Diana squeezed her eyes closed.
Although she wanted intimacy with him, she refused to marry him in order to have it. Furthermore, thanks to her brother’s and Bethany’s good intentions, becoming Zeke’s mistress was out of the question as well.
And then she remembered the advertisement she’d seen posted last week. “I do have choices Collette. And I have a plan.”
“What are you thinking?” Collette’s stare was a wary one. “Surely notLe—"
“Théâtre du Ballet Saint-Martin,”Diana confirmed. “It’s possible that they are still seeking dancers. I’ll use the servants’ stairs and exit through the back. But I don’t want to chance going to my chamber first. Can I use this?” Diana held up one of Collette’s bonnets. “With any luck, I’ll be able to flag down a hackney.”
“In the heart of Mayfair?” Collette was already hurrying around the room, pulling out a different bonnet and gathering up her reticule. “We may have to walk a ways. But, regardless, I won’t allow you to go there alone.”
“You don’t have to…” Diana’s heart swelled as her sister bustled her toward the door.
“Of course, I must, you ninny. You’re my sister.”
They walked for what felt like hours before one of the hackney drivers took pity, complaining that he normally didn’t take up passengers such as themselves—unchaperoned ladies—but was willing to accept their money, nonetheless. It was a victory, however, albeit a small one, and staring out the window as the carriage ambled along, Diana hoped it wouldn’t be in vain.
She swiped at her eyes, determined not to think about Zeke.
“Are you crying?” Collette asked.
“Dust.” Diana lied.
Her sister gratefully didn’t question her farther, but instead handed over a handkerchief, and by the time the carriage drew to a halt outsideLe Théâtre du Ballet Saint-Martin,Diana’s tears were all but forgotten.
“This is it?” Diana frowned. With such an exotic name, the theater ought to be a tad more impressive than it actually was.
Collette shrugged. “It’s not exactly Drury Lane, is it.”
“Not quite.” Diana agreed.
AlthoughLe Theatrewas one of London’s newer entertainments, it was mostly shunned by the social elite. Partly because the style of dance had been popularized in France, but perhaps more so because of the costumes the dancers were required to wear. The scandalous Tutu’s worn by the ballerinas, were mostly just very short skirts that revealed the entire length of the dancers’ legs.
Spying the “hiring within” bulletin posted on one of the windows, Diana breathed a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, after finding the doors locked, and then after knocking on and off for nearly ten minutes to no avail, her heart sank.
Even so, she refused to admit defeat so readily. Because, as a young woman on the brink of her life, she must havechoices.
“Try the service doors in back,” a delivery man tipped his cap to them. “They keep the front entrance locked during the day.”
Collette and Diana both thanked him and then crept around the side of the building where he’d pointed.
“I’m not sure about this, Diana,” Collette said as she followed Diana through a littered and narrow corridor.
“Why not?”
Rather than answer, Collette instead flicked her gaze to where some of the bricks were crumbling, and most were covered with soot.
Diana shook her head, dismissing her sister’s concerns. Five minutes later, however, she was clutching Collette’s arm as they entered the back where a door had been propped open with one of those same bricks. And once inside, both girls paused in order to wait for their eyes to adjust, but also because neither had the slightest idea what to do next.
Diana cleared her throat. “Excuse me.” She called across to a gentleman who was manipulating some pullies and ropes. “I’ve come to apply for a position. Would you please tell me where I can find your manager?”
Not in any hurry, the man turned to them and then rubbed an arm across his face leaving a long streak of grease before answering. “Nothing ‘ere for a proper English lady. You’ve come to the wrong place.”
“Oh, but there is. And I’m not. I’m a dancer. I wish to work in the theatre.”
The fellow laughed. “Last I ‘eard, ‘e ‘ad all the dancer’s we need. Unless you’re willing to work in the laundry, best do your dancing at your fancy balls.”
“I’m willing to earn my way,” Diana lifted her chin. She had not expected this to be easy. “Where might I locate your manager?”
