Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
JESSY
I can’t believe Scott has thrown me under the bus like this.
Angie tells me the news as we walk to rehearsals.
“So, where does that leave me?”
I stare at her in dismay and she shrugs. “Pray to God they don’t cast Mr Spalding as the lord. There isn’t much choice other than him.”
“Then I’ll pull out.” I make a face. “There is no way I’m kissing him under the mistletoe. He could be my grandad.”
“I’m sorry, Jessy. Mum tried to talk Scott back into it, but he was adamant and you know what he’s like when he digs his heels in.”
My heart sinks because Angie isn’t wrong. Most of the time, Scott is easygoing and would do anything to keep the peace, but he’s also very determined and won’t do anything he is uncomfortable with.
“It was the thought of being filmed that freaked him out.” Angie moans. “You know how he hates being in front of the camera, even for photographs. I’m sorry, Jessy, this is a disaster.”
“Well, if Mr Spalding so much as looks my way when they ask for volunteers, I’m calling it quits too. I didn’t even want to do this stupid pantomime. It’s the last thing I wanted.”
We reach Granthaven Manor and Angie says reassuringly. “It won’t be so bad. Something will come up, it always does.”
We head through the front door and into the now warm and inviting hallway and Angie sighs. “This is so much better. I can’t believe what they’ve already done to the place.”
I nod my agreement because it appears that having a production company at your disposal can work miracles, and I note the warm lighting that has replaced the flickering bulbs. Polished surfaces gleam and the floor has been cleaned to reveal the intricacies of the parquet flooring. It even smells fantastic and I wonder if they are pumping pine scented fragrance into the air by machine because it is fresh and clean and nothing like the dusty, slightly musty smell of before.
Jasper waves at us from the sitting room doorway.
“Come in, come in. There is some mulled wine for everyone to chase away the chill of winter and the fire is heating the room nicely.”
As we almost run to get to the mulled wine, Jasper hangs back and says quickly as I make to pass him, “May I have a quick word, Jessy?”
My heart sinks because he appears edgy, which can only mean one thing. I won’t like what’s coming and I steel myself to pull out quicker than Angie is heading for the wine if I don’t like what he says.
The door closes behind her and effectively cuts off the gentle murmur of conversation in the room and Jasper smiles.
“Just a heads up that your leading man has changed. I wanted to tell you before you went inside to prepare you in advance. They are filming the rehearsal tonight and I don’t want any expressions caught by the camera that I haven’t prepared for.”
He rolls his eyes. “We don’t have the time or the energy to re-take a scene and I always feel as if the spontaneity goes out of the shot when the actors have gone over it several times already.”
“We’re not actors, Jasper.”
I am slightly miffed that our pantomime is being commandeered to suit the newcomers, and Jasper smiles reassuringly. “Of course, my darling, but humour me please.”
He takes a deep breath. “Anyway, your dashing lord will now be played by our very own lord and master, Luke Adams.”
“Excuse me?”
I sense the blood draining from my face as I understand why Jasper has prepared me, because the horror on my face would not make for a pleasurable scene in the show.
“But–”
“I know, amazing, isn’t it? He took some persuading but realised the show must go on and he must grin and bear it for the good of the reality show. Oh, and there is another small change that you should be aware of.”
“What?”
My legs are weak at the mere thought of kissing Luke because that is the only thing I can focus on right now. This is a disaster. Kissing Scott was bad enough due to the fact I consider him family more than anything, but kissing Luke is a completely different thing entirely – because I want to. More than anything, but it will be televised. The entire world will have access to my infatuation and I will struggle to disguise that.
Then Jasper makes things one hundred times worse when he says triumphantly, “And the best new is that Morgana will be directing.”
“Wait, what?”
I stare at him in shock as he claps his hands with excitement. “Yes, she will direct and it will make for such a good segment in our show. She is a natural for the camera and has great vision. You are lucky to have her because your production of whatever the thing is called will go down in history as the greatest show ever.”
He nods towards the sitting room.
“Anyway, paint on your excited smile, darling. It’s time to face the cameras and l guess every woman and some men out there will consider you the luckiest woman alive this Christmas, so I would be very appreciative if you could act like it.”
He flings the door open, and it’s as if a spotlight is thrown on me as I walk inside in a confused daze, the stares of the villagers and production crew firmly fixed on me as I walk into the room. There is even a camera recording it and I attempt to act normally, but inside I’m a nervous wreck.
I will be kissing Luke under the direction of his girlfriend and the entire world will have a front-row seat.
Angie heads straight to my side and thrusts a glass of mulled wine in my hand and whispers, “Well, talk about a Christmas miracle. Why didn’t I say I’d be the lady this year? I got Edward Cummins as my lord and you get Luke freaking gorgeous Adams as yours. Why is life so unfair?”
I say nothing and knock back the wine for medicinal reasons, wishing that bottle of brandy was at hand instead because, as sure as I’m in my worst nightmare right now, I am finally realising the power of an alcoholic haze.