James observed the group gathered in the ballroom. He rested against the backside of an Athenian column supporting the main wall. Hidden by a balcony-like façade, he observed closely the dynamics of the group as they planned a theatrical performance. He knew most of the players, but no one had told him of Nigel Worth’s presence at Pemberley. He would have a little talk with Peter about not keeping him informed. He did not like surprises, and Peter Whittington knew him better than anyone else—knew his likes and dislikes intimately.Although James had not seen Worth in nearly five years, he remembered his distaste for Worth’s arrogance and his envy of Worth’s knowledge of the law. James had once considered the study of the law, but his talents had taken him elsewhere—to the underbelly of society.

Now, he wondered if he might not include Worth in his plan for revenge.“Two birds and one stone,” he muttered.Worth seemed quite taken with Miss Anne de Bourgh. Darcy’s cousin, he thought, as he closed and locked the opening through which he had peered. The lady might serve as a means to exact revenge on both Darcy and Worth. He would use the information about Worth and Anne’s flirtation to his own advantage. As he was well aware, the de Bourghs were very wealthy, and he always needed money.“Something good this way comes,” he added as he made his way to his makeshift bed. “Pemberley is a house of infinite possibilities.”


“Then we are agreed.” Anne led the group’s discussion. “We will select poignant scenes to recreate the main plot of the play. Some of us will enact more than one part, especially as we have only two males, and they must be Benedick and Claudio.”

Elizabeth caught Georgiana around the waist. “Well, I, for one, am looking forward to playing a man’s role, and I am sure my sister, Miss Darcy, feels the same.” She squeezed the girl to her teasingly. “After all, Shakespeare had men playing the female roles.”

“I think it quite generous of you to offer to perform many of the minor parts, Mrs. Darcy,” Miss Donnel remarked. “It will take some creative staging to tell the story with so few performers.”

“It will be great sport,” Anne asserted, before organizing the papers strewn on the floor.“We will stage the masque, the plot against Benedick and Beatrice by the Prince, Borachio’s seduction of Margaret, the first wedding scene, Beatrice’s demand that Benedick kill Claudio, Dogberry’s questioning of Don John’s men, the second wedding, and the lovers’ declaration. Is that the extent of our scenes?” Anne quickly surveyed their faces for approval. When no one offered objections, she settled back into her role as the group’s leader. Only eight and forty hours earlier, she could not have filled the role of director; or, at least, she would have believed it impossible. Be daring, Anne, she urged herself. It is the way forward. “Then let us read through the scenes and meet back here in, let us say, two hours to begin our rehearsals.”

As the others stood, Elizabeth heard Lydia complain, “I do not see why I must play Margaret. I would make a more plausible Hero.”

Georgiana intervened. Until that moment, Darcy’s sister had avoided Mr. Wickham’s new wife. It was as though Anne’s new approach inspired Georgiana. “It would be more fitting for Miss Donnel and Lord Stafford to commit to the roles. They are close and can say hurtful lines without offering an offense. Would you not think so, Mrs.Wickham?”

Lydia begrudgingly agreed, but she remained less than happy about the choice.

“Mr.Worth consented to be your Borachio,” Elizabeth said encouragingly. “That is an agreeable situation, and you do have one of the more provocative scenes.” Elizabeth smiled teasingly.“Hero is too bland a character for your talents, Lyddie. Be part of my and Miss Darcy’s group of minor characters.” She brought the two younger girls together in a tight circle. “I propose we do something of our own to spice up our roles as men.” Elizabeth glanced around to be sure no one else could hear them.“I say we dress in men’s clothing.”

Georgiana gasped. “We cannot, Elizabeth!”

“We can, Georgiana. It will be great fun. I will have Mr. Darcy help us find some men’s breeches and some shirts.” Amusement danced in her eyes.

“Oh, Lord.” Georgiana turned pale.“Fitzwilliam will never tolerate it.”

“Lizzy has a way with Mr. Darcy,” Lydia asserted. “I never thought to see the day when Mr. Darcy would even consider dancing with Elizabeth, let alone marrying her. If anyone can persuade him to permit such a scheme, it is my sister.”

Georgiana paused, recalling those early days after Elizabeth’s arrival at Pemberley. At first she often listened with an astonishment bordering on alarm at her new sister’s lively, sportive manner of talking to her brother. He, who had always inspired in Georgiana a respect, which almost overcame her affection, she saw the object of open pleasantry. Her mind received knowledge, which had never before fallen in her way. By Elizabeth’s instructions, Georgiana began to comprehend that a woman may take liberties with her husband, which a brother will not always allow in a sister more than ten years younger than himself. Georgiana giggled nervously. “I have always wondered about the freedom men’s clothing affords.”

“Then I will see to it.” Elizabeth smiled. “Let us find some tea in the rose drawing room, and then we will map out our scenes. I wish to be Dogberry; his mutilation of the King’s English fascinates me.” She led them toward the main door, her arms wrapped around their waists.

Suddenly, Georgiana froze in place. “Oh, Elizabeth, you must say that word!” she exclaimed, both terrified and amused.

Elizabeth paused, trying to imagine Georgiana’s horror, repeating the play’s lines in her head.Then she snorted.“I will, will I not, Georgiana? I must say the word ass repeatedly. Ooh, I do so love this play.” She gave Georgiana a quick hug. “Come, girls, I will need much practice to say my lines without blushing.”

Chapter 13

“We have only one more scene through which to read,” Worth told Anne, as they hid themselves away, by common assent, on the same bench they had occupied previously in the conservatory. It offered them privacy. If anyone questioned their withdrawal, they would place the blame on the need to practice their scenes. They played lead parts, Beatrice and Benedick.

“Scene four of act five,” Anne noted, “after the second wedding scene.” She flipped through the pages to find the place. Sitting close together, they read from the same book.“Are you ready, Mr.Worth?”

“Absolutely, Miss de Bourgh.”

Anne pointed to the passage. “You may begin, sir.”

Worth cleared his throat before declaring, “Soft and fair, Friar. Which is Beatrice?”

Anne moved a bit closer. “I answer to that name. What is your will?”

“Do you love me?”Worth gazed at Anne’s profile.

She huskily whispered her lines.“Why, no, no more than reason.”

Worth returned his attention to the play. “Why, then your uncle and the Prince and Claudio have been deceived. They swore you did,” he read.

Anne asked flirtatiously, “Do not you love me?”

“Troth, no, no more than reason.”

“Why then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula are much deceived, for they did swear you did.”

Worth caught Anne’s hand in his, letting his finger trace a circle in her palm. “They swore that you were almost sick for me.”

Anne copied his teasing tone. “They swore that you were well-nigh dead for me.”

“’Tis no such matter. Then you do not love me?” He raised an eyebrow and his partner burst into laughter.

Composing herself, Anne read, “No, truly, but in friendly recompense.”

Worth looked down at the script. “Then Leonato, Claudio, and Hero produce the poem Benedick has written to Beatrice and Beatrice’s letter to Benedick.” He held up his invisible prop, a letter, and studied it.Then he read the lines, “A miracle! Here is our own hands against our hearts. Come, I will have thee, but by this light I take thee for pity.”

Anne said faintly, “I would not deny you, but by this good day. I yield upon great persuasion, and partly to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption.”

“Peace! I will stop your mouth.”Worth lifted his hand to caress her face.“We should rehearse the kiss if you are willing, Miss de Bourgh.”

“If you wish, Mr.Worth,” the lady responded breathily.

“I wish very much, Miss de Bourgh.”The man lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her gently. Their lips touched briefly-no embrace- no overt sexuality-simply an early courtship kiss-a declaration of a commitment between them. “I look forward to the actual performance so I might repeat the pleasure of tasting your lips, my Anne.”

“Am I yours, Mr.Worth?” she murmured.

“If I have anything to say on the matter.”

Anne slid her arms around his neck. “I believe I am in need of more practice, sir.”

“As am I.”Worth chuckled as he pulled Anne closer.


Hours of separate and group rehearsals brought additional laughter, along with some frustration. They considered postponing their performance an additional day to allow more time for perfection, but Lord Stafford insisted that they were as ready as they might ever be; and after some desultory debate, the gentleman’s reason prevailed. After dinner, they would offer up their version of Shakespeare’s comedy for the delight of one another, as well as Darcy, Lady Catherine, and Mrs.Williams.

Elizabeth had talked Darcy into her idea of wearing men’s clothing, but she had forgotten that Lady Catherine would be in the audience. Now, I will just prove my inappropriateness, she chastised herself. Even worse, I have involved my sister and Georgiana.What was I thinking? However, as her entrance approached, Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped, or rather galloped, to center stage. She played the part of the ineffectual constable Dogberry, with his ever-present side-kick, Verges, who was portrayed by a terrified Georgiana.

Elizabeth heard Lady Catherine’s snort of disapproval, but Darcy’s simple “Excellent!” gave her the courage to portray the foolish Dogberry with pure abandonment. She spoke with all the pomposity of the man who considered himself learned when the world recognized him as an incompetent fool.“Why, you speak like an ancient and most quiet watchman, for I cannot see how sleeping should offend. Only have a care that your bills be not stolen. Well, you are to call at all the alehouses and bid those that are drunk get them to bed. But if they will not, why then, let them alone till they are sober. If they make you not then the better answer, you will say they are not the men you took them for.”

Darcy laughed heartily. In his opinion, Elizabeth was a natural, but then she always amused him, even when they were in opposition. He had loved her handling of the infamous Caroline Bingley’s obvious barbs back in their Netherfield Park days. It was one of the qualities which had attracted him to her in the first place. Her presence lightened his heart and brought him joy. Knowing Georgiana had upcoming lines in the play, Darcy returned his attention to his sister’s look of pure delight. Six months ago, a sultan’s fortune could not have induced his sister to perform in a play and place herself in a position for censure or for praise.

Tonight, infected by Elizabeth’s enthusiasm, Georgiana hobbled along as his wife’s partner. “If you hear a child cry in the night, you must call to the nurse and bid her still it,” she declared. Darcy’s smile exploded. She will recover, he thought. Her heart will heal, thanks to Elizabeth. “Bravo,” he said loudly enough for Georgiana to hear. Quietly, he added, “Bravo, my dear sister.”

“Darcy,” Lady Catherine hissed under her breath, but he immediately hushed her.

“None of your usual censure, Aunt,” he warned. “Let them know the day’s distraction.”

“But . . .” she began; however, a glacial stare from Darcy silenced her immediately.


Peter ventured a quick survey of the ballroom thespians.The ladies—Mrs. Darcy, Miss Darcy, and Mrs.Wickham—flaunted a freedom not rightly theirs and abused the precepts of propriety with their performances. He despised women who crossed the boundaries of society’s unwritten laws. Women, and society as a whole, often found him disagreeable because he fancied himself a discerning critic—not blind to the follies and nonsense of others. He knew that affectation of candor is common enough; one meets with it everywhere. Of the three women, Mrs. Wickham bothered him the most. Her behavior had not been calculated to please in general; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than the others, he was very little disposed to approve of the woman.