Marian, who’s on the wardrobe team with Olive and Nathan, slaps a ton of make-up onto my face and even more cream into my hair to create the swashbuckling, nonchalant style that apparently Romeo has to have. I shut my eyes as she tugs at my hair, and try to get into character.
What does it matter that I’m green with nerves and want to die? For the rest of this evening, I’m not Charles, I’m Romeo. Waiting for his Juliet. Where even is Eleanor? Is she feeling as crap as me, or has she got her nerves better under control?
I blink as voices outside grow louder. Is that her? Before I can turn around, the door flies open and I see Louis in the mirror as he walks in. He’s already wearing Mercutio’s black shirt and dark trousers.
‘Sinclair, we’ve got a problem,’ he says, not wasting any time.
‘What?’
Marian moves away so that I can turn around.
‘Where’s Eleanor?’
‘That’s the thing.’ He sighs. ‘She’s been clinging to the toilet for an hour, can’t stop boaking.’
‘Oh, God,’ I exclaim. ‘Poor Eleanor. I could pull a whitey with nerves myself . . .’
‘No, you don’t understand,’ he interrupts me. ‘Did you eat the spaghetti carbonara?’
‘What?’
‘For lunch.’
‘No, I had half a sandwich . . .’
‘You dodged a bullet, man. Looks like it was off. The sick bay’s full of people with food poisoning.’
‘You’re kidding me?’ I stare, wide-eyed, but then I realize what this means. ‘But . . . Dr Henderson must have some miracle cure, so she can still act, right?’
‘Sinclair, she can’t even keep down a sip of water.’ There’s panic in Louis’s eyes. ‘We’re so screwed.’
‘What about the others? Is it just Eleanor or . . .?’
‘Imogen, Estelle and Nick, but they’re only musicians and servants. The others couldn’t eat.’
‘Fuck, OK.’ I stare up at the ceiling. ‘So what now?’
Louis gives a helpless shrug as Mr Acevedo bursts in.
‘Is there anybody here?’ He looks totally rattled, so I guess he’s heard the joyful tidings. ‘Louis, Charles!’ He stops. ‘Please tell me you didn’t eat the spaghetti.’
We shake our heads.
‘OK.’ He points at Louis, then me. ‘Good? Good?’ He ticks something off on his clipboard, then looks up. ‘Then it really is only our Juliet who can’t go on.’
‘There you are.’ We turn around at the sound of Tori’s voice. She appears in the doorway and stops when she sees us. ‘Have you heard that Eleanor’s got food poisoning?’
TORI
I fall silent.
Charlie, Louis and Mr Acevedo. They’re standing in wardrobe with Marian, Olive and Nathan. Charlie’s sitting on the chair by the huge mirror and they’re staring wordlessly at me.
‘Victoria,’ Mr Acevedo says, not taking his eyes off me. ‘What did you eat for lunch?’
‘Nothing, I was too nervous,’ I say hurriedly. ‘You too, right?’
Charlie nods.
