“What are you doing here, Miss Lloyd?” Sophie asked. “Zach told me you’d been dismissed from the company.”
“That was just a silly misunderstanding between Zach and me. I was not dismissed. In fact, I’ll be taking over your role later today, when it becomes clear that you can’t handle it.”
Oh, this woman did have a lot of nerve! Sophie’s first inclination was to back down and cower in a corner, but an image of Ally, strong and vibrant, popped into her mind. How would Ally handle the situation? She would fight, just like she had been fighting her whole life for everything that meant anything to her. Sophie had grown a lot in the last few days. She had performed at an audition, been intimate with a man, watched her sister give birth to two babies. Sophie had found strength that she never knew she possessed.
She would use that strength now.
“I assure you I can handle this role, Miss Lloyd. This part is mine and will continue to be mine until the closing of this production. Now, if you’ll kindly get out of my way, I’m late for rehearsal.”
“Not so fast, you little harlot. I know what you’re doing. You’re sleeping with Zach. That’s how you got this part.”
Sophie warmed all over, despite the untruths of what Nanette was saying. She had gotten the part before she and Zach became intimate, and technically they hadn’t even slept together yet, at least not done the physical act. “I’m nothing like you, Miss Lloyd. I do not trade my sexual favors for a role. I won this role fair and square on my talent alone.”
“Well, goody-goody for you. I can assure you, Zach is not at all interested in you.”
Sophie couldn’t help herself. “Oh, he’s not, is he? Then why did he ask permission to ask my stepfather to court me?”
Nanette’s face turned red and her knuckles white as she crunched her hands into fists. “He did what?”
“I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with your hearing, dear. You heard me correctly. Zach would like to court me.” Sophie struggled to hold her stance. She wasn’t nearly as sure of herself as her words indicated.
“That’s absolutely preposterous. Zachary Newland doesn’t court women. He uses them.”
“So are you saying that he used you?”
“Of course not. We had a real relationship. We were in love.”
Sophie bit her lip. Surely Zach hadn’t loved Nanette, had he? It was unlikely…but what did Sophie really know about Zach?
“Whatever your relationship was, it appears to be over now.”
Nanette seethed. “I assure you, whatever you’re doing to get Zach to roll over and beg for you, it will end. He will get sick of you just like he gets sick of every other woman. He has the attention span of a toddler, you know.”
Sophie bit her lip again. Nanette’s words rang with truth. Did Zach really want to court her? Or was he just conniving to make sure she stayed in the production through its end? Sophie didn’t know, but she was damned sure of one thing. She was taking this role, and she was going to handle it to the best of her ability. She enjoyed singing, and if she herself could find joy and also bring joy to others at the same time, she had to do this. She had to come out of her shell and live a little. She had to try to be more like Ally.
“Whether Zach gets sick of me or not is hardly an issue here. I am now the lead soprano, whether Zach is courting me or not. And I will be playing this role, which means you won’t be.”
Nanette’s hand jetted out fast as a whip, and she smacked Sophie across the face.
Sophie jerked backward, stunned. Her cheek was numb for a moment before the pain. Of course, she was used to that. It had always surprised her each time her father hit her—how the pain didn’t come instantaneously. No, the numbness came first and then the pain.
Tears misted in Sophie’s eyes, but she gulped them back. “If you ever touch me again, Miss Lloyd, I shall summon a constable and have you arrested. Now, I am late to rehearsal.” She pushed Nanette out of the way. “Good day.”
Sophie walked unsteadily to the theatre. When she opened the door and walked in, Zach waved to her from the stage. “Ah, here’s our leading lady now. Lady Sophie MacIntyre, everyone.”
The rest of the company seated in
the audience applauded. Sophie’s cheeks warmed further, and not as a result of Nanette’s slap. What was she supposed to do? Take a curtsy? She simply smiled and walked to an empty seat.
“Eugene is distributing your librettos, and our esteemed Lord Thornton is distributing your music.”
Cameron smiled at Sophie as he handed her the packet of music. Goodness, it was over an inch thick! How in the world would she learn all of this? It was still late April, and the show opened on Midsummer Eve. That gave her nearly two months to prepare. Still, she shook her head. What had she gotten into?
Nothing you can’t handle, Ally’s voice said in her head. When the man called Eugene handed her the libretto, she flinched again. Another inch-thick book to memorize. Lord in heaven!
“Today we’re simply going to do a read-through of the written part of the musicale,” Zach said. “I’d like all of the starring and supporting roles to come join me on stage and take a seat in one of the chairs behind me. Small roles and chorus may stay in the audience for now.”
Sophie inhaled a deep breath and stood, making her way to the stage. She chose a chair on the end, so as not to bring too much attention to herself. She looked hurriedly through the libretto and found her character, Lady Eliza Canterbury. Lady Eliza was a woman of the peerage who fell in love with a commoner living on her father’s land.