by Carlyn Cade
“How do you know you haven’t used up your allotment?”
“I don’t, but if I did, I’ll have to negotiate for more.”
“Time to change the subject,” she said. “So, I can expect you in a couple days, then?”
“Yes, and I’m bringing Sam along. He’s going to Louisville with me for the exhibit, so I figured he might as well detour with me to California first.”
“I like Sam.”
“Yeah, me too, but the problem is I want to spend my time with you. I was thinking if you knew someone you trusted who could go along with us when we went out, the media might not be so hard on us if we’re seen with other people. They could act as decoys. The person would have to be a woman, of course. Do you know of anyone?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Then we’ll have to go to Plan B. I’ll come to your place and camp there, and never leave. We’ll be alone all the time and –”
She laughed. “Wait a second. I’ve just thought of someone.”
“Goodbye, Plan B,” he quipped.
“Do you remember Helen Ashley Shores?”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“She happens to be my agent’s mother. I’ve met her and she’s very sweet and nice, and extremely attractive.”
“How old is she now?”
“Are you afraid she’s too old for Sam? Did you want someone my age for him?”
“Ouch,” he said. “I didn’t mean to imply either of those things. I was curious, that’s all. She sounds perfect for him. You do realize we’re setting up a blind date for one of the richest men on the planet.”
“That choice gossip would make headlines all around the world.”
He chuckled. “Well, I won’t tell, if you don’t.”
“Then they’ll never know.”
“Listen, Stacia, I’m going to hop over to Monaco with my father and Sam. We’re leaving right away, but I’ll call you tomorrow and let you know our flight plans for California.”
“I’ll call Helen and see if she’s willing to go out with us.” She smiled, trying to picture Sam and Helen together. They made an extremely attractive couple – him with his gray crown accenting his tall, handsome looks, her – petite, blonde and beautiful.
“And I’ll talk to Sam, but I don’t think I’ll tell him we’re trying to fix him up with a blind date.”
When she hung up, Stacia checked her messages. She decided to return only the most important ones. She called her assistant first, informing her that she was home and gave her instructions to have the studio hand-deliver the script to her home as soon as possible. She also asked Jamie to set up a meeting with Nathan and Arthur for the next day. That way the following days would be free for Clay.
After that, she called Hal, her mother and her brother. They all had the same questions, and she gave the same answers to each of them. Yes, she had a lovely vacation. Yes, the prince was wonderful. No, they weren’t going to get married, don’t believe everything you hear or read.
But in the case of Hal, she managed to wheedle a little information out of him about his mother. She found out his mother wasn’t seeing anyone and hadn’t dated since his father died many years ago. When Hal asked Stace why she was asking about his mother, she’d evaded his question except to say Helen seemed so young and pretty to be alone. Then she asked if he would give her his mother’s phone number, because she wanted to talk to her about something. She figured if Helen agreed to go, she could tell Hal herself. If not, he probably didn’t ever have to know, providing his mother didn’t want to tell him.
She punched in Helen’s number. A nervous twinge hit her stomach. What if Helen said no and got angry? What if she said yes and the date turned out to be a disaster? How would all this affect their friendly relationship?
The phone rang. Helen answered it on the third ring.
“Hi, this is Stacia Saunders.”
“Hello, dear. You’re really getting around these days, aren’t you?”
“I guess you read the papers, right?”
“I mostly look at the photos of celebrities and skip the headlines and stories. I know there’s not much in the way of truth in them.”
“Have you ever met Prince Clayton or Sam Prescott?” Stacia thought she was pretty clever to slip Sam’s name in there.
“Prince Clayton, no. Sam Prescott, yes, a long, long time ago. I haven’t seen him for years, and I was very young then. He manages to stay out of the press. I believe the last time I read anything about him was when his wife died.”
“Well, I have a little problem. Clay is coming to visit me, and he’s bringing Sam with him for a couple days. Because of all the publicity we’ve been getting, we’re afraid to go out alone. Confidentially, I’m more afraid of what would happen if we stayed in alone.”
Helen laughed softly. “Sounds like Cupid’s been around with his arrows.”
“I’ve been trying to dodge them, but if I spend much more time alone with Clay...I just don’t know what would happen. I guess that’s where you come in. Have you ever been a decoy?”
“I don’t understand.”
“What I mean is, if you’re free and would consent to come along with the three of us for a couple days, the media wouldn’t be so quick to say we were in some love nest like they did when we were in London. We’d more or less have a couple of chaperones.”
“I don’t know, Stacia. I’m not interested in dating.”
“You don’t have to think of it as dating. I’d prefer if you’d think of it as a favor to me as a friend. Or is that putting too much pressure on you? I don’t want anything to ruin our relationship.”
“What does Sam say about this?”
“Clay is talking to him today. They’re on a little jaunt to Monaco to gamble. He’s going to call me tomorrow to let me know when they’re coming, and what Sam said. I figure he’ll say yes. Who wouldn’t want to date...excuse me, I mean...be seen in your company?”
“If your acting career fails, Stacia, you can always join the diplomatic corps.” Helen laughed. “I’ll agree to this much. When the prince calls you back, you find out what Sam said, and then call me. I’ll give you my answer at that time. But remember, if I do agree to this, it will definitely not be a date, and I’d only be doing it to help you and Prince Clayton out.”
“You’re not so bad about being diplomatic either. I appreciate you not giving me a direct no. I’d enjoy spending some time with you. It would give us a chance to get to know each other better. But if you think this little decoy experience might ruin our friendship, I hope you refuse because nothing’s worth that to me.”
“I can assure you, Stacia, I wouldn’t let anything spoil our friendship. I don’t want that either.”
“And Helen, one more thing. When I asked Hal for your phone number, I kinda danced around the real reason I was calling you. I figured it was your decision what you wanted to tell him.”
“I don’t keep anything from Hal. I never have. If I thought he shouldn’t know about something I was considering doing, I wouldn’t do it. I’d be aware immediately that it was wrong to do if it meant I had to keep a secret from my son.”
“What a great relationship you have with Hal.”
“I know I’m lucky. After all the bad things that have happened in my life, he’s been the one constant good thing. I’ll always respect and love him for that.”
“When I have children, I’m going to remember what you just said and try to live up to your example.”
“And do you suppose Prince Clayton will be their father?”
Stacia shook her head. “I wasn’t born to be a princess. You should have seen me growing up on the farm, milking cows, gathering eggs, driving tractors, all the usual things we farm girls have to do to learn responsibility, or so my parents said.”
“Well, their method worked fine on you.”
“I am responsible all right.” She wished she wasn’t, so she could dump her commitment to London Affair and tear up her
studio contract for her following picture. Then she’d be free to fly back to SwissDen to tempt Clay some more until she used up her welcome, or he used up his allotment of kisses, whichever came first.
“Stacia, I have to hang up now. My driver’s at the door to take me to an appointment. Call me tomorrow.”
After saying their good-byes, Stacia turned her phone off and stared down at her ripped-apart photo. She picked up the pieces, crumbled them together, and tossed them into the waste basket. She sat back down, her elbows on her knees, her hands bracing her head and contemplated both ways the next few days could turn out. As much as she wanted Clay with her, since she’d been away from him, the impact of him being a prince collided with how she felt being around him in Europe. There, even with all the riches he’d introduced her to, he still seemed like a normal, great guy. But he was more. He was a prince, and she wasn’t royalty. While SwissDen had been a wonderful paradise to visit, the splendor of it overwhelmed her now that she was home and had time to think about it.
What did she have to offer him? A green tank top? That hardly seemed enough. Maybe when he called tomorrow, she should tell him something came up, and she’d be too busy to see him. Would that be fair to him? Could he help it if he was born a prince? No more than she could help being a farmer’s daughter.
Her phone rang, and security informed her they were bringing up a package a courier had delivered to her from Starlit Studios. When she heard a knock at her door and answered it, she was handed a bulky envelope. The script had arrived. She dismissed her thoughts of Clay and tore open the envelope. Pulling out the thickly bound pages, she plopped on the sofa and curled her legs under her as she started to read.
When the room began to grow dark, she turned on the light and kept reading. Memorizing this script was going to be easier than she’d thought. As she dwelled on her role in the movie, she felt as if she already knew her lines. How could that be? Had her little vacation in Europe swept her memory so clean that she could now remember lines after reading them once? She’d seen the movie twice, which must be why the dialogue sounded so familiar. Mesmerized by this seemingly impossible attainment, she kept reading. The deeper she went into the story, the more she knew her part.
Finally, she came out of the subconscious fog she’d drifted into and wondered what time it was. She had evidently turned on a lamp when darkness had appeared without even missing a beat in her reading. After glancing at the clock, Stacia rubbed her eyes and walked out onto her balcony. She watched Hollywood’s lights twinkling beneath her. She reflected on the beauty and riches in her life. Not like a prince would have, but what she’d earned had bought her a gorgeous condo and almost anything she desired for her parents and herself. Her work had brought her credibility and respect. She’d done well so far in her life. SwissDen was a Brigadoon...a Camelot...a dream existence. This was her reality and where she belonged.
And Clay...he was a prince. Had she been under a spell and dazzled by him and everything SwissDen offered? When he got here, he probably wouldn’t fit into her life at all. Well, he’d only be here a couple days. Then, they’d say good-bye forever. She’d never see him again, but he could always see her on the movie screen. Maybe she wasn’t a princess, but she sure could act like one.
♥♥
The Zeppelin bombers were coming again.
On the fringe of London, a woman, dark as the night in her black-hooded cape, ran against the wind in a desperate attempt to be the victor in the race against the arrival of the bombs. A futile effort, one she couldn’t win, but cold fear can at times turn luck around. She had to find shelter. She must. But where? Breath coming in loud gulps, heart chilled to a deathly beat, she plunged ahead. In the inkiness of the evening, she could see nowhere to hide from the explosives that would drop within seconds.
Why had she tried to make her pilgrimage to the wishing well? Did she think that for one day this world war would magically stop long enough to allow her to make her trip and return safely?
Loneliness had driven her here where her lover and she used to meet secretly. Where else could they go with the taboo of royalty and peasant together so strong an opposition against them?
He’d tossed a coin into the water, as he always did at the end of their last kiss. “This will bring us luck, and love will keep us together forever,” he’d whispered intimately into her ear.
But it hadn’t. He’d disappeared after their last rendezvous. No matter how many times she’d visited their special place after that, he was never there.
She tried to run even faster but was blinded by her stinging tears. She stumbled and fell, rolling over and over on the road. Loose pieces of gravel bit her face, grinding her tears even deeper into her flesh. The bombers were closing in on her now – five seconds at the most, and it would be over. She didn’t want to be blown apart; she didn’t want her life to end that way. Terror raged within her.
Suddenly, two arms scooped her up, carrying her farther and farther away as second after second ticked by. They reached the runner’s destination – a cave cut into the hillside she wasn’t aware even existed. As his arms enfolded her, his body covered hers as closely and gently as possible. The bombs were dropped outside their shelter. She could hear their explosion as they cracked the earth, but she was safe inside the cave surrounded by the arms of love.
As quickly as the Zeppelins appeared, they were gone, leaving in their wake a trail of bright lights and popping thunder resonating from the target area. She turned to see who her protector was, although she was certain it was her lover. It was their anniversary, and he’d remembered and come back to see her, to take her with him. Everything would be fine now. But he’d vanished. Or had he been there at all? He’d always said love would keep them together forever. Had it? Was it possible their love had penetrated the existence between two worlds? If so, which one was she in now?
Stacia awoke with a start, the dream tugging at her senses to return to that world while her mind demanded she stay awake. Where was this dream coming from? And why was she dreaming it? She was convinced it took place in London, but why was it so different than London Affair? She partially knew the logical answer. London Affair took place during World War II. Her dream, because of the Zeppelins, had to take place during WWI. But why, above anything else, was she so positive this woman had been her? She glanced at the clock and because of the late time, knew she’d have to deposit the dream back where it belonged – into her memory bank.
Jumping out of bed, she ran to the shower and turned it on. Feeling refreshed after drying off and dressing, she walked into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, realizing that because she’d read so late, she hadn’t had a chance to arrange a limo ride this morning.
She sighed, deciding to forego breakfast because she’d have to drive herself to the studio for her meeting with Nathan and Arthur. She grabbed her necessities and headed for the garage where her car was parked.
On the way to Starlit Studios, she relaxed on the freeway, enjoying the driving and the wind from the open windows whipping her hair around her face. Suddenly, she was surrounded by rush-hour traffic. No wonder she preferred a limo to take her to the studio in the morning. She couldn’t even use the car pool lane because she was alone in the car. She flipped on the radio and scanned the stations until a news broadcast grabbed her interest.
“Louisville, Kentucky, the home of Churchill Downs where the Kentucky Derby is run each year, is getting ready to welcome a different kind of world champion. This one is a globe-trotting ice sculptor, and he’s also a prince. Prince Clayton Alexander will be the star of the Ice Derby Gala to be held next week at the Kentucky Derby Museum. This event will draw all the major race horse owners and the world’s richest people, all contributing $35,000 each to charity for dinner and the privilege of seeing Prince Clayton’s ice horse, Aristides, the thoroughbred who won the first Kentucky Derby in 1875. The sculpture will be a replica of the bronze statue of the horse which guards the Clubhouse Gardens at Churc
hill Downs. A true ice artist, the prince’s specialty is not only the magnificent sculptures he creates, but also his use of spot lighting, which everyone admits is a phenomenon in itself.
“An interesting side note of all this is the question, will Stacia Saunders, the red-haired goddess of the movie screen, be on Prince Clayton’s arm at this party as she was at Harrods in London?”
Stacia hit the radio off button and a break in traffic all in the same second. She sped on to the studio. A short time later she walked into the sound stage where Nathan and Arthur were already busy with the setup for the movie.
“Over here, Stacia,” Nathan said as he motioned to her. “We appreciate you cutting your vacation short to help us out. It seems our backer decided he wanted to see some actual scenes of how this will work. He wants a video of you doing a small scene. And he also would like one of Arthur doing his specialized skill, as well as his finished product. As soon as he receives these, he’ll sign the check for the final financing of London Affair.”
Well, now I know one thing. Our backer is a male. Thanks, Nathan. Stacia smiled. “Glad I could help you out with something so easy.”
“So you did receive the script?”
“Yes.” Stacia didn’t say how easy it was to memorize.
“Did you memorize enough for us to shoot a scene? Any one will do.” Arthur said.
“How about when they’re in the restaurant?” The ending was her favorite scene, but this one ranked second.
“You have that one memorized?” Arthur asked as if he were astonished.
“Stacia, look ahead of you, to the right and to the left,” Nathan directed. “Those big movie screens will project London Affair as you act out the part of Victoria. No matter which way you turn, you should be able to see one of those screens. This should help you with the timing of your lines, plus, we’re hoping it’ll make you feel as if you’re acting next to whomever you’re saying your lines to. As you know, we have to have quiet on the set, so we’ll be using a small earphone, which your hair will cover.” He nodded at the woman walking toward her. “Good. You can fit that into her ear now.” Then he turned toward Stacia. “You’ll hear all of the sounds of the movie, the music, the dialogue, etc., with only one missing voice – Audra’s – which, of course, you’ll be supplying. Well, basically that’s it for today. Any questions?”
