She waved a hand. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I am a Janeite through and through. For all my academic posturing about Austen’s popularity being a kind of moral nostalgia, I fell in love with her heroes as a little girl. If Mr. Darcy were to ask for my hand, I would accept without hesitation. I just don’t go in for all this sillypageantry.” She pointed at the toe of my boot sticking out from the hem of my dress. “I see you and I share a similar disposition.”
I laughed again, loving how all the rebellious Janeites seemed to be finding me.
The bell sounded from within the house, alerting us that the hour had come to move to our next activity of choice. Lydia insisted on Regency dance lessons. “I shall show you all how we danced at Netherfield,” she declared. “But first, we should pay a quick visit to David’s lecture. I should wish to offer him my ribbon for winning all of his duels.”
When we entered Mansfield Park, David’s eyes lit up. He stood at the front of the room, laying out trays of old coins nestled in velvet pouches. Even though he’d been soaked in sweat only minutes ago, he appeared fresh-faced, his hair perfectly tamed and his clothing immaculate, right down to his ruffled cravat. Apart from an old man peering at the coins with mild interest while his wife tugged on his arm, we were the only other people.
“Lydia, I’m so pleased you came.” David gave a deep bow. “I was beginning to think they’d placed my lecture alongside the dancing as they were certain no one was interested enough to show up, but I knew the world of numismatics was too exciting to keep you away—”
“We’re not staying,” Lydia said. “My friends are in desperate need of dancing instruction, and I wish to be there to laugh at their foils. But we did want to visit with you beforehand and congratulate you on your fencing prowess.”
“Yes, that was an impressive performance,” Morrie put in. “Tell me, how do you fare with a gentleman’s cane? Or the bare knuckles?”
“Bare-knuckle boxing is illegal in this country,” David said. He offered his arm to Lydia, who took it with a smile and a tilt of her head. “Come, Lydia. Let me quickly show you this fascinating world of numismatics. Coins really do bring the Regency era to life…”
We crowded around and tried to look interested as David held up different coins and explained their denomination and mineral composition, and the significance of their designs. Heathcliff pretended to hang himself behind David’s back. Ignoring him, I bent down to examine the tiny coins.
“Um, Mina? You shouldn’t get so close,” David said. “Your breath contains droplets of water, which can damage the delicate metal.”
“Oh.” I stood up so fast I crashed into the old man, who stumbled into his wife. They both glared at me and hurried off.
“Now you’ve scared away my only other attendees,” David said sadly. “That man was going to buy a copy of my book.”
I noticed a table in the corner with a massive stack of books on it. My cheeks blazed with heat. I hadn’t realized I’d been looking so closely. Instinctively, my hand flew to my chest, where my father’s letter still rested between my breasts, reminding me that this washisfault.
“While it’s very fascinating watching Mina sniff the coins,” Lydia said. “I use these coins every day and I don’t need them explained to me while I could be dancing. I expect to see you this evening, David. I look forward to dancing the quadrille with you.”
The four of us raced out of the drawing room. As I turned I caught a glimpse of David, staring after us with wide, sad eyes. But after he’d drawn attention to my eyesight, I didn’t feel any sympathy for him.
“Oh, what a dreadful bore.” Lydia laughed. “If she were here, I think I might offer him my sister Mary. She seems quite his type. Why, he keeps his money in little pouches and doesn’t even spend it. What a fool.”
“Why do modern people find coins so fascinating?” Morrie mused. “The only time currency interests me is when I’m attempting to launder it.”
“You wash your money?” Lydia gasped. “But why?”
I rolled my eyes. “Not that kind of laundering, Lydia.”
“Well, what kind of laundering?”
Isis save us.
“Oh look, we’ve reached the ballroom.” Morrie offered Lydia an elbow, and she immediately shut up. “Shall we?”
“Are you sure you want to go in there?” The pensive look on Heathcliff’s face during the fencing, and the way he slunk away from me, played on my mind. “We could go somewhere quiet and talk—”
Heathcliff sighed. “If you’re insisting on attending this godawful ball, I guess we’d best not make fools of ourselves.”
Given the ball was tomorrow evening, and the only dancing I knew how to do involved throwing myself around a circle pit at a punk show, I agreed it was a good idea. As we passed through the entrance hall, I noticed Christina Hathaway standing with her father while he signed autographs for a gaggle of giggling Janeites. “Wait here,” I told Heathcliff, curious about the professor.
I pushed myself through the crowd and extended a hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Professor Hathaway,” I said. “I enjoyed your lecture. The first part, at least.”
He held my hand several moments longer than was polite, his finger sliding over my knuckles in a way that made my skin crawl. “Thank you, my dear. Tell me, do you consider yourself a scholar of Regency society, or are you here for the fun and frivolity?”
“Oh, no. I just came because I like books. ‘I declare after all that there is no enjoyment like reading’.” Proud of slipping in an Austen quote, I patted Heathcliff’s shoulder. “We’re from Nevermore Bookshop in the village.”
“Really?” His eyes lit up in a predatory way. “Mr. Simson’s old establishment? I swear that place is so ancient it was probably around when dear Jane visited the village. It’s nice to see it in suchdelightfulyoung hands. You should speak to David about having me do a signing. I’d be pleased to support the local arts inany wayI can.” His words were accompanied by a super unsubtle wink.
Gross.I deflected the professor’s attention by curtseying to Christina. “Pardon me, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure.”
