“Lady Clara was never on.”
“But Lady Viola is on?”
Roland nodded. “Lady Viola is very much on. I only hope she views it the same way.”
“And the dowager don’t like her already. Well! Let the fireworks fly then!”
*
Viola found LadyRawley an amusing woman—she spoke of the theater in exceedingly lofty terms and made several references to “treading the hallowed boards.”
For all that though, one could not help but like her. The lady’s gratitude to Miss Mayton for “bravely stepping into the breach” was very touching.
Viola wandered the as-yet empty drawing room while Lady Rawley rehearsed the theatrical with her friends and Miss Mayton.
The seating was set up round the stage, in groups of four chairs, each grouping with a small table placed in front where one might put things down.
The actors were dressed in yards and yards of white lawn, but for Mrs. Robinson, who was in some sort of soldier’s uniform. Miss Mayton’s skirt was far too long, but there was nothing to be done about it at such a late hour.
Viola could not say precisely what was to take place in this new play, or if it was even a complete play. As far as she could tell, the whole thing would center round the end, when Hero arrives to wed Claudio for the second time, so perhaps it was only a dramatic scene.
It was all rather strange, as Mrs. Robinson, who was to play Claudio, had just been fitted with a small pigskin sack of something or other under her helmet.
Why was Claudio wearing a helmet to his wedding to Hero? What was in the sack?
The footmen had been in and out a dozen times and had three sideboards set up. It was very elaborate with all sorts of sweets and savories.
The first board held lamb tartlets, sliced roasted beef, dressed rabbit with boiled onions and herbs, stewed duck with peas, turbot in a mushroom sauce, and loveliest of all, sliced ham. Lord Baderston would be so pleased to see the ham, as he did like it as much as she did.
The second board was heavy with sweets: Portugal cakes, seed cakes, iced pound cakes, macaroons, custards, ices, nuts, and dried plums.
The third board was crowded with bottles of wine and champagne, a punch bowl, and a tea and coffee service.
Whatever was to be experienced this night, nobody would go hungry.
Lady Rawley had paused in her running to and fro across the stage and took a deep breath. “My fellow thespians,” she said, “we are ready to surprise and delight our audience with an original styling of the illustrious bard’s work. Shakespeare was a great man of his time, but we humbly make those little changes that may elevate his already lofty words.”
“Goodness,” Miss Mayton said, swimming in her white muslin.
Viola suppressed her laughter. She could not imagine what Shakespeare would think upon finding that his words were to be elevated by Lady Rawley and her fellow thespians.
“Now,” Lady Rawley continued, “my guests will arrive timely as we will begin the performance at nine o’clock and everybody will wish for refreshment beforehand. Let us follow their wise lead and raise a glass of the noble grape to steady us.”
Lady Rawley was entirely an original. She was a bit of a dear, really.
She was also not wrong about how the evening was to kick off—her guests did begin to arrive in a steady stream. As most of them made their way directly to the sideboards, Viola got the idea that it was one of the particular draws of the evening.
Viola did her best to attempt to be subtle in where her gaze was going, but she could not help but keep her eye on the door.
She looked for lovely copper-colored hair and an easy smile. She looked for Lord Baderston.
Viola blinked when she caught sight of a person completely unexpected. And unwished for.
The dowager countess, Lord Baderston’s mother.
Viola quickly turned away and hoped she had not caught the lady’s attention. For all Lord Baderston claiming the lady would be in better spirits when she was next encountered, Viola had found herself not entirely convinced of it.
But then, why was she worried about the dowager being in the same room? It was not as if the woman would wish to seek her out and this was not the sort of party where everyone must be introduced.
