Morington stood tall and cold glaring down stony faced at the column of strangers as though judging their right to be here. Moringtons thinly slit windows were lit with fires in grates within, even in this icy cold Morington’s inviting gestures did not ring true. That was why Jemima was here. She stoked the fire and opened the heavy oak door. She beamed with delight at the strangers and enquired after their health.

            And cut. Pint it” Came the hoarse voice of the director. Jemima stole a glance at him his denim baseball cap masked his face in shadows but he was smiling.

            “I think we’ll break for lunch” The second assistant said dismissing them all with a friendly wave. Jemima hobbled back to the dressing room. Her knee was playing up again. She collapsed into the wicker chair with a sigh of relief, she found the support bandage where sh had left it and gingerly pulled it on. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Puddle duck came to mind. Her most hated childhood nickname had come back to haunt her staring back at her in the mirror was a lady in a blue bonnet and a crochet shawl. The brown eyes were staring at her in bemusement. She couldn’t help it she began to giggle. She stopped herself with a start. “God” she whispered”I hope no one heard me. What would they think a middle aged lady all alone giggling to her?”  She paused and then thought to herself “Actually its more worrying that you were talking to yourself out loud. Come on Jemima. Get up.” She did as she was told with as little rearranging of her shawl as possible.

            She opened the door and jumped as she cam face to face with Tarek, he also looked rather taken back. “Clearly he hadn’t expected to be almost knocked out by a lady in a bonnet wielding a door.” She muttered to herself.

            “Sorry?” Tarek said politely, wearing a small smile.

            “Oh. I said I hope I didn’t hit you with the door.”

            “Ah. No.” came the awkward reply followed by a pause. “Um you did rather well in the last scene. I mean you looked at home…” Jemima grinned for a split second torn between saying nothing and watching him squirm in his state of embarrassed shyness or blurt out what she really felt by saying “of course I was good you stupid boy, I was better than good I was brilliant, I was the best thing in that scene and I’m the only person here who can carry off a bonnet.” She settled however with “thank you. I’m enjoying myself immensely. “Tarek smiled.

            “Um good.” He made a gesture with his hand indicating that they should start walking. Jemima smiled to herself how many other people would be so polite to escort you to the canteen or hold the doors open on the way. She felt a bit of pity for him as he tried small talk to cover his awkward shyness. “Its an interesting project.”

            “Yes”

            “One of the reasons why I chose it. Erm . It being based on a true story and all.”

            “Yes except I don’t think the interpretation of bastion being a vampire rings true.” Jemima looked at his face his nervouse smile was beginning to waver. The poor boy would soon settle in to his usual embarrassed polite sullen silence She found herself quickly adding. “You do a wonderful job with him though. I’m having lunch with flo. Would you like to join us?”

            “One of the make up ladies?”

            “Yes”

            “No. thank you. I promised to sit with Sir John.” His face lost the awkward shyness as dislike spread across his amiable face like a disease at the mention of his colleagues name. He seemed to realize and made a half smile and a reluctant retreat. “Yes” Jemima said quietly out loud. “go. Go make yourself miserable.” She sat down and thumbed through her script as something to do whilst waiting for flo. Her concentration was interrupted as the voices of Cranam and his cronies stabbed through her consciousness.

            “are you really going to do it Robert?”

            “Where on earth did you get it Rob?”

            What exactly is it?” Robert Cranam strode past his friends and perched on the edge of a table not far from Jemima. She watched as Robert adjusted his hair and leant in to his friends he was known as Sir John to Tarek, she wondered why as it wasn’t his characters name. “Vain, arrogant man” she muttered. Perhaps that was why blonde hair and a proud air about him. Her ears caught the words.

            “I’ll do it during lunch. After all I’m supposed to be meeting with him for a little chat.”

            “but Rob what’s in the bottle?”

            “Dwale.”

            “Isn’t that poisonous Rob?”

            “Well yeah but only in large doses. People use this to relax and soothe the muscles. its probably been diluted or something. There’s not much left in the bottle anyway. The effects are what’ll make this interesting Tarek will be as hot and as red as though under a Spanish inquisition, he’ll be shivering so much people will think he’s on something if we’re lucky he’ll start hallucinating that’ll liven things up a bit!”

            “Robert you do know Dwale is belladonna? I’m not saying it won’t be entertaining but where did you get it? You don’t just pick it up off the shelves in Sainsbury’s!”

            “Don’t be an idiot Paul. I got it from one of those make up girls. You know the one that always sits with the fat lady in the bonnet?” Jemima bristled.

            “Easy Rob  she might hear you.”

            “I doubt it. Anyway I told this girl that I had a tension headache” He put on a whimpering voice “and lavender just doesn’t seem to be working.” Anyway I thought I’d put it in his…” She felt a wave of irritation as Flo tapped her on her shoulder. “Hello Jemima my turn to get the lunch today. Wont be long. You’ll never guess who I talked to today, any way I’ll tell you about it in a minute. I’ll get our lunch.”

            “thanks flo!”  Jemima said to Flo’s retreating back. Jemima turned back to Cranam and his cronies. “Where’s Robert?”

            “pardon?” said flo.

            “I said I’ll get the coffees “ Jemima replied seeing Robert join the queue. She picked up a tray and made her way to the coffee machine she joined the back of  the  queue. She had to see what he was doing. She couldn’t believe he was that stupid.. she knew he and Tarek never saw eye to eye. They were professional enough in front of the camera why  did he have to start now? Couldn’t he see it was dangerous? Why would his friends let him do this? What power did he hold over them? And what was flo thinking what an irresponsible thing to do! She was too trusting. She saw Robert carry his tray over to Tarek’s table. “all right Jemima I think you’re going to have to be a bit more subtle.” She took a deep breath.

            “sorry were you talking to me?” Jemima whipped round to see a puzzled extra behind her. Damn . she hated this habit.

            “No to myself. I always have trouble working the coffee machine. It’s the red button isn’t it?” The girl smiled and nodded. Jemima used the shiny chrome surface to check on Tarek and Robert. Maybe Robert was all talk. He certainly struck her that way. Maybe he hadn’t put it in Tarek’s coffee. No he hadn’t because she could see him slipping it in now.. Jemima picked up her steaming cups and put them on her tray.. She couldn’t let this happen. she watched as the reflection Tarek picked up his cup. “move Jemima”

            “excuse me?”

“no I was just talking to myself.”

            “No Mrs. staples you’re wanted in make up.”

            “oh right. Sorry. Just coming”

            “I think you’ve got time for a coffee.”

            “thanks.” Jemima shook her head. She suddenly didn’t feel like coffee any more. She glanced over to Tarek and Robert she couldn’t tell if he’d drunken any. One thing for sure she wouldn’t let him drink anymore, she’d take him straight to the medic and …

            “Jemima? Where are you going? Our table is over there” flo was standing right in front of her. “You were miles away.”

            “I was just thinking.”

            “ Come on then. I’ve got sandwiches incase we’re called away.”

            “I’m supposed to be in make up. We can eat there but I ve got something to do first.!

            “what have you got to do?”

            “ flo ! just take the tray!” Jemima thrust the tray at flo who tumbled but managed to grab it. Jemima looked over to Tarek and Robert. She looked over to an empty table, complete with empty plates and cups. Her attention turned to the other side of the canteen as it erupted in cheers. Robert was holding up an empty brown bottle. One of flo’s bottles. Jemima felt sick. She had hoped to stop this and spare flo’s feelings once she realized what she had done. it was no use. She had to come clean. “flo I am so sorry. I’ve got something to tell you.”

            “Jemima what is it? What’s wrong?”

            “Flo when Robert asked you for dwale for his headache. He was lying. He wanted it for Tarek , to make him ill or at least uncomfortable enough to be publicly humiliated. I know you meant well but Robert Cranam has poisoned Tarek you do have an antidote don’t you?”

            “Jemima calm down. I wouldn’t give belladonna to Robert Cranam although I’ve been tempted. He was looking in my box and saw it. I switched bottles when I was decantering. I switched it for chamomile. I only use dwale for myself. I’m not that irresponsible. I thought chamomile was a lot better way to relax. You look as though you could do with some yourself you’re as white as a sheet.”