An Excerpt from Enticing Miss Darcy
“We must go see Anne,” Elizabeth said at the beginning of the intermission. “And personally, I would find a walk to be lovely after sitting for so long. What say you, Georgiana?”
“Hmm?” Georgiana slowly turned her head toward Elizabeth. Her mind was still on the empty stage, contemplating the latest scene.
“I said that it would be a fine thing to take a walk and visit with Anne.”
Georgiana smiled slowly. “Oh, of course. We must, or Anne will feel ignored.”
“And we do not want that,” Darcy muttered.
Georgiana raised a brow at the comment.
“She will make certain she is not ignored,” Darcy explained. “She is Aunt Catherine’s daughter.”
“She allowed us to ignore her for years,” Georgiana replied.
“Yes, but she has decided that she will no longer be overlooked,” Darcy refuted, “and once she has made a decision, there is little which seems able to stop her.”
“Except her husband,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “Mr. Tibbett, you do not mind accompanying us to Mr. Pratt’s box, do you?”
“Oh, not at all.” Mr. Tibbett stood and offered Georgiana his hand in assistance in rising. “A walk would be most welcome, and it is not as if any but Mrs. Pratt are strangers to me.”
So it was, that not many minutes later, the group of four stood inside Mr. Pratt’s box, doubling its number of occupants.
“Oh, I had hoped you would visit,” Anne cried in delight. “I was just telling Alistair that we should make our way around to you, but he would not hear of it.” Her lips pursed, and a brow rose. “He thinks I am too fragile for such an excursion.” Her lips slid into a small smile as she spoke, letting one and all know that she was not truly put out with her husband.
“It would have involved a lot of jostling and bumping,” Alistair inserted.
“And I, for one, would find such treatment ghastly difficult to abide.” Jack placed his hand over his heart with a flourish. “So, it was not a limiting of his wife’s activity, but an act of utmost sympathy for a friend.”
This comment, of course, drew giggles from both Mrs. Pratt and Miss Parkes as well as Georgiana and Elizabeth. The gentlemen of the party were by varying amounts less amused. Darcy chuckled softly. Mr. Tibbett made no sound of enjoyment at all, and Alistair shook his head and apologized for his friend.
“I am afraid a trip to the theatre always has an unhinging effect on Jack,” Alistair said. “He will for the next day and a half fancy himself an actor.”
Jack raised a hand in protest. “Have you not attended the script, my friend?”
“As carefully as the next person,” Alistair replied flatly.
“I fear you have not,” Jack countered.
Alistair shook his head once again, this time with a great sigh. “I should not say this, but please explain.”
“Oh, yes, do!” Anne added.
Jack straightened, cleared his throat, and in dramatic fashion said, “Has the bard not said all the world’s a stage, my friend?” He placed a hand on Alistair’s shoulder. “And all the men,” he motioned to himself, “and women,” he motioned to Miss Parkes, “merely players. They have their exits and their entrances.” He placed his hand on his heart again with a flourish. “And one man in his time plays many parts.”
“Bravo!” cried Miss Parkes. “That was very well done, Mr. Ralston.”
Jack smiled and took as sweeping a bow as he could in such close quarters.
“Really, Jack, you are too much at times,” Alistair muttered.
“It is the theatre,” Jack countered. “If there is anywhere in all the world where one might be too much, it is here. Are not the players hired because they excel at too much?”
“You have a point,” Darcy agreed.
“Thank you, sir,” Jack said with a small bow.
“Might it be possible that you return to just enough?” Alistair asked.
There was such a look of pleading in the poor man’s eyes that it caused Georgiana to press her lips together to keep from laughing.
Jack acquiesced, and introductions were then made.
“How are you finding the play?” Elizabeth asked Anne and Miss Parkes.
“Delightful,” said Miss Parkes and Anne agreed.
“I thought you had mentioned not enjoying the theatre,” said Mr. Tibbett, whose posture, Georgiana noticed, was more rigid than it had been all evening.
Miss Parkes tipped her head and gave him a smile much as a governess might a poor confused child. “I believe what I said was that the theatre is too full of tragedy for my liking, and I am certain you would not see me here if this play were a tragedy. There is far too much worry and woe in the world. I have no need to come to the theater to be reminded of that. Comedies, however, I adore. I do not think one could keep me away from the theatre if there was the opportunity to laugh and feel one’s heart lighten.”
“I see,” said Mr. Tibbett before falling silent.
“I admit I also prefer comedies to tragedies,” Georgiana said to fill the void. “However, it is the ability of the players to transport me to a different time and place that truly captures my mind and spirit. I fear I could never be an actress.” She glanced at her brother who had raised an eyebrow at the comment. “Not that I ever would be,” she added with a small smile. “I do not have the ability of Mr. Ralston to affect airs.”
“Ah, with practice, one might be surprised,” Jack interjected.
“No,” Georgiana insisted. “I am certain I would never feel at ease on the stage.”
“Nor would I,” said Miss Parkes, laying a hand on Georgiana’s arm. “So many eyes! Singing at a musicale is trying enough, and there are never the masses of people in attendance there that there are here.”
“That is so true,” Georgiana agreed. “I do not sing, however.”
“You may not sing, but you play the piano better than anyone I know,” said Miss Parkes.
“Thank you.” Georgiana attempted to keep the confusion she felt from showing in her expression.
“I attended the musicale at Winsley House, although I did not exhibit. I had a sore throat,” Miss Parkes explained.
“I should like to hear you sing.”
“Her voice is divine,” said Jack, causing Miss Parkes to blush. “She sang at several musicales last year, and there was a bit of singing at Stanton’s.”
“There was?” Mr. Tibbett’s features registered his surprise.
“On a walk around the garden. Miss Parkes and a couple of other ladies were singing as they went,” Jack explained.
“Oh,” Mr. Tibbett replied.
Then, Mr. Tibbett once again lapsed into silence, which was odd. He had always been a great conversationalist on every other occasion in which he had been in company with Georgiana. She would like to ask him about it, but she thought it too great an impertinence, so she did not. Thankfully, none of the others in the group were so lacking in words as Mr. Tibbett, and conversation about the décor, the weather, and a few other sundry and mundane topics was had.
“You will all come to tea tomorrow, will you not?” Anne asked Elizabeth and Georgiana as Darcy began to mention the need to return to their box. “Miss Parkes has already agreed to come. I think we shall all be great friends.”
“I would like that,” Georgiana replied.
“Am I invited?” Jack asked in teasing tone.
“No,” Alistair replied. “You and I are going to Angelo’s so that you can attempt once again to discover my tell.”
“If you would allow your wife to tell me,” Jack replied.
Alistair shook his head. “She has not even told me.”
“I prefer winning far too much,” Anne said with a giggle. “Not that he allows me near a foil at present,” she added.
“As he should not,” said Jack.
“Thank you,” said Alistair.
“Come,” said Darcy. “We really must return to our box.”
[from Enticing Miss Darcy]
|