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‘I will, Eleanora. I’m sorry you’re leaving. I hope everything turns out as you would wish.’
Eleanora rose from her bed. ‘Take the portmanteaus downstairs, Jessie. Send Little up to fetch the trunk.’
Jessie bobbed a curtsey and staggered from the room carrying a heavy case in each hand.
‘This is goodbye, then, Nancy. We haven’t known each other long, but I’m sure we’ll meet again.’
Eleanora swept from the room as if she were going on an outing instead of leaving the Academy in disgrace. Nancy could only admire Eleanora’s audacity. She sighed and slumped down on her own bed. Eleanora had been caught because she did not care to obey the rules, but the matter might have been reversed and it might have been she, Nancy Sunday, who had been caught when she crept in after lights out and was facing expulsion.
Nancy felt unsettled for the rest of the day. Even the prospect of a visit to the opera that evening did not raise her spirits. However, Tamara’s excitement was infectious and, after an early supper, the young ladies lined up in the hallway, waiting to be summoned to climb into the horse-drawn omnibus that Miss Maughfling had hired for the occasion. Nancy pushed all thoughts of Gervase North to the back of her mind. If she let him upset her then he had won whatever strange game he was playing with her and her family. She waited her turn and walked down the path with Tamara, who was so excited that she could hardly contain her delight.
‘I used to ride in omnibuses quite regularly when we lived in Spitalfields, but Papa considers it beneath us now. However, I don’t think he’d object to our travelling privately in such a vehicle.’
‘Your papa sounds like a bit of a snob, if you don’t mind me saying so, Tamara.’
‘You’re right. But he doesn’t realise it.’ Tamara climbed onto the omnibus first and went to find a seat.
Nancy sat down beside her. ‘What is it, Tamara? You’ve been all of a twitter all day. Has something happened?’
Tamara glanced over her shoulder but the two girls in the seat behind them were chattering and oblivious to anything other than the gossip they were sharing. ‘William proposed to me again last evening, Nancy. It was so romantic. He took me back to the Academy in a hansom cab. When we alighted he went down on one knee and held one hand to his heart, holding the other out to me. He looked so handsome in the moonlight that it made me cry.’
‘But you said yes?’
‘Of course I did. Now all I have to do is tell Papa. I’m dreading it, Nancy. Will you stand by me when he visits me on Sunday?’
‘Yes, if you think that will help.’
‘It will. I need you to hold my hand because William won’t be there. He is going to speak to Papa, but I know what the answer will be. I need to persuade my father to allow us to marry.’
‘I’ll be happy to help, if I can.’
‘Thank you, Nancy. You are such a good friend.’
Nancy settled down to enjoy the rest of the ride to Covent Garden. She had her doubts when it came to Tamara being able to change her father’s mind about marriage to his head clerk, but she would do her very best to be supportive.
They arrived outside the opera house in good time and Miss Sharp marshalled everyone into the foyer. While they waited to be led into the auditorium Nancy studied the programme and the name that jumped out at her was that of Felicia de Marney, the famous opera singer.
‘You’ve gone quite pale,’ Tamara said anxiously. ‘Are you all right, Nancy?’
‘I know this lady.’ Nancy’s voice shook with emotion. ‘She was a Carey of Rockwood Castle before she married Claude. Isn’t that an amazing coincidence?’
‘It most certainly is. Will you go backstage after the performance to see her?’
Nancy bit her lip. ‘I don’t know if I dare. She is such a famous person now. She might not want to see me.’
Miss Sharp leaned towards them. ‘Do you really know the diva herself, Miss Sunday?’
‘Yes, Miss Sharp.’
‘How delightful. You must introduce us to her after the performance. I won’t accept any excuses, Miss Sunday.’
Chapter Six
The stage doorkeeper was sceptical at first, but as it happened Mrs Lake, the wardrobe mistress, was about to leave the building. She stared hard at Nancy.
‘I know you, don’t I?’
‘Yes, Mrs Lake. I’m Nancy Sunday. I used to help you with the costume alterations three years ago when Patricia Carey had a part in Mr Thorne’s production.’
