It took Christopher and Rebecca some time to teach Theresa how to enjoy being dominant. It was clear that this was not what she’d expected when she first joined them, and Christopher was very pleased that they were using the rooms Theresa was renting. In general he always preferred to play away from home unless he was with his steady girlfriend of the moment. That was one drawback to courting the press as assiduously as he did: he never knew when they were about. Since his home was so well known, there would frequently be a freelance photographer somewhere within range of his front door.
Christopher wouldn’t have been quite so pleased had he known that George Hickey and Mary Fuller were in the room adjoining Theresa’s bedroom. He didn’t know, because Theresa hadn’t seen any reason to tell him, that George had managed to rent the adjoining flat to hers. Both were very convenient for the rehearsal room and had been available for short-term renting prior to the company moving on.
As soon as George had moved in, he’d drilled a small hole in the wall in order to be able to watch Theresa dressing and undressing morning and night. It was a bonus that was as unexpected to him as it was unknown to Theresa. However, tonight was a bonus not only for George but also for Mary Fuller. George had originally invited her round for a drink and some company simply because, as they were so much older than the other members of the group, they had become reasonably friendly.
The fact that both of them were turned on by the sight of attractive young girls, although Mary preferred to watch hers with young men, proved a common talking point and they each had favourites in the company. All that was forgotten for the moment, though, as they took it in turns to watch through the tiny spy hole. Another advantage to the flat was the fact that sound carried easily and so even when they weren’t actually able to see what was happening they could hear almost every word that was said.
Most of the tutoring of Theresa had fallen to Rebecca. To her surprise she didn’t find this quite as exciting as she’d expected. She realised that, while dominating Christopher was thrilling, having to teach another girl how to do it was less of a turn-on. For the first time she hoped that Christopher’s desire for being dominated wasn’t going to take over their sex life entirely and was quite grateful for the fact that she knew that by the end of the night he would assume the dominant role again. He would have to because Rebecca knew he certainly wouldn’t want Theresa to think he only enjoyed being dominated.
To Rebecca’s amusement, Theresa proved awkward when using the latex whip and it had taken her several attempts before she was able to flick sufficiently gently at Christopher’s straining erection. The slight grimaces of pain that had crossed his handsome features when she got it wrong amused Rebecca. It also increased her sexual excitement because she knew that it increased Christopher’s as well. She could see the uncertainty of what was going to happen while Theresa was in charge was a great turn-on for him.
For Theresa, the entire evening was an astonishing revelation. At first she looked uncomfortable, as if she could hardly believe some of the things that Rebecca was telling her to do to the great Christopher Wheldon. Gradually, though, she seemed to get into the spirit of things; when she was told to instruct Christopher to kneel on the floor while she stood over him, legs wide apart, and ordered him to use his mouth on her, she looked more powerful and sexy than ever before.
After asking her permission, Christopher circled each of her legs with his fingers and ran his hands slowly up her calves as he tongued the insides of her knees and thighs before finally fastening his mouth between her legs. When he slid his long tongue between her outer sex lips and began to lap hungrily at her, she shivered as if she were in almost unbearable ecstasy.
Rebecca was watching the couple very closely and when she saw Theresa’s body start to tense she stepped forward and pulled Christopher roughly away. ‘You weren’t doing that right,’ she said angrily.
‘Yes he was,’ protested Theresa, who hadn’t yet grasped the rules of the game.
‘Of course he wasn’t,’ said Rebecca, giving a hard look at the other girl. ‘I think I’m the best judge of that, Theresa.’
‘Sorry,’ mumbled Theresa, who looked as if she were longing for Christopher to resume his attentions.
‘That’s all right,’ said Rebecca, softening her tone as she saw the look of anxiety on Theresa’s face. She didn’t want to worry the girl; she was simply trying to make certain that neither Theresa nor Christopher had a climax this early in the proceedings.
Christopher was made to kneel back on his haunches and wait several minutes. Ostensibly this was as a punishment for him and, while he knelt there, Theresa trailed her whip down the length of his spine, causing him to breathe more rapidly. In fact, the rest was in order to let Theresa’s body come down from its high state of arousal so that, when Christopher did begin tonguing her again, her body would have to resume its climb to orgasm from the beginning.
At last, to Theresa’s obvious relief, Rebecca allowed Christopher to continue licking her. Once more, Theresa spread her legs wide and again Christopher slid his hands up her legs, only this time he used his fingers to open her up more fully and his tongue probed the entrance to her vagina, flicking lightly around the inner rim until she was squirming with delight. Rebecca knew from long experience of these games that it would take Theresa a while to return to the moment just before her climax, and so she allowed herself to join in. As Christopher worked busily between Theresa’s thighs Rebecca started to massage the other girl’s voluptuous breasts.
Theresa turned her head and looked at Rebecca wide-eyed then, as prickling sensations began behind her nipples, she decided to let Rebecca proceed. She wished that she could see herself with the tall slim dark-haired girl licking and kneading at her breasts while the handsome fair-haired actor knelt on the floor giving her some of the most exquisite oral sex she’d ever been lucky enough to receive. The very realisation of what was happening to her increased her excitement and, suddenly, she began to shake as deep within her a strange coiling sensation began and she felt a pulse begin to beat behind her clitoris.
Immediately, Rebecca let go of her large, rapidly swelling breasts and again she pushed Christopher roughly away. This time Theresa gave a small cry as his clever tongue withdrew from her opening. She ached with the need to feel it back inside her again.
In the adjoining room, Mary Fuller was watching through George’s spy hole. It was certainly the most exciting and unexpected thing she’d ever seen and her legs felt weak with desire. Since the three of them were relatively silent at the moment it was difficult for George to know what was going on. He had to rely on Mary to give him a whispered commentary. This she did but every now and again she was so overcome by excitement that she stopped whispering and he had to imagine it all for himself. Despite this he was as hard as Christopher and Mary knew he’d need release by the end of the evening.
After about fifteen minutes, Theresa’s whole body felt hot and swollen. It wasn’t just her breasts; she felt as though she had grown too large for her skin and, at one point, when Christopher licked carefully between each of her toes, she was sure that she was going to climax from that alone, so sensitive was every inch of her body. What she couldn’t understand was why Rebecca kept interrupting the proceedings because it never occurred to her how much satisfaction both Christopher and Rebecca were gaining by continually thwarting her needs.
Eventually, Christopher decided that the time had come for things to change. As he stood up, his grey eyes looked deep into Theresa’s green ones and she felt her knees start to buckle. Reaching out, Christopher grasped her firmly round the ribcage, splaying the fingers of his hands so they cupped the undersides of her magnificent breasts. She felt as though she were in some kind of wonderful erotic dream, but it was a dream that was threatening to turn into a nightmare as her moment of release was constantly being delayed.
‘I hope you’ve enjoyed dominating me,’ said Christopher, his voice cold.
‘Yes, that is, I …’ Theresa wasn’t sure what answer was expected of her; after all, she’d only been doing what she’d been told.
‘I think it’s time you had a taste of your own medicine,’ said Christopher, and there was something about his voice that made the red-haired girl shiver.
Out of the corner of her eye, Theresa saw Rebecca arranging a pile of pillows in the middle of the bed. Once they were in place Christopher removed the mask from Theresa and hooked a finger inside the leather collar around her neck. This ensured that she followed him as he drew her across the room and then laid her face down over the pillows, making sure they were placed directly beneath her stomach. The sensation of the pillows against her needy flesh was exquisite and Theresa started to press her sex against them, hoping that somehow she would manage to gain the last bit of stimulation needed in order to push her over the edge and reach her climax.
‘Stop that!’ said Christopher at once. ‘I’m in charge now. You have to do what I say.’
‘And what I say,’ added Rebecca.
Theresa’s entire body was trembling. She should have been afraid but instead she was incredibly excited. To be at the mercy of two such clever people, to have her body so aroused, frantic and needy, and to know that eventually her pleasure was going to be allowed to spill over, was magnificent. The tiny edge of fear that the situation was engendering in her only added to the piquancy of the situation. She was aware that her bottom was now raised, high in the air with her vulva fully exposed.
‘Part your legs more,’ said Rebecca.
It never crossed Theresa’s mind to disobey; indeed, she was suddenly very anxious to do as she was told and she understood why Christopher had been such a willing slave for a short while. It was wonderful to have all responsibility taken away from her.
‘Do you promise to keep face down?’ asked Christopher. ‘Or do we have to blindfold you?’
‘I promise,’ whispered Theresa.
‘Excellent,’ said Christopher with satisfaction. ‘Now, let’s continue, Rebecca.’
Theresa had never felt so exposed and she waited tensely to see what would happen next. Suddenly, she felt hands rubbing oil into her bottom and she jumped instinctively. As she did so she heard Rebecca’s soft and unmistakable laugh. The larger pair of hands continued kneading her buttocks and Rebecca’s smaller, slimmer hands gently applied the oil around her sex. Christopher made large circular sweeping motions on her buttocks and thighs, keeping up a light and yet insistent motion in the whole area. At the same time Rebecca started to massage Theresa’s vulva, and her fingers worked hard between the girl’s legs.
Gradually, Christopher and Rebecca increased the tempo, although not the pressure, and then, for one brief blissful moment, Rebecca moved her finger and started to gently massage Theresa’s aching clitoris.
For Theresa the sudden rush of warmth into the whole of her lower torso and the incredible tightness of all her muscles was too much. ‘Please, please let me come now,’ she begged them, but the moment she’d spoken the hands stopped moving and she was left nearly sobbing with frustration while once again Rebecca laughed softly.
In the adjoining room Mary and George glanced at each other and, emboldened by this, George positioned himself behind Mary, putting his arms around her so that he could cup her breasts while he rubbed his erection against her buttocks. To his great relief she didn’t voice any objection and they both resumed listening and watching the three in the bedroom.
Theresa knew Rebecca could feel how aroused she was. After all, no one knew a woman’s body better than another woman. Because of this it seemed to Theresa that the cruelty was far greater on Rebecca’s part than on Christopher’s, but she guessed that Rebecca was only doing what pleased Christopher. Somehow, pleasing Christopher was no longer Theresa’s main objective. What her body was screaming for now was total satisfaction and she was beginning to grow frantic, wondering if she was ever to be allowed it.
‘Just be patient,’ whispered Rebecca, her voice kinder now. ‘We won’t keep you waiting much longer. I don’t think we can, Christopher,’ she added as Theresa became more slippery beneath Rebecca’s clever fingers. Theresa realised that Rebecca was alternating between using her fingers and the palm of her hand between her thighs and this only served to heighten all the sensations for her. She could feel her clitoris enlarging and, as it did so, Rebecca gradually spent more time caressing it, only occasionally moving her finger away for a few brief seconds.
Soon, driven almost out of her mind by this constant titillation, Theresa began to cry out, constantly screaming at the couple to allow her the moment of ultimate release. Christopher was still kneading at her buttocks and she realised that, while Rebecca was sliding two fingers into her vagina, Christopher was carefully easing two well-lubricated fingers into her rear opening. This sensation of fullness was very satisfying but it still didn’t provide sufficient stimulation for her to climax.
Rebecca continued to directly stimulate Theresa’s clitoris, making occasional breaks just as Theresa hoped that she was reaching the point of no return. With her free hand Rebecca began to caress inside Theresa’s vagina.
Theresa had never had this done to her before. She was astonished when Rebecca eased her fingers deeper inside her, searching until she located her highly sensitive G-spot. Gradually, the combined stimulation drove Theresa into such a frenzy of excitement that she began to quake and shout unintelligibly. It was then that Rebecca used her fingers in a thrusting movement, increasing the tempo all the time as though they were a penis.
Theresa pressed her breasts down on to the bed, lowering her arms so that she could move her upper torso and stimulate her highly sensitive nipples. For a brief moment she was terrified that this would make Christopher and Rebecca stop what they were doing but, glancing round at them, she knew they realised that they couldn’t force her to wait any longer. A knowing glance passed between the couple and they allowed her to continue, taking obvious pleasure from her small whimpering sounds as she desperately climbed towards her long-awaited climax.
Theresa felt the pulse that had begun so long ago between her thighs start to increase and there was a frantic drumming sound in her ears as the pressure mounted within her. At the last moment, just as Theresa reached the blissful point of no return, Rebecca began very delicately to touch the incredibly sensitive clitoris itself. Theresa screamed with gratitude and delight as her long-delayed orgasm finally crashed over her. At that moment Christopher grasped her hips and thrust himself into her second opening, moving swiftly and urgently, using the violence of Theresa’s internal contractions to assist him in reaching his own climax.
The intensity of the whole experience was so great that for a brief moment Theresa lost consciousness. When she regained it, and felt Christopher still inside her thrusting so fiercely, to her astonishment she felt her body begin to climax again. This time Rebecca slid beneath her and used her tongue where her fingers had previously been, licking at the moisture seeping from Theresa’s opening and inserting her tiny pointed tongue where, earlier, Christopher had inserted his.
The thrill of feeling Theresa quaking, shaking and shuddering above her, and the knowledge that Christopher was inside the other girl, filling her between her slim buttocks, was so exciting that even without any physical stimulation Rebecca too was able to climax.
Finally, when it was all over, Christopher and Rebecca quickly dressed and left so that half an hour later Theresa was lying in an exhausted heap on her bed wondering if it had all been an incredible dream.
The next morning when Esther came downstairs she was surprised to see a message on her fax machine. As she picked it up she realised from the heading at the top that it was from America and her eyes instantly went to the bottom of the message where she saw Marcus’s familiar signature scrawled across the page. Suddenly her heart began to beat rapidly as she wondered if he’d decided that he’d made a terrible mistake. The message quickly disillusioned her.
Have just heard you’ve joined Christopher Wheldon’s People’s Theatre. I can’t believe you’d do this. You’re a TV and film actress not stage. Have you really thought it through properly? C.W. may have his own reasons for taking you on.
Esther’s initial excitement was immediately replaced by sheer fury. She couldn’t believe that after such a long silence, after totally neglecting to tell her their affair was over, he should now start interfering in her career. Slowly, though, the fury ebbed away as she realised with considerable pleasure that he would never have faxed her unless the news had disturbed him, which was – after all – what she’d intended. Quickly she sat down and scribbled a reply.
Have just heard we’re no longer an item. I assume you have your own reasons for dumping me without warning. Have you thought it through properly?
She then signed it and faxed it. Pausing only for a cup of coffee she then dashed off to the rehearsal room feeling very pleased with herself.
She hadn’t been needed until eleven that morning and when she arrived Theresa and Michael were in the middle of rehearsing. Theresa was playing what was probably her biggest scene opposite Michael. Although it had never been brilliant it had so far been passable and Esther sat quietly on a chair at the side of the room to see if any progress had been made since she’d last watched it. She couldn’t believe her eyes. For some extraordinary reason Theresa was playing the down-to-earth, no-nonsense, socialist Madge as some kind of sex siren. Michael, playing the solicitor, Gerald, looked stunned – as well he might, thought Esther. This was nothing like anything Theresa had done before; neither was it anything like the way Madge was meant to behave.
Noel sidled up to Esther. ‘Perhaps this is Michael’s lucky day,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘Maybe she’s trying to tell him something. What do you think?’
‘I thought she was keen on Christopher,’ Esther whispered back.
‘Then why the hell’s she playing the vamp?’ asked Noel.
Esther shrugged. She couldn’t understand it and, by the look on his face, neither could Christopher. He looked cross and very slightly embarrassed, which Esther assumed must be due to the fact that he’d cast Theresa against type in the first place. Maybe he was beginning to have second thoughts.
Theresa appeared blissfully unaware of how badly she was doing and it was only when the scene ended and Christopher began in no uncertain terms to tell her that her eyes lost their sparkle. She looked stunned as he attacked almost everything about her performance, and Esther decided it would be kinder if she disappeared. She was sure that Theresa didn’t want anyone around.
There weren’t many places to go. Deciding she could do with another cup of coffee Esther headed for the kitchen. As she walked in she was surprised to see Nicholas Maxwell and Rebecca jump apart, both of them looking guilty.
‘Nick was helping me with my lines,’ Rebecca explained swiftly.
‘Good idea,’ said Esther, wondering why Rebecca felt that an explanation was necessary. ‘Perhaps you’d like to help me, Nick, once you’ve finished with Becky.’
Nicholas nodded but he didn’t look exactly delighted. It occurred to Esther that Nicholas spent a lot of time hanging around Rebecca. At first it had seemed that Rebecca was simply intercepting him on Christopher’s behalf, making sure that the great actor and director wasn’t disturbed by someone who didn’t even have a part in the ongoing play. Now she wondered if there were other motives – if Rebecca could possibly be attracted to Nicholas.
It didn’t seem very probable. He was so different from Christopher and Esther had no reason to think that Rebecca wasn’t still totally besotted with her famous, fair-haired lover. On the other hand, possibly the contrast between the two men was in itself an attraction. Esther herself wasn’t drawn towards men like Nick but she could see that he had a kind of rough and ready magnetism and his refusal to be in the least bit lovey-ish was a refreshing change. If he hadn’t had quite such a large chip on his shoulder Esther would have found him a reasonably pleasant companion, but he was forever complaining about the system, as though he were the only actor in the world who was finding it difficult to make his mark.
‘I think that’ll probably do for now,’ said Rebecca. Nicholas looked very disappointed. ‘We could have another go this afternoon,’ continued Rebecca and he gave her a rare smile. For once Rebecca smiled at Esther and this made Esther even more suspicious about what had really been going on in the kitchen before she’d joined the pair of them. After Rebecca had gone Nick fiddled awkwardly with his coffee cup.
‘She’s bloody attractive, isn’t she?’ he said at last.
‘Rebecca? Yes, she’s very striking,’ agreed Esther.
‘Wasted on that fair-haired streak of piss,’ continued Nicholas. ‘She needs a real man.’
‘Someone like you?’ suggested Esther, trying to suppress a smile.
‘Why not?’ Nicholas demanded aggressively. ‘Why shouldn’t she like me? I may not be as famous as him but I might be a damn sight more interesting. Not that you’d know; you’ve only got eyes for him – him and Damon.’
Esther felt hot. ‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,’ she said irritably.
‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,’ mimicked Nicholas.
Esther glared at him. Actually his imitation of her had been quite good but that didn’t make it any more pleasant. ‘What have I done to offend you?’ she asked.
‘Nothing,’ Nicholas muttered. ‘It just bugs me when people like you imply Rebecca’s too good for me.’
‘I wasn’t suggesting anything of the kind,’ said Esther. ‘All I was trying to point out was that she and Christopher are fairly inseparable.’
‘That’s not what I’ve heard,’ said Nicholas. ‘Now and again I think someone comes between them.’ He laughed, although for the life of her Esther couldn’t imagine why.
Rehearsals didn’t go well for anyone that day and the rest of the week proved a hard grind for them all. Slowly and remorselessly the clock was ticking away and Esther couldn’t help but compare the unstoppable passage of time in their situation with that of the Conways. She was horrified at how little progress she herself was making, especially since some of the others were really beginning to shine. Rosie was excellent, far better than anyone could have anticipated, and Damon and Christopher performed with effortless ease. Rebecca was also doing better than expected but Esther was quite relieved that Theresa, like herself, continued to struggle.
It was Mary Fuller who was really holding them all together as Mrs Conway, head of the Conway family. Even when on stage with Christopher, she more than held her own and there were times when Esther could see that Christopher resented this. Nevertheless, it was the making of the play because without a strong Mrs Conway nothing would make sense.
Eventually they were down to the final week’s rehearsals. At the end of the week, on the Saturday, the company was to hit the road. They were to open at a country house in Leicestershire called The Small House. The performance was to be indoors, which was lucky considering it was only early spring, in a venue that had been used for world-famous opera singers as well as less well-known touring theatrical companies. It was recognised as a centre of excellence where the Arts were concerned and there was no doubt that they were all expected to give a good performance from night one. According to Christopher the opening night was already sold out and he’d invited the national press along to take some photographs of the final dress rehearsal on the Friday before they left London.
True to his word, Christopher had spent a lot of time giving Esther extra tuition in the part but she still didn’t feel that she’d really got to grips with it. On the surface, yes, but inside she didn’t feel that she was Kay. She didn’t understand Kay and the part simply refused to come alive for her. Despite this Christopher was extremely charming and considerate with her and she began to think that he was far more sensitive than she’d at first believed. He gave up spare time in the evenings, although it clearly annoyed Rebecca, and, despite the fact that he made it clear he’d like further intimacy, he never pressed for it. This had the effect of making him even more attractive to Esther, especially after the fax that she’d received from Marcus.
She knew that Damon was well aware of how badly she was performing. She could see it from the expression on his face every time he watched her. When they were on stage together he seemed to find it difficult to look at her, as though he was afraid that her poor performance might affect his own. Esther still fancied him, but his lack of sympathy and his refusal to mix with the company meant that her feelings didn’t develop. It was Christopher who was being kind to her, and Christopher who made it clear he found her attractive. Damon looked as though he wouldn’t care if he never saw her again for the rest of his life.
She also knew, because it was impossible to keep anything secret in such a small group, that Damon and Ellie were lovers. Not that he was particularly agreeable to Ellie during rehearsals, but he was certainly more talkative with her, and since Esther herself loathed Ellie this was another mark against Damon.
On the Thursday, the penultimate rehearsal day, everyone had been asked to arrive at ten. Noel, Michael and, Rosie arrived together at the same time as Esther. Esther was aware that Rosie was spending a lot of time at Noel and Michael’s flat. What she didn’t know was which of the two men Rosie was actually having sex with. Some days Esther was sure it was Michael, on other days certain that it was Noel. Whenever she asked Rosie all she would do was laugh and say: ‘Can’t you work it out, Esther?’ The truth was, Esther couldn’t.
Once they were all gathered together Christopher gave them a brisk chat, assuring them that he was quite confident the opening night was going to be a huge success, but adding that that was as long as one or two members of the cast managed to raise their level of performance a little. Theresa and Esther glanced at each other when he said this. They knew that they were the two he meant.
In the morning they had a straight run-through, working out scenery changes, make-up changes – ageing was necessary for the middle act – and costume changes. As was always the case at times like this they over-ran horrendously but nobody was too bothered. When they broke for lunch Christopher told them that in the afternoon he wanted them to do another run, this time treating it as though it was a performance. After that they would have another short break and then he’d give them notes. On the Friday they would come in in the morning, go over parts that had caused them problems, and then in the afternoon do another run-through. At the end of that some of the press would be allowed in to take photographs and chat to them.
When it came to the lunch break, Esther was so shattered that she didn’t feel she wanted anything to eat. She certainly couldn’t face the pub, so when Rosie asked her if she’d like to go back to Noel and Michael’s flat with her Esther agreed, especially when Rosie promised her that Noel and Michael wouldn’t be there.
‘Have you got a key, then?’ enquired Esther.
‘Yes,’ said Rosie, waving the key in the air. ‘I’ve had one for ages now. I got it soon after we all met. It means I can pop in there any time.’
The flat was in total chaos, as usual, but this was the first time that Esther had seen it. ‘God, what a tip,’ she remarked. ‘Don’t you ever tidy it up for them, Rosie?’
Rosie shook her head. ‘I think I make a bigger mess than they do,’ she confessed, scooping up some underwear and stockings from the back of the sofa and stuffing them behind a cushion so that Esther could have a seat. ‘Shall I make us a sandwich?’ she continued. ‘You ought to eat something; it’s going to be a bloody long day.’
Esther wondered what on earth the inside of the fridge looked like. Somehow she didn’t think she fancied eating much there but when Rosie offered scrambled eggs she agreed. Once they were eating Esther decided to take her courage in both hands. ‘Come on, Rosie, tell me the truth. Is it Noel or Michael you’re having an affair with?’
‘Both,’ mumbled Rosie, her mouth full of scrambled egg and toast.
Esther nearly choked. ‘Both! Not at the same time, surely?’
‘Yes, at the same time,’ confirmed Rosie. ‘It’s fantastic, it really is. They utterly spoil me. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever be happy with just one man again.’ And she laughed.
‘But you must prefer one of them,’ remarked Esther.
‘Why must I?’ asked Rosie. ‘I think they’re both lovely. Anyway, it’s only a bit of fun. Once the tour’s over we’ll probably never meet up again. You ought to have a bit more fun. All you seem to do is work and I don’t believe that you’re having an affair with anyone, are you?’
Esther shook her head. ‘No,’ she admitted. ‘I think I’m probably the only one who isn’t, apart from Mary, but there we are. I suppose it’s too soon after Marcus.’
‘That’s not true,’ said Rosie. ‘You’ve been making eyes at Christopher for the past two weeks.’
‘God, is it that obvious?’ asked Esther. ‘Well it doesn’t seem to be getting me anywhere.’
‘I think it is,’ said Rosie. ‘He watches you all the time when you don’t realise it. I reckon he’s just waiting until rehearsals are over and we’re on the road. Probably he felt it would get in the way of his directing at this stage.’
‘Are you sure?’ asked Esther eagerly.
‘Absolutely certain,’ confirmed Rosie. She paused for a moment. ‘Do you mind if I ask you something?’
‘I can hardly object after what I asked you, can I?’ Esther replied.
‘OK, then. Do you fancy Damon as well?’
Esther hadn’t realised that she was so transparent. It didn’t say much for her acting abilities. ‘Yes,’ she admitted quietly. ‘I fancy him something rotten, but don’t try and tell me that he’s interested in me. Anyway, he’s pretty busy with Ellie, isn’t he?’
‘They’ve certainly got a thing going,’ agreed Rosie, ‘but I don’t think it’s very serious. After all, Damon’s got more important things on his mind at the moment than sex.’
‘You mean his acting?’
‘No, not his acting,’ said Rosie. ‘Esther, I know something about Damon but if I tell you do you promise to keep it secret?’
‘Of course,’ agreed Esther quickly.
Rosie stared at her. ‘You’ve got to mean that, because it would be dreadful if it got out. You see Michael told me but he swore me to secrecy.’
‘Then perhaps you’d better not tell me,’ said Esther.
‘I think I should, especially as you like him so much. It will help explain to you why he seems indifferent. Besides, I happen to think he’d be much better for you than Christopher.’
‘I do wish people would stop trying to choose my partners for me,’ Esther said crossly. ‘Anyway, what’s the secret, Rosie?’
‘Well,’ said Rosie lowering her voice, ‘it seems that Damon has a half-sister called Suzie. I forget what her surname is; Michael did tell me. Suzie was apparently a promising young actress at the RSC while Christopher was there and they had a really long, intense affair. She was absolutely besotted with him and Christopher told her that they were going to get married. According to Michael, Damon believes that Suzie has the talent to be the next Maggie Smith or Judi Dench.
‘Anyway, Suzie and Christopher were in Much Ado together; she was playing Beatrice to his Benedick. It was a wonderful production and got rave reviews. The problem was Suzie’s reviews were better than Christopher’s. He couldn’t take that and he dropped her immediately. Michael says that when Christopher told her it completely destroyed her. She left the RSC and now she’s not even acting. I think she’s working in advertising or telephone sales, something like that.’
‘That’s absolutely dreadful,’ said Esther, totally stunned. She could imagine only too well how the poor girl must have felt.
‘Yes, well according to Michael, Damon’s dislike of Christopher is the reason that he’s here. Christopher doesn’t know that Damon is anything to do with Suzie. They don’t share the same surname and Suzie never used to talk about Damon because she was afraid that people would think she was trying to use his name to get on. Damon must be planning some kind of revenge on Christopher but Michael can’t imagine what it is.’
‘So that’s why he isn’t an admirer of Christopher’s,’ said Esther. ‘Everything makes much more sense now. You’d think that Christopher would have found out though, wouldn’t you?’
‘No reason why he should,’ said Rosie. ‘After all, Damon Dowden is extremely well known. This Suzie girl wasn’t, and really Beatrice was her big breakthrough. Obviously she never introduced Damon to Christopher and there’s never been any connection between them mentioned in the press.’
‘I wonder what he’s planning to do,’ mused Esther. She was intrigued because this meant that both she and Damon were in the company for personal reasons unconnected with their acting. What it didn’t explain was why Damon was having an affair with Ellie.
‘So you see,’ Rosie continued eagerly, ‘he might well fancy you but at the moment he’s got other things on his mind.’
‘Including Ellie,’ Esther pointed out.
‘I’m sure Ellie’s just lust,’ said Rosie. ‘Let’s face it, no man in their right mind would turn her down but she’s not exactly the kind of girl you’d make a long-term commitment to, is she?’
‘I don’t think actors and actresses are looking for long-term commitments, are they?’ asked Esther.
‘You were with Marcus, weren’t you?’ asked Rosie.
‘That hurt,’ said Esther.
‘The truth often does,’ Rosie pointed out. ‘Just be careful, Esther. Don’t let Christopher hurt you too.’
‘How can he?’ asked Esther. ‘I’m not in love with him. I suppose it’s more like the reason Damon is with Ellie – I lust after him. You have to admit he’s gorgeous.’
‘Mm, but not my type,’ said Rosie. ‘I can’t imagine that Christopher takes much trouble with his partners, unlike Michael and Noel.’ She stretched slowly and sensuously with a soft sigh and Esther laughed.
‘You’re incorrigible, Rosie! Mind you, it seems to be doing you good. You’re really brilliant as Joan.’
‘Well I do have the advantage of playing most of my scenes opposite Christopher; some of his brilliance is probably brushing off on me,’ said Rosie with a mock modest air.
By the time they returned to the rehearsal room Esther was feeling better. She was also intrigued by the gossip that she’d heard. She hoped that at some time during their tour she’d get the opportunity to know Damon better. Since both he and Esther were trying to use Christopher it might be helpful if they were able to get together. On the other hand she didn’t want him to know that she was in on his secret. At least now she’d be more tolerant of his snide remarks and his continual putting down of Christopher. It was also rather touching to think that he was so fond of his half-sister that he was willing to go to all this trouble to avenge her. She wished that she had someone who cared that much about her. Apart from Lydia there was no one who seemed to feel that Marcus had done her any great wrong. On the contrary, she knew that many people in the acting business felt that she’d been lucky to be with him for as long as she had.
That afternoon they did a complete run-through trying to stick to the right times and performing to the best of their ability. At the end they took their carefully choreographed bow and then scattered around the room waiting for Christopher’s comments.
‘That wasn’t at all bad,’ he said with a half-smile on his face. ‘To be honest, it was far better than I’d anticipated. Of course, it’s quite difficult for me to judge because I’m on stage so much but George here tells me that it went very smoothly and most of the time he was thoroughly absorbed. There are still one or two problems that need to be ironed out but I’d rather talk to the individuals concerned on their own. In general let’s just say that I’m pleased with the way things are going and if you keep this up then the opening night next week in Leicestershire should be very good indeed.’
‘Is that it?’ asked Damon from the back of the hall. ‘No notes at all?’
‘Certainly none for you, Damon,’ Christopher said brightly. ‘You were very good and extremely powerful. Just be careful not to overshadow Rebecca. I know she’s the downtrodden wife in the middle act but we don’t want her to look like the victim of some kind of abuse, do we? You could possibly tone it down a fraction; otherwise it’s absolutely fine.’
‘Serves you right for asking,’ said Ellie, who was sitting next to him resting her head on his shoulder.
‘I hate to be ignored,’ drawled Damon.
Esther, who was sitting near enough to hear, wanted to laugh but she didn’t because she knew only too well that she was going to be taken to one side and talked to about her performance. If anything, she’d been worse this afternoon than in the morning.
As she’d anticipated Christopher quickly approached her once the group began to break up to leave. ‘Esther, darling, I think there are still a few problems, don’t you?’ he said.
‘Yes,’ she admitted.
‘Look, how about if I came round to your place this evening and we worked really hard on it for a couple of hours? Would that suit you?’
‘I think it would be very helpful,’ agreed Esther. ‘Are you sure you can spare the time?’
‘I don’t think I’ve got much choice,’ said Christopher.
Esther blushed. ‘I didn’t realise I was that bad,’ she murmured.
‘It isn’t a question of being that bad,’ Christopher explained carefully. ‘The truth is, Esther, you’re surrounded by some very good actors. I want you to do yourself justice, to really get the best out of you, and I don’t mind how much time I spend in order to get you to do that.’
‘You know where I live?’ queried Esther.
‘Of course. I’ll be there at eight,’ promised Christopher before moving off to speak to Theresa.
Esther quickly grabbed her coat and hurried to the tube station. She needed to tidy up a bit and make sure she’d got some drink in. Not that she’d be drinking, but she guessed that Christopher would want to. She couldn’t help wondering if this might be the opportunity she’d been waiting for. Once they’d finished discussing her acting then surely there would be a chance of something more intimate occurring between them, she thought to herself. She decided to change when she got home so that she was looking a little more feminine than she usually did for rehearsals. It wouldn’t hurt to give Christopher a nudge in the right direction and, if what Rosie had said was the truth, a little nudge might be all that he needed.