by Mary Lyons
It’s all Jack’s fault! she grumbled to herself, not caring if she was being totally unreasonable. While she couldn’t, of course, blame him for the vile weather, Laura had no doubt that just about everything else which had happened to her lately stemmed from her disastrous relationship with Jack Wilder. Except...well, maybe all those problems with the film production company couldn’t be laid at his door.
However, if Jack hadn’t been Craig’s agent, and also once married to that highly temperamental actress Melissa Grant, Laura was quite certain that she wouldn’t have been dragged into the current mess. And it certainly was his fault that she’d been woken up at the unearthly hour of six this morning and forced to cancel everything at a moment’s notice, before scrambling to catch this train to a remote area of the Northumberland coast.
Following her encounter with Jack in the lift—the memory of which could still make her go hot and cold with embarrassment all these weeks later—Laura had done her very best to make sure that she avoided all sight and sound of the man who’d cast such a blight over her life. And she might have succeeded in finally rooting all trace of him from her existence if she hadn’t felt obliged to follow through on the offer she’d made to contact the producer of the Macbeth film and set up a meeting between him and Jack.
After keeping her word, she’d thought no more about it, until she’d arrived in the office one morning to find a huge bouquet of red roses from Jack—together with a card expressing his thanks, and the news that Craig had been given the part of Macbeth.
That might well have been that if, only a few days later, she hadn’t been startled to hear that Melissa Grant was in the outside office and wondering if she could have a word.
‘Are you quite sure...?’ Laura had frowned in puzzlement. ‘I mean, why on earth would Melissa Grant want to see me?’
‘I haven’t a clue,’ Susie had shrugged. ‘However, there’s no doubt that it is you she wants to see. In fact, she declared that she’s quite prepared to wait—all day, if necessary—until you can find time to see her.’
It was such an extraordinary statement that Laura had gazed at her assistant in open-mouthed astonishment. Melissa Grant, that well-known and highly successful actress, wouldn’t normally wait to see anyone—let alone the owner of a small theatrical agency.
‘Good heavens!’ Laura had exclaimed, leaning back in her chair and shaking her head with amazement. ‘Well, you’d better wheel her in,’ she’d told Susie with a grin.
Taken completely aback by Melissa’s unexpected arrival in her office, Laura had had no time to think about how she would feel at meeting Jack’s ex-wife for the first time. In the event, she’d been surprised to discover that she hadn’t, as she might have supposed, suffered from the sharp, clawing pangs of jealousy.
Even thinking later about her reaction to the outstandingly lovely woman, Laura hadn’t been able to decide if it had been simply because Melissa was so beautiful and it was clearly a pure waste of time to envy her looks, or whether it had been because—against all the odds—she’d found herself unexpectedly amused and intrigued by someone who appeared to be so amazingly self-centred.
It hadn’t been difficult to see why the famous star had caused such a sensation over the years, both on the stage and in her private life. A well-known theatre critic had once described this woman, elegantly seated on a chair in front of Laura’s desk, as ‘embodying all my sexual fantasies of the deliciously wicked Queen Jezebel’. Leaving aside the possible slur on her character, there was no doubt that with those enormous, cat-like amber eyes set over pale alabaster cheeks and her long, smooth hair, the shimmering blue-black colour of raven’s wings, twisted in a heavy chignon at the base of her swan-like neck, Melissa Grant really was exquisitely lovely.
However, by the end of the interview, Laura had come to the conclusion that both the critic and Jack Wilder had been quite right. Melissa might well be stunningly beautiful—as well as exuding an obviously beady aroma of rampant sex appeal—but when Jack’s ex-wife decided that she wanted someone, or something, she clearly wasn’t prepared to let anyone stand in her way.
The meeting had, in fact, started off in an easy and relaxed fashion, with the older woman paying Laura many compliments on having the courage to open her own agency, and to have made a success of it in such a small space of time. It had only been afterwards that Laura had realised she’d been a victim of both Melissa’s fatal charm and her outstanding talent for manipulating others to her will.
‘The thing is, darling, I’ve got a small problem at the moment,’ she said at last, after Susie had brought them both a cup of coffee. ‘I’m rather fed up with the agent who’s currently looking after my career. I can’t help feeling that I could do far better with someone who’s young and enthusiastic, if you see what I mean? Which is why I’ve come to see you, darling.’
‘Me?’ Laura muttered, trying not to look too flabbergasted at the idea that she, a virtual newcomer to the profession, could be of any use to such a famous actress. ‘You don’t mean...?’
‘Yes, of course, darling,’ Melissa purred with a dazzling smile. ‘I hear that you’ve got some wonderful contacts—not to mention several useful friends in high places! So I’m quite sure that you’d look after me really, really well.’
Trying to control a fast-rising tide of excitement and exhilaration at the prospect of signing up such a well-known star, Laura strove to be as businesslike as possible.
‘I’d obviously be delighted to have you join my agency,’ she told Melissa with a broad grin. ‘But there are one or two important points to sort out straight away. For instance, I need to know what plans you may already have for the future. I’m assuming,’ she added, pulling a pad of paper towards her, ‘that you’ll be starring in your present long-running play for some months ahead?’
Melissa shrugged her delicate, slim shoulders. ‘Well, the thing is, darling, I’m not really sure what I’m going to do. It’s all a bit complicated. But maybe if I put you in the picture you’ll be able to find a way to help little old me?’
A few minutes later, leaning back in her chair while Melissa sipped her cup of coffee, Laura stared down at the notes in front of her. Stripped of all the ‘darlings’, and several cloying references to ‘little old me’, it seemed that Melissa had an opportunity, during the next two weeks, to take advantage of a break clause in her contract with the theatre management. This would allow her to leave the successful production whose seats were sold out for months ahead. But obviously Melissa would only do so if she had a more exciting and challenging role on the horizon. And it was the prospect of one particular part which had brought her to Laura’s agency.
‘The thing is, darling, I’m just madly, madly in love! It’s definitely the real thing this time!’ Melissa declared happily, conveniently forgetting her past track record of some five husbands—not to mention innumerable lovers.
And when she announced that the current love of her life was Laura’s least favourite actor, Craig Jordan, it was all the younger girl could do not to groan out loud. Not only was Craig at least ten years younger than Melissa, but he was completely incapable of being faithful to one woman for more than a few weeks at a time. So there could only be one result of this relationship—which was clearly doomed from the start.
‘I hear that you’ve helped to find my darling Craig such a wonderful part in that new film. So I’m sure that you can find one for me too,’ Melissa trilled in her bell-like voice. ‘Quite honestly, darling, I’ve always wanted to play Lady Macbeth. I really do think that it’s absolutely my role—don’t you?’
‘Oh, absolutely!’ Laura echoed, wondering how on earth she was managing to keep a straight face. Craig—who’d happily double-cross anyone to get his own way—was perfect casting for the part of the deeply conniving, ambitious Thane of Cawdor. And, now she came to think about it, who better than Melissa—certainly as far as looks and talent were concerned—to play the role of his equally ambitious, evil wife?
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‘You’d be wonderful in the part,’ Laura agreed. ‘thefts only one problem. The role has already been offered to a well-known American actress, and I really don’t see how—’
‘Please! I really don’t want to hear any of these negative comments,’ Melissa said firmly, a hard, threatening note appearing in her voice for the first time during their interview. ‘I mean, it’s all very simple, darling. If you want me to sign up with your agency, you’re going to get me the part of Lady Macbeth. I’m quite sure you can do it,’ she added, with a determined glint in her feline eyes. ‘After all, you do want to be my new agent, don’t you, darling?’
‘Phew!’ Susie breathed after Melissa had swept out of the office and she’d been put in the picture by Laura. ‘If you can sign up Melissa Grant, this agency is well and truly made!’ she added excitedly. ‘Everyone, but everyone, will be mad keen to join us once they know Melissa’s come on board!’
‘Hey—calm down!’ Laura warned. ‘There’s no point in getting too excited about the prospect of attracting such a well-known client. While I may have been instrumental in getting Craig a starring role in the film, my chances, of doing the same for his new girlfriend are just about zilch. So unfortunately I think that’s the last we’re likely to see of Melissa Grant’
However, despite her dire warning, Laura didn’t reckon on the fickle finger of fate taking a hand in the affair.
Either Melissa was just born lucky or she’d managed to cast a transatlantic evil eye on the American film star, who’d been due to fly to England to begin filming the following week. Because hard on the heels of her interview with Melissa came the news that the American actress had been forced to withdraw in order to nurse her husband, a well-known photographer, who’d been suddenly rushed to hospital following a massive heart attack.
‘I wish to heaven that I’d never got involved with this film!’ the producer moaned to Laura, when she contacted him following the news of the latest disaster to hit the production. ‘I now see exactly why everyone in the theatrical profession has always regarded the play as being so desperately unlucky.’
‘I’m sorry to hear about all your problems, of course,’ Laura told him sympathetically. ‘However, it just so happens that I might be able to suggest a solution.’ When she’d explained the possibility of being able to provide him with a replacement—and not just any actress, but Melissa Grant herself—be was over the moon.
‘Bless you, darling!’ he cried, his relief almost tangible over the phone. ‘First Craig—and now Melissa! Is there anyone you can’t get hold of?’ he added with a laugh.
Only the man I love with all my heart, she thought unhappily as she put down the phone. However, since there was absolutely no point in torturing herself any further over Jack Wilder, she pulled herself together and telephoned Melissa to tell her the good news.
Laura wouldn’t have been entirely surprised if, on gaining the coveted part, Melissa had reneged on the promise she’d made to join the agency. However, the actress kept her word, and after happily signing a contract with Laura she packed her bags before joining Craig and the rest of the film crew on location in the far north of England.
And there, once again, the matter might well have rested, with Laura being left in peace to concentrate on her own business. But unfortunately she soon found herself echoing the film producer’s plaintive wails about what was clearly a doomed film.
The first intimation of fresh trouble in store came in a phone call from Jack himself.
‘You’d better get yourself up here as soon as you can,’ he said, sounding thoroughly harassed and quite unlike his normally smooth, confident self. ‘Thanks to the ghastly weather, most of the film crew found themselves practically washed out to sea near Lindisfarne, so the set is being relocated to an old Gothic castle a few miles south of here.’
‘So? I don’t see what all this has to do with me,’ she muttered, busy gathering the papers on her desk in front of her and glancing anxiously down at her watch. She was already late for a lunch date with an important casting director, who wouldn’t be at all pleased to be kept waiting. ‘I can’t think why you’ve got yourself involved. Surely the film company can sort out their own problems?’
‘I’ve been dragged up here because Craig and Melissa have had a violent lovers’ quarrel and are no longer talking to one another,’ he told her, his voice heavy with irritation and annoyance.
‘Well, I’m sure you can sort it out without my help,’ she retorted, before putting down the phone and hurrying out of her office.
‘I thought I told you not to put through any more calls from Jack Wilder?’ she said to Susie on returning from what had been a successful lunch. ‘Didn’t I make it crystal-clear that I don’t want to have anything to do with him?’
‘Yes, well...’ Susie looked at her sheepishly. ‘Jack was very insistent and seemed genuinely anxious to get hold of you, so...’
‘OK, OK.’ Laura gritted her teeth and took a deep breath. ‘I know he’s an attractive man. I know he can be very persuasive. But, as far as I’m concerned, he’s nothing but trouble with a capital T. So why don’t you type out a nice, large notice that says “Laura Parker doesn’t take calls from Jack Wilder” and stick it up on the wall, where you just might have a chance of seeing it?’ she added grimly, before marching into her own office and slamming the door loudly behind her.
It didn’t, of course, take her many minutes to simmer down and realise that she’d behaved very badly. Ashamed of having been so rude to her assistant, she walked back into Susie’s office.
‘I’m sorry. There was no excuse for being so nasty and aggressive,’ she told the other girl in a penitent voice. ‘It’s just that...’
‘It’s just that the path of true love is proving to be a rocky and stony one?’ Susie completed the sentence with a wry smile.
Laura sighed. ‘Well, you’re right about the rocks and stones. Every time I think I’ve finally managed to get that man out of my hair, something comes up which blows all my good resolutions to smithereens. But I’m going to keep on trying,’ she added, with another heavy sigh. ‘And maybe, if I get really lucky, one of these days I’m finally going to succeed.’
The path of true love—that’s a joke! Laura told herself once she was back in her own office. As far as she could see, there was no path and absolutely no true love—on Jack Wilder’s side, anyway. Mr Loverman was only interested in one very short, three-letter word: sex. And, since his copy of the dictionary obviously didn’t contain such words as ‘love’ and ‘commitment’, Laura knew that she was absolutely right to insist on having nothing to do with such a handsome, lethally attractive man.
Unfortunately, Jack obviously came a close second to his ex-wife, Melissa, when pursuing an objective. She ought to have known that he wouldn’t give up, she told herself now, staring blindly out of the train window at grey, rain-lashed, desolate moorland. Balked and frustrated in his attempts to contact Laura at the office, the swine hadn’t hesitated to ring her at home.
‘For heaven’s sake, Jack!’ she’d muttered, when roused from a deep sleep at the ridiculously early hour of six o’clock this morning.
‘Wake up, Laura, we’ve got some important matters to discuss.’
‘You must be kidding! It’s practically the middle of the night,’ she’d protested, struggling to sit up in bed as she brushed the tousled hair from her eyes.
‘Nonsense! I and most of the crew have been on set since five-thirty. But that’s not important,’ he’d added impatiently. ‘We’ve got real problems here, and they mostly centre on your new client, Melissa Grant.’
‘She may be my client but she’s your ex-wife!’ Laura had retorted grimly. ‘So if there are any problems I’m quite sure you’re by far the best person to sort them out.’
Jack had given a heavy sigh. ‘Melissa never listened to me in the past—and she certainly isn’t listening to me now,’ he’d admitted in a quieter tone of voice. ‘The situation we’re f
acing is that your client has locked herself in her hotel room and is refusing to come out. On top of which, Craig is also proving to be a complete nightmare.’
‘So, what else is new?’
‘Neither of the two principals involved are willing to talk to one another, let alone act the parts for which they are being paid a large fee,’ he’d continued, ignoring her cynical interjection. ‘So you’re going to have to get up here as soon as possible and help me sort out this mess.’
‘Forget it! I can’t possibly drop everything and—’
‘Oh, yes, you can,’ he’d snapped. ‘Before you say anything else, my dear Laura, I’d better point out one or two nasty facts,’ he’d added grimly. ‘If Melissa continues to act in such a thoroughly unprofessional manner, she’ll never be offered another part in a film. The second point is that if we don’t do something to resolve the problem this film is going down the tubes. And if that happens the film company are likely to sue both Craig and Melissa for the loss of all potential earnings.’
‘What rubbish! That’s hardly what I’d call a likely scenario.’
‘Oh, really?’ he’d drawled. ‘Well, you may feel like taking a chance on the film’s financiers happily waving goodbye to a few million pounds but I wouldn’t like to bet on it!’
Laura had bitten her lip. Jack was bound to be exaggerating the problem, of course. But...all the same...she couldn’t possibly just stand by and allow Melissa to commit professional suicide.
‘Well?’ he demanded. ‘Have you got the message at last?’
‘Yes—message received and understood,’ Laura had sighed, throwing off the bedclothes and swinging her feet to the floor, yawning sleepily as she searched amongst the objects on her bedside table for a pen and paper. ‘Give me directions on where and how to meet you and I’ll get there as soon as I can.’