November
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Children’s Writer, Chania Campbell, had made her home in the village of
Pepperstock Green and on St Andrews Day she was hosting a dinner party, and
among the guests were Louise Sexton and Jade Edwards, a pair of visiting
thespians.
The hostess had
first met Louise after they both took part in the World Book Day events at
Pipershaven Library, and they became friends, but that evening was the first
time Jade and Chania had met.
There was a
period of reacquaintance with the guest that she knew and formal introductions
to those she didn’t but then after a brief chat with her guests Chania had to
excuse herself to check on the food, so it was up to the guests to amuse
themselves.
In addition to
the hostess Chania, were a skinny young woman of a similar age, Fiona Phippen,
an illustrator, who was an old school friend, who also assisted in the kitchen,
then there was Chania’s brother Aiden, an artist, Derren Mcphail, the new
curate of St Agatha’s, Kevin Southey, Church Warden of same, Literary agents,
Harry and Tracey Smedley, and Tim Weston who was a Local Historian, so it was
an interesting bunch.
Louise and Jade
got to know each other when they both worked on a very popular TV soap and
during their time on the show they became very good friends, and over the
years, in addition to the soap they had also worked in the theatre and even in
pantomime, which was why they were both in the area, as they were appearing at
the Heartstone Theatre, doing panto, playing the ugly sisters in Cinderella,
which was intended to be ironic given the way they looked.
At 30 years
old, Louise was stunningly attractive, slim with shoulder length brunette hair
and hazel eyes but even Jade, who was three years older, put her friend in the
shade with her looks.
Jade was
slightly taller and a little curvier than Louise with a shock of flame red
hair, so it wasn’t their looks that kept them single.
Their problem
was that in their profession it was difficult to meet men, well the right kind
of men at any rate, and they had over the years grown weary of being hit on by
all the usual suspects.
Men who wanted
to either be seen with a famous actress on their arm or wanted the glamour
lifestyle they imagined went along with being a successful actor or on the
baser level just wanted to have sex with a celebrity.
There was
another obvious alternative to those types of men, and that was to date someone
from their own world, someone on a par with them, but in their experience most
actors tended to have huge egos and small personalities.
So, despite
their professional success they were no different to any other human being,
looking for love or companionship or a family.
What they
needed was someone who would like them or love them for who they were rather
than thinking of them as a backstage pass to a celebrity life.
But neither of
them was actively looking for anyone so it came as a complete surprise to meet
a serious candidate at dinner party in a quaint country village.
But not only
had Jade met someone, she was instantly smitten, and that was even before she
knew who he was.
The man in
question was Aiden Campbell, older brother of the hostess, and a renowned
artist, and from the first minute she saw him she was besotted, and she hung on
his every word, not that there were a lot of them, as he was rather shy, unlike
his sister, who was outgoing and bubbly, he was reflective and guarded.
But Jade wasn’t
going to let that derail her, after all she could talk enough for the two of
them, and when the time came for them to take their seats she found that she
was seated opposite him, and she gave him her full and undivided attention.
“I went to your
exhibition in Abbottsford last year” she said “at the Beumont Gallery”
“Really?” he
said doubtfully
“Yes I was in a
play at the Empire, and I passed the gallery every day on my way to the
theatre, so I went in every day” she confessed
“Everyday?” he
said with a smile “Even I wasn’t there every day”
“I must confess
that the first time was more about having time to kill, than art, but it was
art that took me back again and again”
“Well thank you
for that”
“I would have
gone more often but it wasn’t on long enough” she said “I was horrified one
Monday morning to find you had been replaced by some ill-conceived art
installation”
“You are
clearly a woman of taste” he said and raised his glass to her, and she returned
his toast
“So, what was
your favorite piece” he asked, expecting her to say something glib in return
such as
“I liked them
all”
He hoped he was
wrong because he liked her.
“That’s really
difficult” she replied “you’ve put me on the spot now”
“Oh dear” he
thought
“There are
actually three”
“Excuse me?”
“I can’t pin it
down to one, so I have three pieces that I particularly liked” she said
“Tell me more”
he instructed her desperate now to hear
“Two of them
are paintings, “Umbrella Girl” and “The Defiant Harlot” she said “and the other
was a sculpture “Spirit of Ecstacy Aflame”.
“Wow, I’m
impressed that you remembered the names” he said “Most people say, “I liked the
fairy with flames instead of wings” he said in a Monty Python voice and she
laughed and then he went thoughtful and said
“Wait a minute,
you were at the Empire Theatre while the exhibition was on”
“Yes” she
admitted
“In Blue
Blooded Murder?” he asked, impressed that he knew the name of the rather
indifferent play
“Yes that’s
right” she replied and then he studied her closely and put his hands up the
frame her face, the way a film director would do
“Aha” he
exclaimed “You were the murderer”
“Yes I was” she
giggled
“You didn’t
have your lovely red mane on show though” he said and she blushed at the
compliment
“No, it was
under a black wig” she admitted, and then she whispered “it wasn’t a very good
play”
“Well, I liked
it” he said “I actually went twice”
The remainder
of the evening passed in the same easy manner until it was time to leave, and
they were suddenly thanking Chania, who was at the front door saying goodbye to
her guests in turn, and then they were outside.
Jade was in a
bit of a quandary because she was getting on so well with Aiden that she didn’t
really want the evening to end, and she would really have rather gone somewhere
for a quiet drink than go back to the hotel.
But she was
also mindful of the fact that she had gone there with Louise, and she didn’t
want to ditch her.
So, she and
Aiden, just hung around and waited to see what Louise was going to do, he had
noticed that she was getting on really well with Harry, and just when she was
about to accept the inevitable and get an Uber back to the hotel with her
friend, she heard Harry ask
“Are you
staying at the Ocean View Hotel?”
“Yes, we both
are” Louise replied.
“Well, I’m
already dropping Aiden home in Pipershaven so why don’t I drop you both off” he
suggested.
“Good idea”
Aiden said, and Jade nodded vigorously.
“Are you in a
hurry to get back?” Aiden asked as they got out of the car
“No, not
really, why?”
“Well, there’s
a club round the corner called Spangles” he said, “We could have a nightcap.”
“Oh, that would
be nice” she said, “I’m in your hands.”
“I like the
sound of that” he said and put his arm through hers.
The other two
declined the invite so they walked alone to the club which was located in a
side street very close to the Hotel and when she first saw it her first
impression was that the façade certainly didn’t hint at any seediness and Jade
was also pleasantly surprised with the interior, which was quite classy with
its plush seating and moody lighting.
It was
ostensibly a jazz club as hinted at by the artwork on the walls and in one
corner was a small stage, which suggested there was live music at times, though
not then, but there were jazz tunes emanating from the speakers.
After getting
their drinks from the bar they chose a quiet corner table from where they could
see everything that was going on.
“This is nice”
she said.
“I like it” he
agreed.
“The music is
good too” she said.
“You like
listening to Jazz?” Aiden asked.
“I do” she
replied, “But I like to play it as well.”
“You do not!”
he said incredulously “You’re a musician? What do you play?”
“Clarinet,” she
replied and smiled broadly “All the best Jazz is played on the Clarinet.”
“That’s a bold
statement, what about the Trumpet, Armstrong is sublime” he protested.
“Yes, I know,
and Kenny Baker’s Sax, Bix Beiderbecke’s Cornet and Oscar Petersen’s on Piano”
she said passionately “But I will just say this, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and
Acker Bilk, and then I will rest my case.”
“Wow” he said,
“you’re irrepressible.”
“I know it’s
the red hair” she retorted and laughed.
“So, when do
you play?”
“As and when”
she replied, “There is a bunch of fellow Thesps who play wherever and whenever
we can, Louise plays piano.”
“You should
play here while you’re in Pipershaven” he suggested “The owner would be
thrilled.”
“You know the
owner then?”
“Kind off” he
replied, “I am the owner.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, I also
own the Jazz Shack in Abbeyvale, the Tainted Angel in Sharpington, and I co-own
Beiderbecke’s in Finchbottom” he said as he got up “Another drink?”
“Please”
The drinks kept
coming as they sat and talked and they covered a lot of ground but as the time
wore on what Jade really wanted to talk about was him, the personal stuff, she
knew he was an Artist who liked Jazz and the Theatre, but there was one vital
area they hadn’t covered, so as the hour reached 2am and the drink had taken
effect on her she asked.
“What about
you?”
“What?” he
replied.
“What about
you?” she repeated this time with more than a hint of a slur “are you spoken
for?”
And she then
reran the question in her head and was alarmed by the realization of what she
had actually said.
“What I meant to say is… um… err… are you… erm…”
And he smiled
as he watched her struggle and get more and more flustered but decided to put
her out of her misery.
“I’m single”
“Oh” she
responded trying to appear indifferent “still not met the right girl?”
“I wouldn’t say
that exactly” he replied but didn’t elaborate.
“What about
you?” he asked.
“Oh, still
footloose and fancy free” Jade replied.
“That’s good to
know” he said and then checked his watch and added “I’d better get you home
Cinders.”
“I’m not
Cinders” she corrected him “I’m an ugly sister; can you believe that? bloody
cheek.”
It was only a
short walk from the Club to the Hotel, and she held on to him very tightly, not
so much out of necessity, but out of lust.
“I hope you
didn’t mind me asking if you were… you know” she said, “But
I know what you Bohemian Arty types are like.”
“Oh, and what are we like?” he asked.
“A muse in every Garret” she retorted and
dissolved into laughter, and she laughed so much that she had tears in her
eyes, but when she looked up at him through tear filled eyes he kissed her, and
what a kiss, it was the sort of kiss lovers longed for, and dreamt of
“So, what does this mean?” she asked when
their lips parted.
“What would you like it to mean?” he asked.
“That you’re my bohemian and I’m you muse”
she replied.
“That’s precisely what it means” he said,
and they kissed again.
