Dramatic Affairs

by Fredrica Alleyn

  ‘When can we meet again?’ asked Nicholas.

  Rebecca hesitated. ‘I don’t know, but I’ll make sure we don’t have to wait long,’ she promised him.

  ‘You will be watching me tomorrow night in Macbeth, won’t you?’ he asked anxiously.

  ‘I’ll be watching you all the time from now on,’ Rebecca promised him with a smile.

  Taking her hands, Nick drew her to her feet. ‘I think we’re more alike than you imagine,’ he said.

  Rebecca suspected that he was right but she wasn’t going to tell him as much right now. ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said.

  ‘I think you do,’ he replied. ‘You need a real man.’

  ‘And you don’t think Christopher’s a real man?’

  ‘Not if what I’ve heard’s true,’ said Nicholas.

  ‘Well you mustn’t believe all the gossip you hear,’ laughed Rebecca.

  ‘You mean I’m wrong?’ persisted Nicholas.

  ‘Did I say that?’ Rebecca asked him and then, before he could question her any further, she started to run down the path and away to the party.

  When Rebecca got to the main entrance of The Small House she stood for a moment checking that her clothes were in order and trying to cool her hot cheeks. Her skin was still tingling and she could remember only too clearly how Nicholas had felt, as he’d thrust so savagely, almost primitively, in and out of her, satisfying her far more in those few moments than Christopher ever did with their long, complicated sex sessions. Nevertheless, Nicholas couldn’t help Rebecca get on in her profession and, for the moment, her body would have to be satisfied mainly with Christopher. Just the same, she was going to make sure that she and Nick were able to enjoy each other again before too many days had passed.

  When she finally felt composed enough she walked into the house and quickly found the party.

  ‘Sorry I’m late,’ she said to Christopher as he frowned at her.

  ‘Where did you disappear to?’ he demanded.

  ‘I needed air and then I met some fans.’

  Christopher’s eyes lit up. ‘You talked to some of the audience?’

  ‘Yes,’ Rebecca lied.

  ‘What did they say?’ he asked.

  ‘They thought it was terrific and they particularly liked your performance,’ she said with a smile. She knew that this would take Christopher’s mind off where she’d been.

  ‘Great!’ exclaimed Christopher. Then he tried to hide his self-satisfaction. ‘I mean, it’s great for the whole company, isn’t it?’

  ‘It certainly is,’ agreed Rebecca.

  After that they mingled with the other guests for a while and Rebecca made sure that she hung on to Christopher’s arm and gazed at him adoringly every time a camera was near. This was what he expected and it was also what would help her. She was very pleased to realise that in general the first night had been a success. It seemed that despite Esther’s failure the play had caught the audience’s imagination and lots of people were promising to tell their friends to make sure they came on the Wednesday night.

  It was one in the morning by the time she and Christopher were able to go back to their room and Rebecca’s body now felt utterly exhausted. As she started to undress she saw Christopher staring at her. ‘What’s the matter?’ she asked.

  ‘You’ve got red weals all over your back and there are bruises at the top of your left leg on the inner thigh, look,’ said Christopher.

  Rebecca glanced down at her thigh and realised that it was where Nick had bitten her. As for the marks on her back, they must have come from where she’d been pressed up against the back of the wooden seat. ‘I was standing leaning against the wall when I was talking to those fans,’ she said casually. ‘It must have grazed my back.’

  ‘Well it couldn’t have bruised your leg,’ said Christopher.

  ‘I’ve no idea how that happened,’ said Rebecca. ‘Do I have to account for every bruise that appears on me?’

  ‘I think you owe me some kind of an explanation, especially when you’ve disappeared for half the evening,’ he retorted.

  ‘That’s an exaggeration,’ said Rebecca, trying to stifle a yawn. ‘Most of the evening we were performing the play, remember? The play in which you were such a success.’

  ‘I was, wasn’t I?’ said Christopher, the smile returning to his handsome face. ‘No,’ he said suddenly to Rebecca, ‘don’t put your nightdress on. I’d rather you put those on instead.’ Rebecca’s eyes followed the movement of his hand and, when she saw the leather boots, riding crop and black-leather mini dress laid out on the bed, her heart sank. Just the same, she knew that the sensible thing to do was go along with him. If she didn’t he’d be even more suspicious and, on the plus side, she’d be sure to have another orgasm.

  She did eventually but, as she came, standing astride Christopher while his tongue busied itself between her thighs, she couldn’t help remembering how it had been with Nicholas. She knew then that sooner or later she was going to leave this golden-haired boy of the theatre.

  Normally Rebecca never thought about anyone else but as she finally fell asleep that night she did wonder what on earth Esther Reid could have found to talk about with Damon Dowden after they disappeared that night. She hoped that Damon hadn’t been too hard on her because, if he had, it certainly wouldn’t help her next performance. She was pleased that he’d taken Esther out, though, because it had saved Rebecca from having to endure another long session which involved them both.

  In the early hours of the morning Rebecca awoke to find Christopher lying on top of her, his penis deep inside her as he moved slowly and silently in and out of her body. He was often like this when he was riding high on success and she sleepily allowed him to bring her to a gentle but pleasurable climax. But this didn’t make her change her mind; she was beginning to realise that her sexual tastes were no longer the same as Christopher’s.

  Chapter Ten

  While Rebecca had been enjoying herself with Nick, Esther and Damon were also getting to know each other.

  ‘Where’s Ellie tonight?’ she asked Damon once they had, been served their food. She’d ordered a lasagne and side salad and Damon had chosen a mixed grill. The restaurant was small but beautifully furnished with dark wooden beams and highly polished brass ornaments. There were only two other couples eating there and it provided exactly the kind of calm and peaceful atmosphere that Esther needed after the debacle earlier that evening.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said Damon. ‘I think she said she was going to the party with Mary and George.’

  ‘Mary and George?’ Esther couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice.

  Damon smiled. ‘They both adore her, didn’t you know? It will suit Ellie down to the ground to have two admirers.’

  ‘But she’s already got you,’ Esther blurted out.

  Damon frowned. ‘No one “has” me, Esther,’ he said softly.

  ‘That’s not what I meant,’ said Esther. ‘The two of you are lovers, aren’t you?’

  ‘On and off,’ he conceded.

  ‘So why does she need George and Mary’s admiration?’

  ‘Because I don’t provide everything she needs, I guess,’ laughed Damon. ‘Besides, I think our affair’s nearly run its course.’

  ‘Well, surely she isn’t planning on an affair with Mary?’ retorted Esther.

  ‘Not Mary, no,’ agreed Damon. ‘George, however, is a different matter.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ said Esther. ‘George is old enough to be her father. He isn’t rich and he isn’t particularly attractive. Why on earth would she want to have an affair with George?’

  ‘Because George adores her and Ellie can’t resist adoration,’ he explained. Then he shrugged. ‘The truth is, Esther, I’ve no idea who she’ll be sleeping with next or why and quite frankly I’m not a bit interested.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Esther in a quiet voice.

  ‘Are you feeling any better yet?’ Damon asked after a short paus
e.

  ‘Not really,’ she replied. ‘It’s not just that I messed that piece of poetry up; I was awful all through the play. I was never Kay; I was always me dressed up in Kay’s clothes, and I’m furious with myself. I wish I could go back and do it all again. I’m capable of doing it so much better.’

  ‘Agreed,’ said Damon. ‘You did very well at one of the rehearsals recently. I expect it was Christopher’s private tuition,’ he added.

  ‘I expect it was,’ she agreed. She wasn’t feeling calm but she had no intention of letting Damon know what was going on in her mind. As she sat opposite him she was beginning to wonder how she could ever have been attracted to Christopher when Damon was around.

  It wasn’t just that he was incredibly good-looking – that was fairly common in their profession – but he had tremendous character in his face. Also, the fact that he was quiet and secretive made him far more interesting than the majority of actors she’d met. Most of them would tell you their life story within the first five minutes of meeting you, whether you wanted to hear it or not. She only wished she knew what Damon felt about her.

  ‘Why did you join the company, Esther?’ he asked.

  ‘Because I was invited,’ she explained.

  Damon raised his eyebrows. ‘You mean he approached you?’

  ‘No, but he invited me to join.’

  ‘Hardly the same thing, is it? Perhaps I should have been more precise. Why did you decide to audition to join the company?’

  ‘Because I wanted a change,’ said Esther. ‘I wanted to get away from the spotlight; away from the photographers and all the gossip about Marcus and me.’

  ‘So you chose to join a high-profile touring company starring a man with an ego second only to Marcus’s, right?’ asked Damon.

  ‘Put that way it does sound a bit odd,’ Esther agreed. ‘But like a lot of things it seemed a good idea at the time.’

  ‘I don’t think you’re telling me the whole truth,’ said Damon.

  ‘That’s your privilege,’ retorted Esther. ‘Since we’re on the subject, why did you join? It’s perfectly obvious you loathe Christopher and I don’t think you particularly like the plays. Besides, you could have had far better roles in other companies. After your Iago you must have had loads of offers.’

  ‘Not necessarily,’ said Damon. ‘You know what it’s like in our business: you can do really well at something and then be out of work for a year.’

  ‘So you didn’t get any offers?’ asked Esther.

  ‘A few,’ he admitted.

  ‘Then why did you join Christopher Wheldon’s company?’ Esther persisted.

  ‘Perhaps I had a burning desire to bring the classics to the people,’ drawled Damon.

  ‘Yes, and perhaps you didn’t,’ she remarked.

  ‘It seems,’ said Damon slowly, ‘that both of us are telling lies. Perhaps we’d better change the subject.’

  Suddenly Esther was overwhelmed by a desire to tell Damon the truth. It was clear that he already suspected her motives and suddenly she wanted everything to be above board with him, at least on her side. It was up to him whether he chose to confide in her or not. She rather suspected, however, that no matter how frank she was with him he wouldn’t spill the beans. All the same, she decided to take the plunge.

  ‘Do you honestly want to know the truth about why I joined?’ she asked.

  Damon sat up straight in his chair. ‘Yes, I do,’ he admitted.

  ‘I joined to get my own back on Marcus,’ said Esther. ‘He hated Christopher. Well, he probably still does, and he also tried to keep me off the stage. He used to tell me that I was better suited to television but at drama school they wanted me to try and pursue a stage career.’

  ‘You aren’t being strictly fair to him. Maybe he thought that TV was a good stepping stone to the stage,’ Damon pointed out. ‘These days it often is done that way round.’

  ‘You’re playing devil’s advocate, aren’t you?’ said Esther.

  Damon nodded. ‘It’s a habit of mine,’ he confessed.

  ‘You could be right but I don’t think so,’ she said. ‘Anyway, I wanted to get back at him and this seemed the best way. I thought that if I did really well as an actress, and if my name was linked with Christopher, however tenuously, then when the news got back to Marcus he’d be furious. Jealousy was one of his big weaknesses.’

  ‘I don’t wish to be unkind,’ said Damon, ‘but if Marcus isn’t in love with you any more do you really think it will bother him if your name’s linked with Christopher’s?’

  ‘Yes,’ Esther said firmly. ‘The thing about Marcus is, he isn’t really that confident. Oh, he is when it comes to acting, but not in other respects. If he thought that Christopher Wheldon liked me, that we were what I call “an item”, he’d start to question whether he’d done the right thing in dumping me. Be honest, Claudine isn’t anyone really; she’s just an extremely pretty face and—’

  ‘She’s certainly that,’ Damon interjected.

  Esther sighed. ‘Are you trying to make this more difficult for me?’

  ‘Sorry,’ he said swiftly. ‘I didn’t mean to interrupt.’

  ‘I expect it all sounds very petty and boring to you,’ said Esther, a trifle curtly, ‘but it matters to me. At least it did in the beginning. Now I’m not quite so sure. Anyway, if I’m an utter flop on the stage, then the plan isn’t going to work, is it? I’ll have done all this for nothing.’

  ‘Not exactly for nothing,’ said Damon.

  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked.

  ‘You’ve managed to become linked with Christopher. Perhaps that will be enough on its own to infuriate Marcus.’

  Esther felt a little uncomfortable. ‘I haven’t read anything about us being linked together,’ she said swiftly.

  ‘I wasn’t talking about the press,’ explained Damon. ‘No doubt that will follow but it’s generally accepted within the company that the pair of you have been sleeping together. Are you going to tell me that’s not true?’

  Esther hadn’t expected him to be so direct. ‘It’s true,’ she muttered.

  ‘Well I hope it’s worth it for you,’ remarked Damon. ‘Does Rebecca know?’

  Esther was highly relieved that Damon didn’t know anything about the threesome she’d had with Christopher and Rebecca. ‘She probably guesses,’ she said, ‘but I don’t think she’s too bothered at the moment, particularly after tonight.’

  ‘And is that it?’ Damon asked her.

  ‘Yes,’ said Esther.

  ‘I’m in no position to make any comment at all really,’ said Damon. ‘As you rightly suspected my motives for joining aren’t exactly as pure as the driven snow. I happen to think Christopher Wheldon’s acting ability is vastly overrated and I think this whole tour is going to be a disaster. However, like you, I joined for more personal reasons.’

  ‘Do you want to talk about them?’ asked Esther.

  ‘I think perhaps I do,’ said Damon, obviously surprised at himself. ‘I’ve got a half-sister, Suzie, and she was at the RSC with Christopher. She’s incredibly highly strung and only twenty now. She’s also beautiful. One of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen. Naturally Christopher fell madly in love with her and although she was only a junior they became lovers. Probably partly because of this, but also because she’s got amazing talent, they were cast opposite each other as Beatrice and Benedick. They both got good reviews only, sadly for her, Suzie’s were even better than Christopher’s.

  ‘About two days after the reviews appeared she went back to the house they’d been sharing in Stratford and found he’d changed the locks. That was how she discovered she’d been dumped. After that he made her life absolute hell there. Suddenly she was relegated back into the ranks and although she had offers from other companies she didn’t take any of them up. All she could think about was Christopher. It was Christopher morning, noon and night and when she wasn’t talking about him or trying to ring him up then she was sitting sobbing h
er heart out.

  ‘In the end she had to get some counselling and at the moment she’s given up acting completely. I wish you’d seen her. She really was something very special, and he’s ruined her. I decided that I was going to make him pay for what he did to her and that’s why I’m here.’

  ‘But how are you going to get your revenge?’ asked Esther.

  ‘That’s the problem,’ admitted Damon, ‘I haven’t worked it out yet.’

  ‘Perhaps we ought to join forces,’ suggested Esther.

  Damon looked at her intently and she found herself wondering once more what he’d be like in bed. ‘That might be a good idea,’ he conceded.

  ‘What would hurt Christopher the most, do you think?’ asked Esther as they waited for their desserts to arrive.

  ‘I suppose failing as an actor,’ said Damon, ‘but I can’t see that happening.’

  ‘I think you could out-act him,’ she said. ‘You’re just as talented, you’ve got more stage presence and a far stronger role as Ernest Beevers. I know Christopher doesn’t like the middle act of Time and the Conways when he’s playing Robin as a weak drunkard. If you could really dominate that scene then he might not pull himself together for the third one.’

  ‘I know something else that would hurt him,’ said Damon.

  ‘What?’

  ‘If his ability to assess true talent is called into question. I know he’s been boosting you to the skies but after tonight he’s going to dump you very smartly and I imagine that he’ll go back to pushing Rebecca, who was accepted as his protégée before your arrival on the scene.’

  ‘But Rebecca is good,’ said Esther.

  ‘She’s good, but she isn’t brilliant,’ said Damon. ‘If she was, Christopher wouldn’t have her around him, not after what happened with Suzie.’

  ‘Rebecca’s also clever,’ explained Esther. ‘She knows what she wants and where she’s going and she knows that she needs Christopher to achieve it all. She isn’t going to make the same mistake as your half-sister.’