‘Well, lucky you,’ said Rosie. ‘Not that I’d want Damon. He’s far too serious for me but I know you fancied him right from the beginning.’
‘I did,’ admitted Esther.
‘Don’t forget your old friends when you’re famous, will you?’ asked Rosie.
‘Of course not,’ said Esther, but both of them knew that she probably would. That was always the way of things.
On the way to the airport that evening Esther told Damon about the conversation she’d had with Rosie. ‘It worked out pretty well for almost everyone, didn’t it?’ he said casually. ‘No real disasters apart from Christopher.’ He and Esther glanced at each other with satisfaction.
Eventually, after hanging about at the airport for hours, they were called to board their flight and, as they walked through the terminal, Esther saw a familiar figure coming towards her. It was Marcus, but a very different-looking Marcus. His hair was long and shaggy, his face pale and drawn, and he’d lost his old confident way of walking.
Esther’s eyes met his and she knew that she had to speak. ‘What on earth are you doing back here?’ she asked him, very aware of Damon standing at her shoulder with his hand resting lightly on her elbow.
‘Haven’t you heard?’ asked Marcus.
‘Heard what?’
‘The film fell through. The dream’s over for me, I’m afraid, but I gather it’s just beginning for you.’ He tried to disguise his bitterness but didn’t quite pull it off.
‘That’s right,’ said Esther. ‘Where’s Claudine?’ she added, looking around her.
‘Still in America. Her modelling career’s going strong. But she’ll be joining me later,’ Marcus added hastily although without true conviction.
‘I must be going,’ said Esther after an awkward silence.
‘You’re looking stunning, you know,’ said Marcus in a subdued voice.
‘Isn’t she just,’ said Damon with enthusiasm. ‘Nice to see you again, Marcus. It’s a funny life, isn’t it?’
‘You could put it like that,’ Marcus said sourly.
‘Well, keep in touch,’ said Esther and, as she walked on ahead, Damon turned and smiled at Marcus. Marcus stared sullenly back at him. Damon could understand that because he knew that he both looked and felt like a cat who’d eaten all the cream.
He didn’t feel sorry for Marcus. Marcus had brought it all on himself. In their profession, even if you had talent a lot of things were down to luck and good judgement. In Damon’s opinion Marcus had shown very poor judgement when he dumped Esther for Claudine and had gone to Hollywood to make a blockbuster movie for which his talents were ill-suited.
Damon had no intention of making the same mistake and nor, he knew, had Esther. They’d both learnt a lot during this dramatic summer and he saw no reason why their affair shouldn’t continue for a long time. Even now, as he watched her walking towards the plane, he felt a rush of desire and couldn’t wait for the moment when they could make love again. He was going to do all he could to make sure that the passion and lust in their relationship never lessened. He felt certain that Esther had the same hopes for them both.
Finally, as they were flying over the Atlantic, they toasted each other with champagne. ‘To our affair,’ said Damon, his eyes almost devouring Esther. ‘Long may it continue.’
‘I want you now,’ Esther whispered to him as she sipped from her glass. ‘I don’t think I can wait.’
‘That’s not a problem,’ said Damon casually. ‘Haven’t you ever heard of the Mile High Club?’
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First published in 1998 by Black Lace, an imprint of Virgin Books
This edition published in 2014 by Black Lace, an imprint of Ebury Publishing
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Copyright © Fredrica Alleyn, 1998
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Dramatic Affairs Page 23
