Ciji Ware by Wicked Company

Author:Wicked Company
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-05-30T02:28:28+00:00

Twenty-One

Good day, m’lady,” said Mr. Collins, addressing Sophie from his perch at the entrance to Drury Lane. The look on his face bespoke his surprise at seeing her only ten days after childbirth.

Sophie offered a hurried greeting to the stage doorkeeper as she moved silently toward the wings to watch the final rehearsal for Double Devils unobserved. Despite her determination to see how well the actors recited the speeches she had labored over with such intensity, Sophie worried that Lorna would find minding both the book shop and the infant Danielle too much for one person to handle.

She heaved a sigh and tried to concentrate on the actors’ characterizations, the flesh-and-blood creations that had sprung from her imagination. Mavis Piggott, playing the hapless fiancée engaged to one of the rakish twins, was sobbing into a series of handkerchiefs provided her by Kitty Clive, her match-making mother.

Garrick had taken for himself the role of one of the twins and West Digges, dressed in matching wig, makeup, and costume, played the other. Even the supporting players seemed to know their lines, and Sophie’s spirits rose at the prospect of a delighted audience at the opening performance the following evening.

“Excuse me, sir!” Collins’s voice cut through the dialogue being exchanged on stage. “You cannot go in there!”

Sophie shrank back into the shadows at the sight of her husband, Peter, weaving his way past the stage doorkeeper and into the first set of wings.

“Ah… Garrick, my good man… so sorry to disturb you,” Peter said, the familiar slurring of his words indicating he had been on one of his now-frequent binges.

The action on stage had halted midsentence, and the cast turned their attention to David Garrick, whose policy on interruptions during rehearsals was inviolate.

“We are at work, sir,” Garrick said frostily. “I’ll thank you to remove yourself to my office. Collins!” he commanded. “Show Sir Peter the way.”

“This can’t wait, I’m afraid.” Peter grinned inanely, leaning against a painted column that was part of the garden terrace set. At that point, the piece of scenery gave way beneath his weight. He stumbled forward and was only saved from falling on his face when West Digges swiftly grabbed his arm to steady him. “I lost a bit of blunt at White’s last night, don’t y’know,” he said conspiratorially to his rescuer, “…thought I’d collect my author’s fees in advance from the Great Garrick, here.” He peered unsteadily in the direction of the actor-manager. “Great God, Garrick!” he announced loudly, executing an exaggerated bow, “can you spare me a few quid?”

There was a collective gasp of horror from the assembly, and Sophie suddenly wished she could disappear through one of the trap doors carved in the Drury Lane stage. Garrick’s stentorian answer rang to the rafters.

“Sir! Kindly hold your tongue until this rehearsal is concluded!”

“Perhaps I could be of assistance,” declared Roderick Darnly, materializing suddenly from the Greenroom opposite Sophie’s vantage point.

“Ah… Darnly… my old friend… the Patron,” Peter said mockingly, turning to his former companion.

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