Beyond Rubies (Daughters of Sin Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

enormously fat woman. She seemed to be constructed of material, stuffed and elegantly dressed.
    Kitty put her hands to her cheeks and gasped. “What is that?” she cried, turning to find Mr. Lazarus suddenly rigid, his stern eyes upon her.
    “What do you mean, Miss Hazlett? You speak of the very image of my late good wife. I wouldn’t dream of failing to consult her on every important decision to ensure the continued success of this eminently successful theater.”
    “That is Mrs. Lazarus?”
    “Indeed it is. Now, my dear Miss Hazlett. Let me see how much feeling you can inject into my favorite, most tender scene between Romeo and Juliet. I shall stand here as Romeo and you, my dear, are my fair Juliet.” He handed her a dog-eared script and pointed to a line halfway done the page. “Proceed from here, if you please. You indicated a familiarity with the play so you will understand that I, as your lovelorn swain, must hold you in my arms, thus.”
    Kitty squeaked as Mr. Lazarus’s arms went about her so tightly that her legs buckled.
    “Juliet, my Juliet,” he intoned passionately, his mouth going to Kitty’s before she knew what was happening.
    “Mr. Lazarus!”
    “How fair art thou.” His right hand cupped her bottom causing her to shriek even more loudly.
    “I say, what’s all this!”
    At the intrusion, Mr. Lazarus dropped his hands, and Kitty stumbled backward, staring wildly between her red-faced director and the curious gaze of a young man lounging in the doorway. “Pardon me for interrupting. I was downstairs paying my respects to one of your chorus girls when I heard a loud shrieking. I did not realize you were rehearsing.”
    “Oh Mr. Lazarus, I’m sorry; I didn’t realize we’d get quite so quickly to the...love scene. I didn’t mean to cause offense.” Kitty tried to keep the trembling from her voice. She could see Mr. Lazarus was very angry, but she didn’t know how else she might have responded to such unexpected overtures. Nervously she fingered her skirts and looked at the floor.
    “That will be all for today, Miss Hazlett.” His voice was cold. “Lord Silverton, a pleasure to see you, as always.”
    Kitty stared, panicked, between the two men, uncertain what to do. “So...I am to return to Mrs. Mobbs while I await your decision?” She felt close to tears. Everything had gone so differently, and now she felt belittled yet also as if she were in the wrong. When he did not answer immediately, she said, “Perhaps we can try that scene again.”
    Mr. Lazarus shook his head and ran both hands dramatically up over his face and through his hair. “I am unable to summon the feeling required. You have drained me, Miss Hazlett. Disappointed me. I had hoped for better than that from you.”
    “Please, Mr. Lazarus...please give me one more chance. What am I to do if I can’t work for you? It’s the reason I came to London?”
    “You came to London hoping to prove yourself, but you have a lot to learn, Miss Hazlett.”
    “Please, Mr. Lazarus, I...need work. I want to be an actress. Please let me audition once more.”
    “Oh, I’ll find something for you while we work on improving your technique, but I’m too weary now for any more of your simpering nonsense. Return to Mrs. Mobbs until I summon you again.”
    Kitty took an uncertain step toward the top of the stairs. Mr. Lazarus had barely looked at her. She wasn’t sure if she was dismissed properly yet, or whether he had more of a tongue-lashing in store. If only she’d not been so foolishly prim and proper. She realized he’d put her to some enormous test, and she’d failed miserably, but she had not known of London ways and how quickly one was expected to reach certain points that in the country were advanced toward at a far more leisurely pace.
    As she started to descend the stairs, the handsome, light-haired young man whom Mr. Lazarus had addressed as Lord Silverton stepped forward to block her path. He executed a flourishing