‘Has he gone?’
Kirkwood blinked behind his wire-framed glasses. His expression put Porrick in mind of an indignant rabbit. ‘Who?’
‘The policeman.’
A devious smile came over Novak’s lips. ‘Yes, I saw him leave. He was talking to the charming Eloise and then he did a bunk.’
Porrick clapped his hands together and looked around for the head of Visionary Productions. ‘Hartmann, old chap. Can’t we do something about the lights? We can’t have a decent rag with all these lights blazing, you know.’
‘My dear Porrick, under the circumstances, I wonder whether—’
‘Damn the circumstances. We have a premiere to celebrate. Besides, what happened tonight could be very good for the box office. Don’t you agree, Kirkwood?’
‘Let’s hope so. Porrick’s Palaces could certainly do with an upturn in revenue. Urgently.’
The lights began to go out, one by one. There was a small cheer of approval. The only illumination that Hartmann left on were the panels leading down to the basement.
Porrick smiled. ‘That’s more like it. Put the gramophone on, why don’t you. Let’s make this a real party.’
‘Do you not ’ave any pity for the poor girl who lose her eye, Monsieur Porrick?’
High horns strained and blared in the semi-darkness, giving way to shimmering strings. Then Al Jolson’s rich baritone came in singing You made me love you, I didn’t want to do it, I didn’t want to do it.
Porrick turned to Eloise, a dim figure now in the dark press. He raised his voice to be heard over the recording. ‘Of course, I’m very sorry for her, my dear. But us being miserable won’t put that eye back in her head now, will it? Come on now, let’s be more cheery. You’re not a bun strangler, are you?’
Eloise frowned in incomprehension.
‘A teetotaller!’
‘Non, I am not that.’
‘Well then, allow me to get you a drink so we can toast your triumphant performance. You are a sensation, my dear! A veritable sensation. You make the film – and you will make all our fortunes, I’m sure of it.’
Hartmann’s doom-laden voice cut in. ‘Perhaps it’s too soon to celebrate, Porrick. If that policeman gets his way, Waechter’s masterpiece will be withdrawn from public exhibition.’
‘What? He can’t do that! I have a two-week exclusive! I’m relying on this dear lady’s eyes to fill my Palaces for the next two weeks. I have nothing else to show if I can’t show that!’
Porrick sensed the rabbit twitch of his accountant’s nose, scenting disaster. ‘The business can’t sustain a loss of revenue on that scale. Coming on top of everything else, this could spell the end.’
Porrick shook his head. ‘You ought to be glad you don’t have Kirkwood as your accountant, Hartmann. He’s a proper Cassandra.’
‘I will remind you that Cassandra always prophesied the truth. It wasn’t her fault if no one ever believed her.’
‘I say, there’s a film scenario idea in that! Waechter, why don’t we make a film about Cassandra? We could give her Scudder as a lap dog. Eloise could play Cassandra. She’s never believed but her faithful lapdog proves that she was telling the truth. Somehow. You’ll make it work.’
There was no comment from the Austrian director on Porrick’s impromptu outline.
‘I am not sure, given the difficulties you face already, that you should still be considering a move into production, Mr Porrick.’
‘Nonsense, Kirkwood. Fortune favours the brave, and all that. With Eloise and Scudder together in a film – no, let’s think big! In a series of films – what’s stopping us? We can’t fail, I tell you!’
‘I should tell you I had a letter from the City regulators this morning, Mr Porrick. They are intending to instigate an investigation. They are claiming certain irregularities concerning the raising of funds. They say that you are over-capitalized. That the dividends you have paid have not been earned. That the whole business is a sham, in other words.’
Novak gave a low whistle. Then his odious cackle cut through over Al Jolson’s emotional pleading: Gimme gimme gimme what I cry for. You’ve got the kind of kisses that I die for. ‘I don’t know much about finance, Porrick, but it sounds to me like you’re in a bit of a pickle, old chum.’ The American put on a phony English accent that made his words even more unwelcome.
Edna loomed up, an immense, inescapable silhouette of doom. ‘Porrick? What are they talking about?’
‘Nothing, my dear. Pay them no heed. It’s just Novak trying to be funny.’
Kirkwood bristled. ‘But I wasn’t trying to be funny.’
‘I’m sure you weren’t.’
‘I will never forgive you if we lose the house, Porrick.’
‘There’s no danger of that, my dear.’
‘On the contrary, there is every danger of that, Mr Porrick.’ As well as having no sense of humour, Kirkwood was unable to tell a lie.
‘Enough of this … pessimism. I’ll sort the finances out tomorrow. Tonight, however, I fully intend to get blind drunk on Hartmann’s champagne!’
‘Typical!’ concluded Edna. ‘Well, you needn’t think I’m going to stay around watching that unedifying spectacle.’
‘Edna, don’t go, love! The party’s just getting going!’
Al Jolson was at that moment coming to the end of his emotional confession with an emphatic, rousing Ritardando. You … know … you … made me … love yoooooouuuu.
‘You can come with me now, Porrick. Or don’ bother comin’ home at all.’
‘Edna!’
But it was too late.
‘Hell hath no fury like a woman whose husband is about to be declared bankrupt.’ Porrick could hear the sly grin in Novak’s observation.
‘Mrs Porrick has been my staff and my support – my rock – over the years. I am sure she will not abandon me now.’
‘She sure looks like she’s abandoning you, Porrick, old chum.’
‘She’ll see things differently in the morning.’
‘And if you lose the house?’
‘I’m not going to lose the house! Am I, Kirkwood?’
‘Taking into consideration the very latest box office from all your theatres, and allowing for a highly optimistic forecast regarding the expected box office from your exclusive deal with Visionary Productions – taking all that into account, I do not see any prospect of your being able to turn around your fortunes. My honest opinion is that you will not only lose your Mayfair property; there is every chance that you can look forward to a short spell of being detained at His Majesty’s Pleasure. I’m afraid the City regulators take a dim view of fraud, Mr Porrick.’
‘You’re my bloody accountant, Kirkwood! Can’t you do anything?’
‘I am professionally bound to cooperate with the investigators in any way I can.’
‘Marvellous. First my wife deserts me, then my accountant.’
‘Haven’t seen that dog of yours recently, either,’ quipped Novak.
In the darkness, they had kissed. Indeed, it was as if the darkness had grown lips and his mouth had latched on to them.
And all the while Will Oakland sang about the curse of an aching heart.
There were other things the darkness had grown too. Soft, yielding, female things. And it had become scented with a hot, intoxicating breath that left him hollowed out and weightless, as if he had been filled with helium.
All this was to say, she had permitted him a certain licence. His hands had strayed, first tentatively, and then with more confidence when no resistance had been met.