‘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. Theywanted 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?’
