Shot with Crimson by Nicola Upson

Author:Nicola Upson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Published: 2023-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

10

Josephine woke early to the sound of Marta making breakfast in the kitchen. She got out of bed and pulled the curtains, keen to savour her first glimpse of the area in daylight, and was greeted by a glorious vista of sunshine, space and greenery, inside and out. The apartments that Selznick International had leased for Hitchcock and his associates were in the Wilshire Palms on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, just beyond the Beverly Hills boundary – a new, low-rise building with stunning views of the mountains and ocean. Chosen for its ten-minute drive to the studios, the apartment had plenty of other features to recommend it. It was beautifully appointed, with pastel carpets and drapes, and modern, simple furniture that was nonetheless attractive to look at. The softly coloured walls absorbed and intensified the light, while a series of geometric mirrors – the only harsh lines in the apartment – threw it back into the room, giving everything a radiance that felt fresh and hopeful.

All the windows were wide open, and the gentle breeze coming through was already warm for this hour of the morning; once the day got into its stride, it was set to be a scorcher. In typically extravagant style, Marta had filled everywhere with flowers, ready for Josephine’s arrival, and the scent of gardenias – green and earthy, with a subtle sweetness – greeted her as she walked through to the living room. ‘Good morning.’ Marta put a tray down on the coffee table and gave her a kiss. ‘Sorry about the early start. I was going to bring this through to you in bed. You were dead to the world when the alarm went off.’

‘I can’t remember when I last slept so well. Somehow I wasn’t expecting Hollywood to be peaceful.’

‘I’m sure the journey must have helped. That and goose down – please don’t ask me how much those pillows cost.’

‘Whatever it was, they were worth it.’ Josephine looked round, taking in the general air of space and luxury that Marta’s natural untidiness hadn’t been in residence long enough to obliterate. ‘Actually, I should be honoured that you come home at all. This is exquisite.’

‘I’m glad you like it, although there’s one thing that it can’t compete with.’ Marta drew her close and kissed her again. ‘But now that thing is here, I might never see England again.’ There was a time when such a comment would have filled Josephine’s heart with dread, no matter how playfully it was made, but she just laughed, marvelling at how far they had come. That her love for Marta should be the anchor in life now rather than the thing that threatened to throw the world off its axis was a source of joy and amazement to her. ‘We’ll eat in here now you’re up,’ Marta said, ‘and if you think this is the height of sophistication, you should see Hitch and Alma’s place. They’re in a three-bedroom penthouse on the top floor. They’ve even got a bar.

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