A/N: Thank you so much for the lovely reviews of Chapter 1. I didn't want to keep you waiting too terribly long for the actual meeting. I appreciate all your lovely words - and special thanks to chelsie fan, as always.

xx,

CSotA

Thursday, 18 August

"All right. In your folders, as you see, are sheets with the current cast list." Robert flicked his eyes up and he smiled briefly at Mary before looking back at the list. "Most of you know that Mary's contract with her former agent was up last month, and so we're grateful to Charles for picking her up."

"It was my pleasure," Charles clarified. "As was being brought in on this project."

He looked at everyone seated around the table and saw a bit of skepticism on some of their faces.

"I'm sure it looks funny to some of you," Charles continued, "Robert casting not only his wife but also his daughter, along with hiring his old chum from University. But I can assure you that we all went through the proper channels and that no one was coerced into anything."

"The best proof of which is, perhaps, the fact that the casting agent is Mabel Lane Fox, and she can't stand the sight of me since - well ..." Mary added. "Never mind. But she's an odd one, that girl."

Elsie swallowed a retort, but couldn't quite keep the smirk from her face; fortunately, no one but John noticed it, and he knew how to keep information quiet.

"Behind the updated list is the filming schedule," Robert continued. "Given that this is a docudrama about family life in an English manor estate, I thought it a good idea that we actually film at one instead of just in studio."

Quiet laughter rippled around the table, broken by Violet's interruption.

"Good. There's no sense in continuing on with a project if you can't do so admirably," she said. "But I see you're scheduled to be there after Christmas. What about the weather?"

"The script has been updated a bit, and so the scenes we want the characters in will be outside on the grounds," Robert explained. "Elsie?"

Elsie nodded, adding, "Yes. Production-wise, our costs will be less in the winter. The month following Christmas is one of the worst tourism months of the year for Highclere,* which is the estate where we'll be filming. They'd have charged us more if they had to close the estate to the public during a busier time. And we're hoping for snow, because of a few holiday scenes where it will be required. But the current Lady Carnavon has offered to leave the holiday decorations up for us, meaning we won't have to pay for extra set décor, either. So, all in all, it's a reasonable time to get the on-location filming done."

She looked over at John. "Are we all set with the paperwork for the advance team?"

He nodded. "We are."

"We're sending a smaller crew to Highclere next month," Elsie explained to everyone. "Thomas will be with them, and they'll spend a few days filming some panoramic shots as well as a few stills from inside and some shots of various rooms - particularly the library - that we'll utilize later as backdrops for various scenes. If they come out well enough, we may even fade one of them in for the opening credit sequence, but that's obviously way down the road. But things like the bells in the servants' hall, the view from a few of the windows, close-ups of the front door and the smaller buildings on the property … all of those can all be taken care of by the advance team."

She looked to Thomas and nodded, indicating for him to take over from there.

"Most of the filming with the actors will be done right here at CFP," he told them. "Set design is almost complete, and the head of costuming will be in next week with her final ideas and a few things for us to check out. Once she's gotten up-to-date measurements for the cast, she'll make final selections with her team and get the costume trailers on site. After that, we'll be good to go."

"Charles?" Robert asked. "Anything to add?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid," he replied. "I'm working on a few details, and I've a meeting next week with the set design and props person …" He consulted some notes. "A Mr. Molesley, I believe?"

"Yes," Phyllis chimed in, and everyone turned to her; Phyllis rarely contributed anything to the meetings. "Joseph Molesley."

"Quite so," Charles nodded. "Do you know him?"

"A bit," she allowed, a soft smile coming to her face. "He was a teacher before retiring early to come and work in film. He has a history background, and his attention to detail is quite good. I think you'll get on, Mr. Carson, from what Robert has said about you."

"It's Charles, please," he clarified, and she nodded and turned back to add something to her notes. "We all seem to be on a first-name basis here."

Elsie looked sharply in his direction, wondering if he was being sarcastic, but she should have known better; Charles Carson was never sarcastic.

The rest of the meeting went fairly smoothly - that is, until the very end.

"One more thing before I send you all on your way," Robert said, and everyone turned to face him, a bit concerned by the serious tone of his normally cheerful voice.

"It seems the press may have gotten wind of our project," he began, " and-"

"I wonder how that happened," Mary interrupted scathingly.

Cora glared at her. "If you'd let Papa finish, Mary," she said testily, "you'd realize that your sister had nothing to do with it."

Mary rolled her eyes, but held her tongue.

"It was not the Times," Robert emphasized. "Obviously Edith knows about the project and she's kept it well under wraps as a favor to the family. No, this was Carlisle's rag. Some reporter showed up and started asking questions."

Charles's eyebrows shot up. "Here? How did they get in?"

"Not here," John said, and Elsie noted that his color had risen a bit. She couldn't swear to it, but it appeared to her as though the man were virtually seething. "At my house. Someone showed up at my house and began questioning my wife."

"Anna?" Elsie blustered. "But she's not even working on the- ohh. Of course." She glanced at Violet, then at Robert and Cora. "She does work for you all. Just not here."

Charles's brow furrowed. "I don't understand," he murmured.

Elsie turned to him. "Anna Bates manages a very successful house cleaning company here in LA. The Crawleys are some of her clients, and it's general knowledge that her husband is their solicitor. Almost all of her clients are celebrities of one sort or another."

"Yes. Carlisle made his best attempt in sending someone fairly new, but between Anna and Gwen, who works with her, they know virtually everyone around," John said.

"And secrets about the rest," Violet added.

"Yes, which is why we all hire Anna," Cora said, praise evident in her voice. "Because she's quite good at keeping our secrets."

Elsie saw Cora glance at Mary, who appeared to have blanched a bit at that, but she brushed it aside, not really wanting to know anyhow.

"It didn't take long to figure out where the young reporter had come from," John said. "So eyes and ears open, people, and mouths shut. You're all bound by contract not to discuss anything related to the actual project, but obviously we hope that you'd not discuss anything about the private lives of those involved in the film, either."

"If I ever do catch wind of that happening," Robert added, "it would be grounds for immediate removal from the project."

He paused, looking over those gathered before him, his eyes resting on them each individually for a few seconds before moving on to the others. It was uncomfortable, and rather unlike him, and that one gesture spoke volumes about the pressure he was feeling.

"We're nearly in danger of going under if this project doesn't succeed," he said quietly. "It pains me to say it, but it's been quite a struggle being at the helm of this company lately. Every time something newer, faster, and more glamorous hits the Hollywood scene, the old standbys like us take a hit."

He looked up at Violet, who nodded firmly, and continued.

"I intend to continue to run CFP the way it always has been run, how it was run by generations before me: good-quality staff, close-knit relationships, and quality productions that are tied into educating people about cultural aspects of the world. But it's a dying market, and I realize that."

He took a deep breath.

"This project will be, without a doubt, the 'sink-or-swim' moment for this company. I'm counting on you all to help keep us afloat."

He gave them all a curt nod of dismissal, and everyone tentatively gathered their things and began putting them back into their folders, with small conversations now breaking out around the table.

Charles looked over at Elsie.

"I'm sorry that my appearance was sprung on you, but I had no idea you were part of this team," he said by way of explanation.

"Clearly," she quipped, but then she softened a bit. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to be rude, but it's been a rather worrisome meeting, I think."

They both glanced at Robert and Cora, whose heads were close together in conversation, Cora's hand stroking her husband's arm.

"This is your first project here?" Charles asked.

"Sort of. It's the first time I'm working directly with Robert and Cora," Elsie explained. "I have done a few smaller jobs for CFP, but they had other project managers." She bit down on her lip. "You know Robert," she added after a moment. "Or perhaps you don't anymore; I have no idea if you've been in touch with them all along."

"I have," he said. "Mostly. Yes, I know Robert."

Charles looked back at Robert and sighed.

"If he's in, he's in all the way. If this project isn't a success, it'll not only be a disaster for the company, but for the man himself."

Elsie nodded slowly, realizing for the first time how vitally important it was that they all pour their hearts and souls into this film.

She looked sideways at Charles, curious as to how he was feeling about it all, but he had just opened his texts and was checking something.

A glance at the top of the phone showed a picture of a woman; she didn't see it long enough to recognize her, but there was something familiar about her face … But what caught the bulk of Elsie's attention was the contact name she saw below it:

Home.

*I have no idea what the worst month, financially, would be for Highclere. This is just a fabrication for the purpose of the story.

Would love a wee review if you have the time. x