Free Jane Actually by Jennifer Petkus Page A

I’m a writer and this record is important to my research. I need something a little more … do you have a supervisor?”
    The young woman looked annoyed at this and Courtney realized he had offended her, which wasn’t his intent.
    “Give us a minute,” she said and turned, stuffing the last of her pasty into her mouth as she left.
    From somewhere just out of sight, he heard the woman say, “Doris, there’s an American here. He wants to talk to my supervisor.”
    “Oh very well. What have you done now?”
    Courtney prepared his most pleasing smile before Doris arrived. He was in luck, he saw, based on the woman’s appearance in her late forties, her hair swept up into a bun. She was still attractive, in an appropriately librarian manner, with immaculate makeup, and her elegant clothes hid some of the excesses of middle age.
    She immediately returned his smile and again Courtney knew he was in luck.
    “Yes sir, may I help you? I hope Ariel …”—she made a little face as she pronounced the name—”… has been helpful.”
    “Ariel has been a delight,” he said, and shot a smile at Ariel, who hovered behind Doris. He still didn’t get a smile back so he returned his attention to Doris.
    “I was hoping, however, that I might ask something out of the ordinary. I’m a writer and I’m doing a book about Jane Austen …”
    Bingo!
he thought. Doris’s smile at the mention of the author’s name reassured him.
    “Our most famous resident,” Doris said, “although she really didn’t like Bath.”
    He nodded, wondering why everyone in Bath was always so quick to point that out. It almost seemed a point of pride.
    “So I’ve been informed,” he said. “Well, I believe one of the names in this ledger belongs to a friend of Miss Austen’s and I’d like to get a copy of the birth …”
    “Well Ariel can help you with that. We can have a copy made for you …”
    “So she said, but I’m leaving Bath tomorrow and besides, I’d like something a little more impressive than just a form on letterhead. I was wondering if you’d agree to be photographed holding the ledger open to the appropriate page, and possibly pointing to the entry.”
    The request flustered her. “Oh, but that’s very unusual. This is for a book, about Jane Austen?”
    “Yes, I think this name here …”—he pointed to the entry—”… I think this person became a good friend of Miss Austen during her time in Bath. And it will be such a surprise when she learns I’ve found a record …”
    “You know Miss Austen? You’ve talked with her?” Doris asked, her eyes behind the half-moon progressive lenses now very bright.
    “Yes I have,” he lied. “And Robert Gorrell is an important part of my book. So I thought if you could hold the ledger while I take my photo …”
    “Oh, but I must look a fright!”
    “Doris, you look lovely,” he said, looking directly into her eyes.
    Doris blushed prettily and said, “You Americans, you always think flattery will get you anything.”
    Behind her, Ariel was getting bored and asked, “Can I get back to my lunch, Doris?”
    “Yes, yes, I’ll help Mr …”
    “Blake, Court Blake,” he supplied.
    “Charmed,” she said and actually giggled. “I suppose I can pose … I mean hold the ledger for you.”
    “Great,” he said, and instructed her to stand with the ledger facing outward, with her finger pointing at the entry.
    He stood back a little and took several photos and then transferred one of the pictures to a USB thumb drive.
    “Those were great,” he told her and tried to show her the picture on the LCD screen of the camera, but she refused to look.
    “Oh I never look at photos of myself. It would utterly destroy my self image.”
    “But why, you look lovely,” he told her, and he meant it. He dropped his hand on hers, still resting on the ledger. She had to look away from the intensity of his gaze and he took the opportunity to get what he really wanted.
    “Do you think