The noise must have been the slamming of the heavy door that led to the area of the studios where only those with permission could go. It must have been slammed very hard indeed, because the board forbidding unauthorized personnel to enter had been loosened by the impact and was hanging by one half-hammered-in nail. While Maria and I watched, the door was opened from the other side, only about twelve inches, and slammed shut again. Very hard. The board crashed to the floor.

Suddenly anxious, I gathered my robe and went to the door. Behind it I could hear voices – masculine voices – one of them louder than the other. Then there was a thump, and a cry, then another thump. The door was opened again by an unseen hand, but before I could take a step it was slammed again with as much force as before.

Then I heard a voice. “Good God, what on earth is going on?”

Jeanette, Robert, Dennis and half a dozen other people had appeared and were standing apprehensively in the corridor. It was Jeanette who had spoken. “That’s David!” she exclaimed, approaching the door. “Who’s he talking to?”

“He’s more than talking to someone, Jeannie,” said Dennis. “You’d better stand back.”

He turned the handle and leaned against the heavy door. It did not budge. “There’s something blocking it,” he said, his face pinched with exertion. “Come on, let’s all push.”

We pushed. Slowly the great door opened.

It had been blocked by a weight, a solid metal block with a recessed handle used in the studios for counter balancing the pulleys that moved overhead lights and scenery. It had been placed behind the door to stop anyone from getting in or out until the person who had put it there had finished his business.

That person, clearly, was David. On the floor lay Aidan, covering his face with his arms and swinging his legs in a vain attempt to stop the blows. Over and over again David hit and kicked him, and would have continued if Dennis and other crew members had not pulled him off.

Maria and Jeanette had their hands over their mouths. Jeanette’s eyes filled with tears as Aidan rolled over, coughing and clutching his stomach. “You bloody madman!” he spluttered. “You damned near killed me! I’ll sue you!”

David tried to shake off the restraining hands, and when this proved impossible he resorted, like Aidan, to verbal abuse. “You’re the madman, you useless streak of … uselessness!” He tried to kick Aidan in the small of the back but Dennis was too quick for him and got between them. David began shouting even louder. “You’ve had your final warning and now I’ve had enough!” He lashed out again, and was again restrained. His face bright pink with frustration, he thrust his head as close to Aidan as he could get it and shouted. “You’re sacked, do you hear me? You’re off this film and any other film I ever make! I’ll get you on a blacklist! I’ll sue you! I’ll ruin you!”

Everyone started to talk at once. I stood there in my robe, with cold cream all over my face, wondering anxiously how the man I loved could be so different from last night. He looked wild, with loathing in his eyes, his clothing dishevelled, his knuckles reddened and a bruise coming up on his temple. I did not countenance Aidan, whose punishment I was sure he had asked for. I cared for only David.