Read Online A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anne Perry
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script, and also the part where the stake is put through Lucy’s body in the coffin. James, we’ll have to see most of the horror of that moment in your face.”
They obeyed. Caroline watched and took notes until a late luncheon was served, then again all afternoon. They could not resolve all the slow patches, or the technical difficulties, but they continued into the search for Dracula after the destruction of Lucy’s vampire form in the coffin. As Joshua had suggested, they put another excellent piece of mimicry into Van Helsing’s speech recountingRenfield’s death and final release from his terrible state; even in his very last moments, as his body contorted, Renfield could not completely forget his lust for the life force in the flies and rats, so tight was the vampire’s control over him.
They began to work on the first part of the play, where Dracula attacks Mina, establishing the bond with her that would ultimately bring about his own destruction.
“It’s coming,” Joshua said wearily, his voice cracking a little. It was nearly six o’clock in the evening and they were all exhausted. The snow was still streaming past the windows in the darkness, glistening briefly in the reflected light before the curtains were pulled closed.
He repeated the same belief again to Caroline when they were at last alone in their bedroom. The fire burned hot in the hearth, the guard set in front of it so no coals could fall out and set light to the carpet. It was warm, silent but for the rushing of the wind outside, and filled with a rare kind of comfort, as if they were uniquely safe.
“Is it truly?” she asked him. She sat on the bed brushing her hair, finding the rhythm of the movement soothing.
He smiled. “Yes. Alice is really quite good, you know. She’s perceptive and she learns quickly.”
“Mr. Ballin was brilliant.” She watched his face to read whether he minded or not. She saw only admiration.
“It makes me wonder if he is an actor himself,” he agreed. “Or even a playwright. I didn’t think of having Van Helsing virtually play Renfield, but as soon as he showed us, it seemed so obvious.”
“Will Vincent do it?” she asked with sudden anxiety. “What if his vanity prevents him from taking the advice?”
Joshua smiled widely, almost a grin. “You don’t understand him yet, do you? He’ll do it, believe me, and take credit for the idea. It’s far too clever, too good a showcase for his talents for him to turn it aside. I won’t have to persuade him, which is what you are afraid of.”
“Am I so easy to read?” she demanded, putting the brush down on the bed and letting her hair fall loose around her.
He looked at it with obvious pleasure. “Yes, a lot of the time,” he answered. “But only because I care enough to watch you.”
She smiled back at him, feeling more than the warmth of the room inside her, a safety deeper than the stone walls of this huge house on its hilltop defying the storm.
n the morning the wind had subsided but the snow was conspicuously deeper. Although the sky was clear overhead, there were dark clouds shadowing the land to the north and far out over the sea. No one bothered to say that there was worse to come: It was obvious to anyone who looked.
“We’ll spend today running it through from beginning to end,” Joshua announced after breakfast.
“The whole play is only an hour long!” Vincent said, already short-tempered. “For God’s sake, why would the run-through take all day?”
“It will with your additions,” James snapped. “There won’t be a fly left in Whitby by the time you get around to Renfield’s death.”
“There aren’t any actual flies, you fool!” Vincent shotback at him. “It’s imagination. That’s what acting is about.”
“Then we’ll all try to imagine that you’re making a good job of it,” James said. He was not going to be beaten easily. “At least until Mr. Ballin comes back again and shows you how to do it
They obeyed. Caroline watched and took notes until a late luncheon was served, then again all afternoon. They could not resolve all the slow patches, or the technical difficulties, but they continued into the search for Dracula after the destruction of Lucy’s vampire form in the coffin. As Joshua had suggested, they put another excellent piece of mimicry into Van Helsing’s speech recountingRenfield’s death and final release from his terrible state; even in his very last moments, as his body contorted, Renfield could not completely forget his lust for the life force in the flies and rats, so tight was the vampire’s control over him.
They began to work on the first part of the play, where Dracula attacks Mina, establishing the bond with her that would ultimately bring about his own destruction.
“It’s coming,” Joshua said wearily, his voice cracking a little. It was nearly six o’clock in the evening and they were all exhausted. The snow was still streaming past the windows in the darkness, glistening briefly in the reflected light before the curtains were pulled closed.
He repeated the same belief again to Caroline when they were at last alone in their bedroom. The fire burned hot in the hearth, the guard set in front of it so no coals could fall out and set light to the carpet. It was warm, silent but for the rushing of the wind outside, and filled with a rare kind of comfort, as if they were uniquely safe.
“Is it truly?” she asked him. She sat on the bed brushing her hair, finding the rhythm of the movement soothing.
He smiled. “Yes. Alice is really quite good, you know. She’s perceptive and she learns quickly.”
“Mr. Ballin was brilliant.” She watched his face to read whether he minded or not. She saw only admiration.
“It makes me wonder if he is an actor himself,” he agreed. “Or even a playwright. I didn’t think of having Van Helsing virtually play Renfield, but as soon as he showed us, it seemed so obvious.”
“Will Vincent do it?” she asked with sudden anxiety. “What if his vanity prevents him from taking the advice?”
Joshua smiled widely, almost a grin. “You don’t understand him yet, do you? He’ll do it, believe me, and take credit for the idea. It’s far too clever, too good a showcase for his talents for him to turn it aside. I won’t have to persuade him, which is what you are afraid of.”
“Am I so easy to read?” she demanded, putting the brush down on the bed and letting her hair fall loose around her.
He looked at it with obvious pleasure. “Yes, a lot of the time,” he answered. “But only because I care enough to watch you.”
She smiled back at him, feeling more than the warmth of the room inside her, a safety deeper than the stone walls of this huge house on its hilltop defying the storm.
n the morning the wind had subsided but the snow was conspicuously deeper. Although the sky was clear overhead, there were dark clouds shadowing the land to the north and far out over the sea. No one bothered to say that there was worse to come: It was obvious to anyone who looked.
“We’ll spend today running it through from beginning to end,” Joshua announced after breakfast.
“The whole play is only an hour long!” Vincent said, already short-tempered. “For God’s sake, why would the run-through take all day?”
“It will with your additions,” James snapped. “There won’t be a fly left in Whitby by the time you get around to Renfield’s death.”
“There aren’t any actual flies, you fool!” Vincent shotback at him. “It’s imagination. That’s what acting is about.”
“Then we’ll all try to imagine that you’re making a good job of it,” James said. He was not going to be beaten easily. “At least until Mr. Ballin comes back again and shows you how to do it
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