Pride, Prejudice and Jasmine Field

Chapter 4

The doorbell rang at number 5, Winchester Road, Hampstead and Sara Hayes took a last look at herself in the gilt-framed mirror.

The doorbell rang again and she went to answer the front door. She smiled at her welcome guests.

“Hello, popsie,” she said to Maxine and the two gave each other air kisses. The affection bordering on gratitude that Sara felt for her new confidante, Maxine, was as much to do with the fact that she was married, as it was to do with the fact that she was unquestionably less attractive than her. Next to Maxine, Sara looked even more stunning. Happily, Maxine's fondness for Sara was based on her friend's amazing good looks and daring single lifestyle. Next to Sara, Maxine didn't feel so married and dull. Nothing bonds some women together more than their differences.

“Charles!” exclaimed Sara as warmly as she could to Maxine's husband, whose shoulders sloped at such a sharp angle she wondered that his blazer didn't fall off.

Expensive wine was handed over and surprised delight expressed. Then they all went into the lounge, where the lights "were dimmed and some carefully selected dinner jazz was playing quietly in the background.

“Are Harry and Jack here yet?” asked Maxine, as she sank into the soft, deep plum-coloured sofas and looked round appreciatively at the large room.

“No, they're keeping us waiting, naughty boys,” winked Sara affectionately and poured out two gin and tonics.

She couldn't help but be excited. It had been two weeks since the audition and Harry was bound to reveal what parts he had given her and Maxine. She was on tenterhooks to know. She was in danger of being typecast as a bitch, which as every actor knows, is good for the short term, but if you had real ambitions, like Sara, it had to stop. This would be a golden opportunity for her to be seen to work for charity, and it could also be the chance she'd been waiting for, for over ten years, to finally work with Harry Noble. She had been desperate to work with him ever since her brother Jack had made friends with him at RADA.

Maxine cared only slightly less passionately about getting a part in the play. She used to be an actress too before she had become big in celebrity fundraising. Her little black book now had more names in it than Who's Who. But it would be nice for her to get a bit of exposure again, just like the good old days, when she and Charles Caruthers-Brown had met.

Charles had first seen Maxine in the chorus of a West End production of Forty-Second Street, and he'd been so bowled over by her that he'd sent her an enormous bouquet of red roses backstage that night. After that, he had come and seen every performance for a fortnight until she had agreed to go out with him.

It certainly wasn't love at first sight for Maxine. Charles courted her very cautiously, and eventually, after seven months, a holiday in the Bahamas on his private yacht and a diamond necklace with matching tiara, she fell head over heels in love with him. After they married, her career had taken a back seat while they did up their London home and their country home, and she'd been only too happy to get involved in some high-profile fundraising "work. She "was to be involved in the fundraising aspect of this production too, but had auditioned with the hope of getting back into the limelight — and of adding the great Harry Noble to her little black book. In fact, she couldn't quite believe that she was going to be in the same room as him tonight. Neither could Charles. Even he was a bit tense.

The doorbell rang again and the men arrived.

Everyone stood up and said, “Ah,” as they came into the lounge. Jack Hayes's smiling face appeared round the doorframe first, followed almost immediately by his tall, slender frame. He ambled in, all jollity and eagerness to please. His cheeks were as rosy as ever and his eyes shone with warmth and interest. He was a tall man, but next to Harry, he looked slight, and beside Harry's crow-black hair, his blondness looked almost silly.

The genuine pleasure that Jack exhibited at being there would have eased the tension somewhat, had it not been for Harry's seeming indifference. Jack greeted them all warmly, kissing his sister and her friend on the cheeks and shaking Charles's hand vigorously. Harry stood in the corner and nodded his greetings to them, without a smile. Everyone was delighted by him. He made no reference to having met Maxine or Charles at the auditions and, as general conversation began, he let Jack do all the talking, preferring instead to study the various ornaments in the room. Sara grew more and more irritated with her brother. Why wouldn't he shut up, so that Harry could talk? After twenty tense minutes, the hired butler came in and announced that dinner was served.

The dining room was vast and decked out in rich red and gold with sumptuous velvet curtains swept up at the sides of the sash windows. A suit of armour occupied the corner of the room, somewhat unnerving those with sensitive dispositions. Sara had arranged the place cards so that she was sitting opposite Harry. Maxine and Charles were facing each other and Jack was at the head.

As they ate the gazpacho soup, Sara could wait no longer.

“The last time we were all in the same room, Mr. Noble, we were all desperate for your approval,” she said, with pretence at a coy smile. She had insisted on calling Harry Mr. Noble ever since he'd won the Oscar. He had never expressed displeasure at it, so she had kept it up whenever she was trying to be more intimate with him.

“Oh yes,” said Maxine, affecting surprise at the subject. “Can you put us out of our misery and tell us if any of us made the grade?”

She and Sara laughed in amazement at the idea and Jack joined in willingly. Charles was now preoccupied with his soup. The food had taken away what nerves he had felt at the thought of meeting Harry Noble. Harry Noble was just a man but soup was soup. Even if it was cold.

“Oh, you can assure yourselves I approved heartily of you all,” said Harry, and continued to eat.

Sara tried again.

“Did any of us spring to mind when you cast the part of... say ... Elizabeth Bennet?”

Harry kept on drinking his soup.

“Perhaps that girl - now what was her name?” Sara laughed gently, “You called her the Ugly Sis—”

Harry interrupted. “Jasmin Field.”

“Yes, that's right — I think she's Georgia Field's sister,” said Maxine.

Jack looked up.

“Oh yes,” pretended Sara. “She was petrified, poor thing, I felt mortified for her. Mind you, she made a sterling effort, I thought, didn't you?”

Harry put his spoon down and wiped his mouth with his well-pressed serviette.

“Yes, sterling,” he said, placing his serviette on the table. “So sterling that she is our Elizabeth Bennet.”

There was a stunned silence.

“Marvellous!” said Jack genuinely.

“Elizabeth Bennet?” gasped Sara. “Lizzy?” she tried, hoping that she might have misheard.

“Yes,” said Harry simply. “Delicious soup, by the way.”

Sara struggled to keep her voice composed. “I must say I am most surprised,” she managed. “After all, when you first saw her you called her an Ugly Sister. Aren't you at all concerned that that's what the audience will think too?”

“No.”

“Surely you can't have a short, busty, ugly Lizzy Bennet? It will spoil everything.”

“When I first saw her,” corrected Harry, “she was standing in the shadow. I couldn't see her face properly from there. Especially her eyes.”

“Her eyes? What have they got to do with anything?” demanded Sara, her own eyes shrinking in anger.

“You didn't notice them?” asked Harry.

“No, I did not,” shot back Sara. “But I did see that she is far less attractive than her sister, Georgia.”

“Mmm, I agree,” conceded Harry. “Convincing the audience that she is a real beauty will definitely be the biggest challenge I've ever had. But I've given the part of Jane Bennet to her real sister, Georgia Field, which should add authenticity.”

“Excellent!” said Jack, even more genuinely.

“What?” cried Sara.

“Well, as you just said,” explained Harry calmly, “Georgia Field is more instantly attractive than her sister and as you recall, Jane Bennet was the reputed beauty of the family.”

“They were all reputed beauties.”

“Well I can assure you that all of Jane's sisters are very pretty girls, and when we tog them up in their dresses, they'll all look just the job.”

Sara controlled her anger but she seethed into her soup.

Harry didn't feel it necessary to add that Jasmin Field's acting had a raw vitality and depth that he couldn't wait to work on.

Sara stood up, took his plate before the waitress had time to do so, and walked out of the room.

Maxine wondered if it would be tactless to ask if she'd got a part. Charles belched loudly. Jack looked round the room and beamed happily at them all.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Sara stood leaning on the marble-topped counter. She ignored the cook when asked whether she wanted the crepe suzettes cooked on the mobile stove in the dining room or the kitchen. She was too busy hatching a plot.