“Glad to hear it. I have a soft spot for those two.”
“Mother, I think I will go find my book, if you don’t mind. I’m a bit tired.”
“All right dear. I will see you this afternoon for tea. Lady Kenilworth and Lady Georges will be joining us.”
Susanna nodded. She crossed to her favorite chair and sure enough her novel sat on the table next to it.Salt and Seawas her newest find and proving to be just as exciting as the premise it promised. She snatched it up and headed back out to the hall, deciding to find some privacy in her bedroom.
When she reached her room, she kicked off her heels. Next, she grabbed the soft wool shawl from the end of bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. Then she tucked herself into the window seat, leaning back against the mountain of pillows that filled it. Susanna picked up her book and finding the dog-eared page where she left off, she tried to lose herself in the story. But today it couldn’t hold her attention. After reading the same paragraph three times she shut the book with a snap.
Her life was passing her by. Her friends were all married and having families. She knew her parents thought she should be doing the same. It wasn’t that she didn’t want a family of her own, but rather she didn’t want to settle for less. Less than true love, less than a partner that adored her.
Then why had she been utterly foolish to expect to fill that hole with Stuart Kinrade? She didn’t love him nor did he love her. Her infatuation had led her to make poor decisions and her first experience with lovemaking had been rather hollow and the regret she felt acute. Susanna wished for the passionate love Diana and her lover had shared. But even that hadn’t conquered all. In fact, it hadn’t held up very well to adversity. She shook her head. No, that wasn’t fair. Diana and James Marlow’s love had been torn asunder. She wished she could read the letters again. Maybe then she could believe that there was love out there for her as well. She sighed and snuggled down into the pillows. Or maybe she should be practical like Hawksridge and just choose a candidate already.
Chapter Six
Susanna slipped intothe costume room and quickly shut the door and leaned against its wooden surface with a sigh. She had managed to make it through the backstage area without seeing Stuart.
“Susanna, what is the matter? You look like you’ve been chased by the hounds of hell,” Clara said from across the room. Her hands were filled with clothing.
“I am avoiding Mr. Kinrade.”
“I thought you two were becoming rather cozy of late.”
Susanna shook her head. “No, we are not cozy. We are not anything. Besides I came to say goodbye to you. We leave for Marbury in two days.”
“I’m glad you came to see me before you left for the summer.” Clara enveloped her in a warm hug.
“I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye,” Susanna replied. She plopped into a worn chair as her friend bustled around, hanging discarded costumes back into the large oak wardrobes. “My parents won’t miss me for a few minutes during intermission. They went to Lady Fenway’s box to chat. How are you feeling these days?”
Clara smiled. “Oh, just fine. In fact, I’ve decided to accompany the show at the end of the month. Mrs. Maddox has moved me to costume mistress for the summer.”
Susanna popped open her fan. It was much warmer in the backrooms of the theater than it was out in the boxes. Muffled voices and random thumps and bangs could be heard through the door where the corridor bustled with performers as preparations for act two were in full swing during the intermission. “Clara, that’s wonderful. Where does the tour go?”
“This year, we will start in Croydon and travel west. Guilford, Winchester, Salisbury…” She paused and scrunched her nose in thought. “Oh yes, Dorchester, and Weymouth Bay. Then we travel by boat back up to Brighton to perform for the king!”
“How exciting. Did you say Weymouth Bay?” Susanna asked.
“Why do you ask?”
It was a sign. It had to be. Susanna leaned forward onto her elbows. “Have I ever told you about the love letters?”
Her friend’s eyes widened. “No.”
“Two years ago, my friends and I were in our local bookshop in Marbury, and we found some letters tucked into several books. Love letters. They were all signedlove J, and the address page had been carefully cut off. The letters were beautifully written, poetic, some even salacious. They chronicled the relationship of two lovers who were of different classes, their relationship clandestine.
“We decided to investigate in order to find out the identity of the lovers. It turned out the bookshop acquired the books from a large bookseller here in London. A wealthy family sold off their library after the family home came to a new owner. We traced the family name to the aunt of an acquaintance. She had hidden them in her favorite books so her mother wouldn’t find them.”
The door swung open and a blond head popped around the doorjamb. Giorgio. “Have you seen my tricorn hat?” His eyes widened when he spotted Susanna. “Lady Susanna!” He strode into the room. “It is always a pleasant surprise when you grace us with your presence.”
Giorgio made quite the male specimen in his skin-tight costume. Susanna gave him a cheeky grin. “Good evening, General. I’m here to watch the show but just came down to say goodbye for the summer. And good luck to you all with your travels.”
Clara picked up a hat adorned with a large white feather and passed it to Giorgio. “Here you go, luv.”
“Thank you.” He turned back to Susanna. “I must go. I am on in five minutes. But I do hope you will come to dinner tonight. Otherwise, who will I flirt with?” He winked before leaving with a flourish of his hat.
Susanna shook her head; she would definitely not be coming to dinner. She was grateful to be escaping the city in a couple of days. “I will never be able to get away this evening.”
Clara sat in a chair opposite her and waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about that one. Finish your story about the letters.”
