“You there, Jennie; recite for me Juliet’s part when she’s speaking to Romeo,” he called, ushering the redhead with the errant garter onto the stage. “You’re an old hand at this. Three seasons, and always the support actress awaiting your moment. Well, perhaps your time has come. Demonstrate for Miss Hazlett the dizzying talent she will have to match if she is to snatch the plum role away from your fair
fingers.”
Jennie smiled prettily for her director and, with a sideways look at Kitty, flounced across stage, throwing her head back and whisking her skirts above her knees as she recited two verses of her own choice with great passion.
Mr. Lazarus applauded loudly. “Done with great feeling. Ah yes, you know how to please your director, but I must take our fair newcomer upstairs where Mrs. Lazarus can give her opinion. The great but eminently obliging Mr. Lazarus does nothing without the full endorsement of Mrs. L.” He proffered his arm with his trademark flourishing bow, and bore Kitty across the stage in front of the goggle-eyed lineup and was about to exit behind the curtain when a loud voice cried, “Ahoy there, and what tasty morsel have you discovered from the provinces? Word has got out, oh sly one, but I am the first to bear witness.”
Embarrassed, Kitty turned. The voice was well bred and full of confidence, but the man himself was unlike any she’d ever seen. He must have been about six feet with broad, well-formed shoulders, an athletic physique, and the handsomest face she’d ever seen.
“Oh, but I like what I see!” he said with even greater interest, advancing a few steps and putting his head on one side to observe Kitty from the ankles upward, while Kitty’s blushes blazed in her cheeks and her heart beat a raging tumult in her chest.
“You’ll have to be satisfied with seeing her on stage, my Lord, for Miss Hazlett is too busy auditioning and then learning her lines to be cajoled by you into any dubious adventuring.”
The young man grinned, doffed his hat and bowed. He was now only several feet away, looking up, and self-consciously Kitty tugged at her skirts in case too much ankle might be on view, yet at the same time her skin glowed with happy warmth to be the object of his obvious admiration.
“Lord Nash at your service, divine goddess,” he said, tossing back a head of inky-black curls as he rose from his bow.
Breathlessly Kitty nodded, her heart racing as she saw the tiny scar beneath his right eye. “Pleased to meet you, my Lord.” She could barely get the words out before Mr. Lazarus swept her backstage, through the curtains and up a narrow staircase.
“Are we going to see Mrs. Lazarus now?” she asked, her mind fluttering with images of the wickedly handsome young man she’d just met.
“Not only that, but you are going to impress the good lady with your abundant talent. We have, I feel almost certain, our next Juliet, however a good director needs to be certain he has made the right choice of leading lady.” At the top of the stairs, he led Kitty into the center of a small, cluttered room with a change curtain draped with various pieces of flamboyant clothing, and a chaise lounge pushed against one wall beside which was positioned a deep green upholstered chair in which sat a large effigy of a grotesquely featured, enormously fat woman. She seemed to be constructed of material, stuffed and elegantly dressed.
Kitty put her hands to her cheeks and gasped. “What is that?” she cried, turning to find Mr. Lazarus suddenly rigid, his stern eyes upon her.
“What do you mean, Miss Hazlett? You speak of the very image of my late good wife. I wouldn’t dream of failing to consult her on every important decision to ensure the continued success of this eminently successful theater.”
“That is Mrs. Lazarus?”
“Indeed it is. Now, my dear Miss Hazlett. Let me see how much feeling you can inject into my favorite, most tender scene between Romeo and Juliet. I shall stand here as Romeo and you, my dear, are my fair Juliet.” He handed her a dog-eared script and pointed to a line halfway done the page. “Proceed from here, if you please. You indicated a familiarity with the play so you will understand that I, as your lovelorn swain, must hold you in my arms, thus.”
Kitty squeaked as Mr. Lazarus’s arms went about her so tightly that her legs buckled.
“Juliet, my Juliet,” he intoned passionately, his mouth going to Kitty’s before she knew what was happening.
“Mr. Lazarus!”
“How fair art thou.” His right hand cupped her bottom causing her to shriek even more loudly.
“I say, what’s all this!”
At the intrusion, Mr. Lazarus dropped his hands, and Kitty stumbled backward, staring wildly between her red-faced director and the curious gaze of a young man lounging in the doorway. “Pardon me for interrupting. I was downstairs paying my respects to one of your chorus girls when I heard a loud shrieking. I did not realize you were rehearsing.”
“Oh Mr. Lazarus, I’m sorry; I didn’t realize we’d get quite so quickly to the...love scene. I didn’t mean to cause offense.” Kitty tried to keep the trembling from her voice. She could see Mr. Lazarus was very angry, but she didn’t know how else she might have responded to such unexpected overtures. Nervously she fingered her skirts and looked at the floor.
“That will be all for today, Miss Hazlett.” His voice was cold. “Lord Silverton, a pleasure to see you, as always.”
Kitty stared, panicked, between the two men, uncertain what to do. “So...I am to return to Mrs. Mobbs while I await your decision?” She felt close to tears. Everything had gone so differently, and now she felt belittled yet also as if she were in the wrong. When he did not answer immediately, she said, “Perhaps we can try that scene again.”
Mr. Lazarus shook his head and ran both hands dramatically up over his face and through his hair. “I am unable to summon the feeling required. You have drained me, Miss Hazlett. Disappointed me. I had hoped for better than that from you.”
“Please, Mr. Lazarus...please give me one more chance. What am I to do if I can’t work for you? It’s the reason I came to London?”
“You came to London hoping to prove yourself, but you have a lot to learn, Miss Hazlett.”
“Please, Mr. Lazarus, I...need work. I want to be an actress. Please let me audition once more.”
“Oh, I’ll find something for you while we work on improving your technique, but I’m too weary now for any more of your simpering nonsense. Return to Mrs. Mobbs until I summon you again.”