Ten Days with Mr Darcy (on hold)

Chapter twenty - A different perspective

Ordering coffees, they relaxed into a companionable conversation, allowing Jessica time to process her thoughts. Ruth offered encouragement and sympathy in equal measure as Jess replayed everything they'd done over the week, her initial feelings about the actor who would be playing Darcy, and how their relationship had grown. When she mentioned the theories Sebastian had raised about Darcy's relationship with Elizabeth, and his insistence that Darcy would have seduced her prior to marriage, Ruth cursed.

"Sebastian has always enjoyed play-acting, both on and off stage. The way he latched onto you that first night, he might even have come here with the sole intention of enticing Elizabeth Bennet into his bed, whoever played the part. I'll say one thing for him, he'll always rise to a challenge."

"If that was what he expected its no wonder he was so angry. Call me old fashioned, but it takes more than a week of kisses and romantic walks to get me in bed. I'm not the sort of person who can give myself up to someone I've only just met, and as handsome as Sebastian is, I wasn't ready for that."

Ruth reached out and patted her hand. "You deserve better than him."

"Well, whoever it is, he won't be an actor. I've learned my lesson now. No relationships while I'm working...not ever. They're all the same."

"No, darling, they're not. Gareth is nothing like Sebastian."

"Yes, Jane's a lucky girl."

"You mean Laura?"

Jessica grimaced as she realised that she was still thinking of them as their characters rather than people in their own right. "Laura and Gareth have spent so much time together this week it would have been impossible not to think of them as Jane and Bingley. They make a lovely pair."

Ruth didn't reply immediately, seemingly content to allow the silence to stretch between them. Then she placed her cup back on the table. "They're not together, you know."

"Who?"

"Laura and Gareth. There isn't anything going on between them."

"That can't be right. You never see one of them without the other nearby."

"Yes, but only as friends. I sat with them a couple of times while you were out with Sebastian. She's missing her family back home and he...well, he needed someone to talk to. Laura was willing to listen. There's nothing more to it than that."

"That's something else I got wrong this week." Although Jessica felt better after talking with Ruth, she still had a lot to think about. How on earth could she return to the Hall and face everyone? They would all be talking about what had happened between her and Sebastian. It was one thing to have Ruth feeling sorry for her, but she didn't think she'd be able to stomach the pitying glances of her fellow cast members.

She didn't need to worry about the others. The Hall was dark and silent when they returned, except for some muffled voices coming from behind the door to the green room. Ruth ushered her straight up the stairs and remained by her side until they reached Jessica's door. She couldn't allow Ruth to leave without thanking her for her help.

"It was my pleasure. Do you need me to stay a while?"

Jess shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm quite exhausted. I think I'll go straight to bed."

"Well, I'm at the other end if you need me; two doors up from the stairs, on the other side of the corridor."

Thanking her again, Jessica entered her tiny bedroom and closed the door. She wished it was so easy to shut off her memories, but her argument with Sebastian in the orangery played over and over in her mind, like an endless re-run of a really embarrassing comedy show. Even knowing what happened next, she wouldn't have done anything differently.