Suddenly, Lucien kissed her boldly on the lips before taking her free hand and guiding her back to their seats.
“I thought we should give them something to talk about,” he said smugly.
She arched a brow and giggled. “Do you think it worked?”
He nodded. “Oh yes. I can see two sets of opera glasses focused on the box.”
The door opened and Arthur and Daphne rejoined them. Daphne took a glass of champagne from a footman and came tosit near Harriet and Lucien. She smiled at them before gracefully taking a sip.
“Why must men discuss business every chance they get? Why can’t they just enjoy an evening out with their wives and family?” Daphne sighed.
“It is not in the male makeup. The way we were brought up from a young age,” Arthur quipped as he sauntered to his chair and sat down. He took a swallow of champagne and looked out at the audience as the lights began to dim.
“Lucien, you and Harriet must have made an impression on people. I notice we’re being looked at through opera glasses,” Arthur said.
“Yes, so it seems. We were looking at who was here, whom we might know. That’s when it all started.”
“Next week they’ll focus on some other couple, and you’ll be forgotten,” Daphne replied.
“I certainly hope so,” Harriet said.
With the lights once more dimming, the audience quieted as the music started for the second part of the incredible Italian soprano. Harriet leaned forward as the singing began, trying to catch the ambiance of the music. She was enthralled. To have a gift like that and sing with all the feeling and emotions tugged at her heartstrings.
Soon she relaxed and sat back to listen. Though the words were in Italian, she felt as though she knew every word, every meaning. The inflection of the singer’s voice made it possible to understand. She was mesmerized.
And just like that it was over. Harriet jumped to her feet and began applauding enthusiastically. The entire theater had erupted into thunderous applause. Lucien stood beside her. She peered up at him. He nodded and continued clapping alongside her.
The soprano took curtain call after curtain call. It would be hard to follow this woman. She was truly admired and loved for her craft.
Harriet wondered if she had a family, a husband, children? So many artists didn’t and the ones who did, their families stayed at wherever home was. That would be a hard life, being away from what was personal and familiar. However, that was the life artists chose and it was something they accepted as normal.
She looked around the theater which was emptying out. It would be chaos for a while. Daphne had mentioned earlier that they would probably wait and let the biggest rush go out before them. She’d been right because Daphne was tasting something from the appetizer table. Harriet had been so excited she’d failed to remember it was there. She walked over to Daphne and gazed at what was being offered.
“I made reservations for dinner at the hotel across the street. They’re excellent if you haven’t tried them before,” Arthur said.
“Good, because I’m starving,” Daphne announced.
“Lucien, you’ll join us?” Arthur asked.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” he replied, his gaze focusing on Harriet.
“Good. I think we need to get going while the crowd is thinning out,” Arthur said to everyone.
The crowd wasn’t as sparse as Arthur hoped it was, and it took fifteen or so minutes for them to navigate their way out of the theater and across the street to the hotel and restaurant. Everyone stood in the lobby near the restaurant’s entrance while Arthur went to talk with the man in charge of reservations and seating.
Arthur’s jovial mood had changed when he rejoined the trio. “It seems there’s going to be a wait.”
“I thought you made reservations,” Daphne said.
“I had, but it seems people are lingering. The wait may be up to forty-five minutes,” Arthur replied.
Daphne shook her head. “That won’t do. Tell them thank you, but no thank you. I have a much more fun idea for dinner.”
“I agree with Daphne. They should have prepared better for the theater crowd,” Harriet replied.
“Then it’s settled,” Arthur said. He looked at Lucien who’d remained quiet. “Lucien, what say you?”
“I agree with the ladies. Let’s head back to your house and see what Daphne has in mind,” Lucien said.
