Chapter 11
Buffy collapsed backwards on the hotel bed with a loud sigh. Whether it was because she’d walked for miles and miles up Oxford Street, and Carnaby Street, and been in practically every mall from Regent Street to Essex, or if it was the smell of burning plastic as her credit card took a bashing, she wasn’t quite sure - probably a bit of both!
Still, she hadn’t had a holiday in years, and she was determined to make up for it. She’d got a show booked for that evening; she was going to see Wicked, and then a post-theatre supper at Simpson’s in the Strand.
ooOOoo
William yawned and stretched. The camp-stool he’d been sitting on wasn’t the comfiest of seats, but needs must as it was light to carry when he also had paint box, canvas, easel, camera and his lunch to carry also. He looked at his watch. The light was fading; the sun was disappearing behind the side of the huge hill. His stomach rumbled, he felt hungry. He packed away his painting gear and made for the cottage. He’d done well these last few days, got some nice sketches of the little boats in the harbour, a superb one of some fishermen unloading their catch, a nice view of the bay and one of the little line of shops along the prom. Good stuff to turn into decent paintings when he returned home. He took the camera so he could take pictures to get the light and shade correct, and also for details such as shop names etc. Tomorrow he wanted to sketch the cottage he was staying in from the beach, and then sometime this week he was thinking of heading out to St Barnabus’ Island, locally known as Barney’s Bit. It had a monastery, a lighthouse, an animal sanctuary and some great views of the smugglers caves William wanted to draw. He’s see how the weather faired – the Gulf Stream ran close to the coast and if the weather was bad it could be quite choppy on the sea. If it was bad this week – heck, he’d go next week, he still had loads of time.
ooOOoo
“Rack, come on man…I’m giving you first choice – the whole collection!” Angel said, like he was doing the guy a favour
“Nuh huh, that Prince Arreeza, Vida loca guy whatever, you gave HIM first choice…” Rack slurred, even though it was only 10.30am
“You can have ANY piece you want man!” Angel said
“Hey…come with us!” Rack said rambling
“What – where, what are you on about?” Angel asked, trying to humour his drunk/stoned friend
Rack dropped the phone, and Angel could hear him calling out to another band member………
“Pav…Pav…PAVANE!”
“Wot?”
“Tell um, thingy on the phone…’bout going to um, where is it? – Oh yeah, Swizzy-land bowsnording, I mean , snow-boarding”
“That’s not ‘til Christmas you wanker!” Pavane retorted
“Tell him – goo on!” Angel could hear the phone being picked up
“Snowboarding in Swizzy-land!” Rack said, hiccupping
“Yeah, sounds great, so what about it, which piece do you want?” Angel asked impatiently
“Piece? – Hold on…(the phone was dropped again, and Angel could hear the sound of a deep sniff)
“BROOOOOOOOOOOGAHHHHHHHHHHH!! HOO! HITS THE SPOT MAN!” Rack shouted. Angel rolled his eyes, he would cut his losses and end the call, Rack was in no condition to talk to now he’d had a toot of the old Charlie.
“Okay then my friend, talk to you later okay, Rack…Rack, I said I’ll speak to you la-!” Angel called out loud
“Motorbikes!” Rack announced
“We’ll get motorbikes and do route 66 – Get your kicks, on Route, 66 – yeehaa!” Rack laughed down the phone
Angel sighed, totally fucking away with the fairies he thought
“Yeah great man, terrific, talk to you soon, bye”
“………kicks, on route 66 – dina-dina dina dina aaaaaaaaaaa oo-oo-oo bay-bee” Was all that Angel heard before he put the phone down.
Angel rubbed his mouth with his hand. He was worried, and had need to be. This exhibition was costing him an arm and a leg to show, and as yet he’s not sold one piece. There was no other gallery prominent enough willing to take the exhibition next, and with the prospect of this court case coming up, well, he could end up owing millions he simply didn’t have.
As if to pile on the agony, Cordelia entered the room.
“Wolfram, Hart and Shipton says that a junior partner will take on the case for you, but it’ll cost $25,000 for the preliminary hearing and an additional $10,000 a day for everyday after that. If you win all costs will be reclaimed from the other side”
“IF I win, whaddya mean, IF I win! Whose side are you on?”
“I’m just telling you what they said, that’s all, don’t shoot the messenger!” Cordelia stood with hands on her hips
“And that’s a Junior partner, Jeezus H Christ – how much for one of the senior parties to get up off their asses?”
“That would be $75,000 and $50,000”
“Fucking hell!”
“Well, you did say find the best, and-“
“Yeah, yeah I know what I said!” Angel flapped his hand motioning her to go away
“Don’t you flap your hand at me! Do I book them or not?” Cordelia snapped, she honestly didn’t know why she put up with him…
“Not, I’m gonna represent myself – d’ya think I’m made of money? – buying you shoes when I SHOULD be able to count on your loyalty”
“Oh that’s rich coming from YOU! I SHOULD have been able to count on YOUR loyalty when we were a couple, but oh no, you had to louse it up, let me come home and find you in bed with that, that trailer trash piece Faith!”
“Still sore about that are you? – Be careful Cordy, I’ll be thinking next that you still care” Angel said with a smirk.
Cordelia could have slapped him, slapped that smug self-satisfied grin off his face at least. She looked at him with as much distain as she could muster and said,
“You wish!” She left, she just closed the door quietly, she didn’t even want to give him the satisfaction that she was steaming mad, not only for the stupidity of what he’d said, but for his sheer bloody-minded arrogance too.
ooOOoo
At Victoria coach station, bay 7, Buffy handed over the two huge suitcases to the coach driver and made her way onto the bus itself. It was a modern air-conditioned Continental style coach with comfy seats and Buffy took a double near the centre of the bus. She’d bought a carrier bag with her and it contained a book, a magazine, her iPod and earphones, a sandwich, packet of potato chips, some fruit candy sweets and a bottle of soda. Her stop was the end of the line, and she knew she’d have at least three and a half hours before she got there, so she settled down and got comfy.
ooOOoo
Angel was sitting on the leather couch in his office, with a list of people who’d bought his work before…
“………Okay Mrs Sorensen, no I didn’t know he’d died, no, I’m sorry………yes I’ve heard death-duties in England are crippling…look, I’m sorry but I’ve got to go, bye!” Angel swiftly ended the call and closed his eyes. He’s totally forgotten that the famous industrialist Lars Sorensen had dropped dead on the golf course eight months ago. Onto the next then, Bernard Langley, an English restaurateur
“What? – No, no – no problems at all Bernard, hahaha, I just wanted to um, to offer you a piece before it all went you know, I didn’t want you disappointed that I’d sold out before you had a chance to see any of it” Angel tried to sound light-hearted…
“Well that’s nice of you Angel, but this credit crunch, you know…tightening our belts, we’re just about hanging onto The Dovecote in Howth, and Maddigan’s in Park Lane, but we’ve had to let the gastro-pub go, The George V is now going to be a series of loft-style apartments I’m afraid, and it’s still very tight with the bank us running the two restaurants. Not only that, the little woman has cancelled her new Mercedes convertible, so I can’t really go and spend $250,000 on a work of um, well one of your pieces now can I?!”
Angel forced a chuckle and said,
“Give you a discount!”
“No, sorry Angel – we lost $4 million in the investments I had and the bank said -“
“Okay Larry, I get the message, see ya around!” Angel quickly ended that call too. He’d called everybody he could think of, and it was all pretty much the same – nobody could afford it. The last guy he’d phoned, a music producer called Larry Schroedinger had been his last hope. Resignedly he said;
“It’s okay Larry, I understand, it’s pretty much the answer I’ve been getting all around, bye”
When Cordelia came back into the room, she saw a contemplative Angel, sitting on the sofa’s edge, elbows on knees, hands together as if in prayer, his lips touching his fingers.
“I found a firm…they’ll represent you…they’ll do it on a no-win-no-fee basis…helps train the young lawyers – I thought it better at least somebody who knows a bit about the law, rather than you trying to…well, you know. Shall I book them?”
Angel looked up and smiled at her
“Hmm, please” Cordelia nodded and turned to go
“Cordy” Angel said
“Hmm?”
“You know…thanks” she nodded and left.
ooOOoo
Buffy stepped off the bus and was surprised by how hot it was! The sun was beating down and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was a little after 2pm. Buffy queued and got her cases from the back of the bus and then she went and stood at the taxi rank. Quickly it was her turn and she stepped in and said to the driver
“The Seaview Hotel please”
The driver grinned at her as he put her cases in the back of the car.
“The Seaview huh, that’s my mom’s place, be there in a jiffy!”
“Great” Buffy said, smiling too.
oOo
Buffy was shown a pretty little room by a smiley-faced, slightly rotund lady, who introduced herself as Betty Bellamy. She showed Buffy how to switch on the TV and use the kettle, and said she only had to go downstairs and ring the bell in reception if she wanted anything. She gave Buffy her room key and left. The room was painted all white, with a lacy counterpane on the bed, it was SO pretty, the pillowcases had tiny little pink roses on them, and there was a bowl of sweet smelling pot-pourri on the dressing table. There was a wardrobe, and a bedside table, with a small kettle, a mug and spoon, and sachets of sugar and coffee, and little pots of milk and some tea bags. On the wall was a TV, and through the open window Buffy could see a huge hill and the sea. She could also hear the sea gulls with their plaintive cry. Through the door by the window was the toilet, a wash basin and a walk-in shower cubical.
Buffy decided she’d unpack some stuff, then go and explore the resort.
oOo
It didn’t take long for her to find him. She saw him from the back immediately she turned and walked along the harbour wall. He was sitting and sketching. She grinned, took off her sandals and stepped down onto the beach. She walked along the sand and standing a foot behind him she said,
“It’s a good job you’ve got a gallery to exhibit this beautiful drawing, isn’t it?”
Without turning at first William nodded, smiled and said
“Yes, I suppose it – hang on, how do you know I’ve got a (he turned to see a grinning Buffy, his eyes nearly popping)
“BUFFY! It’s YOU!” he stood up quickly in total surprise, his camp-stool toppling over.
“How, I mean when – no, why - oh god this is – “ He pulled her into a rough hug, then remembered he didn’t really know her well enough to do that…
“Oh god, sorry, don’t listen to me (he ran his hand down his sweating face) I’ve done this all wrong!”
Buffy laughed and said,
“It’s okay. Right, one question at a time, how? – On one of those (she pointed skywards to a passing plane. When? – five days ago, I’ve been in London, done some shopping, been around some galleries, taken in a couple of shows…
Why? – Because, well because basically, I needed a holiday!”
William was grinning at her and said
“It’s just wonderful to see you!!”
Buffy grinned and said,
“I’ll concur with that statement; it’s so good I found you so quickly!”
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