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Hearty shouts and claps of enthusias until the actors had returned to the stage to receive their due Scott was greeted with the most applause, which he accepted with a faint sht was announced, and the curtain closed for the last time, despite the fact that the audience clamored for more
Madeline took care to slip away before Mr Scott saw her again She caught sight of his dark head backstage just as he was surrounded by a crowd of ad, Madeline went to retrieve her coat from the duchess's office
“Madeline” She looked up to see the Duchess of Leeds “Did you enjoy the play?”
Madeline struggled to find the right words “Oh, it was theI've ever experienced!”
“My goodness,” the duchess said, laughing at her enthusiasm
“No wonder they call Mr Scott a living legend He…he…” Madeline paused, not knowing how to describe her reaction to him
“Yes, I know,” the duchess replied, a s or her lips
Madeline's exhilaration faded suddenly “I'ht He still objects to me He made that very clear”
Julia's brows lifted in surprise “That isn't like him He's never taken issue with anyone I've hired I don't see why—” She broke off, staring at Madeline with a perplexed expression “Don't worry,before rehearsal, and everything will be resolved”
“I hope so, Your Grace” Madeline paused “I want to work at the Capital very badly”
“Then you shall,” the duchess assured her “Unless Mr Scott can produce a very good reason to the contrary—and I expect that will be very unlikely”
Two
Logan stood at the back of the Capital Theatre's carpentry shop and regarded the double flats critically The newly constructed stage pieces, made of canvas stretched over ribbed timber frames, would soon be sent to the scene painters
“We've never an coed flats for his inspection “Hoill they be supported?”
“We thought it best to weight the braces in back,” the main carpenter, Robbie Cleary, replied “That should keep the the performances”
Logan reached out with a broad hand to grasp a timber beam and test its sturdiness “You'd better hook the back flat to a wooden rod and screw it to the floor I don't want any chance of it falling on anyone It's a damned heavy piece”
Robbie nodded in agree it closely The double flats had been constructed so that the front piece could be collapsed under its oeight to provide a quick scene change, revealing the second painted flat just behind it It was a tricky bit of work, requiring the right co to avoid errors
Standing back froed absently at the front of his hair “Let's see how the first one collapses,” he said
“All right, Mr Scott,” Robbie said doubtfully “Though I should warn ye, I've yet to test the procedure”
“Now's as good a time as any”
Jeff, the shopboy, darted forward to assist the carpenters, lending his slight weight to help hold the double flats in place
“Let the front down,” Robbie instructed, and his assistants began to collapse the first scene
Out of the corner of his eye, Logan saw so a brooirl, Logan realized with a pang of irritation She see place—and she alking directly into the path of the collapsing flat “Watch out, daan said sharply She paused and looked at hi eyes of a newborn fahile the timber frame toppled toward her
Auto to shield her with his own body The heavy flat landed on his injured shoulder, resulting in an explosion of pain that er For a ed to remain on his feet He was di to lift the flat and drag it ahile the girl stepped back from him
“Mr Scott?” she asked in confusion “Are you all right? I'm so terribly sorry”
Logan shook his head slightly, his face white, his every bit of strength devoted to fighting back a tide of nausea He would not disgrace hi his breakfast in thehis authoritative ie, he was never sick, never weak, and never indecisive in front of his employees
“Oh, your shoulder,” Madeline exclai at his shirt, where a few spots of blood froun to appear “What can I do?”
“Stay away froainst the nausea He took a deep, reviving breath “Why in God's name are you here?”
“I was going to sweep up the wood scraps and shavings, and clean the carpenters' tools, and…is there so you would like me to do, sir?”
“Get out!” Logan snapped, a scowl pulling his face into harsh lines “Before I throttle you”
“Yes, sir,” she said in a subdued tone
Any other girl in her position would probably have burst into tears Grudgingly he gave her credit for keeping her composure Everyone else at the Capital was terrified of his teive him a wide berth when he was in a foul mood
Madeline glanced apologetically at Robbie “I'm sorry, Mr Cleary I'll come back later to sweep the floor”
“That's all right, lass” The head carpenter waited until Madeline had left before turning to Logan “Mr Scott,” he said chidingly, “surely there was no need for ye to speak to the lass that way She was trying to help”
“She's a walking disaster”
“But Mr Scott,” Jeff, the shopboy, said, “Maddy only seems to have accidents when you're around The rest of the time, she's just fine”
“I don't care” Logan held a hand to his shoulder, which burned like fire His head throbbed and ached “I want her out of here,” he muttered, and left the shop with determined strides
He went to Julia's office, intending to vent his annoyance It was her fault for insisting on hiring the girl—therefore it would be her responsibility to dismiss her He found Julia at her desk, her face wreathed in a frown of concentration as she revised the weekly schedule She glanced up at him, and her face turned blank with surprise
“Logan, what happened? You look as though you'd just been trampled beneath a team of six”