The Principle Of Chance (17 page)

‘Yes, when and where?’

‘Invite them to the house.’

‘Frank,…’

‘What else?’

‘The Manor House is for sale, are
you interested? He's keen to sell, rumour has it, Mr Darvas is in need of
money.’

‘He
is!?’ Frank put the magazine down, he was intrigued. The one family that
everyone worshipped through fear and tolerated their cruelty was strapped for
cash! ‘Wait for the meeting Don, let the village decide what they want.’

Frank promised himself when he left
the country, that he will work hard and have enough money for a decent living.
Hard work was one thing; but Frank had never forgotten the chance he was given.
Maybe it was his turn to provide that chance to someone else.

He no longer had any ties to
Hungary, but here was an opportunity for him to make a difference in other
people’s lives. Why miss it?!

Chapter Twenty One

Justin
and Monica were busy on the set all day, filming was going according to
schedule. Monica’s first movie had taken eleven months to get to pre-production,
this one only a couple. The actors she was working with this time could
actually act and luckily, had left their egos at home.  

‘Here are the visuals for the next
scene, what do you think?’ The storyboard artist came up to Monica.

She glimpsed at the drawing. It was
showing a stable where the actor who played Frank was standing with Eva, his
sister. She was sitting on a bale of hay in the corner, crying.

‘Perfect!’ She threw herself in the
director’s chair. ‘On board everyone.’ Monica shouted. ‘Rolling….’ The camera
followed Frank’s character walking into the stables, finding Eva and getting
angry, as she would not speak to him.

‘Close up on the girl.’ She said to
her cameraman. ‘Closer. Stop!’ She turned to the lighting people. ‘Soft lights
on the eyes … sound on.’

Eva’s character did an outstanding
performance. The set was silent.

‘…. and cut! Great job everyone,
it’s a wrap!’ Monica announced.

A pretty assistant appeared next to
Monica. ‘Can you approve tomorrow’s schedule, so I can hand out the calling
sheets before the actors all vanish?’

‘Give
me a moment.’ Monica ran through the schedule, whilst noticing the young
assistant checking Justin out.

She wondered what was so special
about her brother. Then again, what was it about Jack Harvey that attracted
Monica? – definitely not his money!

Justin was talking to a couple of
female actors. The best thing about Justin was that he wasn’t aware of the
effect he had on women.

‘They are fine Mandy, you can
distribute them. Thank you.’ She returned the sheets.

‘No problem.’ She said kindly.

‘I can’t wait to watch the dailies.’
Justin said, noticing Mandy, who rewarded Justin with a brilliant smile.

‘After the numerous takes, they
should look pretty good!’ Monica murmured as Justin insisted on more takes than
were necessary.

‘Come on Ms Director, humour me! I
needed perfection. By the way have you seen Frank?’

‘Not seen him all day.’

‘Strange, then again, it was a
common knowledge he had another agenda. Ready for dinner?’ Justin was gathering
his notes.

‘I am, but fancy a swim first?’

‘I would …’ Justin replied when he
saw Amy walking towards them clad in white skinny jeans, a soft white sweater
and purple leather boots.

‘Amy…. I haven’t seen you all day!’
Monica rushed forward. ‘You are looking great, you need to come shopping with
me, I never know what to buy!’

‘I have heard there is a big
shopping mall nearby, you wanna go?’

‘I’m
coming with you!’ She wasn’t a keen shopper, but she wanted new clothes, or was
it more like she wanted to impress someone?!

‘Nice boots Amy.’ Justin commented.

Amy ignored his comment. ‘Have you
seen Frank or Jack?’

‘No, we were looking for Frank too.’
Justin said.

‘Well, they will turn up.’

‘You going outside?’ Monica asked.

‘Just for a walk before dinner, the
snow is so inviting and the grounds are lit pretty well.’ Amy said shrugging
her shoulders.

‘I would join you but I prefer a
refreshing swim after a long day.’  Monica said. ‘However, Justin was
about to go for a walk too. You want to go together?’

Justin fixed her sister with a
stare. ‘Let me grab a coat Amy, I think I will probably need one.’

‘Dinner in an hour?’ Monica
enquired, content with her matchmaking skills.

‘Sounds good, we will meet you in
the dining room.’ Amy waited for Justin in the hall. He was back with a red
jacket. Amy put on her duck feather-filled, long, purple coat.

‘Our romantic walk in the snow?’

‘Romantic, you say?’

‘Yes, very, it’s started to snow.
What could be more romantic?’ Justin grabbed her hand firmly. ‘In case we fall,
we have each other for support.’ He explained.

‘Oh yeah?’ Amy felt the cold air
biting her cheeks.

‘Yes.’

She
was lost for words; they had talked about the filming, the country and the
weather. Now silence. She was painfully aware of his closeness; she could even
feel the heat from his hands through the leather gloves.

Justin stopped under a tall, bright
gas lamp. ‘This place is wonderful.’ He pulled her closer, bent down and softly
kissed her cold lips.

Amy pulled away, leaving him
surprised.

‘Sorry, Amy I don’t know ….’

‘I stopped by the set today …’ She
searched for something to say.

‘You did?’ He asked interested. ‘I
didn’t see you around.’

‘I was on the first floor which had
a perfect view of the set.’

‘What did you think?’

‘So far, it held my attention –
we’ll see what comes next.’

‘What do you mean, what comes next?’

‘I think we should turn back.’

‘Changing the subject, - okay.’

****

‘Justin and Amy might hit it off.’
Jack announced to Frank.

‘You would love that.’ Frank laughed
out loud.

They’d had an excellent dinner
served by the butler in Jack’s suite.

Frank had arrived back from the
village and suggested a dinner to Jack to take his mind off the afternoon. He knew
Jack will start questioning him and he would have to do some explaining.

‘You like the house?’

‘I appreciated the Spa this morning
and the library! What can I say Frank, you knew …’

‘You don’t say, old man – how did I
know you would like that?!’ Frank was sampling the Hungarian cuisine.

‘What about this place Frank? Is it
yours?’

‘Let
that be my secret.’ He pointed at his plate. ‘This roast duck is delicious.’

‘No answer, hey? Ok, the duck is
excellent!’ Jack said grumpily.

‘All right you will nag me until I
tell you; no the house isn’t mine but I quite like it…’

‘It is far from home…’

‘Home? Where is home Jack?’ Frank
reflected on his day, the memories filled him with sadness.

Jack
knew that Frank would have to talk about his day sooner or later. ‘Come and sit
by the fire Frank. Have a drink, a cigar and out with it, - what have you
discovered?’

‘You want me to cut to the chase?!’
Frank lit a cigar and accepted a drink from the butler, who was swiftly
removing the remains of the dinner.

‘I
wanted to come with you Frank, but obviously you had a plan.’

‘They are all dead Jack.’ Frank
began. ‘The life I have seen today made me think. I don’t know what I was
expecting, still it was sad. I met an old man; I used to go fishing with him
when I lived there – now he walks with a stick. He lost his leg in the war! The
war, I should’ve been part of – instead I abandoned my country.’

Jack felt Frank’s pain. ‘You chose
another life Frank!’

‘I should’ve fought for
my
country.’ Digging up his past wasn’t a good thing but after his trip Frank
wanted to know more. His private detectives had provided him with a detailed
report through the years, but experiencing it – was something else.

‘You want to quit filming?’

‘You kidding!? I can’t wait to see
it coming to life! I do hope it will show people the reality of life, what it
was and what it is now! We are covering over fifty years Jack!’

‘You got me going there for a minute
Frank. I thought you’d lost it...’ Jack chuckled.

‘What? Me, losing the plot? You have
another thing coming if you’re even considering such nonsense.’ Frank was
meddling in foreign matters, affairs close to his heart. Nonetheless, he would
turn things around and leave this place satisfied.

The butler came in with a tray full
of cakes, coffee and tea.

‘Would you like a drink Miss
Blakes?’ He addressed Monica.

‘Coffee for me.’ She replied.

Jack looked up when he heard
Monica’s voice. ‘I didn’t hear you knock darling!?’

‘I
didn’t.’ She said, looking cool in a black jumpsuit. She kissed Jack on the
cheek while smiling at Frank.

‘I don’t want to know!’ Frank said,
fully aware the pair had something going on.

‘I thought you wanted to see the
dailies Frank.’ She waved a tape in front of him. ‘Are you interested?’

‘Don’t ask, get the damn thing
working.’

Monica placed the tape in the
machine and switched the lights off.
State Of Mind
came to life. Frank
sat silently looking into the fire, and then started watching the life he used
to know, replaying in front of him.

Monica and Jack discreetly left the
room. Frank needed to see this on his own.

‘He will be all right.’ Jack
pronounced.

‘I know Jack, he's made of strong
stuff.’

‘So, you enjoyed last night?!’ He
asked pulling her onto a large couch in her suite. ‘I never had a girl complain
before.’

Monica flashed him a seductive
smile. ‘I wouldn’t dare to complain Jack.’

Jack
was twenty five years older than her, but she didn’t care. She never stopped to
analyse last night, Jack was an amazing lover; exactly what she wanted right
now.

All right, she could be joining the
long line of
one night
girls, - but hey – who cared? She didn’t need or
want commitment in her life, she had her work.

Take every day as it comes! Life is
a present, not a rehearsal, live every moment to the full
, - or whatever the clever people
say!

‘I need to go.’ She said, freeing
herself from Jack’s arms.

‘…. and she is leaving!’

‘I might come back if there is an
invitation for later.’

‘Oh! There is!’

‘By the way, we are scheduled to
film your younger years here as well Jack. I spoke to Frank suggesting this.
The set can be easily changed and we have enough extras with us.’

‘Huh?’

‘Jack, it will be all right!’

‘If Frank says ok, do it!’

Monica,
the woman who wasn’t his type at all, - Jack couldn’t understand why he felt so
elated being in her company. She was totally off his track record. No big
breasts, not blonde and not under twenty - amazing. She could talk, hold a
conversation and get him very, very excited!

Jack went back to see Frank. He was
finishing watching the dailies.

‘She's the best director.’ Frank
told Jack.

‘You think so?’ Jack asked airily.

‘Monica has done an excellent job.’

Justin had managed to capture their
story spot on but Monica was taking it to the next level. He couldn’t complain.

‘She wants to film my family hell,
Frank.’ Jack blurted out.

‘I know, I’m up for it Jack.’

‘I suppose she has to get on with
it.’

‘She's on it, can’t stop her now, we
are making a hell of a movie here!’

‘Keep reminding me.’

Chapter Twenty Two

Monica didn’t tell Jack she was
meeting Justin and Amy. She arrived as the waiter was serving coffee and
placing a fruit stand in the middle of the table.
          

Amy
was in high spirits, for whatever reason, she felt good. Justin Blakes was
finally making a play for her and she wasn’t going to stop him.

Justin wished he knew what she was
thinking. Was she playing a game? So far she had managed to confuse him. He
would need to do something about that.