Chapter 7
"Good morning, angel." Charles entered the make up tent and sat on the chair where Jane would do her daily job on his face.
"Hi," Jane received him with her usual smile, "Sleep well?"
"Excellent. I dreamed of you, so I can't complain. Pity I woke up, we were having an excellent time together."
That was a comment she preferred not to give a reply. This was getting out of hand and she didn't like it any more. Now serious, she began his make up.
Charles noticed her discomfort about his previous comment and changed the subject to the today's filming. "We'll have a tough day ahead, and under the sun, so I hope Caroline is not meditating this morning."
Jane chuckled. It was impossible to be angry with him for too long. "You certainly did an evil thing yesterday, making her cry like that. You should be ashamed of yourself."
He was happy that she was smiling again. "I was just helping her to bring her anger out. It's not easy to express emotions in front of the camera. We were just trying to help her," he said with feigned innocence.
"Oh yeah, you were just being helpful. Don't say that you didn't enjoy that little torture you inflicted on her, 'cause I don't believe you."
He really tried to look offended, but his smile betrayed him. "Are you doubting me?" Jane nodded. "Listen, Caroline was having problems and I just helped her out. Do you think it's easy to cry or laugh or show fear or courage when someone says so?" She shook her head. "It's quite difficult, you know. Sometimes, I feel like a complete idiot myself, standing in front of a camera, pretending that I'm seeing or feeling something I don't and expecting everyone to believe it's true."
"Well, if it's difficult, you conceal it pretty well. You always look convincing."
"Thank you," he smiled and raised his hand to touch her hair.
Jane then made a very silly mistake: she locked her eyes with his and allowed them to drawn her to him. She knew he wanted to kiss her and for an instant, she let him know she wanted it too. Silly, foolish mistake.
"Come on, Janie, let go," he whispered as he moved his lips closer to hers, "I saw you last night, I know you want this too, please stop fighting, please let me love you."
At the mention of the word love, Jane came out of her daze and pulled back. "I must hurry up or you'll be late."
Luis and Caroline entered the make up tent, aborting any other try that Charles intended to make on Jane. Cursing inwardly, the actor greeted his mates and left the tent with a parting glance at the make up girl, who didn't care to look back.
That day, Jane avoided Charles as much as she could, something that, given the scope of the facilities, was very difficult to achieve without making it noticeable to the rest. Retouching his make up were the only moments she dared to stand close to him and her unusual seriousness and evasive maneuvers alerted someone's attention: the despotic and protective director.
Darcy observed the couple's interaction all through the morning and noticed that something was wrong. Although he was usually distant with his crew, talking with them only about work-related subjects, Darcy cared for them and he was especially fond of Jane. Not only did he think her a good professional, but he considered her a very nice, very agreeable person. The angel of the group, softness and smiles, that's how he felt about her. If something or someone was disturbing her, he wanted to know it.
He waited until she was alone in the make up tent and went to talk to her.
"Hi, Jane." His tall frame entered the tent.
"William." Darcy wasn't a frequent visitor to the make up and wardrobe tent, so his imposing presence in this unusual place was enough to startle the make up artist. Certainly there must be a reason for such a formidable event. "What brings you here?"
"Just wanted to tell you about the pigmy scenes." He noticed her nervousness with his presence there and tried to put her more at ease before bringing up the subject he wanted to discuss. "I'll need some scrapes and bruises on Charles and Caroline and I wanted to talk to you first."
Conversing about her work helped her to relax. They exchanged opinions about the shots to come, then the conversation turned to food and they ended chatting about the pets they had when they were young. Almost an hour later, Darcy took his leave.
"I'd better go back. I still have to see how today's scenes came out."
"Then I won't detain you," she said smilingly.
"Jane," Darcy asked as they walked out of the tent, "is something bothering you? You weren't yourself today. I know we are all far from home, that we're working long hours and I would like to know if there is something upsetting you."
Jane saw genuine concern in his eyes and was really moved by his gesture. "I'm fine, nothing is wrong."
"Are you sure? "
"Maybe I am just a little tired today, nothing else." She smiled.
He had a vague idea of what the problem could be so he decided on a different approach. His voiced turned playful and a half smile appeared on his lips. "Don't tell me Charles is bothering you, because if he is, I'll rip his eyes out of his face."
"Oh, no, everything is OK." Jane's color rose to her cheeks. "We all know how he is, don't we? Nothing I can't handle."
That forced smile told him that he just hit the sensitive point. "All right then," he said lightly, "just tell me if he crosses the line. I have always wanted a reason to punch that pretty face."
Jane grinned, grateful for this 'big brother' attitude he had adopted. "Don't worry, I will. Thank you, William."
That night, after dinner, Darcy called on the star of the movie for a private chat.
Charles put his guitar aside and followed him. "Is anything wrong?"
Darcy served himself a brandy, "Do you want something to drink?"
"Smuggling alcohol onto the location?" Charles smirked as he took his glass. "Don't let the director know about it."
"Let's keep this between us." He turned serious. "Sit down."
"Oh, come on, Darce," Charles shook his head, "I know this face and I know this attitude. The last time you did this I was lectured for nearly two hours."
"Yes, though the circumstances are a little different now. I'm not talking to the 23 year old lad that I dragged off from an orgy of women and drugs before the press and the police arrived, I'm talking to a grown man that is supposed to know what he's doing."
"Wow." He said mockingly. "This is serious. So, what did I do wrong now, 'father'?"
This time, Charles succeeded in making his friend laugh. "You really are something, Chuck, don't you ever take things seriously?"
"Tell me what is it and I'll tell you if it's serious or not."
Darcy decided he didn't want to play this game any more and went directly to the point. "What's going on between you and Jane?"
Charles chuckled. "I didn't know I had to give you an account on my private life, William."
"I'm not interested in your life, Charles, I want to know what are you up to with her."
"Jesus, what are you, her keeper?"
"Shut up and answer me."
The conversation was getting harsh and Charles chose a lighter tone to convince his friend of his innocence. It was very unwise to confront Darcy when in his Director mode. "Relax, Darce, nothing is going on, I like her and I'm trying to know her better, that's all."
Darcy walked around the tent with his glass on his hand. "With the intention of ..."
" ... knowing her better." That was the only information he was willing to supply.
"I know you well enough to know that that isn't your final goal, Charles, now tell me what are you up to with her."
"What," Charles change of countenance was barely noticeable, "don't tell me you are interested in her."
"No, I'm not, but she is part of my crew. I'm responsible for her as I am for everyone else in this place. I'm only seeing that my staff ends this production unharmed."
"Come on, pal, we're both old enough to know what we're doing, it's just a game. It's not that I'm harassing her or..."
"Are you sure?" Charles was his dear friend, but it was utterly frustrating to talk to him when he adopted this celebrity posture. "Jane is not like the kind of woman you are used to messing with. I'm sure that the only reason why she didn't send you to hell already is because she's too nice to do that and because you're the star of the movie and she is afraid of being fired. Stop it now. Do you understand?"
"You may be the director here, Darce, but you have no right to tell me what I do off the set." Charles continued with his arrogant, self-sufficient attitude. "I like her, I care for her and I'll do as I please."
"Charles, don't you see what you're doing? Are you so selfish as to molest a woman that doesn't want you only to get laid? Jane's a wonderful person, she's nice and an excellent professional." Darcy tried to bring some sense into his friend's obtuse head. "She's been politely refusing your advances for a week now. Do you think she likes this? And don't tell me you think she's playing difficult only to catch your attention, because she's not that kind of woman, believe me."
Charles turned serious. He never thought that his flirting could be really bothering Jane. "Did she complain about me? Did she say something to you?"
"She didn't, I told you, she's too nice. But I know she's not comfortable with this."
The actor sighed and finally accepted Darcy's point. "You are right, I'm being dense with her. I should learn to accept a no for an answer."
Darcy smiled, though Charles had surrendered too easily for his taste. "Yes, you should. One day you'll learn that you can't have everything you want, Chuck, and that day you are going to suffer."
His friend emptied his glass and rose. "Thanks for the drink, Darce, and for the chat. You always succeed on bringing me back to earth."
The director extended his hand and Charles shook it. "You are welcome. I'm here if you need me."
Charles smiled and left.
Pensively, Charles walked towards his tent. There was no way he would give up on Jane; he wanted her, more than ever, but this was getting complicated. It wasn't working. His attitude had not only managed to upset Jane but raise his friend's suspicions at the same time. With the director watching him, it would be a lot more difficult. Maybe he should change his tactic, try a different approach. Forget about flirting and sexual references, win her trust. Yes, play the good friend; that would work and surely would get Darcy out of his way.
From that moment on, Charles attitude towards Jane changed. Instead of trying to seduce her, he acted like a friend. He left his movie star posture and became the farm boy again, seductive, yes, that was part of his nature too, but honest, transparent, and oh so charming and genuine. Himself. The kind of man that any woman would fall in love with.
The irony of this was that, unconsciously, while trying to win her heart, Charles opened his. What was supposed to be a trick to get this woman into his bed allowed him to see her for what she was, the most pure, adorable and angelic creature on earth, a woman to cherish and respect. And it was while showing his real self to her that Charles Bingley fell madly in love with Jane Benedict.
"Good morning." Charles entered the make up tent with his usual feline walk. There was no way he could walk in another way, he was just sex appeal in motion.
Jane smiled briefly and turned her back to him while he sat on his chair. How was she going to do this? She couldn't take any more of his insinuations, she just wanted to do her job in peace.
"Hi." She said as she put a neck cloth around him.
She was tense during his make up, though concealing it pretty well. She was expecting him to say something, throw one of his usual hints, to make conversation or even ask her about what happened on the previous day. But he didn't. His eyes didn't search hers or scrutinized her body as he usually did. He didn't watch her through the mirror but sat quietly, like the others did, the way it should be. In one way, she was relieved, but this new attitude puzzled her and left her wondering what he was up to now.
When she finished, he rose as quietly as he came.
Charles sensed that he could not act as if nothing happened forever and that he had to say something if he wanted to rebuild the friendship they had until now.
"Janie," he looked shyly at his hands as he stood in front of her, "I want ... I want to say I'm sorry for everything. I've been a jerk." It came out so heartfelt that even he wondered if this was real or not.
"It's OK." She looked down.
"Really, Jane, I'm sorry, believe me." He frowned.
She doubted his honesty and met his eyes with cold ones. "I said it's all right."
There was a harshness in her voice that scared him. He couldn't lose her, no. "Janie," he whispered, "I swear ... I ..."
"I don't know, Charles, and I want to believe you, but you are an expert in transmitting things you do not feel."
Charles swallowed and looked down. That was the truth and it hurt. It really hurt. "No, Janie, I'm being sincere. I really am. I never wanted to upset you in any way, to bother you. I promise I won't do it again."
Jane's breath caught in her throat. The pain in his eyes looked so real. She only hoped that it was. "It's OK, Charles. You've never been ... I ... it's OK, there is nothing to forgive."
"Yes, there is, and I offer you a truce." He extended his hand with a genuine smile on his lips. "Friends?"
Jane smiled and Charles heart skipped a beat. "Friends." She shook it.
The grin that adorned his face left her heart fluttering. "I'll better go or the boss will kill me. See you on the set."
She followed him as he left the tent with a sad smile on her lips. There was no point in fighting against it now, she was already in love with him.
Elizabeth never thought she would ride in helicopter but she was introduced to this noisy and amazing experience when they filmed the panoramic shots of the movie. For two days, they flew over the mountains to film the travelers' journey from the air. They transported the actors to some really inaccessible places and made some spectacular shots. She felt like a damn secret agent, talking to Darcy on the radio and saying 'action!' to the actors while he filmed from the helicopter.
Working with Darcy became a wonderful and unique experience for her. There were things about him that she didn't approve yet -he drank too much coffee for her taste- but she had to admit that he was very talented. As Jane told her once, movie making was about fragments, pieces of a puzzle that were dispersed in miles of celluloid and the director was the one in charge of putting them together and make the picture clear for everyone else.
As a professional, she admired him. As a man, she still needed to learn how to understand him. There was something mysterious about him that she couldn't decipher, an interior force that still managed to intimidate her. Maybe it was his imposing presence (he was, after all, nearly 6' 5" tall) or the intensity of his eyes when he looked at her. It was as if he could see through her. He was reflexive, solitary and the hardest worker she had ever seen. His sense of humor was saucy, he could be sensible and then dictatorial, sharp, incisive and he was able to see things that weren't there. They could stand in the same square yard for hours without exchanging a word and then one smile would make her heart flutter.
She just loved doing what she was doing and she only wished that this could go on forever.
What followed next in the schedule was the pigmy village scene. It was a crucial moment in the movie where the characters were attacked and certain circumstances forced them to separate into two groups: Farrell and Victoria escaped in one direction while Hurst and the carriers were trapped on the other side of a bridge. They shot it in three days. The action was intense and fast, filming the characters running through an open field (the camera was placed on a truck that ran along beside them) and some bird's-eye shots (a wire was extended from 2 scaffoldings where the camera ran over the characters) were done too. There were gun shots, explosions and arrows flying around. Charles' make up turned more elaborate, bruises and blood were added to his person and Caroline's perfect hair turned into the most becoming mess.
At this point of the filming, two new actors and John Truman joined the cast. They were Michael Denny and Phil Saunderson, the villain of the movie and his henchmen. They were following the characters in their journey towards the forbidden mountain with the intention of stealing 'The Secret' from them. Most of their sequences were grouped in three days, in the same locations where they filmed the main characters during the previous week.
Now that Elizabeth thought that things were changing for the best, a disturbing rumor began to circulate among the crew. Communications between Lucas and Darcy were frequent, either by e-mails via Netherfield or on the radio and the information that the 'old man' was reaching to an understanding with the studios soon escaped the top circle and spread around the lower ones. That meant two things. That the second half of the movie, which would happen inside the mountain, would be done in some big studio in Canada and that an ample distribution of the film was guaranteed. If the movie was good, its success was almost assured. But it also meant another thing, something that didn't please the crew very much: that some of them would lose their jobs soon. The studio would surely provide the equipment, the infrastructure and the personnel for the filming. Cameramen along with the artistic and executive management would go, but the rest, only God and Darcy knew.
The unit moved to the waterfall for the next sequence of scenes that would be in two different parts of the film. The first one, was a shot where the travelers stopped to refresh themselves at the pond (before the pigmy village scene) and the second one, the lovemaking scene, that occurs in the cave where Farrell and Victoria escaped to after the pigmy attack.
It was supposed to be hot (it really was) and the adventurers decided to camp in this paradisiacal setting that provided them with food, fresh water and shade in this stop towards the Forbidden Mountain. Professor Stanford remained in the camp, instructing the carriers how to set up the tents, while his daughter Victoria walked towards the lovely pond to wash the sweat off of her. There was no one there so the young lady, emboldened by the privacy that the bushes provided, ventured further into the water.
The camera captured her boots and slowly traced the line of clothing she left on her way towards the water. Reflections of sun, circular waves surrounded her body and the lens climbed slowly up her wet petticoat in a close up that showed the profile of her perfect figure. She bent to cup some more water in her hands, letting it fall on her face and chest, refreshing her tired body from the African summer. The camera was filming so close that nothing else could be seen but her: her damp chemise glued over her perfect breasts, nipples that hardened with the cold water and drops falling like diamonds down the skin of her neck and chest. A slow zoom out framed her from the waist up and her head dropped back as she pushed her wet hair off her face. Her breasts were outlined by the silver shine of the pond, giving the camera their most appealing profile. The lens pulled back, and back, leaving the pond, and further back, revealing a shoulder and the brim of a man's hat.
For a moment, the man rejoiced in the vision that was this nymph of the pond. He observed her quietly, her alluring movements as she splashed water over her, drinking in that sight until the lady noticed his presence and gasped an alarmed,
"Mr. Farrell!"
"Miss Victoria." He touched the brim of his hat.
Her arms crossed over her chest, covering the part of her body that the man's eyes were shamelessly observing. She was flushed and in some way unsettled by the sensations that this man's stare produced in her. Though owner of an indomitable spirit, Miss Victoria Stanford was still a lady, and her Victorian education had taught her that this interlude was completely inappropriate in the eyes of every polished society. Hurriedly, she left the water and searched for her clothes, realizing that the charming and wicked guide was in possession of them.
Sporting a seductive-arrogant smile, the intrepid adventurer extended his arm and gave her the blouse that was hooked on his finger.
"I believe this is yours, madam."
Offended by such a forward behavior, she recovered her things with hasty movements.
"You should not venture into the wilderness by yourself, Miss Stanford. This place hosts some dangerous creatures."
"And you, Sir, should let your presence be known when a lady is in such an intimate position." She replied with a dignified air. "Had you been a gentleman you ... no, I would never expect you to act like one, you ..."
Charles snorted ungraciously and turned his back to her, laughing so loud that he almost choked.
"Cut!" Said Darcy.
"What?" Caroline was puzzled. "What happened? That was my line wasn't it? William," she turned to the director, "I said that right, didn't I?"
Darcy scratched his head and smiled crookedly. When Charles started laughing like this, it was impossible to make him stop. "Yes, Caroline it's OK, it's just that ..."
"Did you hear that? Oh, Christ," Charles braced his stomach, "I didn't know that Crocodile Dundee was part of this film."
Caroline bit her lower lip to repress her smile, realizing that the last sentence came out in her Australian accent. "Idiot."
"Okay," Darcy tried to put some order on the set, "let's concentrate and do this again." Everyone was giggling around him and the sensual mood that the scene required would vanish at any moment.
"You should be more carennnmmmppppfffff... (loud snort)." Charles did it again. Caroline chuckled too and slapped his arm.
"All right, cut it!" Chuckled Darcy.
They tried three more times but there was no way that the actors would control their giggling (Charles even tried once with a German accent) so Darcy decided to stop and give them some time to calm down.
"Let's take a five minute break so these two can focus on what they're doing."
Charlotte hurried towards Caroline and gave her a towel to wrap around her shoulders (and chest). The waitresses moved around offering refreshments to drink and the crew dispersed in different directions.
Darcy was reviewing at the previous scene in the monitor when he felt someone touching his arm. His assistant's lovely eyes and his mug of coffee were exactly what he needed to make his day. "Thank you, Elizabeth, you read my mind."
She smiled and returned to her notes.
"Do you want to see how this came out?" He asked her.
This was the first time that Darcy offered her something like that. "Sure." She replied.
The image he showed her was completely different to the scene she had just seen. Darcy explained to her about angles and filters and how he expected this to look after the material was edited. She just loved to hear him talking so passionately about his work.
"My mum was an actress when she was younger, though she never told me how this worked."
"Really?" Darcy smiled. "Movies or TV?"
"Theatre. She even obtained a small part on a TV show, but then she became pregnant and she had to quit. I think her experience with show business wasn't a good one, because she preferred to find a job that would bring more stability into our lives after I was born."
"I'm sure your father was pleased with her decision." He smiled. "Not many men like to be married to actresses."
Elizabeth's smile didn't fade, but her voice turned rather impersonal. "I don't think he cared much about that. He left before I was born."
Darcy remained silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I didn't know."
"It's OK, we did pretty well on our own, anyway."
He smiled faintly. "You certainly did. Tell everyone to get ready. Let's go on before we lose the light."
Darcy was unable to concentrate. He closed the script, almost angry that he couldn't read it. Why did it bother him so much? So she had a tough childhood, and what about that? Many people had one too. That didn't justify what she did. What if Lucas wasn't the first? What if he was? What right did he have to judge her in such a way? This was none of his business. Yes, he should stop judging her and thinking of her past, her present or future. Stop thinking of her, once and for all.
He liked her. He had to admit that he liked her a lot, but there was nothing he could do about that. Two major obstacles stood in front of them that couldn't be overlooked: she was his assistant (and there was no messing around during work) and he wasn't sure if her relationship with Lucas was over or not. What if it wasn't? He could almost imagine the scene. Asking her out and she answering: 'thanks, William, but I'm off to a mini-break with Johnny in Ibiza'. Just to think of that made him want to throw up. No. He should forget about her. Yes. He should forget about her right now.
He closed his eyes and laid his head back. Oh, God, he could almost smell her perfume from here.
"William?" Elizabeth's soft voice distracted him from his reverie.
"Come in," he replied.
She walked in slowly, almost afraid of stepping in his private domain. "I brought you some coffee, you didn't drink yours after dinner."
Darcy was sitting in his director chair with his legs stretched and crossed in front of him. "Thank you. What's this?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. This wasn't his usual mug. It was smaller (much smaller) and there was cream lightening his coffee.
She smiled at his expression. "You drink too much coffee. I counted six of those huge mugs today. You'll ruin your stomach, so I thought this would do better. I added a little cream so it wouldn't be so strong."
"Are you taking care of me?" He replied with a half smile.
"You are the director. Someone should."
For a moment, he looked at her, trying to clear his mind from his previous thoughts. He took a deep breath and turned into director mode again. "Sit down, Elizabeth, I need to talk to you."
She did as he asked and waited expectantly to what he had to say.
"You know the scene we are filming tomorrow, don't you?"
Elizabeth nodded. The lovemaking scene between Farrell and Victoria. The set was a sort of cave near the waterfall. They've been readying the place all the afternoon.
"This is an 'R' rated movie, Elizabeth, what means that we'll film as much skin as we can and show it to the public as artistically as possible, cutting off what can't be shown on screen. The actors will be almost naked at some point and we'll try to make it very realistic without making it explicit."
She swallowed. "All right."
Darcy proceeded. "I already had a long chat with the actors about this scene. They are nervous, it's natural, especially Caroline, as it's the first time for her. Modesty, you know. I'll tell you how we're going to do it." Elizabeth sat back on her chair and listened quietly. "We'll shoot this with as few people around as possible. Andrew (steady cam operator) will do the camera ... "
"Why not Billy?" She interrupted.
"I want a married man in there."
"Oh."
"We'll be only three or four people. Luis, Andrew and myself. Now, I would like to know if it would bother you to be there too. I need someone to operate the lights and I'm sure that Caroline would feel more comfortable with a woman around. But if you think you can't do it, I'll understand."
"No, it's fine." She released the breath she was holding. "I can do it."
"Good." He smiled broadly. "Very good."
"And what exactly am I going to do?"
"Don't worry about that now. The guys will leave everything ready. Tomorrow they'll tell you what you have to do."
She smiled and rose from her chair. "All right. Good night, William."
"Good night, Lizzy, I'll see you tomorrow."
Elizabeth left his tent and walked silently towards hers. He called her Lizzy. He never called her Lizzy before.
"Jane? Is that you?" Elizabeth was on her way to her tent when she saw a shadow not far away.
"Lizzy. How was the meeting with the boss?" Jane didn't turn around.
"Fine. He asked me if I was comfortable with watching the lovemaking scene."
"Are you?" She smiled at her friend.
"Well," she sighed, "I can't deny it makes me a little nervous, but nothing I can't handle."
Jane turned her eyes to the dark sky and made no answer.
"Janie, is there something wrong?"
"I'm fine." She sighed.
"Are you sure? You look ... upset."
"No, it's just that ... I ... I don't know what to do anymore."
Elizabeth knitted her brows. "Has this something to do with Charles?"
"Yes."
"What, he started with his flirting again? You said everything was all right with him now, that he stopped accosting you, that he was great."
"He is. He's being everything that a man ought to be. Sensible, charming, respectful. A perfect gentleman. He's great, more than great."
"So what's wrong, then?" Elizabeth was puzzled.
"I think I'm in love with him, Elizabeth. No," Jane shook her head, "I don't think it, I am in love with him and I don't know what to do."
"Oh, Jane," Elizabeth put her arm around her friend's shoulder. "He likes you too! He likes you a lot! I've seen you two together, Janie. He's being so nice and attentive and ..."
"Do you think he's being sincere?" Jane asked her.
"Do you think he's not?"
"I don't know what to think anymore, Elizabeth. He spent a full week trying to get into my pants and all of the sudden he turns into the perfect friend. With his reputation, I don't know what to believe. "
"Don't worry, Jane, everything will be fine. I'm sure it won't take long until he realizes he is in love with you and asks you to marry him. I can already see the covers 'Celebrity marries make up girl'." She said playfully.
"You don't understand, Lizzy." Jane smiled sadly. "What would happen next? I'll confess that I love him, he'll say that he loves me, we'll make love and then, what?" Tears were watering Jane's eyes. "He's a famous movie star, he'll never take me seriously. No, he'll forget about me as soon as he's back in Hollywood."
"What if he doesn't? What if he ...?"
"No," Jane said firmly. "I don't want to be the girl he shagged in his latest movie ... I don't want to find him in bed with another blonde when I arrive home ... I ... I don't want that. No, Lizzy, I won't give him my heart so he would rip it into pieces. It's painful enough as it is now."
This was one of the moments when Elizabeth couldn't find the appropriate words to comfort her friend. She rubbed Jane's back and spoke in a soft voice. "Let's go bed. We have an early start tomorrow."
Chapter 8
"Oh my," Caroline muttered under her breath, "I'm dying for a little chocolate."
"You hold on, honey," said Luis while retouching her hair. "We made it until now, we are not going to ruin that perfect skin after so much sacrifice, are we?"
"Only a little, Luis, or fudge, or ice cream; or pizza, anything would do instead of that lettuce. "
"Carrie, stop it," the hairdresser said firmly. "What would Master Chang say if he hears you?"
"I don't give a fuck to what that eunuch says," she hissed. "If he wants to live on roots and leaves the rest of his life he may, but I'm not going to starve because of him any longer!"
Caroline was on the verge of hysterics and with the scene she had to play ahead no one could blame her. Rolling on the floor, half-naked in front of a camera, with Charles Bingley between her legs was something that would make anyone freak out. Luis realized that she had reached her limit and decided that shock therapy was needed.
"Charlotte!" he yelled. "Do you have any M&Ms left?"
"Peanut or chocolate?" She replied from the other side of the tent where she was readying Caroline's clothes.
"Either one! I'm having a candy emergency here!"
Charlotte rushed to her bag and brought her half-eaten package of plain M&Ms. "Here you are."
Luis placed a few candies in Caroline's mouth and she chewed them slowly, eyes closed, savoring every single bit of them. She looked as she was having an orgasm.
"Mmmmmmmm. Thank you, you saved my life," said Caroline when she swallowed the candies.
"You are welcome. Here," Charlotte offered, "drink some water and rinse your mouth. You can't do this scene with brown teeth."
"Everything will come out fine, sweetie." Luis tried to sound reassuring. " I'll be there with you."
That reminded her of the scene she was about to do and Caroline's anxiety returned. "Oh, shut up, Luis, and give me some more candy."
Jane was retouching Charles' chest and arms (nice, muscled arms) before the shooting. In the pigmy scene, he received a few scratches and she had to re-paint him in the exact places, but not as deep as they looked in that scene.
"Nervous?" she asked. Charles had not spoken since he came in, which was very unlike him, because he was a great conversationalist.
He just smiled.
"Calm down, you've done this before. You'll do it right."
Charles made a long pause before replying. "I know I will."
She raised his chin to work on his neck. "If you are this nervous, I don't want to think how Caroline is feeling right now."
"Poor thing," he smiled. "She's terrified. That makes it even harder for me."
Jane sensed he needed to talk about this and waited for him to do it on his own.
"I'll have to lead the way, I must make her feel confident, comfortable, something that won't be so easy given the fact that I will be touching her everywhere." He spoke with his eyes focused in some distant place. "It's almost like making love with someone for the first time, someone who doesn't have your same experience, that is giving herself to you and trusts that you won't hurt her. It's not just acting, I'm not pretending. I'm feeling it and I must transmit it to her too."
Jane listened quietly. This was the first time she had seen him look this vulnerable, so exposed. She had thought him shallow, egocentric, egotistic before, but now she understood that it was all part of that movie star facade that he had build around him to be able to do his job. Every time he acted he felt, when he kissed, he loved and when he cried, he was in pain. His feelings and emotions surfaced intently when he was in front of the camera. He was naked, alone, and he was as scared as anyone else would be.
"Do you know which the worst part of this is?" Jane shook her head. "It's not filming it. I can switch that off, I can forget that they are there, watching me. Directors are very careful and I know that William is the most careful of them all. What makes me crazy is seeing the audience looking at me, mouth open, drooling over me. Knowing that my brothers would be saying 'look how Charles is shagging that woman, I bet he's having a good time', and that my father is shaking his head disapprovingly while he watches."
"Charles, you are an actor, you chose this profession."
He chuckled softly. "You are right, Jane, I chose it. Maybe I should film only PG movies from now on."
Jane laughed. "I don't think so. You like this 'edgy' stuff too much to leave it."
"Yes, I do." He smiled sweetly and touched her cheek.
"Charles." Elizabeth peered inside the tent. "It's time."
"I'm coming," the actor replied.
Jane helped him with his shirt and he was ready to leave. "Good luck."
Charles hugged her tightly against his chest. "Thank you, angel." He kissed her cheek and left.
The cave they chose as a set was not really a cave: It was more like a depression inside a rocky mountain that was not deep enough to be a cave but that looked very much like one. To make the effect even more perfect, they built a black tent around them, shading the light, leaving only the place that was supposed to be the entrance opened, so a little natural light would come in.
Inside the set, everyone was silent. The technicians were making the last adjustments, the actors were on their marks and the light intensity was being measured. When everything was ready, Darcy told everyone to leave.
Charlotte, Luis and Jane checked on the actors one last time. They were wet in this scene because it was supposed that they crossed the waterfall under to reach this place. Water was being sprayed on their faces and chests to increase the effect. Once they were ready, the assisting crew left.
For the first time since this movie started, Elizabeth didn't hear Darcy telling the actors how they should do it. He only said that he trusted them and that they should do what they felt.
"All right," said Darcy. "We'll start rolling. No matter what happens, I won't cut it unless you ask me." The actors nodded. "You'll enter the cave and go ahead from then on. Roll the camera."
The actors entered the cave, breathless after what was supposed to be a frantic run. Miss Stanford was scared, Farrell was worried that someone could be following them. He calmed her down and peered out of the cave to be sure that they were safe. When he came back she was resting against the rocky wall of the cave, her chest was heaving, her arms were crossed over her stomach. She really looked scared.
Charles stood in front of her and smoothed her hair back. She embraced him and they said their lines. Their eyes met and the magic began. Their faces moved closer, their mouths parted slightly. They were about to kiss when Caroline pulled back and started giggling.
"I'm sorry," she said nervously. "Stop the camera, I'm sorry, Charles. William, I'm sorry, it's just that I ..."
The actor smiled faintly and looked down. Andrew glanced at the Director for instructions and Darcy shook his head.
"It's all right, Carrie, take your time."
Charles knew they were still rolling and started where he left off. He cupped Caroline's cheek and smiled with tender eyes. He knew she would back off as soon as he was close enough, so this time he didn't leave margin for her to escape. He turned serious, she swallowed and suddenly, he crushed his mouth over hers. He kissed her hungrily, like a man that was surrendering to an attraction he had been resisting for months. His kisses became softer, gentler, more tender. Caroline passed from shocked to moved, from passive to responsive and the scene progressed the way it should be.
"That was great." Darcy smiled. "Let's do it again, for luck." The scene was repeated -twice- and the director announced a break. "We'll do the close ups and then you undress. All right?" He turned to his assistant. "I'll help you with the lights, Elizabeth."
The close ups were done and they filmed the part when they removed their upper clothing. Slow, sensual action, alternating angles and profiles. Andrew -the only one observing with the close up lens- was holding his breath, Luis was covering his mouth and Elizabeth was chewing her pen. Only Darcy seemed unmoved and when he thought they filmed enough, he told the actors to stop.
Nearly two hours later the camera was moved for the actual lovemaking part. Dressed in robes, the actors took a rest while the crew had something to eat, though they both declined eating so their stomachs wouldn't look swollen for the next part. Luis retouched hairstyles and Jane came in to check on the make up. When everything was ready, the actors removed their remaining clothing and were only dressed in skin colored underwear that covered only what needed to be concealed. They lay on the ground and the camera started filming them from the waist up. Chares lay on top of Caroline while kissing her mouth, her jaw, her neck. Caroline held his shoulders, caressed his back, his face, closed her eyes and played the passionate soon-to-be-ex virgin to perfection. Several times, Darcy interrupted to correct their position in front of the camera, asking Charles to cover Caroline's breast with his chest and arm or correcting the light to produce sensual shadows on the actor's bodies.
When Darcy called 'cut', they stopped, though Charles remained over Caroline.
"Are you all right?" The actor whispered softly while caressing her cheek. The camera was still rolling.
She nodded smilingly.
"Good girl." He grinned and kissed her one more time, very gently. She kissed him back.
"I would like to make a pan shot from feet to head." Darcy waited until they stopped. Charles had handled her wonderfully and he didn't want to ruin the connection they had and the confidence he was transmitting to his partner. "Not of the lovemaking part, of the aftermath, just like you did it right now. Are you up to it?"
The actors turned to him. It was so awkward, they were lying on the ground, almost naked with someone talking to them.
The pan shot required that they removed their underwear so Charles looked at Caroline to see if she agreed to do it. She nodded.
Luis rushed to check the actor's hair, adjusted Caroline's lose strands so they would look more becoming and then everyone looked away while they removed their underwear. The actors adjusted their positions so the parts that couldn't be shown would remain unseen, but still careful to show as much as they could. The camera did its job, traveling the length of their beautiful naked bodies from toe to head, stopping to capture their faces glowing after their lovemaking. They kissed, very sweetly, like two people that recently discovered their love would kiss, Charles whispered something that no one heard and Caroline giggled. One more kiss and it was done.
This was their last day of filming in this location and the crew that wasn't involved in the scene being filmed packed and headed towards Netherfield for their first break after three weeks of work. When the filming unit finished, they did the same. One hour later only the security people and the cleaning staff stayed to leave everything the same way it was when they had arrived.
"Now, tell me about today's scene." Charlotte asked Elizabeth when they were in their bedroom that night at Netherfield.
"You'll see it on screen, Charlotte," she replied after a quick glance at Jane.
"Oh, come on! You know they'll cut it! Is Charles' body as nice as it looks?"
Elizabeth smiled. "Even better."
"Are you not going to tell me anything?"
She shook her head.
"You owe me this one, Lizzy." Charlotte said grumpily.
"Caroline was so scared this morning," Jane said quietly, "but she looked fine when it ended. She even looked happy."
Elizabeth knew that her friend needed some reassurance about Charles' behavior during the scene. "At some point, it was even funny and the actors broke into laughter. I think that after 6 hours of lying over the hard rock pretending she's making love to a man she doesn't love with a camera not four feet away from her face would make anyone feel awkward. I even laughed a little myself about how unnatural it was."
Jane smiled faintly.
"And Charles was very respectful. He was great." Elizabeth patted Jane's leg.
The girls went to bed and Elizabeth laid in the dark staring at the window for a long time. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of two naked bodies making love would show up in her mind. It was unsettling. For the first time in months, she felt the need of a man close to her. It was not just arousal or lust, it was not just a physical need. She broke up with her last boyfriend over a year ago. She didn't miss him, they weren't getting along in the end, but she missed that feeling of having someone thinking of her, calling her to ask how she was doing, sharing her bed, holding her at night.
Sighing, she rolled to her side and closed her eyes. As her body relaxed, a distinctive warmth enveloped her, a sweet and spicy scent reached her -was it tobacco?- and she fell asleep, dreaming that someone was embracing her tonight.
He relaxed in his chair and stared out into the night. A branch of a tree growing near the house didn't allow him to see the mountains in all their immensity. He liked them. They reminded him of home, of the Peaks. He nursed his scotch and allowed his head to fall back. Eyes closed, he recalled that moment again: Elizabeth standing close to him, biting the nail of her thumb, a dim cave and lovemaking. Their eyes met, she smiled at him, and his hand reached out to her shoulder, squeezing it. She looked grateful, he smiled too and he was even able to brush her curls with his fingers before turning his attention to the action in front of him. He became a director again and that was forgotten and archived, until now.
He puffed his cigar and, for a moment, he allowed his mind to drift towards dangerous shores. Envisioning her unclothed, lying on white sheets, her black curls spread over the pillow wasn't difficult. His body covered hers, their lips met and he entered her prison of warmth and moisture. Before he could stop it, his body tensed.
This was utterly ridiculous. He bent over, letting his elbows rest on his knees, rubbing his face on his hands as if trying to erase his lascivious thoughts from his mind.
Today, he had expected to obtain answers about her, though he ended the day with more questions. Her attitude during the filming would leave him in the dark for a long time. She acted professionally, like any other good assistant would act. She seemed unmoved, not shy, not embarrassed, not aroused, just observant. He knew she wasn't indifferent to what was happening in front of her eyes, she even giggled nervously (in an obvious tension release) when Charles made that joke about having a stone buried in his backside, but he couldn't guess if it was real discomfort or inexperience with voyeurism.
He was really an idiot. What was he expecting? A sign that would confirm to him that she and Lucas were over? Or maybe a confirmation that it never happened? He shouldn't expect anything, this wasn't his damn business.
One last puff on his cigar and he crushed it on the ashtray. He undressed and went to bed.
Charles was on his way to bed when he heard a knock on his door. He put on his trousers on again and went to answer it.
"Carrie." He was surprised to find his co-star standing in front of him.
Her eyes swept his body from head to toe. "I hope I didn't wake you up."
"No," he smiled, "I was about to go to bed."
"Chuck," she took one step forward, "I wanted to thank you for what you did today."
Charles didn't move from under the threshold, blocking the entrance to his room. "You are welcome."
Caroline raised her hand and ran her forefinger seductively down his body, from his collarbone to his waist and up again. Today's scene left her quite aroused, horny, to be honest, and Charles was the only one -except for Dracy- that was up to her standards for sexual encounters.
"You made me feel ... respected during the entire scene."
"I'm glad you did." The actor's skin tingled involuntarily.
Another step forward and her chest brushed his naked one. "Very cared for."
Charles felt her lips touching his and her hand on his waist. This was so awkward. He knew Caroline wasn't after a relationship with him, that she just wanted sex tonight, and for once, he wasn't willing to provide it. He pulled his head back enough to be out of her reach, knowing he needed to refuse his co-star's advances without embarrassing her.
"I was thinking," she moved her lips close to his ear, "if we could finish what we started in that cave."
"Thank you, Carrie," he spoke softly, cupping her cheek with his hand. "I can't."
She raised a puzzled eyebrow.
He smiled sweetly and brushed her cheek with his thumb. "I can't, Carrie, it wouldn't work, for either of us."
Caroline stared at him blankly for a moment. Then she smiled. "We are too very much like brother and sister, aren't we?"
Charles laughed. "Please don't say that. How am I going to kiss you the next time if I think of you as my baby sister?"
She touched his cheek. "You can be very good man, Charles. Almost kind, when you want to be."
He gave her a quick kiss on her lips. "Good night, Carrie."
"Good night." She smiled and went to her room.
As he closed the door, Charles reflected on what he just did. Basically, he refused a wild night with one of the sexiest women on the planet. But there was no other thing he could do with Jane sleeping only two doors away from his. The entire crew would know about it tomorrow and that would blow his efforts to get Jane into his bed.
He walked towards the bed but stopped in the middle of the room. That wasn't the reason. It wasn't. This had not been a trick to obtain his prize, he wasn't pretending anymore. He didn't want Caroline or anyone else. He wanted Jane, he cared for her and he wanted to show her that he could be as good and as loyal as she was, that she could trust him in the same way he could trust her. And what really made him feel good about it was that he had not done it only for her, but for himself too.
Three weeks of working with two super-stars, a confrontational alcoholic and an omnipotent director had given Elizabeth confidence enough to face the next task Darcy commanded of her: going to the airport for the reporters that would cover one day of filming. She woke up very early and headed to the city in the van that would bring them back to Komabi, the small village a few miles away from Netherfield, where everything had been readied for their stay.
Both the director and production designer had given her precise instructions as to how to handle the 'vultures' now that they were here. They told her to respond to every question she was asked, but being careful not to give away anything that could be considered private about the cast, the movie or the producers.
Six reporters from different media arrived at the airport. Two of them from important show business networks, one from the USA and the other from England, brought their own cameramen to film in video the material they would show in the specials for TV. The others were from smaller channels, magazines or newspapers. She welcomed them with her best smile and led the way to the van that would take them to the hotel.
Their final destination was three hours ahead, so some of them asked a few questions about the movie to which Elizabeth politely replied. She informed them about the schedule they would follow for the next two days, what scenes would be shot and the timing they would have for the interviews. The cast wasn't large, but important, and the reporters were eager to obtain juicy anecdotes about the actors and the filming.
"Do you mind if I sit with you? Terry is snoring back there and he's making me crazy."
"Sure." Elizabeth looked up at the handsome man that was previously introduced to her as Terrence William's (English reporter) cameraman. Yummy, very yummy.
"I'm sure you are having a great time here in Africa, it must be very interesting to work in such an exotic place." He sat next to her.
"It's great. We've lived in the jungle for two weeks, surrounded by savage creatures, it's simply wonderful." Elizabeth wasn't the kind of woman that would become dazzled by a man but this one really peaked her interest.
"Really? What kind of creatures?"
"Gorillas ... leopards ... big bugs ... there were even some huge bats flying over the camp during the night." Elizabeth smiled. "They made me feel as if Dracula was stalking us."
The handsome cameraman laughed. "I can well imagine it! And what is exactly your job in this production?"
"I'm the 1st AD and in charge of continuity. Though I sometimes officiate as the production manager's assistant too." Did this man have an idea of how attractive he was?
"Wow," he smiled charmingly, "a versatile woman, then."
"Not that much." She replied with a slight blush. Introductions were quite hasty at the airport and she didn't get the handsome cameraman's name at the time. She was very interested in knowing it. "I'm sorry, your name is ... ?"
The man took her hand and raised it to his lips. "George Wickham, at your service."