Henry’s back straightened to a rigid line. He studied Cate’s face for a brief moment, I assumed to gauge her sincerity. “Very well. I shall leave the matter in your competent hands.” He gave her a thin smile that paled against the frost in his eyes. Turning, he offered his arm to me. “I believe we have someone to congratulate.” His tone sounded reasonably calm, though the ensuing pace from the box told a different story.
Andrew, Jane and James hurried behind us. More angry shouts erupted from the pit, but soon grew muffled as we entered the back hallway “What’s happening?” I asked, darting a worried look over my shoulder. “Do you think it’s Deri?”
Henry’s pace remained constant. “I don’t know.”
Andrew chuckled. “Our Nora has raised the blood of more than a few young dandies tonight. The roosters will crow and strut for a while, but nothing to worry about, I’m sure. The theater keeps extra men on hand for such occasions.”
“As you well know, brother,” Jane said amiably. “Miss Justine Rose caused a riot after her first appearance on stage. Andrew received a stunning black eye for his efforts that night.”
“Quite right, Jane,” Andrew agreed. “Nothing like a pretty face to stir the blood.”
“Oh, you men are incorrigible,” Jane laughed. “Don’t you agree, Selah? Always on the lookout for an excuse to show a bit of bravado.”
“Indeed,” I said, tightening my grasp on Henry’s arm.
The passageway grew darker, lit only by the occasional candle that flickered behind smoke stained shades of the wall lamps. Henry led our party down a flight of stairs to another corridor.
The faint pitch of a scream could be heard in the distance. “Might be more than a few black eyes tonight,” Andrew said, somewhat somber this time.
Henry pulled his arm free of my hand. “Go ahead. I’ll catch up in a moment.” He dropped back to walk with the Saxbys.
Before I could protest, James came alongside me. “Nora was splendid tonight,” he said. “The most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”
“Yes, most beautiful,” I replied with only half a mind to his words. The other half remained on the escalating fight in the pit, and I thanked heaven that Henry had been coerced into accompanying me to the dressing rooms. Tom and Cate could deal with whatever trouble was brewing out there.
“Do you...” James started hesitantly. “Do you think now she has taken to the stage, that she will remain in London indefinitely?”
I cut a suspicious look at him, unused to so much civility at once. “Perhaps,” I said, purposefully vague in my response. In truth, it hadn’t occurred to me that Nora might stay to make a real profession of the theater rather than return home to Hopewell in the spring as planned.
The corridor turned to the right and continued on, though now with doors on either side. James stopped at the first one and knocked. “Miss Rose’s dressing room,” he mumbled in way of explanation.
“Come in,” Nora’s happy voice called through the door.
We shuffled together into the room. The rich sweetness of roses filled the air from several large arrangements. Nora sat in front of a mirror with Justine scrubbing at her face paint. “I shan’t be allowed back in Lady Dinley’s house if I bring Nora home looking like a hussy,” she laughed. “We shall have our Quaker back in no time.”
The costume had already been removed and Nora now wore a blue silk robe, no doubt belonging to Justine. With a last swipe of the cloth, Nora turned from the mirror, her face restored to its natural color. The exhilaration remained untouched.
James moved to her side. “You were splendid tonight,” he said.
“Absolutely stellar,” Andrew agreed, stepping forward and partially blocking me from view.
Red splotches stained Nora’s cheeks. “Thank you,” she said. Then taking James’s hand, she pressed it affectionately. “It means so much to have you here.”
I dropped my gaze to the floor, feeling about three inches high. James and the Saxbys had been invited. I came of my own accord.
“And you, Selah,” she said, peering around Andrew. “I couldn’t have gotten through it without you.”
My head snapped up. Nora stood and took a tentative step toward me. Then we both moved forward, straight into each other’s arms. “I’m so proud of you,” I said against her cheek. “You were magnificent, by far the best actress London has ever seen.”
“She did well enough I suppose,” Justine teased.
Nora winked at me. “High praise indeed coming from the most demanding teacher in all of England.” She caught sight of the flowers clutched to my side. “Are those for me?” she asked excitedly. “Please say they are.”
I laughed and handed her the bouquet. “A small token of my admiration, though in full disclosure they came from the Fitzalan hothouse.”
“They’re lovely.” She drew a deep breath from the blooms, then glanced around the room. “Where is Henry? Did he not come down with you?”
I turned toward Andrew.
“Ah, yes. Henry forgot his walking stick in the box. Said it shouldn’t take long and that he would be here shortly.”
Alarm scampered through my ribcage. “He didn’t bring a walking stick, my lord.”