Chapter 1
‘Found it.’
‘Really? Where?’ replied an excited voice.
‘In Lancashire, a place called Samphire Bay. A huge Art Deco house on a peninsula. It’s perfect,’ stated the man, sounding very pleased with himself. He lifted his shades to look out onto the bay before him, then back again at the property he was discussing: a white Art Deco house built in 1939 sat high on a large piece of land that showed off the architecture perfectly. It showcased all the character features from the era – the modernist curvature of the bow windows, Art Deco motifs and parapets on the exterior.
As a director, he and his location manager had been scouting for months, not only to find the ideal spot, but property too, for their new drama, ‘Lady Scarlett Investigates’. Nowhere until now had fit the bill. They needed the period house as the drama was set in the 1920s, which had opened a few possibilities, but the locations hadn’t been right. They were either too crowded, closely surrounded by other modern buildings or in poor condition. One house had come close to their requirements but the respective owners had proved to be a nightmare in negotiating a contract. Too many hours of discussion and planning had been poured into a deal that never went through, which had wasted valuable time and set back the production. Hence the location manager’s next question.
‘Have you spoken to the owners?’ he asked warily, ever mindful of the previous hindrance.
‘No need.’
‘Why?’
‘I’ve just bought it,’ came the smug reply.
Registering an interest in the house a week ago, under his real name – Adam. F. Sinclair – had proved extremely advantageous. It had given him a degree of anonymity, which is exactly what he desired. As a relatively well-known actor, he went by the stage name of Felix Paschal, Felix being his second name and Pascal his French mother’s maiden name. Now, after years of treading the boards in theatres up and down the country and starring in various TV series and films, Felix had decided to go into directing. He’d often envied the directors’ role on shoots, their ability to lead and manage. That’s what he’d craved, a bit of control. Gone for him the early morning starts, unsociable hours and monotonous slog of memorising lines. Plus, there was the intrusion that acting inevitably brought, as well as the copious amount of fan mail. Not that he didn’t appreciate his fans, he did, but when he couldn’t leave the studios for fear of being followed, or when one or two had taken to stalking, the alarm bells started to ring.
However, the biggest drawback to being a successful actor had been the complete invasion of his personal life. He had recently split up from a long-term girlfriend, supermodel Anika Genness. With both of them being in the public eye, their separation had been hot news and was just about plastered over every tabloid going. For Felix, it was a bridge too far. For Anika, it was welcomed publicity. She loved to be the centre of attention and relished being the focus of the paparazzi. She could work it. Boy, could she work it, turning on the tears at the drop of a hat or a sniff of a camera. Anika had played the victim, the ‘wronged woman’ to the heartbreaker Felix Paschal. It was far from the truth – they both knew it, but she wasn’t going to let that get in the way of a good story. And a good story was exactly what she was spinning, for all the world to see.
All the media interest had evidently been fruitful for Anika, so much so, her agent positively encouraged it. Several modelling contracts had appeared as a result of her very public break up with the heartthrob actor. She had also been approached to be the face of a make-up advertising campaign, which offered a very lucrative fee. So for Anika Genness, she was the ‘It Girl’, forever in the news and with plenty of work coming in – happy days.
For Felix, it meant even more attention and a further invasion of privacy and hehatedit. He wanted out. Out of London where it seemed the world and his wife knew where he was, constantly having to look over his shoulder. He’d grown tired of having to disguise himself. Felix wanted space, to be able to just be himself.
‘You need to get away,mon chéri,’ his mother had sighed down the phone.
Yes, he agreed, hedidneed to get away.
When he’d been offered the director’s job for a new BBC drama, Felix had seized the opportunity. At last, he was able to fulfil his dream. He’d still be in show business, but on a more private level, behind the scenes and not in front of a camera. He’d also be in charge, not at the beck and call of others. As a director, he would be making the decisions; casting the actors, interpreting the scripts, co-ordinating with the film crew and, best of all, identifying set locations. This was just what he had yearned for – a new location, a change of scenery.
Felix had joined forces with Andy White, the location manager, and their quest had become personal. They had both been searching for suitable sites for some time. But when Felix had spotted a new property on the market, the phrase ‘killing two birds with one stone’ came to mind. His eyes had narrowed when seeing the magnificent Art Deco house on the Grand & Country estate agent website.
This stunning property sits in an equally dramatic setting. Standing on the peninsula of Lancashire’s picturesque Samphire Bay, this spectacular period property, influenced by the Art Deco movement, boasts much character and charm…
Felix scoured each and every photograph, loving what he saw. From the marbled hall with its high, cherry yellow ceiling with glamorous lighting in gold leaf and chrome finishing to the full-length fan wall mirror and the sweeping staircase. The rooms leading off the hall had the typical Art Deco sunburst mantels above the door frames, and the light switches had the original brass cases. It was all so captivating and very fitting of the era it had been built.
The drawing room had high dusty pink walls covered with two elaborate mirrors and various water-coloured paintings with gold ornate frames. There was also a retro glass drinks cabinet. The bedrooms featured geometric patterned walls, double beds with huge plush velvet headboards, matching velvet scalloped shell chairs, mirrored dressing tables, cut-glass chandeliers and Burr Walnut wardrobes.
It was indeed an impressive house and just what they wanted. It was ideal, ticking all the right boxes and very in-keeping for their drama. What made it even more appealing were the fixtures, fittings and furniture all included in the price. The property came ready-made and the main character, Lady Scarlett, would look so at home in it. But what’s more, the location was picture-perfect. Cut off from the tide twice a day, the house was secluded on the peninsula of a remote coastal village, away from prying eyes. No being pestered by the public or having to work round the locals, and above all peace and quiet. Privacy, precisely what Felix sought. And for that reason he bought it.
He’d basically already made his mind up before attending the scheduled open house day. The scenic journey further enforced his decision. Samphire Bay was an absolute dream of a place with its turquoise, glittering shore and sandy coves. It made complete sense to him, especially after the debacle with the owners of the previous property they’d selected. This way the whole crew could get moving, making up for lost time. If he was the owner, it would save on any negotiations and time scales. Felix and his team would have free range. He would also have the isolation and freedom he wanted.
