Read Online Pride, Prejudice and Jasmine Field by Melissa Nathan - Free Book Online

six foot four. My only restriction.’ Dear God, had she really said that?
    He chuckled. ‘Who are you playing?’
    ‘Lizzy,’ she said, wondering if her pupils were dilating so much that her eyes were now just two black holes.
    His grin widened and he touched her arm affectionately.
    ‘Hey wow, congratulations,’ he said. ‘You must be really good.’
    Impossibly, she warmed to him even more.
    ‘Must I?’ she said as coyly as she could. ‘Who are you playing?’
    ‘Terribly Wicked Wickham,’ he said wickedly.
    ‘Ooh, how exciting,’ she said, noticing that he had several freckles on his nose and golden flecks in his eyes.
    ‘Yes, it’ll be a laugh,’ he agreed. ‘And from a professional point of view, it’s a great opportunity to play a baddie. I don’t want to be typecast as a priest for ever, you know.’ A heart-blisteringly wide smile, ‘Of course, you realise we’ll have to learn how to flirt with each other.’
    With considerable self-control, Jazz managed not to cheer. Maybe this acting business was going to be more enjoyable than she’d anticipated.
    Just then, she became aware of a blurred image behind William’s head and, with some effort, drew her eyes towards it. It was a beaming Gilbert.
    ‘Jasmin!’ he exclaimed. ‘You made it, I knew you would!’ He kissed her smack on the mouth. She was too shocked to move. Thankfully there wasn’t a seat next to her and with an affectionate squeeze of her shoulder, Gilbert had to go and sit somewhere else. As she watched him go, she wondered idly what part he could possibly have got.
    Wills turned back to Jazz. ‘That’s Gilbert Valentine, Theatre Hack, isn’t it?’ he whispered to her.
    ‘No,’ whispered Jazz back. ‘It’s Gilbert Valentine, Pathetic Twat. We used to work together.’ She wondered why life was never perfect.
    Wills meanwhile, was laughing with delight.
    The atmosphere cooled as soon as Harry Noble entered the room. He walked over to where the chairs were stacked, his eyes fixing on no one. He picked up a chair and stood silently behind two people in the circle. Without a word being said to either of them, they made room for him. Jazz was so preoccupied watching the remarkable reaction Harry seemed to create on everyone that she scarcely noticed the quiet, red-headed young woman who had come in with him. Silently the woman — or girl - found herself a seat at the back.
    Eventually Harry honoured his cast by looking briefly at them.
    ‘Hello people,’ he said quietly, and Jazz marvelled at how he could fill those two short words with such considered condescension. Everyone inched closer and Harry took off his black leather jacket exposing a loose, black V-neck jumper and faded black jeans. He leaned back lazily in his chair, fully aware that everyone was watching him avidly. Jazz observed in wonder as the entire room eyed his body, greedily taking in the curve of his Adam’s apple and the enticing peek of olive-brown collarbone, his languidly elegant torso, broad shoulders, long, flat stomach and perfect thighs.
    Harry was almost sunbathing in the warmth of everyone’s stare. Then without eyeing any of his new cast, he delivered a speech that Jazz thought he must have had written for him by some out-of-work ham playwright - a speech called ‘Director Drivel’. He hardly bothered to move his body as he spoke, and his voice was so cold and quiet that people were leaning forward to catch every little gem. Jazz was transfixed, amazed that someone with such screen presence could be such an atmosphere vacuum in real life. It was as if he only gave of himself when he thought it was worth it, and he certainly didn’t rate his present audience.
    ‘Some of you have never acted before,’ he droned on. ‘Some of you may think you have. But all of you will discover new meanings of the word if you listen to me.’ He now looked deliberately at them; some
    of the women blushed under his steady gaze. ‘And trust in me. Let me be