La Fleur Rouge The Red Flower

by Ruthe Ogilvie

  CHAPTER XV

  When Hildy woke the next morning, at first she couldn’t figure out where she was. She sat up in bed and looked out the window. Of course! She was on the barge called La Litote, sailing down the Burgundy Canal, filming her new musical, “La Fleur Rouge.” She hugged her knees to her chin, threw back her head, and yelled “Yippee!” at the top of her lungs.

  Jenny, in the next cabin, came running and knocked on Hildy’s door. “Are you all right?” she asked her.

  “Couldn’t be better!” Hildy answered in a lilting voice. “Come on in. Talk to me while I shower and dress.” She jumped out of bed and turned on the shower as Jenny entered her cabin. “Sit down and relax,” she called through the bathroom door. “I’ll be right out.”

  In a few minutes she emerged, but was so engrossed in blow-drying her hair that she didn’t notice the excited look on Jenny’s face.

  Jenny rose from her chair and walked over to where the dryer was plugged into the socket. She pulled the plug, much to Hildy’s surprise.

  “Hildy, I’m sorry, but I can’t wait any longer!” She held out her hand so Hildy could see the beautiful, large diamond on her ring finger.

  Hildy squealed with delight. “Jenny! You and Peter? You’ve only known each other for two weeks! Are you sure?”

  Jenny laughed. “I knew the moment I met him,” she answered, starry-eyed. “After the awful experience I had with Ken, I thought I could never trust another man, but Peter is so sweet. He’s a good man, Hildy. He doesn’t want my money. He has plenty of his own. He doesn’t even know if I have any or not. He just wants me! Oh, Hildy, I’m so happy I could burst!”

  Hildy threw her arms around her dear friend. “When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Why do you think I’ve been awake for hours? I couldn’t wait to tell you!” There were tears in Jenny’s eyes - tears of joy. “Peter gave this to me after you went to your cabin last night,” she told her. “He bought it at Cartier’s in Paris the night before we left. Oh, Hildy, what if I hadn’t come to Paris with you? This would never have happened!” She shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about it.”

  “Well, isn’t it a good thing I insisted?” Hildy enthused. She threw on her clothes and headed for the door. “Where’s Peter?” she demanded. “I want to congratulate him!”

  She opened the door and there he stood, beaming with happiness.

  Hildy threw her arms around him. “Oh, Peter,” she exclaimed, “I can’t tell you how happy I am for both of you!”

  Peter smiled down at her. “Thank you for bringing Jenny to Paris with you.”

  “You’re welcome,” she answered. “This is wonderful!” She turned away, hoping to hide the emotion that suddenly attacked her.

  But Jenny, knowing her so well, read her clearly. “Hildy, it will happen,” she said. “You’ll find the right one.”

  “I don’t know, Jenny. After what happened with Greg, I don’t think I could ever trust a man again.”

  Especially Jay Stuart! she muttered under her breath.

  “That’s what I thought,” Jenny laughed, “but look at me now!” She held up her hand, admiring her ring.

  “I felt the same way,” Peter said. “But all that distrust is gone now. When the right one comes along you just know it.”

  Hildy shrugged her shoulders as though she didn’t believe it. Jay Stuart popped into her mind. There he is again! Why can’t I get rid of him?

  She shook it off and turned to the others. “Well, enough of that,” she said, and headed for the stairs that led up to the deck where breakfast was being served. “I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. Let’s pig out!”

  Delicious odors were wafting through the air as they reached the deck, and a typical brunch was spread out on the long table. And the coffee! Oh, the aroma! They filled their plates and went to a table by the railing where they could watch the scenery as the barge crept along the canal.

  The air was cool but summery, much like Indian summer in Boston. Hildy felt completely at home. They lingered over breakfast, talking about the scenes that were coming up.

  “We have plenty of time,” Peter told them. “The crew will be setting up the cameras, lights, etc. We’ll be making a stop in a couple of hours, so we’ll have a chance to do some biking. After lunch we’ll do a few more scenes before quitting. And tomorrow we’ll be filming at the Chateau de Rochefort in Nuits.”

  Hildy shivered as she pictured her musical coming to life, and decided then and there to be grateful for what she had and not dwell on her disappointment in Greg and Jay.

  Peter was doing a magnificent job. Hildy could see in her mind’s eye how beautifully her musical was taking shape. Greg can’t stop me now! she promised herself. She had suffered so much at his hands, she couldn’t wait for this film to be done. Greg will wish he’d never met me! she vowed. He’s thousands of miles away where he can no longer do me any harm, and my brand new musical, “La Fleur Rouge,” is well into its filming. Everything is perfect, she exulted, as she sat on the deck of La Litote enjoying breakfast with her friends.

  Then she saw Peter and Jenny with their heads together, laughing and talking, and again she felt that pang of - was it envy? No way! She didn’t begrudge them one iota of the happiness they had found with each other. After all they had been through they deserved every bit of happiness they could find.

  But her experience with Greg had done a real job on her, and she made up her mind that this kind of happiness wasn’t meant for her. Because of Gregory Wilcox’s betrayal, and Jay Stuart’s disbelief in her, she doubted that she could ever trust a man with her heart again.

  CHAPTER XVI

  Jay and Greg spent a week in Paris before boarding a train for the town of Nuits, where they planned to travel by car through the countryside and get a feel for the setting of the new musical, “Sunny Days.”

  Before leaving New York, Jay called Paris and hired a local artist to capture on canvas some of the scenes that could be used in the musical in order to make sure the backdrops looked as realistic as possible for the musical’s debut on Broadway. He arranged for the artist to meet them in Nuits.

  Greg sat in the lobby of the inn where he and Jay were staying, waiting for Jay to return from renting a car. It was extremely difficult to concentrate on anything but finding and doing away with Hilary.

  He had managed to stave off the threats of others who had been naive enough to come to him for help. He had scared them off when he convinced them no one would believe they had written all the successful musicals that were now under his name. They, like Hilary, had really believed he would help them. Why should I, he smirked, when I can so easily make Jay and the whole world believe that I wrote them?

  But he knew Hilary would eventually fight back. And now Roger was a problem. If they win, all the others will come forward with their claims, and that will be the end of my career.

  I’ll do anything to keep that from happening! Anything!

  He thought back to the day when he found it necessary to sneak out the back door of his town house in Boston because Roger was hounding him. It made him not only extremely nervous, but all the more determined. “Now I have to get rid of him, too,” he declared out loud as he impatiently tapped his fingers on the arms of the chair.

  He walked through the lobby and over to the entrance just as Jay drove up and parked a bright red Jaguar convertible in front of the inn. “I see you got the car,” he said as Jay jumped out and walked toward him.

  Jay grinned. “I sure did,” he enthused. “It’s a beauty. We can get a better view of the countryside with the top down. Let’s go. We have a lot of territory to cover before dark.” He took his camera that Greg had been holding and started out the door.

  Greg hesitated. “Jay - - I think if it’s all the same to you I’ll stay here. The
re are still some changes I want to make on the script. The scenery will be the same. Just some new ideas that I want to kick around and see if they won’t work better than what I’ve already written.”

  Jay looked puzzled. “I thought you made all those corrections on the plane.” Then he smiled. “Always the perfectionist, huh?” he said, looking at his watch. “You go ahead. Do what you have to. It’s okay. I should be back by dinner time.”

  Greg waited till Jay drove off before picking up his sweater and going to the desk. “I’d like to rent a car,” he told the Concierge. “Is it possible to have it delivered here? It would save me a trip.”

  “Certainly,” the Concierge answered. “It shouldn’t take longer than ten minutes. If you’ll sit in the lobby I’ll let you know when the car is here.”

  Greg returned to the easy chair. I’m not getting much help from the detective, he brooded. All he said before we were cut off was that he was going to the wine country to continue his search for Hilary. He remembered Hilary telling him her father used to live in this region. I’ll look for her myself, he decided. Maybe she came here to find her father’s roots. He tried to remember the town she mentioned. Maybe I’ll recognize the sign on the road somewhere.

  Why wasn’t Dan more informative? Damn him! Greg cursed. How in the world will I know where to look for her? Why hasn’t Dan called me back and told me what I’m paying him to find out? What if Jay and I should run into her? He cringed as he pictured the possible consequences. Then he smiled. What am I worried about? Jay wouldn’t know her if he saw her.

  Greg felt no fear when he thought of Roger, knowing he was back in the States where he could do him no harm. Time enough to worry about him when you get back to Boston. Right now you’ve got your hands full trying to find Hilary.

  The car finally arrived and Greg drove off in the opposite direction from where Jay had gone.

  * * *

  As Jay drove along in the Jaguar convertible he remembered that the third scene of Greg’s new musical took place along a canal. He stopped by the side of the road and looked at the map he picked up before leaving the inn. It showed the Burgundy Canal just a couple of miles up the road, and he decided to go and have a look at it.

  The whole countryside was breathtaking. What a beautiful country France is! he marveled. He continued his drive, turning off the main road, heading toward the Burgundy Canal. As he drove closer he saw a barge inching its way along the waterway. It soon pulled in to the pier and tied up to the wharf. It was La Litote. He stopped and watched, fascinated. Some of the passengers disembarked with bicycles, ready to ride them along the tree-lined lanes.

  * * *

  Hildy was the first to hop on hers. Zack followed close behind, ready to guard her. Jenny and Peter rode in back.

  As the group neared the parked convertible, Hildy looked in Jay’s direction. Jay Stuart! What is he doing here? Is Greg here, too? Her pulse raced with fear!

  Combined with the fear was a feeling of excitement at seeing Jay again. She hated herself for this. Here was the man who wouldn’t listen to her, but whose face she hadn’t been able to get out of her mind! It had been two years since she last saw him, and then only that once, yet every time she thought of him it was with a mixture of excitement and anger. She couldn’t deny her tremendous attraction toward him.

  How could he have thought her capable of such a thing as plagiarism? She felt insulted. Before she knew it the bicycle she was riding suddenly veered and turned over, throwing her off and falling down on top of her. She lay there, stunned.

  Jay jumped out of the car and ran to her side. He put his arms around her and lifted her up. She looked into his blue eyes, and her heart turned over. Only once before in all of her twenty-five years had she experienced a feeling like this! Two years ago in Boston, when she first laid eyes on him.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  “Oui - I theenk so,” she answered, barely remembering to speak with her French accent. She could only hope that he didn’t recognize her. He showed no sign that he did.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. He took the water jug from the handlebar of Hildy’s bike and moistened the cloth before dabbing it gently on her skinned knee and elbow.

  Zack, Jenny, and Peter rushed to her side.

  “Thank you!” Peter said in a relieved voice.

  Jay turned and looked at him.

  “Jay Stuart!” Peter exclaimed.

  “Peter Graff! I heard you were somewhere in France filming a new musical, but I didn’t expect to run into you. I thought you’d be in Paris.”

  “Well, we were,” Peter replied, “but some of the scenes take place on the canal. What are you doing here? I thought you’d be back in New York. Aren’t you producing a new musical?”

  “Yes. That’s why we’re here. Greg Wilcox and I came to Nuits together to soak up some of the scenery and get a feel for the setting of his new musical. It takes place in France. We’re staying at a small inn not far from here.”

  Hildy’s heart leaped to her throat. Although she suspected Greg might follow her to France, the realization that he was actually here completely unnerved her. She looked in the direction of Jay’s car, half expecting him to appear at any moment.

  Zack stood, poker faced, and moved closer to Hildy.

  “Greg has written so many wonderful musicals,” Jay enthused. “Especially the last one - ‘The Pepper Pot.’”

  Hildy winced.

  “I’m familiar with the musicals," Peter replied. "He's not with you?"

  "No. He's back at the inn doing some rewriting on his new musical. He's such a perfectionist."

  Hildy turned her head away. Wonder who he stole this one from? she muttered under her breath. She knew he wasn't working on any musical. He was looking for her! Panic set in. Does he know I'm in this part of France?

  Peter put his hand on Hildy's arm and pulled her toward Jay. With great pride he introduced her. "I see you've already met the composer of the musical I'm filming. Jay, this is Hildy Swenson, a very talented young lady. Hildy, meet Jay stuart!"

  In spite of the tremendous attraction Hildy felt toward Jay and found hard to deny, as he extended his hand she suddenly felt a strong sense of animosity. Mentally she could feel her back curl, much like a cat who has been cornered by an unfriendly dog. Never in her wildest dreams had she expected to come face to face again with the man who believed such terrible things about her. The situation was too much for her. She shook with anger.

  "Are you cold?" Jay asked her. "I have a jacket in the car."

  "No, I'm fine," she snapped.

  But Jay was concerned. "I think you might be in shock. Let me get my jacket."

  "No! Thank you! I told you I'm okay." She spoke sharply, which surprised Jay. He looked a little hurt.

  Peter tried to put a light touch on the situation as he continued with the introductions. He put his arm around Jenny.

  "Jay, this is Jenny Gordon, a friend of Hildy's and my fiance. She's just agreed to marry me!"

  "Wonderful!" Jay said as he shook hands with her. "Have you known each other long?"

  "No!" Peter laughed. "We just met on this trip. Hildy invited her, and I'm sure glad she did!"

  "That's great!" Jay said warmly. "Congratulations to you both."

  Hildy couldn't help noticing how cordial and caring he seemed. Too bad he wasn't a little more cordial to me back in Boston, she thought bitterly.

  "And this is Zack Davis," Peter continued. "Hildy's agent."

  Zack never changed his expression as he acknowledged Peter's introduction.

  Hildy stole a quick, grateful glance at Peter. How like him to think of the perfect solution, introducing Zack as her agent!

  "Nice to meet all of you," Jay said. "Don't let me interfere with your ride
. If you don't mind, I'd like to explore the barge while you're gone."

  "Not at all," Peter assured him. "We won't be back for a while, so you'll have plenty of time. Nice running into you."

  CHAPTER XVII

  Jay watched as the group rode off on their bicycles, his eyes especially following Hildy. Something about her looked familiar. She reminded him of someone, but he wasn’t sure who it was. Had he met her before?

  They soon disappeared around the corner, and Jay entered the barge. He was impressed by the interior appointments which were every bit as ornate and beautiful as the exterior. He pondered the possibility of using something like this in Greg’s new musical. It would take some tricky engineering to make the barge appear authentic on stage, but it was not impossible. He wondered if something like this had occurred to Greg, and if that was possibly what he had in mind in the rewriting he was doing back at the inn.

  One of the crew showed him around as he combed the whole barge. After an hour of exploring he went up on deck to get some more ideas.

  The beauty of the countryside reflected in the mirrored waters of the tree lined canal fairly took his breath away. Birds were singing their beautiful songs, and the air was still and soothing. On the grassy shore an artist hovered over his easel, capturing the glory of the landscape. I’ll find out where this barge will be tomorrow, Jay decided, and bring my artist along. What a perfect setting for the backdrops of Greg’s new musical!

  He didn’t know why, but he felt reluctant to tear himself away. It surprised him that he couldn’t get Hildy out of his mind. Something about her drew him like a magnet. It was the same feeling he had back in Boston two years ago when he first laid eyes on Hilary Simone. Hildy’s angelic face pulled at him, just as Hilary’s had done. She seemed so vulnerable, yet strong - an odd but thoroughly attractive combination of qualities. Who did she remind him of? Hilary? Maybe. But Hilary is blond. He was still pondering this when the group returned to the barge.