Chapter 24

"Are you sure you have to be going home so soon?"

These words were addressed to Veronica, the new and highly applauded film star, by the Director, who was by this time a very friendly man indeed. This previously harassed and irritable fellow had taken a great fancy to the stunning tall blonde by this time. In his opinion she had handled the human sacrifice scene brilliantly.

Everyone had agreed that she had brought a startling dimension of horror the scene by her unearthly screams and gargantuan writhing against her restraining bonds as the knife had flashed down towards her unprotected and heaving belly. Truth to tell, she had half believed that the disembowelment was to be for real!

"Sorry, but it is part of my agreement. I'm doing this nude thing as part of a kind of bet."

"Well, you certainly dug us out of a pretty deep hole tonight, my dear. I can't tell you just how much we are in your debt. I wonder if you would be interested in taking part in any future productions we might be embarking on?"

"Are you a very well known film company?" asked Veronica, trying to suppress a deep and very loud yawn. (She was getting to be pretty exhausted by now).

"No" replied the director, giving his name as Algernon FitzWalter. "I fear we are a very struggling enterprise. And if this latest production doesn't make the grade, we will be in a bit of bother. Don't worry - you'll get your money OK."

"Oh, no!" sighed Veronica. "You saved my life tonight with that lovely fire and all that warming exercise. If I can ever help, I will. Not that that is very likely, alas, apart from my minimal acting talent!"

Then she explained to the Director the reason for her being in a state of undress.

"What a story!", he exclaimed. "We might even try to make a film out of that! You never know! That gay black Wykehamist bouncer is a lovely touch!"

"I'd rather you didn't, to be quite honest" replied Veronica with a shiver - the fire was rapidly diminishing by now and she was, of course, still quite naked in the cold night air.

"You never know. This film could be the making of you! I certainly hope so! And now I really must be getting along before all the good that blaze did for me goes to waste! Goodbye everyone!"

She slipped off into the night with the good wishes of the film crew ringing in her ears and was soon out of earshot of them all as they prepared to tidy up and leave the Heath in the same pristine state that they had found it in earlier in the night.

The lovely Veronica had a choice before her now. It would be quicker for her to make for the path between the mixed bathing pond and one of the other ponds, but this would leave her totally exposed on a narrow pathway and with no hope of concealment for very many yards. She decided to make towards the right and take the longer way around, where there would be much greater cover in case she happened to come upon a late night patrol of the zealous guardians of law, order and public decency.

Fortunately there was a clear sky at present, which was the worst of bad news from the temperature angle, as she shivered uncontrollably and tried to forget the intense cold - mind over matter and all that - but good news when it came to picking her way in the dark, as the moon was almost half full by this time of the month. Nevertheless, her feet kept stepping on sharp and stony protuberances, much to the detriment of her already tender and over exercised soles. She gasped painfully more times than she could keep count of.

Veronica was making towards that tree lined avenue familiar to anyone who had ever watched the 1980s series "Smiley's People" - that sinister avenue where the hapless elderly General Vladimir had met his grisly death in Episode One.

Veronica was thinking about this as she walked gingerly along. "Moscow Rules" she thought. "Just what the bloody Hell WERE Moscow Rules?"

Making chalk marks on wooden posts seemed to have formed a part of this odd and mysterious procedure, although what possible benefit it was to any dangerous and covert operation, she had always been at a complete and utter loss to understand. It hadn't done the poor old General much good; that was for sure! "Mind you, old girl" she thought. "There was a heck of a lot I didn't understand about that series. 'Friends' is a lot easier on the brain, but, of course, it's American, so it would be."

As she was thinking these thoughts and feeling a little apprehensive about negotiating the storm damaged avenue in question, she was on the point of screaming as a new fright burst upon her!