Page 24 of Three Weeks with a Princess
“Well, let’s discuss what you might be able to do and what roles you might be able to play,” Stephen said. “Can you sing or dance?”
“Um, no,” Lia said. “But is that necessary? Don’t you primarily focus on spoken drama and the classics?”
“We do when we’re touring the provinces,” her mother said. “But only the licensed theaters are allowed to perform spoken drama in London. Your stepfather is very good at getting around the restrictions with his burlettas and musical interludes, but we still must abide by the law.”
“Oh,” Lia said. “I’d forgotten about that. So, does everyone in the company sing and dance?”
“Mostly,” replied Stephen. “We do have some speaking parts set to music, of course, and we have the pantomimes. There are always the occasional walk-ons, as well. We might be able to squeeze you into that sort of role.”
“But darling, we already have a full slate of actresses,” Mama said. “They won’t be happy if we elevate Lia in their place.”
“I’m sure we can find something for her to do without ruffling feathers,” Stephen said. “Besides, this ismycompany, and if I want to cast my stepdaughter in a part I shall certainly do so.”
Lia almost fell off her chair in her eagerness. “I’ll do anything, and I promise I’ll study very hard. I have a wonderful memory and I can help out around the theater, too. I can take notes for you or work on the costumes. I’ve become very good with the needle.”
Her mother perked up. “We are rather shorthanded backstage. We lost one of our seamstresses last week and dear Stephen hasn’t yet had a chance to replace her.”
“Actually I’ve been trying to economize,” he said with a sigh. “London is proving more expensive than I anticipated.”
“I’m happy to work for nothing, at least in the beginning,” Lia said. “Until I prove myself and get established.” Though she’d hoped to start making money as quickly as possible, she knew she had to win her mother’s approval first.
“It’s not right to take advantage of you that way,” Stephen said with a frown.
“Nonsense,” Mama said briskly. “After all, she’ll be staying with us, so we’ll be providing her room and board.”
Stephen nodded. “True, and I could provide a weekly stipend to pay for all the little things a young lady needs from day to day.”
Lia clasped her hands tightly, almost afraid to hope. “So you’ll let me stay?”
Her mother cocked an eyebrow at her husband, who gave her a nod and a smile.
“Very well, my dear,” her mother said. “We will give you a try and see how it goes.”
Lia jumped up and rushed over, bending down to hug her mother with fervor. “Thank you. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”
“We’ll see,” her mother said, awkwardly patting Lia on the back before gently disengaging herself. “We can’t make any promises for the long-term.”
Lia refused to be discouraged. It wasn’t much, but it was a start, and a start was all she needed. With a little luck, within the next few months her career on the stage should be firmly launched.
Chapter Five
Jack stalked into the foyer of Boodle’s, silently handing the footman his hat. He’d been in a foul mood for days because he had yet to run Lia to ground, even though he’d been in the city since Monday.
The blasted girl had given him the slip. Sadly, he’d believed the doleful tale that she’d been laid up with a severe cold, unable to receive visitors. He’d even ordered pots of beef broth, bowls of fruit, and baskets of the best pastries and treats from his kitchens to tempt the invalid’s supposedly delicate appetite. By the time Rebecca told him the truth—Lia had left for London on the mail coach three days before—it had been too late for him to have any hope of catching her.
Jack’s first panicked thought had been that she’d gone haring off on her own, and it had almost given him a heart attack on the spot. But Sarah Rogers—apparently the only member of the household with a whit of common sense—had insisted on accompanying the girl to London, and he had every confidence that the redoubtable housekeeper would hold even the most impertinent fellow at bay.
It had been some days before he could follow her because he’d been forced to deal with pressing business in Yorkshire, including a number of increasingly hostile creditors. Fortunately, his estate manager had created enough breathing room to keep things in order until Jack returned to Stonefell—hopefully with a new line of credit from his bankers. There was also his mother to deal with, along with a London set of creditors—also increasingly hostile. According to his mother, they were all but banging on the front door of the mansion in Bedford Square.
But his most pressing concern was Lia. He might not have much control over his life at the moment, but he knew one thing with absolute certainty: Lia would be going home to Bluebell Cottage within the next forty-eight hours if he had to lock her into his traveling coach and drive it north himself.
He swallowed a sigh as he made his way to the reading room of the exclusive club. He’d already twice left his card at her stepfather’s surprisingly elegant town house, stating that he’d keep calling until she was at home. Their relationship had clearly undergone an unfortunate change. In the past, Lia had always anticipated his visits with great eagerness. Sometimes she’d raced up to the main house at Stonefell before his bags were even unpacked.
Those days were obviously long gone. Their last meeting had been so catastrophic that he couldn’t blame her for wanting to avoid him; he’d obviously wounded her deeply.
And then there was that earth-shattering moment when Lia’s fiery kiss had all but stunned him senseless. Ever since, Jack had been wrestling with a regrettably strong desire for her to engage in yet more shocking behavior with him. The idea of taking her as his mistress horrified him, but it also enticed him much more than he cared to admit.
He spotted his quarry in a quiet corner and stalked over to join him. Charles Valentine Penley, Duke of Leverton, glanced up from his paper, his surprise registering in the elegant uptick of his eyebrows.
