Rosewood by Sayantani DasGupta

Author:Sayantani DasGupta [Dasgupta, Sayantani]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2023-01-10T00:00:00+00:00

A Regency Vocabulary Lesson

TO MAKE A CAKE OF YOURSELF = to make a fool of yourself

TO MAKE A MULL OF SOMETHING = to make a mess of something

BROUGHT TO A POINT NON PLUS = in a situation without any options

THAT WAS RATHER charming,” said Rahul, a deep laugh teasing the edges of his voice.

“That’s one way to put it.” I smiled, indicating the other campers, still clapping, shouting, and hooting after Mallika and Will’s performance. “But everyone else seemed to enjoy it.”

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Lady Middleton was bellowing from the front of the room. “Some decorum, please, in your applause! Hooting is hardly Regency-appropriate behavior!”

Next to her, poor Countess Flemington was so overcome—whether with pleasure at the song or horror at our rather twenty-first-century reception of it, I’m not sure—that she actually needed a footman to fetch her smelling salts. I was really hoping the leeches would come out next.

“Is Mallika entirely . . . enamored with Will?” Rahul was asking me, his face troubled.

“I think she likes him quite a lot.” I nodded to the front, where Mallika was still making deep-kneed curtsies and Will was bowing to their adoring fans. “But I can’t figure out how much of that is the glamour of him being the secret Rosewood actor, and how much is something more. But I think what I’m realizing is it doesn’t really matter if they’re having fun together—which I think they actually are.”

“I wasn’t implying she was anything but a charming and enthusiastic soul,” Rahul said. “I was just asking if she would like Will quite as much if it turned out he wasn’t actually the actor who’s been cast. I mean, I wouldn’t want someone to take advantage of Mallika’s sweetness.”

“I appreciate the concern, Rahul,” I said, “but your point is moot, isn’t it? I mean, we all know that Will is the actor who has been cast.”

“Yes, we do.” Rahul rubbed at his chin. “Don’t we?”

“Look, it’s sweet that you’re worrying about my sister.” I leaned toward him, feeling shy. All around us, the applause was dying down, but people were still enthusiastically chatting about Will and Mallika’s performance. “But I think she’s okay. Will loves the spotlight, just like her, but he does seem to genuinely like her.”

Rahul laughed. “He seems like a giant puppy.”

I was just about to agree with Rahul, when something unexpected happened. As everyone was clapping and standing up, moving chairs, and going to the front to speak with a beaming Wallika, Lucy made a beeline toward Rahul and me. Her face tight with concentration, her stride determined, she looked like an incoming missile headed in our direction.

Rahul saw her coming toward us first. “Lucy! What’s going on?” he began.

“Don’t even start!” She held up her hand. I expected her to head past us, and say something mean to Mallika or Will, and so I moved across her path to intercept her. But Lucy wasn’t planning on saying anything to my sister, apparently, because that’s when she stumbled,

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