Turning to Patricia, he smiled politely, "Isn't this something you should be asking Miss Hardy? Any advice I gave you might not be right for you or the play. After all, I'm just a theatre owner and not an actor."
"indeed, Miss Hardy knows all about acting, and is very adept at it, but I feel that you, Mister Simons, have really lived!" gushed Patricia. "Were you ever a gambler on the big Riverboats, on the Mississippi, Mister Simons? I can just imagine you in such a scenario! Oh, and is it true that gamblers always do better with a 'lucky blonde' touching their shoulder?" she asked, pointedly twizzling a lock of her own golden tresses.
She seemed to have forgotten all about the play advice that she had ostensibly come over to quiz him about.
+++
Arabella, watching from afar, gave a little chuckle.
"Well, Miss Hardy, the twin's saved Miss Bowen from Mister Simons, who's going to save Mister Simons from the twin?"
"Work is fine for killin' time, but it's a shaky way to make a living."
"indeed, Miss Hardy knows all about acting, and is very adept at it, but I feel that you, Mister Simons, have really lived!" gushed Patricia. "Were you ever a gambler on the big Riverboats, on the Mississippi, Mister Simons? I can just imagine you in such a scenario! Oh, and is it true that gamblers always do better with a 'lucky blonde' touching their shoulder?" she asked, pointedly twizzling a lock of her own golden tresses.
"Er...yes I have travelled on a few riverboats in my time but I wouldn't call it really living just making a living."
The end part of what she said made him nervous. As he scanned the room, he hoped that someone would rescue him and soon. Getting cornered by one of the Patterson Fordes was something he tried to avoid. The female members of the clan, especially this one...or was it her twin sister...or perhaps it was both, were the ones he especially wanted to avoid. Since he didn't want to risk the ire of any of them, he would have to try to remove himself from this situation as delicately and as fast as he could.
"Lucky blonde? I think that you might have read one too many dime novels. The only lady that gamblers are interested is one called luck," he said with a slight smile, "because she never disappoints no matter what."
@ [Javia
"Lucky blonde? I think that you might have read one too many dime novels."
"Maybe" Miss Patterson Forde smiled shyly. She was quite a nice seeming, demure little thing, especially considering that her mother was as rough as a bear's backside.
"The only lady that gamblers are interested is one called luck," he said with a slight smile.
"Oh, why is that, Mister Simons?" Patricia asked, tipping her head quizzically.
"Because she never disappoints no matter what."
Little Patty gasped and clutched at Ben's sleeve "Oh Mister Simons! Have you been disappointed by a woman?! Has some Jezebel toyed with your heart and broken it into little tiny pieces? Please believe me, Mister Simons, we are not all like that! Some of us have pure, loving souls!"
+++
Across the room, mirroring the bespectacled twin, Arabella grabbed Evie's arm. "Heck, Miss Hardy, it's getting passionate! I wish Frances was deaf instead of blind, we could get her over here and she could read their lips for us!" It was a nice change for Muddy to watch a drama instead of performing in one.
Eve was in two minds about whether to help Ben out or not. Part of her felt sorry that Ben was being subjected to the unwanted advances of one of the Patterson Forde twins but then again this might be somewhat fortuitous. She turned to Arabella and smiled, "Passionate isn't exactly what I would call it but it does serve a purpose. It will stop Ben from pursuing Miss Bowen...at least for now."
Looking at the watch she carried in her skirt pocket, she took a deep breath and spoke in a loud voice, "Everybody, back to work. I want everyone involved in the cave scene to take their places."
Taking one last look at Ben, she smiled. He was a big boy and well capable of finding his way out of trouble but Patricia Patterson Forde was certainly giving it all she had which was a pity as she knew the girl would never succeed.
@ [Javia
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
"Passionate isn't exactly what I would call it but it does serve a purpose. It will stop Ben from pursuing Miss Bowen...at least for now."
Arabella just shook her head. "Well, don't let him find out you're trying to stop 'em sparkin'!" she advised. "That'll make him crave the forbidden fruit even more!"
And after her on stage antics as Mother Eve, Arabella should know all about forbidden fruit!
Looking at the watch she carried in her skirt pocket, she took a deep breath and spoke in a loud voice, "Everybody, back to work. I want everyone involved in the cave scene to take their places."
Arabella sighed and went off to stand in the wings, singing Come, Where My Love Lies Dreaming to herself in her trilling soprano voice .