Chapter 30
Bridie was still alone in the theatre foyer, her back to the door. She had just finished filling up two black sacks and was tying the ends when she heard the creak of the heaving double doors. She sensed someone had walked in.
She turned around, stunned. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I heard about the theatre,’ said Jack.
Bridie looked at him agog. How was that possible? She knew it was a small town, but word wouldn’t travel that fast, surely.
‘How did you find out?’
‘I went to call on you in Cobblers Yard.’
‘What – why?’
‘To apologise for what I said when I bumped into you in the café, about your career in theatre.’
She eyed him suspiciously. Was that even true?
Or was he just saying that now he’d found out about the theatre, and he wanted to get in her good books, hoping she would sell it to him.
She remembered what Oliver had said – he’d been after the theatre for years.
She guessed why; he was a property developer, and the theatre was in a prime location nestled between a cottage and a townhouse on the promenade, overlooking the sea.
If it was converted into a house or apartments, she imagined there would be quite a tidy profit involved.
She got the impression from her conversations with Oliver that Jack was pretty ruthless when it came to tearing down old period properties and putting up something new and bland in their place just to make money.
She looked at him coldly. ‘You didn’t answer my question – how did you find out?’
‘The shop was closed, and when you didn’t answer the flat doorbell, I saw that the bookshop was still open.’
‘No, it wasn’t,’ said Bridie, knowing full well that Thea always closed the bookshop when the carers turned up before she left.
‘No, you’re right, it wasn’t actually open, but the lights were still on, and Henry did answer the door when I knocked. He said you were all off to see a show at The Little Theatre by the Sea, in Aldeburgh, but he couldn’t go because he was entertaining visitors.’
Bridie stared at him. That sounded a lot more plausible. Just the sort of thing she would have expected Henry, living in the past, to think when Thea had told him where she was off to.
And she knew who Henry had thought he was entertaining – friends, although they were really his carers. So, Jack actually had no idea she was the new owner. He had come to apologise.
He said, ‘I thought it was very strange what Henry said. This place hasn’t been open for years.
But then I’m aware of his condition. Even so, I thought perhaps there was some truth to it, that you’d all come here for some reason.
Although I couldn’t imagine why.’ His eyes drifted behind her to the door to the auditorium, propped open.
‘What is going on here? Are you all cleaning up the place? Where did you get the keys?’
There was some chatter in the background and then Reggie’s voice came across loud and clear. ‘Let’s ask the new owner what she’d like us to do with this?’
Bridie glanced over her shoulder at the sound of Reggie’s voice and saw him walking towards her carrying something. She caught Jack looking at her wide-eyed. ‘Did he just say the new owner?’
Reggie appeared by her side holding a small chandelier. He looked at Jack. ‘Oh, I didn’t realise we had more help. Great. I’d like to fix this back up if that’s alright with you, Bridie. I’ve found some step ladders …’
Jack hesitated.
Reggie said, ‘Well, aren’t you going to lend a hand? That’s what the rest of us are here for.’
‘Um, yes. Of course. I’ll be with you in a minute. There’s something I’d like to ask Bridie first.’
Reggie turned on his heel and left them alone in the foyer.
‘The new owner. Wow. Who would have thought …’
Bridie narrowed her eyes.
Jack said, ‘Maybe I could lend a financial hand. This place needs more than spit and polish. Have you got the funds to renovate? I see you’ve got a leaky ceiling …’ Jack marched on the spot, the carpet squelching beneath his feet. ‘And goodness knows what else you’re going to uncover.’
Bridie knew what Jack’s offer of a financial hand would be.
‘I’m not selling up, if that’s what you’re thinking.
’ She hadn’t made up her mind what she was doing with the place in the longer term, but she knew she wasn’t going to sell it to Jack.
For the time being, she was going to abide by her benefactor’s wishes and put on a play there before she decided.
But she couldn’t do it with the state the theatre was in.
It wouldn’t be fair or probably safe to invite the public inside.
Bridie had a sudden thought: I wouldn’t have to stage a play for the public. It could just be my friends – and family. She was thinking about her dad in particular. Still, the theatre couldn’t be used in this state.
There were other problems too, like where she was going to get the sets, the theatre staff, and the stage actors and actresses. Now, she really thought about it, the whole idea of staging a play there seemed impossible.
‘I’m not suggesting you sell the place. When I said giving you a financial hand, I meant to get the place fixed up – the roof and such like.’
Bridie looked at him, taken aback.
‘You haven’t got the money to do that sort of thing – have you?’
Bridie frowned. She eyed him suspiciously. ‘What’s in it for you?’
‘A percentage of the profits from ticket sales. How about you and I go into business together?’
‘I thought you were a businessman who can spot a good investment. I’ll be lucky if this place breaks even, let alone turns any profit from ticket sales, especially considering the potential cost of renovating the place.
’ And that was assuming she could actually get a play off the ground.
She asked again, ‘What’s in it for you?’
‘Call it nostalgia for a happier time.’
A happier time? She was surprised by the comment. She would have thought he was happy; he had a successful business, made lots of money, was married, and had a child. What was not to be happy about?
She was about to ask, when Jack suddenly looked over her head, raised his eyebrows, quickly got out his wallet and thrust a business card in her hand. ‘Call me,’ he said. And with that he quickly left.
Bridie felt someone by her side. ‘Reggie, I’m afraid you’ll have to get someone else to help you with … oh, Oliver. I didn’t realise it was you.’ She saw his expression. He was staring at the door. Now she knew why Jack had left in a hurry.
Oliver said, ‘What the hell was he doing here?’
Reggie appeared too. ‘Where’d he go?’
Bridie said, ‘He left.’
‘Figures. I know the type – don’t want to get their hands dirty. Seems too much like hard work. Who was he? He seemed kind of familiar.’
Oliver said, ‘Jack Fairfax.’
‘Jack Fairfax.’ Reggie raised her eyebrows at Bridie. ‘Well, well. He didn’t take long to crawl out of the woodwork, did he? He’s been after this place to develop for years. My, my, word gets around fast. Is that what he was doing here?’
‘No, actually.’ Bridie didn’t mention that initially he had turned up to apologise for what he’d said about her fall from grace on the London stage.
It didn’t appear that Reggie knew they’d been an item as teenagers.
She said, ‘He wants to become business partners and invest in the theatre to reopen it again.’
Oliver exclaimed, ‘You’ve got to be joking.’
Reggie said, ‘My sentiments exactly. Why would he invest in a theatre? You’ll be lucky if this place breaks even. It’s got to be some sort of joke.’
‘No, it isn’t a joke. That’s what he said.’
‘Well, goodness me, perhaps leopards can change their spots after all,’ said Reggie, clicking his tongue and looking about him. ‘The place needs a cash injection, that’s for sure. Hey, Joss, can you give me a hand with this?’ Reggie headed in Joss’s direction.
Oliver stayed put, staring at Bridie as she turned Jack’s business card over in her hand.
Something had occurred to her. Maybe this was Jack’s way of apologising.
If he helped her fix up the theatre, and she starred in a show, perhaps it would relaunch her stage career back in London.
Of course, that wouldn’t happen in an amateur production unless she invited some casting agents to the show; they’d see how fantastic she was, and it would be her ticket back to London stage.
Bridie smiled when she thought of her secret benefactor.
They must have known about her background on the stage.
They wanted her to stage a play there – to give her an opportunity to relaunch her London stage career.
How clever of them! Once she relaunched her career in the West End, she could sell the theatre and have some money behind her to return to London. Perfect.
Bridie looked up from the business card in her hand to find Oliver still standing there, staring at her. ‘What?’
‘You’re not seriously thinking about going into business with him? You know this place needs a lot of work. It could turn out to be a money pit. He’s an astute businessman. What does he want out of it?’
‘A percentage of the ticket sales.’
‘You mean a share of the theatre.’
Bridie didn’t say anything, but Oliver appeared to have plenty to say. ‘Leopards don’t change their spots, Bridie.’
Bridie disagreed. ‘Like Reggie said, maybe they do. Perhaps he’s finally decided to put something back into the community.’
‘Is that what he said?’
‘Well, no. Not exactly.’
‘I didn’t think so. That’s what you’d like to believe, Bridie, because you are a good person. He is not. He hasn’t got an altruistic bone in his body. Seriously, Bridie, don’t get involved. You’ll live to regret it.’
Bridie looked at the card in her hand, and a thought came out of nowhere – something so ridiculous, and yet on the other hand, quite plausible.
Jack knew about what had happened in London before she’d bumped into him.
Although he’d seemed surprised to see her back in Aldeburgh, maybe he’d just been feigning surprise.
Had he known all along? They had a history.
She believed he’d loved her once. And he had a lot of money.
Everyone said he’d been after the theatre for years.
Had he finally got his hands on it, only to gift it to her?
Oliver was still standing by her side. ‘You’re going into business with him, aren’t you?’
Bridie smiled to herself. Jack wanted to help her. What was wrong with that?
Oliver shook his head. ‘Don’t say I didn’t warn you.’