Mr. Middleton had given them excellent seats close to the orchestra pit, just a few rows behind his own seat. She watched him lean over to consult his assistant as the first group stepped onstage. If the viscount hadn’t arrived by now, then he probably wasn’t coming. “I’m Athena, goddess of wisdom.” The first girl stepped forward, a heavy book open in her arms. “Her dress is very fine, but the rest of them don’t match,” Miss Liberty Baylis, Jane’s friend, whispered in her ear. She’d brought Liberty, a young American new to London, to keep her company. Their mothers were becoming fast acquaintances, but Liberty had not had the chance to meet many people as yet. Jane had hopes of recruiting her help for Hestia—and of using her to prevent being too much alone with Lord Worthe. Not that it mattered, it turned out. “She’d have done better with an owl.” The soft comment came from behind, not beside her, making her jump. “Lord Worthe! You frightened me.” It was a fine excuse for her suddenly racing heart.
