Mr Loverman

by Mary Lyons

  Laura waited until the door had closed behind the seductive, hourglass figure of Felicity before raising her eyes to face him.

  ‘That’s better,’ she smiled. ‘Now perhaps we can have a civilised discussion?’

  He gave a muffled snort of sardonic laughter. ‘I very much doubt it!’ he told her wryly, some of the anger clearly draining from his body as he leaned back in his chair. ‘In fact, Laura, while I’m prepared to admire your sheer brazen effrontery, I’m afraid that “civilised” is definitely not the word that immediately springs to mind when describing our relationship!’

  ‘Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear that.’

  ‘OK—you can cut out this nauseous, sickly sweet Mary Poppins attitude—which I assume you’ve adopted solely to annoy me? Because, you’ll be glad to hear, it’s succeeding admirably!’ he ground out angrily, leaning forward on his desk once more. ‘I want to know exactly what you thought you were doing in choosing a name for your new firm which is, to all intents and purposes, exactly the same as my agency’s.’

  Laura gave a weak laugh. ‘Really, Jack, you must know that you’re talking moonshine! Wherever did you get the idea that...?’

  ‘When Betty saw your firm’s name on the list of companies in the foyer downstairs, she immediately pointed the problem out to me.’

  ‘Oh, right! So Betty has decided she doesn’t like the name of my firm, has she?’

  ‘It’s not just Betty,’ he retorted curtly. ‘I’ve been very busy lately, but as soon as she pointed out the problem I saw that she was quite right. The initials of our two businesses are practically the same. And I’m telling you, here and now,’ he added forcibly, banging his fist down hard on the desk, ‘that I am not prepared to put up with any of this nonsense. If you don’t change the name of your new agency right away, I’ll take steps to force you to do so.’

  Laura stared at him silently for a moment. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ she said at last, with a helpless shrug of her slim shoulders. ‘I can hardly believe that you’re making all this fuss over something which seems to have arisen solely from Betty’s overheated imagination.

  ‘OK, OK...’ she continued quickly as his dark brows drew menacingly together in a deep frown. ‘Yes, I can see, if you’re really looking for trouble, that you might possibly claim that the two businesses have similar initials. But it beats me why you should think it was a deliberate action on my part. Why on earth would I do such a thing?’

  ‘To cause me the maximum amount of annoyance—that’s why!’ he retorted promptly through clenched teeth. ‘I know you, Laura, and it’s just the sort of evil-minded trick you’d play. Especially if you thought it would cause me any trouble or grief.’

  Shaken by the fact that Susie and Jack had both used almost the same words, and come to the very same quick conclusion about her character, Laura found herself wondering if she really was turning out to be such a thoroughly nasty person, after all. But, however depressing a prospect it might be, there wasn’t anything she could do about it at the moment. Not when she had to concentrate on trying to persuade Jack that she was as pure as the driven snow. Although quite how she was going to pull it off she had no idea. Maybe assuming a thoroughly hurt, wounded attitude might work...?

  ‘Well, I’m sorry, Jack, but I’m really upset by these completely wild accusations,’ she protested with a sniff, as if she might burst into tears at any moment. ‘If you hadn’t thrown me out of this firm and...and ruined my life...I’d never have been forced to try to earn my living as best I could. It’s not my fault that I’m now struggling to make ends meet, and—’

  ‘Put a sock in it, Laura!’ he interjected grimly. ‘Believe me, I’ve had far better actresses than you in here trying exactly the same sort of trick. And I can tell you that it didn’t work for them, either!’ he added with a harsh bark of sardonic laughter. ‘So you can forget those false tears—not to mention the heart-wrenching, “pathetic little me” speech. Because I’m still waiting to hear what you’re going to do about changing the name of your new agency.’

  How could I have thought that this awful man was the slightest bit attractive—let alone fallen in love with him? she asked herself incredulously, scowling across the desk at her old employer, who was obviously a deeply unpleasant human being.

  ‘Well, dream on, Jack! Because, while it may come as a bit of a shock to you, I do have rather more important things on my mind at the moment,’ she told him scathingly. ‘So, if you want to run around squawking like a chicken without its head, then that’s up to you. But as far as I’m concerned,’ she added, rising to her feet, ‘I’ve wasted quite enough time listening to this nonsense.’

  ‘I’m not letting this matter rest,’ he warned her grimly. ‘I’ll be taking it up with Companies House first thing in the morning.’

  ‘Fine. Go right ahead. Sue me in the High Court if you want to. Why should I care?’ she told him, waving a hand idly in the air. ‘Especially since my new business could do with the publicity!’ she added with a laugh, turning to walk towards the door.

  She had only taken one or two steps before she heard him give an exasperated heavy sigh. ‘Come and sit down, Laura,’ he commanded grimly. ‘I think it’s about time we sorted out a few ground rules and buried the hatchet—don’t you?’

  Almost sagging with relief, she pretended to hesitate for a moment, before slowly retracing her steps. Quite undeservedly, as it turned out, it was beginning to look as though she’d managed to wriggle off the hook. And if Jack—who really did have good reason to be thoroughly fed up and furious with her—was prepared to be reasonable, then it was about time she pulled herself together. Quickly resolving not to be so foolish and stupid in future, she gratefully accepted the olive branch he was now holding out to her.

  ‘OK—I’m willing to bury the hatchet if you are. And besides,’ she admitted with a slight shrug, ‘I haven’t got a large office staff at my disposal. Since I’m virtually running a one-man band, I really can’t afford to spend time quarrelling with you.’

  ‘I’m glad you’ve decided to be sensible at last,’ he said, continuing to regard her with a stern , beady eye. ‘However, I don’t trust you one inch, Laura—you’re as artful as a cageful of monkeys. So I’m going to insist on one, firm condition for not having the pleasure of wringing your damned neck!’

  ‘And that is?’

  ‘You’re going to have lunch with me next week. I don’t care what other arrangements you may have,’ he told her as she opened her mouth to protest. ‘I’ll expect you to be at The Ivy promptly at one o’clock on Friday. And woe betide you if you’re late!’ he added, a warning rasp in his deep voice.

  Laura eyed him warily. What in the hell was Jack up to now? She been around long enough to know that both The Ivy and Le Caprice—the favourite restaurants of actors and film stars, as well as top agents, producers and directors—would normally be way out of her league, and were generally booked solid for many weeks ahead.

  ‘Well—have we got a deal?’ he demanded curtly.

  She shrugged. ‘Yes, I suppose so. But I can’t think why—’

  ‘It seems as if the whole theatrical industry has been enjoying the spectacle of you and me at one another’s throats,’ he told her grimly. ‘And, while I don’t know about your business, it’s certainly not doing my firm any good,’ he added, his lips tight with annoyance.

  ‘However, kindly don’t make the mistake of imagining that I have any ulterior motive,’ he continued in a hard, cold voice. ‘Any feelings which I might once have had for you are now well and truly dead. So we will have a highly visible lunch, which should effectively scotch any rumours about the in-fighting between your office and mine. And then, with any luck, I’ll never have to set eyes on you again.’

  And that was just about it, as she subsequently told Susie, after returning, thoroughly chastened, to her own office.

  ‘I’ve obviously been a complete idiot. So I’ve got no one to blame but myself,’ she admitted wit
h a gloomy sigh.

  ‘Never mind.’ Susie shrugged. ‘It’s over now, and I don’t suppose that you’re going to make that sort of mistake again in a hurry. Oh, by the way,’ she added, ‘I hear, on the grapevine, that Jack has now appointed a girl to take over your old job. Did you see her?’

  Laura nodded, sinking down into the chair behind her desk and wondering why, when she’d just had such a lucky escape from Jack’s fully justified wrath, she should be feeling so unhappy and depressed. Maybe it had something to do with the tension headache, which had started to make itself felt halfway through her recent, fraught interview and was now beginning to throb in earnest.

  ‘So, what’s she like?’ Susie asked impatiently, obviously dying to hear the latest gossip concerning their old firm.

  Laura shrugged and gave a heavy sigh, before resting her aching head on the back of her chair. ‘Well...it seems that her name is Felicity Green. Not only is she multilingual and obviously very clever, she also has a truly amazing figure. On top of which, I imagine she’s likely to cause total havoc amongst the red-blooded male population in this building—because there’s no doubt that she’s one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen.’

  ‘Oh, dear!’ Susie muttered, fervently wishing that she’d kept her mouth shut.

  ‘Yes...those two words just about sum up my own reaction,’ Laura admitted with another heavy sigh as she continued to stare blankly up at the ceiling. ‘Jack seemed highly delighted with his new assistant, of course. What’s more, I was left with the distinct impression that, while Felicity may be able to speak three or four languages, she isn’t likely to say “no” in any one of them!’

  Laura closed the book, smiling and shaking her head as the two small boys tried to persuade her to read them one more story.

  ‘It’s no good trying to twist my arm.’ She grinned at her nephews. ‘Because your mother won’t be at all pleased if I’m late for supper.’

  ‘She’s quite right—I won’t!’ her sister agreed, putting her head around the door and sternly telling her two young sons that it was time they went off to sleep.

  Leaving Amy to kiss her children goodnight, Laura walked slowly down the stairs and into the large sitting room, before sinking down into a wide comfortable chair with a deep sigh of relief.

  ‘You look completely exhausted.’ Her brother-in-law gazed at her with concern as he handed her a drink. ‘It’s about time you had a holiday.’

  ‘Oh, come on, Tom—you must be joking!’ Laura gave a snort of wry laughter as she leaned wearily back against the cushions, gratefully sipping her stiff gin and tonic. ‘A holiday is one of those luxuries I can’t afford now I’m running my own business. Not because of any serious financial problems,’ she added hurriedly, just in case he might think she was pleading poverty. ‘But I really daren’t leave the office for too long at the moment. Not when the next phone call might lead to an important deal for one of my clients.’

  ‘While I realise that you were more or less forced to start up your own theatrical agency, it does seem to be taking a lot out of you.’ Her brother-in-law frowned. ‘I hope you feel that it’s worth it?’

  ‘There speaks the academic!’ Laura teased. ‘But quite honestly, Tom, I’ve got to do something with my life—and I don’t know much about anything other than looking after and guiding the careers of those in the theatrical profession.’ She shrugged. ‘Although I’m not going to pretend that it’s particularly valuable work, like medicine or the law, there’s no doubt that films, TV and the theatre do help to brighten people’s lives. However, you’re quite right. It is hard work, and so I’ve just got to hope that it’s going to be worth it in the end, haven’t I?’

  It wasn’t until they were halfway through a delicious supper that Amy’s husband once more raised the subject of her new business, and whether she could really make a success of what seemed to him to be a very perilous profession.

  ‘Well, I honestly don’t know if I am going to succeed.’ Laura gave a helpless shrug. ‘I’ve had to work flat out from day one, of course, simply because there are so many gifted people chasing so few jobs. And it isn’t just a case of making a few phone calls and happily pocketing a percentage of the actor’s fee,’ she explained. ‘To be really successful in this business, I’m going to need at least one seriously big star on my books.’

  ‘But why should one person, however famous, make the difference between success and failure?’ Amy demanded, gazing at her with a puzzled frown.

  ‘Well, it may sound mad, but success in my business doesn’t necessarily reflect the financial standing of a firm. I suppose it’s all a matter of confidence,’ Laura added, brushing a tired hand through her auburn hair. ‘For instance, I’m involved in very secret negotiations with a well-known film star at the moment. So if I can get him to sign a contract with my firm, and find him a really juicy part in a play or film, then many of his colleagues are going to begin thinking that maybe I can do exactly the same thing for them.’

  ‘Aha!’ Amy laughed. ‘So what you’re saying is: the better actors you can get on your books, the more exciting jobs you can attract from producers and directors—right?’

  ‘Got it in one!’ Laura grinned, before adding with a weary shrug, ‘But while it sounds easy enough in theory it’s actually very difficult to achieve in practice.’

  ‘Oh, I’m quite sure you won’t have any trouble,’ Amy told her firmly, which left Laura wishing she were half as confident as her sister. Not that she wasn’t grateful for such family support, but it didn’t go very far in the hard, tough world of theatrical management.

  Unfortunately, Amy—normally such a down-to-earth and level-headed woman—suddenly seemed to have become fascinated by the news and gossip about Laura’s profession, and was demanding to know the name of the film star with whom her sister was having secret negotiations.

  ‘There’s no way I’m going to tell you—I haven’t even broken the news to Susie, for heaven’s sake,’ Laura protested. But whether she was feeling particularly brain-dead that evening, or whether it was because her elder sister had always managed to extract the truth from her, Laura eventually gave in and revealed that she’d been talking to Craig Jordan.

  ‘But I thought you didn’t like him?’

  ‘You’re quite right—I don’t,’ Laura agreed. ‘But it’s strictly a business deal between Craig and myself. He’s a big name, and I want him in my agency. Besides, there’s a good chance that I can get him a really great part in a new film.’

  ‘But...but I thought that his career was being managed by Jack Wilder?’ Her sister frowned in confusion.

  ‘Well, yes...at the moment he does have a contract with Jack,’ Laura admitted, shifting uneasily in her chair as she realised—from the wide grin on her brother-in-law’s face—that, unlike his wife, Tom had a very good idea of what she was planning.

  ‘You’re so sharp you’ll cut yourself one of these days!’ she told him with a grim smile, before turning back to Amy. ‘Since I used to work in Jack’s office, I happen to know that Craig’s contract is due for renewal in a month’s time.’

  ‘Oh, Laura!’ her sister exclaimed, gazing at the younger girl with concern. ‘Surely Jack will be very angry if Craig decides to sign up with you?’

  ‘Well, yes—he’ll probably be absolutely furious. But that’s his bad luck!’ she added defiantly, her cheeks flushing as her sister gave a heavy sigh and shook her head in disapproval. ‘After all, as Jack himself told me only a few weeks ago, it’s a rat race, and you can’t afford to be too squeamish in our business.’

  ‘But why do you always seem so determined to look for trouble?’ Amy exclaimed anxiously. ‘Why do something which you know is going to lead to an almighty row with Jack Wilder?’

  However, before Laura could reply, her brother-in-law stepped firmly into the temporary breach between the two sisters, strongly urging his wife not to get involved in the ongoing conflict between Laura and her old boss.

  �
��This is obviously a highly volatile relationship between two very strong personalities,’ Tom added, his lips twitching with wry amusement. ‘So I suggest that we’d do well to leave them to sort out their own problems—in their own way!’

  ‘OK,’ Amy muttered, quickly realising that her husband was, as usual, quite right. And, since she hated quarrelling with her younger sister, she decided to do her best to ignore the problems which were obviously looming on the horizon for Laura.

  ‘So tell me about this film you have in mind for Craig,’ Amy said, pouring them all another cup of coffee. ‘Will it be made in Hollywood?’

  ‘No, I’m afraid not. And, while it’s a terrific role for Craig, I must say that it’s not exactly top box-office material,’ Laura explained, grateful to have avoided a row with her sister, whom she loved dearly. ‘On top of which, the production has been plagued by a series of disastrous accidents. In fact, every time shooting is about to start, one or other of the leading actors seems to fall by the wayside.’

  ‘What ever do you mean?’

  . Laura grinned. ‘I’m sorry. I should have said that the film is based on Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. For some reason, most of the acting profession think that the play is dead unlucky. So much so that it’s supposed to be tempting fate to even say the name of the play out loud. And I must admit,’ she added reflectively, ‘they may have a point. Because the latest victim to fall foul of the “curse”—the film star due to play the part of Macbeth himself—has just been involved in a fairly horrendous car smash.’

  ‘Good heavens!’ Amy breathed.

  ‘I feel really sorry for the producer, whom I’ve known since we were both at university together. However, since he’s obviously anxious to start filming, before the financiers get cold feet and withdraw funding, there’s a very good chance I can get Craig the part.’

  ‘But what if he has an accident too?’

  Laura laughed and shook her head. ‘No chance! Craig may well be a fairly poisonous individual, but I suspect he bears a charmed life. In fact, on the principle that the good die young, Craig Jordan will undoubtedly still be around to collect a telegram from the Queen on his hundredth birthday!’