An Earnest Favour

XIV

"My husband and I have never considered divorce... murder sometimes, but never divorce." Joyce Brothers

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XIV.

The King's Theatre was quite busy for an October evening, and before they even stepped out of the carriage, Jack recognised several of the gentlemen, and the not-so-gentle men, of whom he regularly socialised with. They were not his friends, per se, but they were gentlemen in the same circle, who frequented the same clubs and parties. These were men he drank with, gambled with, and who knew every unmentionable detail about him. His mother already thought him about as well as rat poison. He could not bear to change the mind of someone who seemed to think well of him.

Jack felt the need to warn Claire, to remind her of his plea that she not believe everything she might hear, but he could not take away any of her excitement. When he looked to her, sitting beside him in the carriage, her blue eyes were wider than he had ever seen them, and she was terribly excited for her first theatre experience. Jack knew that he needed to get her from the front of the theatre to the duke's box as swiftly as humanly possible.

When the carriage stopped outside of the theatre, Jack heard the footman jump down onto the road before racing around to open the door for them. He let the step down and Claire was the first to eagerly climb out. Jack quickly followed her and watched as she smoothed out the skirt of her dress from the journey.

"Come along, let us take out seats," urged Jack, holding his arm out to Claire while keeping a keen eye on the gentlemen by the door.

"Are they ready for us?" asked Claire. "Everyone seems to be gathered at the door, or in the foyer."

"They will be ready for us," Jack assured her. "The estate pays enough for the bloody box," he added under his breath. Jack pulled the brim of his hat as low as he could without it looking ridiculous and walked with Claire on his other side so that his body was between her and the laughing men. They made their way through the crowd towards the doors, which were being manned by attendants in an emerald green uniform. No sooner had they taken a step over the threshold Jack froze.

"Beresford?" shouted one of them in question. "Beresford!"

"Wait for me inside," Jack instructed, and quite firmly indeed, enough to alarm Claire. "Go." He knew it was not terribly appropriate to leave Claire unescorted, but he would only be a moment.

Claire appeared a little startled, but she obeyed him, stepping through the doors and looking back at Jack over her shoulder. Much to Jack's chagrin, Claire did not go into the theatre properly, but she turned left, waiting for him by a closed door that was entirely made of glass. She was fully visible through the door to him and was watching him with a frown.

"God help me," Jack breathed as he turned back around and painted on a smile. "Gentlemen!" he called, taking confident strides toward their gathering. As soon as he reached the four men, he was met with jovial greetings and shakes of the hand. "Fancy seeing you here."

Lord Henry Tourney, a long-time acquaintance of Jack's, grinned wickedly. "Well, we imagined you were still out of town, Beresford," he chuckled. "Thought one of us might have a chance at the signorina without having to compete with her favourite."

Jack suddenly knew that here was indeed a God, as Claire could not hear this conversation. He could feel her eyes, but thankfully not her ears. The signorina in question was Giulia Panetta, the famed soprano, and the lady who would indeed be performing tonight. Jack was well acquainted with her.

"I will not be visiting the signorina this evening, gentlemen, fear not," murmured Jack uncomfortably.

"Whenever did you get back? We must have you at White's tomorrow evening," exclaimed Frederick Chamberlain. "You all but cleaned me out a fortnight ago and I have not yet had my chance at revenge."