‘Well, according to you that’s a habit of his,’ Esther pointed out.
‘Oh, you mean Suzie,’ whispered Rosie, lowering her voice. ‘Yes, I suppose it is. I thought he was keen on you for a bit too but he’s only with Rebecca now, isn’t he?’
‘That’s really my fault,’ explained Esther. ‘I need to concentrate on my acting. I found it all a bit of a struggle.’
‘You’ve done very well,’ said Rosie. ‘One night you were really brilliant in Hamlet.’
‘Only one night?’ queried Esther.
‘Oh, you’re always good,’ said Rosie. ‘It’s just that for one night you really shone.’
Esther wanted to smile but she didn’t. At least Rosie’s words proved that Damon had been right about her. When she pulled out all the stops she became the centre of attention, and that was what she had to do when they opened in Regent’s Park.
On the final day of rehearsals, as Christopher cursed at aeroplanes going overhead and they battled with the breeze and the threat of rain the following day, as well as the changes necessary in vocal technique for this performance, Rebecca came across to Esther.
‘Damon’s not his usual self today,’ she remarked. ‘I think his performances have been dropping off a bit recently. It’s a pity when the scouts are going to be here tomorrow.’
‘Perhaps he doesn’t have the stamina for long tours,’ suggested Esther.
Rebecca shrugged. ‘Maybe. Whatever the reason, Christopher’s delighted.’
‘He shouldn’t be too pleased,’ said Esther. ‘We need a strong Ernest Beevers.’
‘He’ll be good enough,’ said Rebecca. ‘Damon’s never bad; it’s just that recently he hasn’t been as good.’ She hesitated for a moment. ‘To tell the truth I thought you’d gone off the boil a bit, too.’
Esther pulled a face. ‘Oh dear, I’d better pull my socks up, hadn’t I?’
‘Don’t worry about it,’ said Rebecca. ‘I’m sure you’ll be brilliant tomorrow. Anyway, you’ve had some really good reviews, haven’t you? Joining Christopher’s company certainly hasn’t done your career any harm.’
‘No, but it’s done yours even more good,’ replied Esther. ‘You’ve had consistently good reviews and, by the look of your performance today, playing in the open air suits you.’
For the first time Rebecca couldn’t hide her sense of self-satisfaction. ‘That’s nice of you,’ she said. ‘I think that when you act opposite someone like Christopher, and spend all your spare time around them, some of their genius can’t help but rub off on you – at least if you’ve got any talent of your own.’
‘And you certainly have that,’ said Esther, wondering if she was going too far with the flattery. She wasn’t. The other girl loved it.
‘I’m glad you’ve noticed,’ she said and then walked away.
That evening all the company dispersed in small groups to relax in any way they chose. There was nothing more to be done and Esther and Damon wandered through the London streets until they reached Damon’s favourite Italian eating house. There, over a delicious meal, Esther told him of her conversation with Rebecca. Damon nodded in approval. ‘It looks as though we’ve timed it perfectly,’ he said. ‘Do you know, for the first time in years I’m really excited about tomorrow’s performance. I can’t wait to wipe that smug smile off Christopher’s face. Every time he takes his bow I want to punch him.’
Esther was surprised. ‘Goodness, I didn’t realise you felt that strongly about him.’
‘I told you about Suzie,’ said Damon.
‘Yes, I knew you felt strongly about him but not so strongly that you wanted to hit him!’
‘Well I do,’ said Damon. ‘And when tomorrow’s over it’s Suzie that I shall be thinking of.’
Esther’s heart sank. Even at this late stage she’d half hoped that Damon was thinking of her as well as of Suzie but it seemed that she was wrong. ‘What’s the matter?’ asked Damon. ‘You look sad suddenly.’
‘Just nerves,’ explained Esther.
‘Where are you staying tonight?’
‘I’ve got somewhere,’ said Esther. ‘I’m in the same house as Rosie, Noel and Michael.’
Damon pulled a face. ‘I’ve heard that three’s company, four’s a crowd in their case,’ he remarked.
‘That’s true,’ admitted Esther, ‘but I don’t mind. It’s better than being on my own. Where are you?’
‘I’ve got a room in a small hotel,’ said Damon.
After he’d paid the bill he got up from his chair and looked thoughtfully down at Esther. ‘You really are nervous, aren’t you?’
Esther was, but that wasn’t the reason for her quietness. However, she thought it better to pretend that it was. ‘Horribly nervous,’ she murmured.
‘I think you’d better come back with me for a nightcap,’ said Damon.
Deciding that that was better than nothing Esther agreed and soon they were sitting in his hotel room sipping brandies and talking about how it would be the following day.
Esther was sitting in a large easy chair that was by the window, looking out over London, while Damon sat on a more upright chair next to his bed. Esther wondered what on earth she was going to do when tomorrow was over and she and Damon parted company. Even if they celebrated their success it was now clear that she was unlikely to become involved with him. He’d had plenty of opportunity to make a move if he’d wanted to in recent weeks and he hadn’t. A chill ran over her body and she shivered slightly. Suddenly Damon crossed the room and sat on the arm of the chair. ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked very softly.
‘Someone stepped on my grave,’ said Esther.
Damon put an arm round her and hugged her. ‘Don’t be silly,’ he whispered. ‘It’s all going to work out brilliantly. You’ve nothing to worry about and you’re going to have an incredible career.’
Esther wanted to shout at him, to tell him that it wasn’t just her career that worried her, but somehow she couldn’t find the words and she simply stared mutely at him. Then, to her utter amazement, Damon lowered his head and kissed her very tenderly on her forehead. ‘I know a good cure for first-night nerves,’ he said seductively.
Esther couldn’t believe that she was hearing him right. ‘You do?’
The eroticism between them was incredible and. now she could see desire in Damon’s eyes as he held out his hands and drew her towards the bed. He undressed her as tenderly as you would a child and then, when she was naked, gazed admiringly at her while at the same time removing his own clothes. Then the pair of them lay on the bed; Esther flat on her back with Damon propped up on one elbow looking down at her.
‘You’re incredibly beautiful, but then you already know that, don’t you?’
Esther didn’t reply. She simply couldn’t take her eyes off him and, as he stretched out his free hand towards her breasts, she waited to feel his fingers at last caressing her body. To her astonishment he didn’t; instead he moved the palm of his hand in the air about a quarter of an inch above her, circling just above her breasts, then her ribcage and then her trembling stomach. He moved his hand lower so it hovered over her legs and feet. She she could feel the movement of air but never once did he actually touch her skin. All the time he was whispering to her, telling her what he was going to do to her and how it would feel when he did. Esther longed for some direct physical contact but, perversely, at the same time, she wanted this strange caress to continue because it was the most erotic thing that anyone had ever done to her. As his hand continued to move just above her body he gently kissed her eyelids, ears, the tip of her nose and the ends of her shoulders, before letting his tongue trail over the delicate flesh at the side of her armpit.
Everything that he did was soft and gentle and yet Esther’s body was reacting as though she was being robustly aroused; as though her breasts were really being manipulated and stroked, and as though his hand was actually touching the skin of her belly and thighs. It was an amazing experience and when, at last, he
let his hand move between her parted thighs she was so moist that it was easy for him to slip one finger gently inside her.
At regular intervals he would stop, sometimes just inside her entrance and sometimes further in, and when he stopped he would whisper, ‘Would you like to feel me inside you here? Or here?’ All the time he questioned her his finger would be moving, touching different parts of her that made her squirm and long for the moment when he did enter her.
After finding out exactly what she liked the most, Damon positioned himself above her and then slid his erection into her. His fingers were gliding across her nipples as he began to pump his hips and find a rhythm which suited them both.
Even as he was moving inside her, positioning and re-positioning himself so that he was stimulating her in the way that he’d discovered she liked best, Damon continued the incredibly arousing questioning. The words themselves became a different kind of caress so that she was totally enfolded in an aura of sensuality which was nothing like anything she’d experienced before.
At last she felt the slow languid pleasure that his skilful foreplay had caused building towards the delicious peak of a climax, and her body began to move beneath his. She arched her hips and thrust her pubic bone up against his to increase the stimulation. Damon, sensing that she was ready now, increased the tempo of his thrusting but continued massaging her breast and, just before she climaxed, he covered her mouth with his own so that when she finally cried out with ecstatic delight her cries were muffled by the delicious firmness of his lips. Then he too was climaxing, and she felt closer to him then than she had ever felt to any man before.
‘Was that all right for you?’ he whispered urgently as they were lying wrapped in each other’s arms a few moments later.
‘It was the best ever,’ replied Esther.
‘I didn’t mean it to happen,’ said Damon, ‘but I couldn’t hold back any more. I’ve been wanting to make love to you for weeks now.’
‘Then why didn’t you?’ asked Esther.
‘Partly because I wasn’t sure how you felt about me and also because I didn’t want to get involved.’
‘You don’t have to be involved,’ Esther assured him.
‘I don’t have any choice,’ said Damon, his voice very quiet. ‘You mean a lot to me, Esther. This isn’t something I’m going to be able to walk away from, but I know that all you’re interested in is your career.’
‘Not all,’ Esther said with a small smile. ‘Didn’t you realise how much I wanted you, too?’
Damon shook his head. ‘No, I must be blind. Perhaps I was concentrating too much on your acting.’
They lay together for a little longer and then, as Esther began to caress Damon’s taut stomach muscles and tease the paper-thin flesh over his hip bones, she felt him start to harden within her again. Suddenly they were making love once more, only this time it was fiercer and more intense, as they both allowed their sexuality full rein. It was Damon who uttered the loudest cry as he came for the second time that night.
Esther fell asleep in his arms, no longer worried about her performance the following day or even about Marcus. All she could think about was Damon and the fact that she hadn’t been wrong about his feelings for her. She didn’t want to think about the future too much because it was like tempting fate. For tonight at least she was content.
Chapter Twelve
Luckily for Esther the memories of the previous night helped her keep calm all the following day. Most of the cast were racked by nerves and Christopher, in particular, was on edge. Once or twice he lost his temper completely and, although he apologised at the end, Esther knew that this was a sure sign he was worried. Tonight was his big chance; tonight was his opportunity to make a bid for Hollywood where he could meet Marcus on equal terms again, and he couldn’t afford to fail.
Although Damon didn’t mention what had occurred between them he occasionally caught her eye and on his face she could see both passion and amusement at what was going on around them. The passion excited her so much that when she wasn’t on stage she kept replaying in her mind what he’d done to her the previous night. He’d been so extraordinarily tender while bringing her to an incredible peak of satisfaction. She realised that it was this combination of both the physical and the emotional elements that had proved such a revelation. Even Marcus had never made her feel like that.
Suddenly the evening was upon them and the play began. There had been the usual urgent whispers of ‘Break a leg’ or ‘Show them how it’s done’ between various members of the company but Damon had found time to slip an arm round Esther’s waist and whisper in her ear: ‘Remember, this is for Marcus and Suzie,’ he said urgently.
There was no chance of Esther forgetting that and as she stepped out in front of the huge audience on a wonderful summer’s night she felt the adrenalin flowing through her and somehow sensed that this evening she was really going to fly.
Everything went exactly as she and Damon had planned. Both of them gave their roles everything they’d got and Esther knew that she was acting out of her skin. She completely forgot herself and became Kay. Nothing fazed her, not even the minor fluffs and stumbles that were occurring around her. Most of the cast were far more nervous than they’d been before but this only served to inspire Esther even more. Tonight, ensemble acting was forgotten. She intended to shine like a potential star.
It was towards the end of Act II that Damon was able to really set the ball rolling. The scene was the time-warp act where he, as Ernest, was married to Hazel, played by Rebecca, and the audience realised that this once beautiful girl, so full of confidence that she had looked down on the young Ernest Beevers, is now a very wealthy but a very scared wife with an unpleasant and dominating husband.
Esther, who had little to say during the interplay between Ernest, Hazel and Robin – played by Christopher – was able to watch as Damon took centre stage. This had always been his finest hour but tonight he excelled himself. For a time Rebecca struggled manfully and Esther thought that such intense acting by Damon should have enabled Rebecca to react even better than usual, but it didn’t. Because Rebecca always liked to feel in control she panicked as Damon forced her into subjugation, even though it was only in the play.
‘I might as well tell you,’ said Damon as Ernest, ‘while I’m making myself unpleasant that I could lend you the two or three thousand without feeling it. Only I’m not going to – not a penny.’
This remark was addressed to Mrs Conway and Robin but Rebecca as Hazel had to respond with a mixture of indignation and fear. Her proper line was: ‘You make me feel ashamed.’ Normally she did this quite well but tonight she looked hot and flustered. ‘You make me feel …’ Rebecca dried up.
There were no prompt – it was too difficult in the open air – and for a moment there was silence.
‘Feel what?’ improvised Ernest/Damon.
‘I don’t know,’ wailed the distraught Rebecca, getting further and further into trouble.
‘Ashamed?’ suggested Damon.
‘Yes! Yes ashamed!’ responded Rebecca, looking genuinely ashamed and also astonished at her own failure.
Damon swung easily back into the play: ‘Tell them why I make you feel ashamed. Tell me. Or would you like to tell me later when I’m telling you a few things?’
At this point Christopher as Robin had to jump to his feet and shout, ‘I never did like you, Beevers, I’ve half a mind to boot you out of this house.’ Because Christopher was becoming increasingly aware that Rebecca was losing her grip on her part, he was genuinely angry and, white-faced, he leapt up too fast, stumbled and half fell as he uttered his line, ending up on his knees at Damon’s feet. A ripple of laughter rang round the audience and Damon waited for it to end before carrying on with his next speech.
The cast carried on with the rest of the act but neither Rebecca nor Christopher gave anything like their normal performances and, in Rebecca’s case, it was becoming positively embarrassing.
Thi
ngs didn’t improve in the third act and Christopher began to try too hard. He over-emphasised words and his gestures became huge. Both Damon and Esther knew that he was stumbling and watched with secret amusement as he was lured into the trap they’d set for him. In the middle of the third act it was Christopher’s big romantic moment. He had a love scene with Rosie, who was playing Joan, and at the end of the scene had to end up proposing to her although this had never been his intention at the start. Normally, because Rosie was so sweet and touching as Joan, the scene went well and Christopher’s dashing charm – he was in his army uniform at this point – showed him at his best. Tonight even that couldn’t save him.
As he caught hold of Rosie and started to embrace and kiss her he accidentally put a foot behind her ankle so that she almost fell backwards during a girlish twirl. Then he had to grab at her in an ungainly fashion, which meant that she was suddenly so close to him it looked as though they were about to start having sex.
Rosie, realising this, drew away a fraction but for some reason Christopher tightened his grip. ‘Oh, Robin!’ said Rosie.
‘Oh, Joan!’ replied Christopher. He was meant to be mocking her nicely but it sounded snide and bad-tempered so that the atmosphere was all wrong.
‘I suppose you’ve been doing this to dozens of girls?’ said Rosie.
At this point Christopher was meant to say, ‘Yes, Joan, dozens,’ in a light teasing way. Instead, to everyone’s astonishment, he said, ‘Yes, I have dozens and dozens!’ He made himself sound like some kind of Don Giovanni – and a thoroughly unpleasant one at that. As the audience began to laugh, Rosie too started to lose it.
She struggled gamely through her lines but the shy, almost embarrassed, air proved hard for her to sustain in the face of Christopher’s aggressive approach. There was nothing boyishly charming about him now; he looked like a spoilt overgrown schoolboy and sounded thoroughly petulant.
Dramatic Affairs Page 21