“What’s his name again?”
“Albert, Albert Ridings, and I can assure you that Albert is a gentleman and that he died during the Great War.”
“Does he have a verified identity?”
“No, he does not, but we can hardly hold that against him, can we? And we have been friends these past four years. And no one knows of us apart from you, Mary … and apparently Stephen.”
“Who’s Stephen?”
“That is Mary’s boyfriend … the young man who asked the question for Albert. You have met him—Dr Davis’s graduate student.”
That information hardly reassured Melody. Instead it reminded her that she had only navigated one crisis to be met with another.
“Wait, why do you want to fire Mary? Which is completely ridiculous, by the way.”
“And why is that?” Jane asked.
“Well first, she’s your best friend and …”
“No, you’re my best friend. Mary is an employee.”
“An employee to whom we have offered a five-year contract and who the public has come to accept as you. We can hardly fire her and besides, you’ll regret it.”
Melody finally sat on the edge of the bed in Mary’s hotel room. Mary was in Melody’s bedroom to escape Jane’s wrath, while Jane vented her anger to Melody.
“You do look unwell,” Jane commented, her anger blunted. “Is it your heartburn?” She suddenly feared it might be more serious as she watched her friend sink in on herself. But suddenly, Melody exclaimed, “No, it’s your stupidity, Jane. If you have a chance at happiness, why won’t you take it?”
This reaction surprised Jane. “But just a moment ago, I thought …”
“Then I was thinking like your agent—and you caught me by surprise—but now I’m thinking like your friend. If you actually love this man …”
“Love? Who said anything of love?”
“Oh be real. You just had a lover’s quarrel in front of a thousand people.”
“So like Mary you presume to tell me what to do.”
“Yes, and I’m telling you you’re an idiot if you don’t hold on to love.” As she said this, she looked down and Jane realized it was to hide her tears. This alarmed Jane much more than any health fears she might have for Melody.
“Melody, what’s wrong?” Melody tried to turn her head away, but not knowing Jane’s location, failed.
“It’s nothing, I’m just tired.”
“You’re tired? Now I am truly worried. Should I call someone? Tamara?”
Now Melody groaned and said, “If you must know, things have been difficult between me and Tamara.”
“Oh, I am so sorry. I had no idea.”
“No, and neither did I. That’s the problem. Don’t worry; we’re sorting it out. Nothing irrevocable happened, it’s just a misunderstanding that wouldn’t … shouldn’t have happened …”
“Oh Melody, what … do you want to … how can I help?”
Melody left the bed to get some tissues from the bedside table. She blew her nose and came back to sit on the edge of the bed again.
“She told me after I finally got home from our Chawton trip. Someone at her office made a move on her.”
“Pardon? What does that mean?”
“Another woman … uh, took a liberty with her, when they were working late at night. Nothing happened, of course, but Tamara told me … she said the woman thought … she’s new in the office … she thought Tamara wasn’t with anyone. They’d already had a lot of late nights and because of the time difference, she never heard Tamara talking to me on the phone. So she thought Tamara was available.”
“I see. But you said that Tamara … that nothing happened.”
“I’ve become so … tangential to Tamara’s life that a co-worker had no idea that I existed.”
“That is an exaggeration, Melody. It was just an innocent mistake.”
“It gets worse. Tamara told me … she thought maybe she sent signals.” And before Jane could ask what signals meant, Melody amended: “That she invited this person’s attentions.” She looked away from where she thought Jane might be.
“Yes, I understand the concept well enough,” Jane said. “But you said that nothing happened.”
“That’s not the point. I’ve neglected my relationship so much that …”
“No, it is the point. Tamara’s love for you is strong enough to weather any temptation.”
Suddenly Melody smiled and said, “She said I pierce her soul. I didn’t think she’d ever read you.”
Jane scrambled for what to say. “Oh … and I am sure she knows the reverse.”
“It’s just … ever since …”—and here Melody was about to say “you”—“… ever since I became successful, things have been awkward. She doesn’t begrudge the success, but now she thinks … it feels one-sided to her.”
“Adjustments have to be made is all,” Jane said. “You have taken on too much.”
“I used to be the one who complained that she was always at work … and it was really just guilt … or envy … that she made a lot more money than me. Now it’s the other way round.” A spasm of guilt swept Melody’s face. “And when I did cut back, this fiasco with Dr Davis happened.” She lapsed into silence then, a little exhausted by emotion but also relieved to have confided to Jane. Finally she remembered that Jane was also suffering.
She composed herself and said, “And then I find out you’ve got a boyfriend … and you kept that information … from your best friend.”
Jane had also been silent, wondering what other comfort she could offer her friend. The worry caused by Melody’s revelation had driven from Jane all thoughts of her own problems.
“Well you’ve been so busy,” Jane replied without pause … or thinking.
The look of shock on Melody’s face and then laughter reassured Jane that her friend was not offended. “Oh you little … I’ll get you for that someday. Right, back to you. Has my tale of woe made you appreciate how precious love is … yadda, yadda, yadda?”1
Jane wondered at the terminal’s translation but thought she understood the gist.
“I may accept Albert’s apology. And Mary’s.”
“Actually, I think you owe them an apology. You really told him you were a junior editor at Random House?”
“Yes, I’m afraid I did.”
“That could make for an interesting story … which I guess we’ll have to talk about another time. But right now, you and Mary need to get ready. The two of you have a ball to attend.”
1 An expression meaning and so on and on, etcetera or und so weiter
Three words
‘Oh for God’s sake, just tell him you love him’
Stephen looked at himself in the mirror and brushed back his hair, which was getting long, far longer than he actually enjoyed wearing it. He could pretend it was work and school that was to blame, but he had to admit he’d actually encouraged his last hairstylist to leave his top looking kind of floppy. When the hairstylist asked if he meant “sort of a Hugh Grant look,” he had not contradicted her.
He didn’t know what he’d been thinking. He was good looking enough, in an awkward, tall, slightly stoop shouldered sort of way. He had light blue eyes and dark brown hair with a square chin, all of which were good, but his thick eyebrows and thin frame detracted from his appearance. He did not have the impeccably crafted shy look of Hugh Grant, but more of a “where did I leave my car keys” quizzicality. Maybe dating Jane Austen’s avatar—or entertaining the thought of it—had been subtly encouraging him to adopt a more stylish persona.
He now realized that he’d been staring in the mirror for quite some time and remembered that he did have an audience in the five men with whom he shared his room. He straightened and reached for his toothbrush and toothpaste, only remembering as he was bringing the brush to his mouth that he’d brushed his teeth before taking his shower.
Suddenly the men in the room seemed very real to him. Previous to this he’d though
t of the men as existing in some sort of void or dimension only tangentially congruent with his own reality, but now he thought of the men as all behind him, looking over his shoulder at his reflection in the mirror.
He gave a quick involuntary shiver that was only witnessed by Albert. The other men were online and hanging out near Stephen’s terminal and two of the men weren’t even in the room, having remained behind in the main ballroom after the last presentation.
Albert wondered at Stephen’s shiver and hoped his friend wasn’t getting a cold. He seemed fine, however, brushing his teeth very enthusiastically. The act made Albert reflect on all the little matters of personal hygiene he’d dispensed with and all those that he’d never had the need to experience, like the fascination with making one’s mouth a foamy cauldron with toothpaste, an experience Stephen enjoyed so much he’d brushed his teeth twice in the last half hour.
As Albert watched, Stephen looked aside and then quickly rinsed his mouth, looking as if he’d heard a noise, and then Albert saw Stephen talking over his shoulder. Albert went back to the terminal and saw that one of his roommates—Mr Higgins—had addressed Stephen, advising him it was time they proceed to the ballroom.
The men had returned to the room after the keynote and dinner to allow Stephen to change his shirt. One of his table companions had spilled coffee.
BeauAbrams says:
OK, I’m hurrying
orribleiggins says:
You look gorgeous, Stephen. I’m glad you’re representing us.
AlanJTimison says:
But if you don’t hurry up, you may not be able to claim a dance with Miss Henshaw
BeauAbrams says:
I’m sure she’ll save a dance for us
But Stephen was ready to go. He put his conference badge around his neck and was about to disconnect the portable terminal from his laptop before he thought to make sure he left no one behind. He looked at the window representing the chat room and realized only three names were listed. He spoke aloud and watched his words appear online.
BeauAbrams says:
Wait a minute, we’ve only got three people connected
orribleiggins says:
Clarence and what’s his name stayed behind in the ballroom.
BertieFromHants says:
That would be Mr Chapman and Mr Perkins.
Stephen felt stupid for not having done a head count when he got back to their hotel room, but he was hardly their nanny. If the men wanted to do other things, that was their business, but he still felt irked that the men hadn’t said anything.
BertieFromHants says:
They said they’d sent you a message.
BeauAbrams says:
OK, well they’re on their own. As for the rest of you, it’s time to go.
He quickly unplugged the terminal from his computer, put the terminal in his inside front jacket pocket and inserted the earbud. He then took a quick glance around the room, turned off the light and opened the front door. He counted to ten to make sure everyone had exited and then closed the door behind him. He walked down the hallway a short distance and then removed the terminal from his pocket. It showed three connected users and thus assured he walked to the lifts.
Where he found three women, two of whom were in Regency costume. He nodded to them politely and the younger of the costumed women replied with a curtsey. It was a gesture whose charm was wearing thin. Before he could press the call button, he heard a bing and seconds later the lift doors opened.
He motioned to the three women to enter, avoiding saying “Ladies first.” They joined the already crowded lift and he was about to enter when he thought he heard a sound from his earbud.
He realized the problem immediately and stepped back and told the people in the car “Forgot something in my room” and waved at them to continue. He made a show of returning to his room but as soon as he heard the lift doors close he returned and pressed the call button again.
“Thanks Stephen,” he heard someone say in his earbud.
“No problem,” he said out loud.
A minute later, the doors opened again and this time the lift held only two people, so he entered.
They continued to the lobby and the door opened to a knot of attendees talking animatedly. Stephen side stepped them and tried to make sure there was enough room for his roommates to follow. He was starting to feel like a mother goose making sure his goslings were following.
He worked his way down the edge of the hallway, now filling up with people going to the various night-time events. Not everyone intended to go to the ball; some elected to play cards (mostly poker but a few played whist or bridge); and some people eschewed the dance in favour of watching Austen movies in one of the small ballrooms. But most people were headed for the main ballroom and the dance.
Here he found more congestion as people lingered outside the doors of the ballroom, exchanging greetings rather than entering. Fortunately he noticed there were other double doors flanking the entrance and saw someone exiting through those doors, alerting him to an easier way for his friends to enter.
“Follow me,” Stephen said, and took his goslings through the side entrance. One he opened the door, however, he understood the real reason there was a delay entering. Those people not dancing and just watching were arrayed around the outside of the ballroom, making it difficult to enter. Stephen knew it would be difficult to continue to shepherd his group.
“OK guys, I think you’re on your own now,” he said.
In his earbud, he heard the men trying to respond, the digitized voices of the terminal relaying their remarks one after another.
“I have no idea what you just said, Stephen, but I think I’ll mingle,” someone he thought might be Alan Timison said. Albert’s digitized voice was the only one he easily recognized.
Another person said, “I think we’re on our own, Stephen. The terminal can’t translate over all the noise.”
And another: “You might have to speak more loudly, Stephen.”
And still another: “Thanks, Stephen. Don’t forget you promised to dance with Miss Henshaw.”
Stephen listened as the terminal informed him that all the men had left the chat room and immediately afterward that BertieFromHants had requested a private chat. He accepted and heard Albert’s digitized voice in his earbud.
“I don’t see her yet, or at least her avatar.”
“Mary,” Stephen said, absent-mindedly, not liking her being called an avatar. He was trying to find an inconspicuous place to hold his conversation.
“Pardon me,” Albert amended. “I do not see your Mary. They undoubtedly hope to make an entrance later. Has Mary said whether Jane … is Jane very upset?”
“All I know is I got a text from her saying that she’s in hot water with Jane because of it. But let’s look on the bright side, at least Jane knows you didn’t leave.”
“I’m sorry to hear I’ve landed Mary in the soup. I hope I haven’t cost her her job.”
“I doubt it. Mary’s already the public face of Austen and except for this … I know she gets along with Jane.” Actually Mary’s text message had Stephen considerably worried.
“… if only Jane would return my texts.” Albert said.
“You haven’t sent any more since the keynote?” Stephen asked, thinking it might be good to let Jane ponder without further prompting.
“No I haven’t. There’s no sense in making her further upset.” Albert looked around the ballroom. “Everyone seems to be having a good time,” he observed, hoping to change the subject, but the observation made him remember how much he had been looking forward to dancing with Jane.
Stephen recognized the wistfulness in Albert’s observation. He wanted to reassure his friend but was interrupted before he could say anything.
“Stephen, you’re either waiting for Miss Austen or Miss Crawford. Or is it both?”
He turned and saw Dr Davis appraising him.
“Oh, hi!” he said with enthusiasm a
t seeing his advisor, before remembering that their relationship had probably changed for the worse. “Uh, you’re right, I’m waiting for them both.”
“That was … an interesting keynote,” she said. “Especially the question and answer session.”
“You stayed for it?” he asked.
“I did. The temptation to run away and lick my wounds was strong, but … Stephen, I am very sorry for the situation I put you in. You must have had a difficult time explaining it all to … Mary and Jane.”
She now looked away, and Stephen thought that he’d never seen her so vulnerable.
“It got a little tense,” he confirmed, and would have left it there, but his concern about Jane and Albert and Mary caused him to add, “but another drama is brewing and … I shouldn’t …”
“Oh, I see,” she said, but not really understanding. She was a little nonplussed that her confrontation with Austen had faded in importance.
Stephen wanted to explain, but of course he couldn’t without revealing confidences. He desperately, however, wanted to mend fences.
“I’m very sorry that … in the meeting, I couldn’t … I just couldn’t …”
“Please don’t think you have to explain anything, Stephen. I was in the wrong.” As she said the last, she met his eyes.
“Does this mean you accept Jane as … Jane?”
“Lord, no,” she said with her harsh laugh. “I reserve judgment, but I am forced to admit I have no proof against her and I … I will not seek proof against her. After her keynote today, it’s obvious to me how popular she is and it would be foolish to fight a losing battle.
“I do hope my stupidity has not cost me a graduate student, someone I’ve come to depend on and someone who gave me good advice that I chose to ignore.”
Stephen smiled and said, “See you Wednesday?”
“Yes, at our regular time,” she answered. Just then, the dance that had been underway when he arrived ended.
“Uh, would you like to try country dancing?” he asked.
“And I just said you gave good advice. You know my opinion that all this nonsense gets in the way of the serious study of Austen, and besides, I should look like a bull in a china shop. Wait for your girlfriend.”
Jane, Actually Page 38