4 Camera ... Action ... Murder!

by Faith Mortimer

  “Coffee, please. I have a feeling this is going to be a long day, and I need to stay awake. We saw you just after we arrived. You were with—who’s that?” Diana said, widening her eyes at the girl who had just entered the room. “Let me guess…a blue-eyed blonde, who’s slim, young, and of course, impossibly pretty. Don’t tell me. I take it that’s Duncan’s latest?”

  “Yes, except her eyes are green actually, like yours,” Russell said, grinning at Diana. “Would you like to meet her? I’d be interested to hear what you think of her.”

  “You know her?”

  “Of course. I make it my business to know all of Duncan’s friends.”

  Diana shot Russell a look, thinking it a strange thing to say. “Lead the way,” she said in a quiet voice.

  Diana judged the girl to be in her mid to late twenties, and up close she saw she was even more attractive. Her skin was a pale honey tan and completely without blemish apart from a sprinkling of tiny freckles across her nose. She was dressed in a close-fitting dress with a low back and pencil skirt. The colour was an electric green, and Diana was amazed that anyone could look so good in such a bold colour. She wore her blonde hair loose around her face and had threaded some matching green and silver beads through it to complete her ensemble. Without feeling the slightest bit jealous, Di thought she looked gorgeous.

  Russell looked on amused, while watching Diana study the young actress with interest. He introduced Diana to Caroline.

  “So, you’re another original member of Duncan’s company. He’s talked about his protégées so many times, I feel as if I know you all already. You must have had great fun when you first staged The Holbein Legacy. Are you all geared up for tomorrow? It’s going to be an exciting day, and I’m so thrilled to have a starring role to play.”

  When Diana frowned and looked puzzled, Caroline laughed and turned to Russell. “Doesn’t she know what we’re doing tomorrow?”

  “Probably not, as she and Steve—that’s him over there with Isabelle—have only just arrived,” he answered drily. “Besides, Duncan hasn’t explained the sequence of the events for the next few days because Isabelle wanted to wait until everyone was here.”

  Caroline pulled a face at the mention of Isabelle’s name. “Oh, her! She always wants to try and take control. Why can’t she stick to what she’s best at? She’s not a member of the Company and certainly not an actress.” She leaned nearer to them as she whispered, “Actually, it’s very odd because she’s not being herself at the moment. One minute she is a right pain in the arse, and the next she’s acting all coy and almost sweet. She certainly is a strange woman.”

  As Diana raised her eyebrows at her words and glanced across to Russell, Caroline laughed delightedly. Her voice sounded silvery and tinkled against the backdrop of mostly male voices in the room. “Oh, don’t mind me, sweetie. As a rule, Isabelle and I never hit it off. Neither of us likes each other, and everyone knows it. She hates the fact that Duncan wants me to have a starring—albeit a minor starring—role in his film. She’d rather I played the maid or a whore. In fact the old bat as much as called me one last week.” She gave a melodramatic sigh and rolled her eyes. “Never mind, she doesn’t know what Duncan has planned later on, and I can’t wait to see her face after he’s told her. Catch you later, darlings. I must go and find him. Any idea where he is?”

  “In his study with Patrick, I believe.”

  “That old bore! Duncan will be champing at the bit to get away from him. I wonder what grief he’s giving Duncan now. If it isn’t about giving his dull girlfriend a better part in the film, then it’s usually a whinge about some old play of his. He does drip on. I’ll just have to go and drag Duncan out, won’t I?” With a whirl, she turned and clipped her way across the polished wooden floor. Diana glanced down, noticing her very high stiletto heels, and winced. She grinned.

  “Oh, no wonder she and Isabelle don’t hit it off. I think I’d be a bit peeved too, if she walked over my wooden floors wearing those things. Do you know what she meant about Duncan, and would Patrick’s ‘dull girlfriend’ be his old flame, Joanna?”

  “I’ve no idea what she meant. But yes, Caroline certainly doesn’t give any quarter where Isabelle is concerned. I think she deliberately plays up when she can, knowing she’ll get away with it because Duncan dotes on her. She’s more than a little minx. I do wonder, though, because it isn’t Duncan’s house, and Isabelle—.” Russell stopped.

  Diana turned back to look at him. “Isabelle what?”

  “Nothing. I was just musing out loud. Ah, here’s Sebastian. You might remember him from before.”

  They were joined by a young man sporting an expensive-looking camera on a thick strap around his neck. He was shorter and squarer than Russell, and although his hair was dark like his father’s, it was cut sleekly above his ears. He had a pensive look about him as he cast his eye around the room before settling on Russell. Although it was years since she had last seen him, Di thought he looked very familiar.

  “Seb, come and meet Diana. She’s one of the original company members. I don’t suppose you remember her when you were little?”

  Sebastian grinned sheepishly. “No, Dad. I can’t remember everyone in your long life. Hi Diana. Sorry, but I don’t remember you at all.”

  Di returned his smile. “If I recall, you were about seven when we left Cheltenham, so I’m not surprised. What’s the impressive-looking camera for?”

  “Ah! I’m this week’s official photographer. For the still photos that is. The actual filming will be done by a film crew from Lodestone Pictures. They’ll be the ones who will shoot the screenplay. I’m really pleased to be here, and it was all last minute stuff. The stills photographer was originally going to be my boss, but he’s gone down with some dreadful food-poisoning bug, and after Dad had a word with him, he suggested me to Duncan. So here I am.”

  “It’s given you a fabulous opportunity. It was lucky Duncan had chosen your company in the first place,” Diana said.

  “Yes it was. Apparently, he owed Barry, my boss, an enormous favour from way back and gave him the contract. I was surprised when Barry first told me. It’s bad luck he’s laid up, but it’s a fortunate break for me. I get to photograph everyone, including all the beautiful ladies in their finery.”

  “So what exactly does your work here entail?”

  Sebastian looked around the room before replying. “Apart from today, when I’m just taking casual shots of everyone enjoying themselves, I’m to take as many photographs as possible once everyone is in costume,” he said, raising his camera and sighting Diana in the lens. “Say chess, please.”

  Instead, Diana gawked. “In costume? No one told us that! What costumes?”

  Russell intervened. “Costumes from the Tudor period. They’re exact replicas of what the real cast will be wearing for the film. Since the period is Tudor, then you’ll be wearing a full-skirted gown, with a headdress. And the men will be in suits with frilly ruffs and codpieces…for our sins,” he added ruefully. “But don’t let on we’ve told you, for God’s sake. As Caroline said, Isabelle wants it to be a secret, and she’s planning to surprise us all at dinner tonight.”

  “But Russell, it’s summer time. We’ll be so hot in long dresses—all that brocade and ermine. It’ll be stifling.”

  “I know, but I’m told it won’t be all day, just an hour or so for different scenes. It should be fun.”

  Diana looked doubtful for a second, and then her face brightened. “You could be right, and it might be fun. Oh well, at least we get the chance to dress up again. Steve and I haven’t done anything much lately, except for the Shakespeare at Kourion amphitheatre in Cyprus. That’s always enjoyable, but we only get to perform for three nights.”

  Russell nodded then turned to Sebastian. “You were looking pensive when you first walked in. Is everything all right?”

  Sebastian dipped his head at his father’s question. “It’s nothing, just something personal I have to do. Anyway, I m
ay be fine, but I don’t know about Duncan. Before I came in here, I heard him having an almighty ding-dong with someone in his study.”

  Diana looked at Russell and winced. “That must have been Patrick. We wondered what was bugging him.”

  Chapter 4

  When Diana and Steve finally found themselves free later that afternoon, they wandered down to enjoy the fresh wind blowing across the lake. The weather had peaked to perfection, and they had discovered that more sunshine and cloudless skies were forecast for at least the first part of the week.

  “Aren’t we lucky? The good weather is a godsend for the photographic session tomorrow. I heard from Clare that Duncan was pinning almost everything on these next few days to promote the picture. She says he’s got some backing from Lodestone Pictures, but she’s guessing it’s probably not enough. Wasn’t she funny during lunch? I couldn’t stop laughing at her stories. She hasn’t changed a bit,” said Diana taking Steve’s hand in hers.

  “Clare? Yeah, she’s always been good value for money, and I’m glad to see she’s done well for herself. She told me she’s just finished the second series of her hospital soap on BBC and said if the ratings are as good as they’ve been for the present series, then a third is planned for next year.”

  They sat down on the lawn, a stone’s throw away from the water’s edge. Steve lay back and gazed up at the sky, while Di played around making a daisy chain. The sweet smell of freshly mown grass was all around them; somewhere they could hear a lawnmower in the distance. After a moment, Di carried on. “I bet she’s so excited about being in it, the picture I mean. Imagine working your way up from provincial theatre into television and then having a great part in a film. Duncan’s quite convinced it’ll be a major production, you know.”

  Steve rolled over on to one arm and leant on his elbow watching her thread her daisies. “I’m sure he does, and I hope he’s right. What about you? Do you miss all of that life? You know, treading the boards, the smell of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowds.”

  Di laughed. “Silly! No one says that. Yes and no, I suppose. I always knew I was never going to be a fantastic actress. I enjoyed it while I had the opportunity. But seriously, I was never going to make the big time, and I was happy with the parts I played. Sometimes I landed something really good I could get my teeth into, and I gave it my best, but Clare was by far the better all-round actress and deserves everything she has. I’m not in the slightest bit jealous. And you know what? It wasn’t until I got talking to Russell this morning that I remembered all the petty little squabbles that actors seem to enjoy. You must remember them too. I know of two such arguments today already. There was Duncan and Patrick, and Russell said Duncan and Isabelle were bickering earlier too. I’m glad not to have to worry about things which are so often trivial. Some actors have huge egos, and I’m glad to be out of it. Anyway, I’m now playing the best and only lead role I’ve ever wanted. I’m with you, I have a gorgeous little daughter, and I’m doing what I really want to do, which is writing. It’s funny how I came to realise that soon after I met you. You must be my muse.” She gave him a playful punch on his shoulder.

  “Ow! And am I glad you did? I think we’re happier now than we’ve ever been,” he said, pausing to lean over and giving her a kiss behind her ear. “But seriously, I think the biggest surprise of all is Joanna. As assistant stage manager back in our time, she was desperate for parts and grateful for one-liners and walk-ons. She’s another who must be dead chuffed to be in the film, albeit in a minor role.”

  Di looked up from her daisies and nodded. “She was mad keen on Patrick back then. Didn’t they almost get married? I was sure they would be by now and with at least four kids in tow.”

  “Funny you should say that, you’re right! And I do believe she still fancies him. I noticed her watching him like a hawk during lunch.”

  “Yes, she was. I wonder what happened between them.” Diana placed her daisy chain on top of her head like a circlet. “I hope they didn’t have a big bust-up. They seemed so right together.”

  “You look charming—very reminiscent of Galadriel in Lord of the Rings. Did you know daisies signify innocence? Anyway, Russell might know about Patrick and Joanna. It seems he kept in touch with most people. When you think about it, a lot’s happened since we were last here.”

  “More to the point, what was Patrick complaining about earlier? I don’t remember him ever having a go about anything. He was always so placid and nice…a bit boring, if I’m honest. Shall we walk some more? How about we go and check out the boathouse? It’s in this direction, I think. There might be something we could use on the lake. I fancy going out in a boat while we’re here, and it looks so cool and inviting out on the water. Russell and Isabelle mentioned something about a boat earlier. Come on, let’s investigate.”

  Half-hidden beneath a group of weeping willows, they discovered the boathouse. The building had seen better days, judging by the dangerous-looking slope of the roof. The door was closed but opened to Steve’s touch, and they peered inside. A dank smell greeted them, and Diana noticed the green mould growing on the walls.

  “Ugh! It looks like this place is hardly used. There’s nothing except a few old tools on a work bench. It’s a bit dark and creepy in here. Look at those spiders’ webs! They’re huge.”

  “It’s probably isn’t used much. I can’t see Isabelle rowing anywhere, can you?”

  Diana giggled. “I most definitely cannot! Look, there are a couple of boats over there.”

  Diana pointed towards the far wall. In the dim light, Steve could see a rowing boat and a larger, much sturdier craft, which had an outboard engine bolted onto the stern. A motorboat was in the water and tied alongside to the dock.

  Without waiting for his answer, Diana entered the building and walked towards the rowing boat. “It looks quite well made, Steve, and someone has recently given it a new coat of paint. This must be the one Russell meant. I wonder if Duncan and Caroline use it. Perhaps he rows her out to the island for a romantic picnic or whatever,” she said, laughing and rolling her eyes at the suggestion.

  “You have a filthy mind sometimes. I’d have thought Duncan was more used to the motorboat. That’s much easier and less hard work. Maybe they’re going to use them tomorrow during the photo shoot. Any shots taken from the water would look great with the house in the background.”

  A slight crunching sound behind made Steve turn towards the door, and he was startled to find Isabelle standing just outside the boathouse.

  “Whatever are you two doing in here? The place is terribly dangerous, you know. You’ve only got to look at the rafters—they’re pretty rotten. Please, come away. I’d hate the roof to fall down with you in it.”

  “Isabelle! You made me jump. We were exploring the grounds and came across the building. We were looking at the boats. Come on Di, Isabelle’s right. The whole place does look a bit iffy.”

  “Why are you interested? They’re just old boats,” Isabelle asked with a fierce look directed at them.

  Diana and Steve glanced at one another before following Isabelle back into the sunlight. The difference in temperature and light outside the boathouse made Diana shiver. “It was cold in there,” she said in explanation when she noticed Isabelle staring rudely at her.

  “Just remember, you’ve been warned. Keep out. It’s dangerous and out of bounds, and that includes the boats. Besides, the paint’s still tacky on the rowing boat and you might smudge it. I’ll make sure Duncan puts up a notice warning people to keep away. Now, I must go up to the house because it’s nearly time to dress for dinner. Are you coming?” She brushed past them, giving Steve a tight little smile. “I’ll see you later then.”

  Di and Steve trailed up the slope behind Isabelle at a slower pace. Making sure Isabelle was out of earshot, Diana hissed. “Huh! What a snotty madam! I’d forgotten how awful she can be. I wonder why she was so aggressive. It’s not as if we’re yobs intent on causing damage. And the paint on the bo
at didn’t look tacky to me, although I never actually touched it to find out. Anyway, the place might be in danger of falling down, but it was hardly as bad as she made out, was it?”

  “Mmm. She’s a strange one. Power freak springs to mind, but we’d better do as she says. And that includes you, madam mine!” He laughed, drawing her into his arms and nuzzling at her neck. “We don’t have to spend the whole of the next hour and a half dressing, do we? How about we undress first? I’ve got a cunning plan. Would you like to hear it?”

  “Maybe. You never know your luck.”

  Chapter 5

  When Diana and Steve entered their bedroom, the first things they saw were their costumes for the next day, laid out on their bed.

  “What in the world? Oh, what an amazing dress! Look, Steve, these must be our costumes.”