Anna looked in the mirror and tried to channel the girls she'd seen in her brother's photographs. Since photography had taken off, her brother had gone around London, snapping photos of everything from noblemen to prostitutes, and she'd seen them all when he'd come to visit a month ago.
She remembered what had struck her most; the look of the burlesque actresses he'd seen while at a show. They had this air of sexiness that was very different from what the prostitutes portrayed. At that moment, she'd realized what her life was missing.
Her Victorian life was becoming dull, always at home, cooped up like a caged animal. There were hardly ever any visitors, other than the suitors her mother paraded through there. Anna paid little attention to them because they were all the same. They were all inheriting land, had lots of money, and were boring and not handsome at all. She craved a different sort of life than what her family expected of her. That's why she was standing there in front of the mirror, getting ready to audition for a local burlesque production.
She'd spent every day since she heard about the auditions cutting up her old clothes and linens and creating the most burlesque like outfit she could. This was going to be her chance to take control of her future and her body. The women of London were so empowered and beautiful, and that's what she'd learn to be as well.
Anna had worked hard to pull the day off. She was changing at her aunt's house in London, but she'd had to write a letter pretending to be her aunt in order to be allowed to go. Of course, her aunt and uncle were away in Paris. She had gone to great lengths to be sure that it seemed to her parents that the trip had been cancelled.
Anna took a deep breath and gave her curls one more scrunch. She felt like a totally different person, her skin showing and her blonde hair all piled on top of her head. No one would even be able to recognize her now.
She grabbed her bag and climbed into the carriage that was awaiting her outside. She wasn't quite ready to walk around London with bare legs like a harlot or something, and the pub that was holding the auditions was across town.
Anna found herself getting more and more excited as the ride went on. This burlesque show was supposed to be by this new up-and-coming playwright who decided to try his hand at burlesque. His name was Arthur O'Malley, and from what she'd heard all the women fell all over him the minute they laid eyes on him. He was being hailed as the next Shakespeare. If there were ever a man worth marrying, it would be a man like Arthur.
As the carriage pulled up to the pub, Anna peeked her head out to see that there was a group of woman laughing and joking outside with some gentlemen. A closer glance made it obvious that the men were married; their rings still around their fingers. These women had a confidence like she'd never seen, laughing and talking with the men, daring to flirt with bare legs and arms and even plant a hand on the mens' shoulders every once and awhile. It was something she'd have to get used to seeing if she wanted to be a part of this world. Though, she was not at all ready to be this way with a committed man. It still felt wrong.
Unsure of how to act, she smiled at the women on her way into the pub before she started choking on the cigar smoke that filled the whole place. There were men everywhere, smoking and drinking; probably talking about women or their next business scheme. All around, though, Anna could see the other women there to audition. Many had come together, in groups, and there were a few that were flirting with the men in the pub.
All the women were sensual with bright clothing. None of them looked they like were trying to hard; it all came naturally. How was she going to convince Arthur she could be like that too?
A man that worked at the bar approached her. He looked permanently cross, wrinkles set in a downward pose above his eyebrows. "If you're here for the auditions, you need to go sign in with Pete at the back and get in line. Mr. O'Malley has the VIP room."
Anna smiled awkwardly and followed his directions. She resisted the urge to clamp her nose with her fingertips. That man had smelled like a sewer. As she walked over to the man she assumed was Pete, she paid close attention to her walk. She stood up straight and confident, pulling from her years at school when Madame Blanche taught them how to walk with a book on their head. She tried to stick her chest out a little and tried to make her walk sultry. It was difficult with the heels she was wearing, but she saw a few men glimpse at her. She must be doing something right.
She wrote her name on the paper in front of the man that was sitting at the back of the pub. She stood there for a few seconds, waiting for him to say something. It looked like he was sizing her up. Then, he just nodded and pointed to the line of girls that was waiting outside the VIP room. It looked like there were about six or seven in front of her. Three of them were the girls she had seen coming in. They were still chatting among themselves. She could make out a little, but she tried not to be too nosy. They were obviously talking about the men they had met outside.
The line was moving more quickly than she expected. She saw disappointed faces coming out of the audition. Even the three girls in front of her got turned away within minutes. If girls like them couldn't get the part, could she?
It was her turn, and she was starting to feel clammy. She couldn't let her nerves show.
As she walked into the room, she got a good look at the three men in the room. Two of them were older, grey hairs be-speckling their chins. She assumed the young man in the middle was Arthur O'Malley. He had hair the color of a sunset, and a thin but strong physique. His smile was mischievous, and his hands were that of a writer; calloused and worn but oh so handsome.
She boldly looked him in the eye, and Anna could feel herself blush as his eyes met hers. She got the feeling that his grin was aimed at her.
"Miss Anna, is it?" Anna could detect some Irish in his accent. She nodded in response, and kept her chin high. "I am not so sure you belong here, Miss Anna." He kept putting an emphasis on the word Miss that confused her. "You see, I turned the last few girls away because they were hitting on every man in here. I am looking for actresses, not harlots. But, burlesque is a sensual joke. You, Anna, do not look like a joke. In fact, I believe you're the only one I saw arrive in a carriage. That must mean you are wealthy and at the age to be finding a husband. You should not be wasting yourself here. You are proud. Look at the way you stand up straight and fear the immorality around you."
Anna was going to ask how he knew she'd arrived in a carriage when she recognized the man sitting to his right as one of the men that had been flirting with the women out front. He must've seen her come in. "I may be a woman of privilege, sir, but I can be sensual. I look at all these girls and see something that I want. I am tired of my confined life. I want to be sexy and confident."
There was that smile again. Anna didn't know what to make of this Arthur character. He turned to the other two and gave them a signal that made them exit the room. Now alone in the room with Arthur, Anna felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as Arthur moved towards her. His hands were behind his back, but he started moving in circles around her. She could feel her skin getting hot. She knew that as close as he was, he would notice.
Then, he suddenly stopped behind her. She felt his hand creeping up her back, making her spine tingle, and then he rested his hand on her shoulder. She wasn't sure how to react, but her breathing was getting heavier.
With one swift movement, he spun her around so that their faces were practically touching, and they were breathing in and out each other's oxygen. "You are beautiful, and confident, and I bet you can be sensual, but burlesque in not the place for you. You are made for something much better. You should be a real actress; my leading lady." Everyone was obviously right about Arthur's charm. Anna felt like she was going to melt right there.
His lips brushed against hers, and it felt more real than any suitor that had ever come to her home trying to convince her to marry them. She went with her instincts and wrapped her hands around his neck, tracking the hairs on the back of his neck down into his collar. She felt him shiver a bit and took it as a sign that she was doing something right.
Arthur picked her up and set her on the small table he had been sitting behind before. He began running his hands up and down her bare legs, making her feel scandalous as her body felt like it was on fire. All this time she had been missing out, stuck in her stuffy rich Victorian life. She was going to let herself go and feel whatever came next.
