Read Online Love Plays a Part by Nina Coombs Pykare - Free Book Online

Jake. The only place he behaved like a servant was in the privacy of her rooms. On the street he treated her as an equal, behavior that under the circumstances she did not discourage. They could never know when they might be seen by one of Samantha’s fellow workers. And seamstresses did not have servants to follow them about.
    Samantha shook her head. “No, he did not play in Man and Wife, and of course, last night, since it was Sunday, there was no performance. But I can hardly wait to see him tonight. I do believe that the Moor is my favorite character in all of Shakespeare’s plays.”
    “I ain’t never read no plays,” replied Jake, “seeing as how I can’t read. But I seen Kean do Othello last season.” He rolled his eyes, and his wrinkled face took on an expression of awe. “I ain’t never seen the like of it. The expressions on his face. He didn’t make it so black, you know. Not like Kemble. Just a lightish brown. Looks real good on him too, and he wears a kind of dresslike thing that shows his legs. I heerd say that’s the kind of rig a real Othello would wear.” Jake shook his head. “Poor fellers must’ve got chilly, running around in them kind of things.”
    Samantha smiled. “I believe that in the Moor’s country the weather is rather warmer than here.” She pulled the shabby cloak closer around her. The October wind was getting chill.
    “P’raps so,” acknowledged Jake. “But I got to pity any male critter what has to wear skirts.”
    By this time they had reached the stage door. “I’ll be bringing along your supper as usual.” Jake grinned devilishly. “Sure wish I could get that Hester down here. She don’t know what she’s missing.”
    “That’s true,” said Samantha, returning his grin. “But I don’t think anyone could get Hester anywhere near a theatre.”
    Jake’s grin grew wider. “If she didn’t have such a tongue, I’d take a chance on fooling her somehow. But oh, that woman do know how to say the sharpest things.”
    Samantha nodded. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to be patient with her.” She shivered as a gust of wind rustled her cloak. “Are you going to be there tonight?”
    Jake nodded enthusiastically. “I sure am. In fact” - he lowered his voice and looked hastily in each direction - “I got me a new friend. He’s the ticket taker. So I’m gonna see the whole thing from the start.”
    Samantha laughed. “Very good, Jake. You’re a man who knows how to make his way in the world.”
    “That’s God’s truth, miss. I been getting along all right these many years, but now I figure to see a play ever night if I choose.” His smile stretched from ear to ear. “And I expect I’ll be choosing, all right. Me, I’m gonna get a seat right there in the front row of the pit. I hear tell Lord Byron, him as writes them po-ems, and his friend, Moore, likes to sit there. They’re really the best seats, ‘cause you can see and hear everything what goes on. That Kean, he does wonderful things with his face, and you can see ‘em best up close.”
    Samantha nodded. “Well, enjoy yourself, Jake. I’ll meet you at the usual place.”
    “Yes, miss.”
    As Jake moved away, Samantha turned the knob on the stage door and stepped into the theatre, into the warm and wonderful world that she had dreamed of for so long.
    She was hurrying along the dim corridor toward the room where she worked with the other seamstresses when the door to Kean’s dressing room opened and he stepped out.
    “Oh!” Samantha barely stopped in time to avoid crashing into him.
    “Whoa, there, little one.”
    A shiver went over Samantha as the epithet reminded her of her encounter with Roxbury, but she drove that memory from her mind and forced herself to regard the great man. His black eyes gazed at her with friendly attention, and he ran his hand through his dark, unruly curls. “You’re the new girl, aren’t you?”
    Samantha nodded. “Y-yes, sir.”
    Kean smiled warmly.