Chapter 10 Keely
TEN
Keely
I rubbed my swollen belly, increasingly eager to meet the little being inside me.
The kicking had intensified recently, and I’d come to realize that I was going to be raising quite the active child.
Smiling, I envisioned the tiny face that I would soon see; meet eye to eye.
My smile remained plastered on my face as I readied for the day.
Was this what they meant when they said motherhood put so many things into perspective? I imagined it had to be.
I looked out my bedroom window, admiring the beauty of Barry Park under the winter sun and spotted Darling seated on a bench. Bundled up in a thin sweater, she shivered but seemed determined to stay outside.
She’d been so pensive lately, and I knew Kenneth’s condition was partially to blame. For one so young, she took on so much responsibility, and I feared it would make her ill as well.
“Let’s go down and cheer that girl up,” I said to the infant inside me. “Perhaps if I put her hand to my belly so she can feel how hard you can kick, it’ll get her mind off her troubles.”
Careful to control the pregnant waddle that my body had, of its own accord, adopted recently, I headed to the bedroom door. After taking only three steps down the hall, that pregnant waddle took over, and there was little I could do to control it.
I nonetheless rubbed my belly and smiled at my less than elegant gait.
“Where are you off to?” Abbie said as she came out of her room and walked alongside me.
“Down to talk to my starlet.” I huffed, my breathing already becoming short. “Can you believe this waddle of mine? I’m barely showing, but it is now completely impossible for me to simply put one elegant foot in front of the other. I feel so huge.”
She laughed. “From what I learned when my cousin was pregnant, women can lose that elegant gait quite early, in fact, it was that waddle that gave my cousin away. With the tiny bump she had, no one knew she was expecting until they saw her get up and walk away.”
I glanced side long at her. “Please don’t go on about the hormones, my center of balance and my growing uterus. Hugh has already told me all about that. Still, I feel like a hippo in kitten heels.”
She laughed and offered me her arm as we reached the stairs. With slow and careful steps, we made our way down to the main floor where my crew was already setting up for the morning’s shots.
“I’ll come see you guys in a bit,” I said in passing. Leaving Abbie, I turned to the door, grabbed a woolen shawl off the nearby hook and headed out to the gardens where I quickly found Darling.
“We’re going to be shooting a group scene later this afternoon,” I said, wrapping the shawl tightly around my shoulders.
She looked up, her eyes dark and disturbed. “Hello, Keely. It’s quite chilly this morning. You really shouldn’t be out in your condition.”
“Thank you for your concern, but I intend to raise a resilient child. A little cold weather won’t do any harm.”
I sat beside her, sensing her distress and her desire to hide it. Although always reserved, almost a little shy, she was, of late, quieter and more reserved than usual.
“Is Kenneth doing better?” I ventured.
She nodded, her fingers working to keep her sweater tight against her skin.
“Are you still concerned with his condition?”
She shook her head.
“He’s out of the woods?”
“You could say that,” she said, not looking at me but at her feet.
“Darling, I know you’re preoccupied with Kenneth’s health, and I know you’re disturbed by what you’ve learned about his time in California, but I need you to come back to this production.”
“I know,” she said with a heavy sigh. “I know, and I’m so sorry.
I’ve told myself repeatedly to get my head back in the game, but.
.. my conversations with Kenneth keep coming back to haunt me.
I feel so na?ve to not have known any of it, and yet, I’m quite aware that I can’t know everything.
But this is Lord Barry’s business. Somehow it all feels like it hits too close to home.
I can feel the sliminess of their dealings on my skin. ”
I felt for her, but I also had a business to consider.
“I need to speed up production,” I said. “I’ve already lost so much time, what with the flooding at Moon Manor and...” I rubbed my belly. “I have a feeling this baby is going to come sooner than expected, and I really want to finish this movie before that.”
She pressed a tired smile. “I understand. I’ll find a way to shake this feeling off.” She looked at me. “I promise. I won’t let you down, Keely.”
“Good. I’m happy to hear it. This morning I’m shooting a few short scenes, but this afternoon will be very busy and I’ll need everyone to be on their toes.”
“I’ll be ready.”
*****
AS PROMISED, THE DAY was busy and a little hurried. Although I didn’t have a lot of time to waste, I still wanted every scene to be as good as it could be. Then again, I’d never been one to do multiple takes just to get one little detail perfect.
When the time finally came for Darling to come on set, I felt a twinge of nerves and wondered if she’d shaken off her concerns about Kenneth.
True to her word, she had, indeed, shaken off all her distractions and had become the Fanny Price I knew she could be. She was brilliant. Every word from her mouth was true, every gaze intense.
“Cut!” I called out at the end of the final scene of the day.
Darling turned to me, her eyes questioning whether I was to call for another take or not.
“That was great everyone. You are all free to go enjoy a fine dinner. Enjoy a relaxing night, what’s left of it, because tomorrow we have another long day.”
I was exhausted and sensed the same from the cast and crew that had worked for over fourteen hours.
Everyone gathered up their things and emptied the set while Darling let out a satisfied and relieved sigh and simply leaned back against the wall.
“Darling,” I called to her.
She frowned as she came to me.
“No worries,” I immediately said. “You’re doing great. In fact, I just wanted to tell you how happy I am with the chemistry you have with Matthew. It’s magical. It reads so beautifully on the monitor. I have no doubt it will be spectacular on the big screen.”
“Thanks. Then again, Matthew and I have known each other for so long. It’s only natural that we have that ease between us.”
“Indeed. But then how do you explain your exceptional chemistry with Ricky. That exquisite tension is so delicious between you two. There’s a push and pull. A come and go that keeps us on the edge of our seats.”
“I guess we...”
“You don’t have to answer that,” I quickly said on seeing her discomfort. “You and Matthew. You and Ricky. Matthew and Susie. Ricky and Susie. It’s all good. All great chemistry.”
Her forced smile was slightly bittersweet, and I couldn’t help but wonder why.
“I just wanted to share with you how pleased I am with your work. After our conversation this morning I feared you might think I was unhappy with you, but it’s quite the opposite.” I lightly slapped her shoulder. “I’m very happy, indeed.”
She shook her head then nodded. “Thank you.”
“It’s a relief for me to see all this chemistry without my having to push the issue. Some actors never find that chemistry with their actresses. It’s incredibly frustrating.”
I realized I was rambling on and she, nervous and tense, seemed eager to leave.
“I’ll see you later,” I finally said, giving her permission to leave.
*****
WITH THE CAST AND CREW seated in the smaller ballroom, I stood and raised my glass of apple juice.
“Before we all dig into this wonderful and well-deserved meal, I’d like to thank you all for this first week of production.
You’ve all worked more efficiently, more consciously and more diligently than ever before.
Don’t think that I haven’t noticed the added effort you’ve all put in. ”
I looked from a starlet to a gaffer to an experienced actress to a boom operator, all of them pleased with the recognition I offered them.
“We have one more week to go, to get the final scenes done.” I looked to Ricky. “That includes scenes of you on a horse.” I turned to look at Matthew. “And a scene of you in the garden.”
Both men smiled and nodded.
“In the meantime, everyone, enjoy!”
The main meal was brought out and everyone reverted to their more intimate conversations, some discussing their trade, others discussing politics and others discussing food or fashion or cars... whatever came to mind.
“I do love to hear that pleasant murmur of conversation,” I told Hugh who nodded as he shoveled pork and rice into his mouth.
“I don’t care who told you!” a loud bellowing voice cried front the front hall. “What the blooming hell is going on?”
Silence fell upon the small ballroom as we all turned to the source of the unfamiliar voice.
“Oh, my,” Matthew muttered from a nearby table.
“Is that...?” Darling said.
Matthew nodded. “I believe so.”
My heart raced as I tried to decipher their confusing exchange. They seemed to be the only ones to recognize the voice of this intruder.
After a dozen pounding footsteps, the source of the bellowing voice arrived at the threshold of the ballroom.
“What in the bloody hell is going on here?” the man growled.
The room was silent in front of the tall and imposing older man. But then Matthew rose to his feet.
“Father.”
“Father, indeed.”
“I wasn’t expecting you.”
He huffed loudly. “Well, that’s plain to see.” He looked around the large room. “Who the hell are all these people?” the older man went on, unimpressed by Matthew’s greeting.
Darling also stood up. “Lord Barry. Welcome home.”
“I thought you were staying in California for some time longer,” Matthew said.
“Indeed, you did,” Lord Barry said. “And you took it upon yourself to hold a feast for a hundred or so strangers?”
“If you’ll allow me, Father, these people are...”
“I don’t give a fig who they are or what they do or why they’re here! I want everyone out! Out, I say!”