The awe that had fueled her youthful desires and then torn her family apart.
“Well, I suppose you could just mouth the words,” Sue said with a frown. Then she turned to the gaggle of young women behind her. “Miss May? Come and meet your new travel partner.”
Sue turned back to Vi. “I’ve created a buddy system for all the girls, to ensure safety and morality. You and Miss May will be traveling and rooming together for the duration of the tour, except when the army has alternate accommodations for the performers. Marcie can also teach you the dances so you can get up to speed as soon as possible.”
Before Vi could respond, a young, slightly plump brunette joined them. Her dark-brown eyes reminded Vi of a cocker spaniel’s—large and lovely, but without a lot of thought going on behind them.
“Hiya,” the girl said, holding out her hand. “I’m Marcie May.”
Marcie’s smile was so sweet and genuine, the cocker spaniel comparison seemed even more apt. Vi decided right then and there that she liked the girl.
“Virginia Heart,” she said, shaking the girl’s hand with enthusiasm. “But call me Vi.”
“Lovely,” Sue said, her attention already sliding away. “If you’ll take over the introductions, Marcie, I’ve got to make sure Mr. Stuart’s luggage and all the props make it onto the train.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Marcie said obediently, but Sue was already off.
“She seems nice,” Vi observed.
“She is. I sometimes think this production would fall apart if not for her. Well, and for Wyatt, too. He’s the tech director.”
“I met him yesterday.” Vi eyed the tall man, who was listening attentively to Mr. Stuart. “He seems very nice. A real gentleman.”
Marcie laughed. “Got your weather eye out already, do you? Well, don’t get your hopes up. Love entanglements of any kind—that’s what our USO recruiter called them—are right out. We girls are supposed to represent all that’s good and wholesome. So no canoodling with the soldiers, officers, other actors, or even stagehands.” Marcie ticked off the prohibited items on her fingers as she listed them.
“Is that all?” Vi said with a lift of her eyebrows. Apparently there were going to be a lot of rules on this tour, and she personally disliked rules. “Seems with five fingers, the USO could have picked one more category of verboten.”
“Oh, there’s a fifth one.” Marcie rolled her eyes. “No canoodling with foreigners, either. Though honestly, I can’t imagine why anyone would. Everyone knows American men are the finest in the world.”
Vi wasn’t sure she entirely agreed, having met some pretty rotten examples of American manhood. Still, Virginia Heart wouldn’t have had the same experiences as Lily Lamour, so she let it go.
“What about the rest of the troupe? Anything I need to know? Professional jealousies, tensions . . . forbidden love entanglements?” In her experience, every production had its fair share of backstage dramas. Better to find out about them up front than accidentally have one blow up on her later.
Forewarned was forearmed.
To her surprise, Marcie’s smile dropped. Almost furtively, the girl looked around and then leaned toward Vi. “You didn’t hear this from me, but I think something funny is going on between Mr. Miller and Luciana. They’re always huddling up backstage, whispering.” She straightened, her eyes rounding with concern. “But don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to turn them in or anything. Luciana can associate with whomever she likes. And Mr. Miller, well, he’s well respected and almost universally liked. Mr. Stuart says he’s an absolute genius backstage! There’s nothing he can’t make or fix.”
“Don’t worry,” Vi reassured her new travel buddy, even as she stored the tidbit away for later. “It won’t change my good opinion of either one. I’ve been in theater long enough to know those kinds of things happen.”
His being involved with someone might also explain why he hadn’t bothered to ask for any favors in return for helping her last night.
Marcie’s expression smoothed. “I probably shouldn’t have said anything. Loose lips sink ships and all that, but”—she giggled—“that’s so me. My mother always did say I couldn’t keep a secret to save my soul.”
Good to know, Vi thought. She would have to be that much more careful around her travel buddy, lest the whole unit find out her secrets.
Marcie continued. “I don’t know if you got to meet anyone else yesterday, but the three fellas over there ahead of Wyatt—Charles, Matt, and Victor—are the male leads. And the two women with them are Ann and Luciana, the female leads.”
Vi’s ears