Page 16 of Toni and Addie Go Viral

The study. Later, when no one was watching, she wanted to look around here.

For now, she paused, as if anxious. Maybe the right attitude was anxiety at being in a closed room with a man, but by the end of the pilot they’d be allies.

Instead, her delay was intended to be because of grief over Lord Wight’s death.

Cousin Colin watched her carefully as he closed the door.

“You will not continue on this way, Miss Wight.” Colin poured a drink, one of the several amber-colored liquids on the bar tray. “I have no interest in being trapped at a country estate this often.”

“You don’t need to be,” Addie said, as she always did. “I have a staff, and I can handle my accounts and—”

“And you are not going to be unsupervised, ruining my reputation.” Colin scowled at her. “I gave Lord Wight my word to see to your well-being.”

“I feel quite settled, Colin, and your reputation suffers more from your inability to keep your trousers fastened.” Addie poured herself a drink, though she was still not convinced that she liked the taste of the stuff.

Her frown was easy, as the brown liquid was flat cola… ugh. Not even diet cola.

Colin pinched the space between his eyes. “I am not the villain you think, Addie. As you seem determined to be gauche, I will add that you have an estate, accounts, and you are reasonably attractive. Ensnaring another man ought to be simple.”

Addie made an indelicate sound and took a sip of the liquid that every man seemed to find delectable. “I have no need of any man.”

“When I accepted this request, it was with the understanding that I would see to making sure that no reprobates would trap you.”

“Men like you.” Addie started pacing the study.

“There will be a ball in town next week. I have spoken to associates, and you will be dressed in the latest Parisian fashion—”

“Parisian, cousin?” Addie teased. It was praise, indeed, to suggest she was lovely enough to wear the more scandalous dress options.

“The seamstress will be here momentarily.” Colin watched Addie as if she might flee.

“Here? Now?”

“Indeed. Within the next month, you will be entertaining offers of matrimony. Your estates and accounts may not be accessible to your future husband, but I am permitted to offer an enticing dowry. I have added a figure from my own accounts as well.” Colin stared at her.

“Perhaps the joys of the marriage bed will ease your… unpleasant temperament.”

Addie stared at him, mouth gaping in the least ladylike expression she thought she might have ever had. “What sort of woman do you think I am to address me in that manner?”

“I suspect you are a woman who will appreciate blunt speech. Perhaps that was the mistake I made previously, treating you like a proper lady.” Colin finished his drink. “You have one month to select your future husband… or I will.”

“Colin.”

He paused.

“You realize that my late husband and I…”

“That the marital partner who preferred men lies moldering in his grave? I do.” Colin shook his head. “I may enjoy my drink, and women, but I’m not addled.”

Addie ’s eyes teared up. “So I’m just to lie with a man as if…” She stopped herself, hands on hips. “Would you lie with a man even though it is abhorrent to you?”

Colin walked away.

And Addie was left alone onstage with tears gleaming in her eyes.

The stage required her to emote nuances and details—like the fact that the late Lord Wight was gay and so her first marriage was a sham that enabled them both to pass as straight in a world that was not welcoming to their true selves.

Lady Adelaine Wight was through pretending, and by the end of the pilot her cousin would agree to help her—for a fee, of course.

Emoting her distaste for Cousin Colin was easier than anticipated.

Philip was a jerk. She’d figured that out after three dates in real life.

In the books, Colin was reformed. In the pilot, they became uneasy allies, but her distaste for Philip had her questioning her ability to pull off that particular storyline.

It would be a true test of her talent to pretend to like the man who, in real life, simply could not accept her decision to stop dating him.

He was an entitled ass, which would make her character’s emotions in the initial episodes a little easier on her.

Addie glanced to the side, where Philip stood glaring at her, before looking over at the producer.

“Thank you, Adelaine and Philip.” Marcela Gibson came forward to the stage. At her side were two women, but for a moment, all Addie could see was Toni. Here. Now.

Philip came forward again. “Miss Darbyshire. It is a pleasure.” He extended a hand toward Toni, who shook it briefly.

“Well done,” Toni said. Her gaze only lingered on him for a few seconds. Toni looked at Addie then. “Both of you.”

“They’re good characters. Acting when they’re well-rounded is easier,” Addie said, staring at Toni, fearing that she could probably hear Addie’s heart beating.

Marcela Gibson, the producer, pulled Philip aside, steering him away from Toni. He resisted, clearly interested in trying to talk to Toni. “I have motivation thoughts about—”

“Write them out, Philip. I can give them to her if you are signed for the role.” Marcela’s voice carried, and Addie repressed a flicker of hope that he wouldn’t be cast in the role. Honestly, though, perhaps she wouldn’t be. Would Toni find it awkward that I’m here?

Addie turned to leave the stage, too, unsure of the protocol here. Philip had been steered away, so maybe she was to depart, too. No one there knew that she and Toni were friends. Pen friends? Online friends? Addie smiled as she thought about the inability to label them.

“Adelaine? Wait, please.” Toni’s voice was rougher than Addie remembered.

Philip looked back at them and glared, but then he was gone. Hopefully that would be the end of him.

“You didn’t say you cut your hair,” Toni said, voice lowered now.

“You didn’t say quite a few things either,” Addie managed to say. Then she added, “So… I cut my hair. Not all the way short. Just a bit less like I fell out of a John William Waterhouse painting. Anything you forgot to tell me ?”

Toni chuckled. “You look good.… I, umm, wrote a book. I wrote it before we met, but I sold it after that. I didn’t know what to say about it.”

“Luckily, I do. Your book is amazing. I’ve read it a lot of times.” Addie lifted her chin. She was blushing. Her entire face felt flame-hot, but Toni watched her with something that looked like respect.

Toni stared as Addie pulled a long strand forward.

“Your acting was wonderful,” said the other woman with Toni, the one who had been at her conference panel in Edinburgh. She held out her hand. “Emily. I’m Toni’s agent.”

“Addie. Adelaine, actually… in real life, not the character, but I am hopeful.” Addie smiled even wider.

Emily was Toni’s agent, not her girlfriend.

Addie had considered asking about her in the email exchanges, but there was no graceful way to mention the sexy brunette at the conference without admitting to being there in the first place.

Toni had said she was single and that was enough.

Addie had thought, though, that the pretty brunette was someone Toni had been with intimately.

The relief that she wasn’t washed over Addie.

“How lovely to meet you, Adelaine. I’m Emily Haide,” Emily said, glancing at Toni with a look that made Addie absolutely certain that Emily knew something about Addie and Toni.

“Em.” Toni’s tone was stern enough to make Addie have an unexpected flutter in regions lower than her belly. That commanding voice brought forth memories that were suddenly crystal clear—and exceptionally awkward in the moment.

Well, then… Before Addie had much time to ponder her reaction to hearing Toni sound so controlling, Toni flashed her a friendly smile. “I may start to think you have no modern clothes, Adelaine. The last two times I’ve seen you, you were dressed like you were from another era.”

Addie blurted, “Well, I have perfectly sound explanations.”

“Sorry about that. Philip tells me he has another callback anyhow,” Marcela, the woman who held Addie’s career in her hands, said as she rejoined them. “He would love to talk to you if he’s cast as Colin.”

“Perfectly fine,” Emily said when Toni failed to reply.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” Toni looked Addie up and down.

“I sent an email.” Addie knew damn well her email was likely sitting in Toni’s “to read” file, but she had sent it.

Marcela looked like someone had just handed her a gift. “You already know Miss Stewart? That’s just unexpectedly wonderful ! How do you know each other?”

Really, what was she to say? Addie bit her lip and looked away.

We kissed in a bar and did more in a garden, and ever since that night, Toni was the star of every masturbatory fantasy I’ve enjoyed the past year, Addie thought, but she said nothing of the sort. Those were not things Addie had shared even with her dearest friend.

Oh, and Toni hid her surname and novel from me the past year while we emailed incessantly, Addie silently continued as she waited for Toni to answer.

Instead, Toni gestured to Addie with a surprising amount of trust and said, “Why don’t you explain, Addie?”

“Scotland.” She glanced at Toni, feeling like this was a test of some sort. “I was preparing to star in Mina, and I believe Dr. Darbyshire was in town for a conference.… It’s a little vague since that was over a year ago.”

A brief look between Emily and Toni made Addie falter. She couldn’t recall if Toni had mentioned the conference, and from the suspicious look on Toni’s face now, neither could she.

“That’s right. We were both in Scotland at the same time for work,” Toni agreed. She caught Addie’s gaze. “Were you at the conference or…”

Deciding to be fearless, Addie admitted, “Just for the one panel.”

“Toni’s panel?” Emily prompted. Emily and Toni exchanged another quick look.