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‘You look so much better!’ Jessica enfolded Maude in a huge hug. ‘It must be all that country air.’
‘All that country cooking, to be truthful,’ Maude smiled. ‘It is a miracle I can get into any of
my gowns. How is everything and everyone?’
‘Everything is fine, if you mean the Musicale. As for everyone, we are all well, thank you. The only person who is not very well is Mr Hurst.’
‘Is he sick? An accident?’ Maude could make no attempt to hide her anxiety.
‘Far from it. So far as one can tell, he’s as strong as a horse. No, it’s his temper. I swear the man has not smiled since you left and the slightest error or omission amongst his company, or the men, is dealt with in a manner which brings the Grand Turk vividly to mind. As for the ladies, he endures our shortcomings with a courtesy that will probably induce frostbite before much longer—I cannot begin to tell you how glad we all are that you have returned to tame the beast.’
‘Oh.’ Maude could not help the smile that spread across her face. ‘Do you think he missed me?’ Then her fragile confidence dipped again. ‘Or, perhaps he is annoyed that I left him with all the work.’
‘I rather suspect the former.’ Jessica grinned. ‘The man thrives on work. No, I think he has been pining, although Eden Hurst’s version of that condition ensures that all around share in the misery.’ She pulled Maude down to sit beside her. ‘Has he said anything to you?’
‘Nothing definite,’ Maude said with a sigh. ‘But he is so gentle with me, so tender—and he seems happy, and able to show that happiness, when he is with me. And then, something happens to remind him of who we are and it all vanishes. Or perhaps it is true, what he says, and he simply does not know how to love and that can never be cured.’ She drew a deep breath. ‘I am resolved to tell him, Jessica, tell him exactly how I feel about him. But not until after the Musicale. May I tell Papa that I will stay on for a while with you that evening?’
Her friend nodded, her eyes not leaving Maude’s face. ‘Oh, Maude, I really do not know what to hope for the best.’
‘Hope for my happiness,’ Maude said fiercely. ‘Mine and Eden’s.’
They sat, hand in hand in silence for a while until Bel breezed in, shedding her furs into the arms of Jessica’s butler.
‘I have the final list of performers,’ she crowed. ‘And there are three of the Almack’s patronesses upon it! Lady Cowper, Princess Esterhazy and Lady Jersey, would you believe? I cannot prevail upon any of them to tell me whether they will perform together or individually, or what indeed, they intend to do—but such a coup!
‘Maude, darling—I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.’ Bel swooped for a kiss. ‘You look so well. Now, what are you going to do on the night? Jessica, Elinor and I plan to sing together and Ashe is going to teach Gareth a rousing military song with some of the soldiers as a chorus.’
‘I hadn’t thought,’ Maude confessed. ‘Recite something, I suppose.’ As she said it, she remembered that moment when Eden had stood on the stage below her box and spoken one line from Romeo and Juliet. Dare she? Could she find a passage that would tell him what she felt and yet be something that she might speak before an audience? ‘Shakespeare,’ she added, vaguely. She could not act, but she could recite and Eden had said she had good projection.
‘So serious.’ Bel pulled a face. ‘Still, I suppose we have lots of songs and comic pieces. Tomorrow we are going to the theatre to run through the order with Mr Hurst. Will you come?’
‘Yes.’ Maude nodded. That would be best. She did not trust herself to be alone with Eden and not tell him how she felt, tell him that she owned the theatre and he need no longer worry about it. Her friends would be more than adequate chaperons.
‘We cannot rehearse, that is the trouble.’ Bel stood in the centre of the fore-stage, a list in her hand, and addressed Eden, who was standing in front of the stalls looking up at her. ‘I mean, we can, but I can hardly ask some of the guests how long they will take.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Eden said. ‘Give me the list, with what you’ve got, and I will work out the timings as best I can and then improvise on the night. If necessary, the orchestra can cut all its pieces—or add things in if we are running short.’
‘Mr Hurst, you are quite wonderful,’ Bel said, beaming at him.
‘And you, Lady Dereham, are offering me Spanish coin,’ he retorted.
‘Oh, no, Mr Hurst,’ Jessica added, laughing at them as she and Elinor joined Bel. ‘We all think you are wonderful.’
‘All of you?’ His dark brows rose as he scanned the three of them.
‘Lady Maude too,’ Bel said, slyly, looking into the wings where Maude was standing, content to be at a safe distance. She had slipped in without Eden seeing her.
‘She is here, then?’ It seemed to Maude, as she stepped out of the shadows, that Eden’s expression lightened, the corners of his eyes creased into a smile, his lips curved, even as he bowed punctiliously. ‘I see you are in good health, ma’am.’
‘Thank you, yes. Good country air and food and I am quite myself,’ she said lightly, moving to join the others. He watched her walk across the stage, his eyes locking with hers as she reached Bel’s side.
‘You will take tea with me?’ Eden asked, still speaking directly to her.
‘We would be delighted, Mr Hurst,’ Jessica said briskly, her voice cutting across the tension between them.
‘In my office, then. Lady Maude will show you the way, if you will excuse me.’
Maude led the way into the square room, amused, despite her preoccupation, at the reaction of the others to the mass of prints and playbills on the walls and the drama of Eden’s great carved chair. They flitted about the room, peering at the pictures, the shelves of books, the heavy black opera cloak with its scarlet lining swept around the shoulders of a bust of Shakespeare.
