Karen Aldous - One Moment At Sunrise

With her mood brightening, she lifted her jaw and allowed the rays from the sun to caress her face. All she needed to do was look forward. What she needed was a plan and for Seb to meet her at least halfway. She would continue working on him and keep convincing him. Feeling the soft breeze sweep around her moist neck, she set off back under the shade of the plane trees. Now letting her muscles and mind relax, she began to absorb the serene surroundings, witnessing dappled light flitting through lush leaves, the hush of still water, unruffled, reflecting the tall leafy structures along its bank. Only the bicycle wheels hitting the odd stone broke the rhythm of silence. As the path flattened then rose, an absence of trees showered down light and opened a distant landscape where farmhouses nestled among rows of bud-filled vines.

Back past the bridge at Colombiers and a further small bridge by a holiday village, Evie slowed as she hit traffic. Walkers and other cyclists bunched on her approach to Fonserannes Lock. Passing at a wider stretch beside the top of the locks, she was brought to a halt. Unusually, a large crowd congregated. She peered round towards the building to her side. A white square board with bold red writing met her gaze.

‘ATTENTION! Filming in progress. Possible dangers. Thank you for your patience. Access will resume at 11.30 a.m.’

Through the crowd, she glimpsed a barrier was in place. Spinning her watch around on her wrist, she checked the time. Another forty minutes to wait.

‘Bah. Well, poppet, we might as well sit on the grass and have an early lunch, or a drink, at least,’ she said to Charlotte, lifting her leg over the crossbar and guiding the bike past the lock keeper’s house, and towards a grass verge.

‘Evie,’ someone called, a male voice, warmly familiar. Instantly it set her tingling. She scanned the outside of the building where the sound came from, a beguiling smile curled on her lips as the tall frame approached. Ice cream in one hand, he waved tentatively with the other.

‘Oh, Ben. Hi, I’d have thought you were down there with the crew.’

‘Oh, bit of red tape to clear up with the authorities. Sorted now, so my reward…’ he brandished his ice cream in the air. ‘I’m just going back down if you want to come with me.’

‘No. I was going to sit down here…’

‘You’re my chief researcher, come on, I’ll buy you both a drink.’

‘Well that’s what I was going into Beziers to do, actually.’ Evie grappled with her rucksack. ‘And, I’ve got drinks in my bag.’

‘Here, I’ll hold the bike while you take…’ he stopped, holding out his hand and squinting, ‘err, Charlotte is it?’

Evie swallowed as a faint blush brushed over her chest. He remembered. That was unexpected.

‘Yes,’ she nodded as he placed a firm grip on the handlebars, and sandwiched his legs around the front of the wheel. Unleashing Charlotte and taking her hand, she followed Ben through the crowd and stood behind him as he put his hand in the air. Looking down at the bottom of the deep staircase of locks, she could see Samantha, Ben’s assistant, sticking up a hand and showing a thumb. They slid through an opening beside the barrier and began to potter down the steep hill. A few people began to follow, but Ben held up his palm and, very politely, asked them to wait.

‘You’re going to be popular,’ Evie told him.

‘Not long now though. I just hope we have enough time. Ah, looks like they’re ready. Probably just waiting for us to get out of the way.’

Evie swept Charlotte into her arms, livening up her pace. ‘You should have said.’

‘How have you both been anyway?’ Ben asked, finishing off his ice cream.

‘Fine, absolutely fine. The new bike is good too.’

‘Well good to know it’s not getting a chance to gather dust.’

‘Actually, it probably is on these paths now, but, yes, I use it every day. I couldn’t imagine getting around here much with a pushchair.’

Reaching the café at the bottom of the slope, Ben parked the bike. ‘Go and take a seat, I’ll be over shortly.’

Evie chose a seat on the front overlooking the canal. There was so much choice. Usually, the café was rammed as she cycled by, this obviously wasn’t good for business. She felt rather important when a further horde of people observed her from the bottom barrier as she perched herself and Charlotte among the vacant seats. Immediately, the waiter brought over a highchair and she sat Charlotte down. From her rucksack, she pulled out two small picture books and opened one up for Charlotte who immediately began pointing and gabbling.

‘ Avez-vous choisi ?’ the smiling young waiter asked.

In his absence, she ordered Ben a small beer, a coffee for herself, then peered round to survey the scene. Groups of men milled around in peasant clothes with pick axes, feigning work on a large grassed area beside the lock. On a lower section of the lock a cluster of women, also peasant-clad from the Riquet era, were accompanied by scruffy children. Further down, at the basin, nobler men with long curls dressed in pantaloons sashed at the waist and long jackets decorated with cravats were in discussion on a grass bank. No doubt, she figured, they must generate computer imaging to create authenticity with the background, but she found it fascinating. Ben must have a picture in his mind of the scenes and shots, and she was glad to see he had included the women. Her mind wandered as she gazed back at them. Who were they, she asked herself. What villages did they come from? Who did they leave behind? What life did they forsake to work here? And, was there anyone special for Mr Riquet among these women?

Questions still whirled as Ben, she realised, was now in front of her and his fresh scent breezed around her.

‘Looks good, don’t you think?’ he grinned, the glint in his eyes instantly forcing a crimson glow to her cheeks.

Just as she was about to speak, they were interrupted by the waiter placing drinks on the table in front of them.

‘Oh, I ordered you a small beer. Is that ok?’

‘Perfect, just what I need.’

‘So, yes, the costumes look amazing. I presume your main character, Mr Riquet, is among the dignitaries, there,’ she pointed to the far basin where a group of men appeared to be in heated discussions.

‘Yes, arguing his point, as usual. Quite convincing aren’t they. They’re just taking some scene shots with the doubles. They’re almost finished. The actors arrive next week.’

‘Oh, clever. And, the women?’ Evie sipped her drink.

‘Oh, the workers we’ll just take footage of for now. They don’t have lines. Samantha has found some superb ground we can work on for digging and channelling.’ Ben smiled, scratching his head. ‘So, I look forward to discovering what you can come up with.’

Evie found herself picturing in her mind a young woman leading a work team, and Mr Pierre-Paul Riquet catching his breath at her animation as she explains some simple solution to his problem.

‘So am I. I have so many questions in my head right now,’ she told him.

‘Brilliant. I just hope your findings don’t knock my script out of joint. I’m now convinced another character could add to it. Let’s wait and see, shall we?’

Evie couldn’t help but stare; his eyes glistened with passion for his work with no sign of tension in his jaw like before… and that beautiful mouth. She had to wonder at his calmness being a film director, he certainly knew how to delegate and trust his team, in comparison to Seb – who was afraid to relinquish his dominance and control and wouldn’t allow anyone to make decisions or overrule his say, unless it was something that was fun and suited him of course. No, Ben, it seemed, invited input from his team, and sought to add others’ creativity. She admired that quality in him, she had never met a man so good looking and so considerate, with enthusiasm so contagious. Each individual in his team showed willing and respect. She could almost hear his mind ticking as he perused his team at work. His attention flashed to Charlotte.