that I still had a number of concerns about the picture. What I didn’t explain is that I also have a variety of other problems to contend with. Personal problems of a very serious nature.’

Nick sat up and looked at Victor’s face. The worry was now clearly revealed, no longer concealed by the actor’s mask. He knew without a doubt that Jake had not imagined
anything after all. ‘You should have told me before,’ he began, and stopped when Victor held up his hand.

‘The wrap party was about to begin. I didn’t want to cast a cloud over the celebration.’ Victor leaned forward. ‘Sure I’m heavily involved with Francesca. You weren’t wrong there, kid. However, until I resolve my difficulties with Arlene, I can’t do much about Ches. Look at the facts, Nicky. She’s barely twenty, a baby in so many different ways. Her life is just beginning, there’s so much ahead of her. She comes from a distinguished background, is therefore highly eligible on the marriage market. And with her looks and brains, I’ve no doubt her father expects her to make a spectacular match. With a young man from their echelon of society. I don’t want to ruin her chances for a good life, should I be unable to unravel my mess. So you see, I must handle the situation with care, extreme caution.’ He took a swallow of his Scotch and continued: I can just see the Earl’s face if his only daughter, not yet twenty-one, is dragged into a sensational and scandalous divorce, because of her involvement with
me
. A movie star, and one who’s had three wives, has grown sons
her
age. Jesus, Nicky, I’m almost her father’s contemporary, twenty years older than she is, and something of a reprobate. So I don’t know that David Cunningham would approve of me, even if I weren’t so damned entangled.’

Distressed that he had misjudged Victor, Nick chided himself for his lack of faith. ‘So the divorce is going through?’ he asked.

‘No, not at this moment.’ Victor’s tone was as gloomy as his expression, and he explained, ‘Arlene is being contentious in every conceivable way. And she’s just pulled something so outrageous, I’m floored. She and her goddamn fancy lawyers are out to ruin me, skin me alive if they possibly can.’

‘Are you talking about the settlement, Vic?’

‘Among other things. You know the law in California…
community property being the key phrase. She’s after property all right, everything I own practically. She wants the ranch, and fifty per cent of Bellissima Productions.’

‘Holy Christ!’ Nick gasped, understanding everything clearly for the first time. No wonder Victor was troubled, angry and hurt. Arlene Mason was stretching out her greedy hands to grasp two of the things he loved most, and which he had worked long and hard to build. ‘I’ll be a son of a bitch,’ Nick cursed. ‘But what the hell, Vic, she doesn’t stand a chance. No judge would grant her—’

‘Don’t be too sure,’ Victor exclaimed, ‘I’m not going to speculate, or attempt to second guess any judge, or a court of law. Anything could happen.’

Nick racked his brains for a possible solution. ‘What about offering her a hunk of dough. Surely that—’

‘We did,’ Victor cut in. ‘Last week my lawyers made a counter offer. Three million dollars as a cash settlement, plus ten grand alimony per month, for five years. That comes to another six hundred thousand dollars. And she gets the alimony for the full period, even if she remarries during that time. She turned it down, and I thought I was being
pretty
generous.’

Nick shook his head in dismay. ‘What a bitch she is, Vic, and she’s being inordinately spiteful. My God, Arlene always hated the ranch, never wanted to spend any time there with you. And as far as the company goes, why the hell would she want to own half of that, except to hurt you.’

‘Don’t I know it. She says she’s going to expose me to the world as a cruel and heartless husband, a sex fiend who flaunted his many love affairs with other women when we were still living together as man and wife, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Not strictly accurate, as
you
well know. She’s twisting the truth to suit her own ends. Furthermore, she’s attempting to use the threat of bad publicity as a weapon, so the spectre of
Confidential
still hovers over my head. Charming, isn’t she?
Not that I care about myself, Nick, but I do have to protect Ches.’

Nick said swiftly, ‘But Arlene doesn’t know about Francesca. You’ve been so careful.’ He bit his lip, then asked worriedly, ‘You have, haven’t you? I mean Arlene couldn’t have anything on you, could she?’

‘No. I’ve been scrupulous, and I’ve never been seen alone in public with Francesca.’

‘What about your trip to Königssee?’

‘We flew separately, there and back, and we stayed close to the house, never went to restaurants or public places. And when we were on location in Yorkshire, Ches and I hardly saw each other, and when we did, we were always surrounded by other people. I know what you’re intimating, Nicky, but even if Arlene is having me tailed by a private eye, or two or three, there’s been nothing to spot. I’m safe on that score. And as long as I move in the midst of a group at all times when we’re in the South of France, my relationship with Francesca will still be under wraps. But it’s tough, sneaking around corners all the time, especially on the little one.’

‘Francesca’s a smart girl, Vic. I’m sure she understands.’

‘More or less.’

‘What’s your next move, regarding Arlene?’

‘Negotiate. That’s my only course. Listen, kid, just between
us
, I’m prepared to go up another million on the settlement, and let the alimony stand. I’ll even throw in the Bel-Air house. But I can’t let her get her hands on Che Sarà Sarà, or on Bellissima Productions. It’s out of the question.’

Nick caught the desperation in his voice. ‘And I always thought Arlene was a dumb, redheaded starlet, with nothing but air space between her neck and the top of her head. I’m pretty stupid!’ he announced.

‘I haven’t been much smarter myself. Taken in by a gorgeous face and the greatest legs since Betty Grable’s. I think I need a frontal Iobotomy,’ Victor laughed. ‘As for
Arlene, she makes Mike Lazarus look like a babe in arms. Jesus, I wish I could dump her as easily as I dumped him.’

‘I second that. And let’s stay away from actresses from now on. But getting back to you, I’ll do anything I can to help, Vic.’

‘Thanks, Nicky. Right now all we
can
do is sit back and wait for Arlene’s next move. And there’s nothing to be gained by dwelling on the problems. Mainly, I wanted to clear the air with you, as well as fill you in.’ Victor leaned back, puffed on his cigar, remarked carefully, ‘Incidentally, I haven’t told Francesca anything about the trouble I’m having with Arlene. I would rather she didn’t know. Ches would only worry. So, under the circumstances, the less she knows the better.’

‘Sure, Vic, I understand.’

Nick jumped up as the telephone rang, and went to answer it. ‘Hello? Hi there. Yes, sure he is. Just a minute.’ Nick put the ’phone down, said, ‘It’s for you, maestro. Your lady.’

Victor covered the floor in three quick strides. ‘Hello, darling,’ he said, pressing the receiver to his ear. His worried expression was dislodged by a happy smile as he listened to her voice.

Suddenly the scowl reappeared. ‘I see. No, I didn’t know anything about it, Ches,’ he exclaimed. Then his delivery increased in rapidity. ‘No. No. I don’t want you to do that, baby. Under no circumstances. Too hard on you. Not very safe. Dangerous. Yes, I think it would be dangerous.’ There was a small silence as Victor heard her out, then he said, ‘Look, let me think about it for a while. And don’t call Doris yet. There’s plenty of time to tell her. Now please,
relax
, baby. We’ll discuss it at dinner tonight.’ Another brief pause on Victor’s part, before he finished, ‘Yes, I will, Francesca. So long, baby.’ He replaced the receiver thoughtfully.

Having heard one side of the conversation, and now observing the look of disquiet on Victor’s face, Nick asked quickly, ‘What could be dangerous, Vic?’

‘Francesca driving Doris Asternan’s Rolls-Royce to the
South of France by herself. It’s a long journey as you know, having driven it with me. I can’t let her go all that way alone… through the Loire Valley, and miles and miles of other equally lonely and deserted countryside. There’s no way I’m going to sanction that idea.’

Nick nodded. ‘I agree with you. But I thought Katharine Tempest was making the trip with her, sharing the driving.’

‘Yes, that was the plan, However, Katharine has just backed off. A few minutes ago. She called Ches to tell her she can’t leave on schedule this weekend as agreed, that she has to stay in London for a couple of weeks. Because she has important meetings on her new picture. With Hilly Steed. And Beau Stanton.’

‘Does she?’ Nick asked, his eyes glued on Victor’s face.

‘This is the first I’ve heard of it.’ Victor picked up his cigar and put it in his mouth, taking a long draw, and he could not help wondering what Katharine’s game was now. He had no way of knowing that Nicholas Latimer was posing the identical question to himself.