"Thanks for coming with me I couldn't do this alone," Elle said as Charlotte and herself walked down to the hall on campus. It was where it had been decided the auditions for the play would be held. It was a beautiful warm day and the last thing Elle had imagined herself doing was sitting in a dark stuffy hall. If she did not want to be here, why would anyone else?

"Not a problem, after all what else would I do on a horrible day like this," she asked with the sarcasms barely evident in her voice. "Seeing as you now owe me… what's going on with you and George?"

Elle shrugged lightly. She and George had gone out a few times in the past week. It was still too early for her to say if she wanted there to be a relationship but she really enjoyed his company.

After waiting for an answer that did not come Charlotte tried again, "Don't tell me… you're too smart for him!" Elle looked at her with a raised eyebrow before starting to laugh.

"Well there is that," Elle chuckled, pushing the large wooden door open enough for the two girls to slip inside.

The dark cool hall was a welcome change to the heat outside. They walked in a little further and were happy to note the queue of students already waiting.

"You ready?" Elle asked in a challenging voice. Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Are you?"

Elle tilted her head to one side and looked straight ahead, "Definitely."

XXX

"Hi I would like to thank everyone for coming. As you all know this is an open audition so if you are not from this college could you please state that on your form. Good luck to everyone and I shall see you inside," Elle finished her small speech before leaving the entrance hall to get seated before the first person auditioned.

She walked into a smaller room to the right of the main entrance. She sat in the middle of a table with Charlotte on her left and Ms Frizzle on her right.

"Where's George?" Elle asked as she noticed the empty chair beside her teacher.

"I don't know but I feel we should start without him. I am sure you already know what you're looking for," Ms Frizzle reasoned before signalling for the first person to come in.

The door opened to reveal a tall gangly young man with thick-rimmed glasses with greasy shapeless black hair. He had a long face with big eyes and a long broad nose. He appeared to be dressed like a blind Sunday school teacher, complete with knitted cardigan.

"My dear Elizabeth how are you?" the young man wheezed. He spoke quite well with public school vowels.

Upon hearing this Elle's eyes went wide, she had been too busy looking at the clothes that she had not yet seen his face. But that didn't matter as she would recognise that voice anywhere. "Nathan… Collins… what are you doing here?" Elle asked in the nicest voice she could manage.

Nathan either did not notice the pauses in her speech or did not care for he still spoke with an air of confidence. "My dear cousin I heard that there were auditions being held for your play and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to come along and visit again." He walked over to where Elle was seated and grabbed her hand. This action forced her to stand, which he took as an invitation (which he himself had created) to kiss her. As he moved his overly moist lips to her cheek Elle could hear Charlotte covering a laugh with an over dramatised coughing fit.

Elle forced a smile as she sat back down and looked over his audition form. "I didn't know you acted," Elle stated as her eyes travelled over the writing.

As Nathan talked about his reasons for acting Charlotte whispered, "God you have to be smart to read this scrawl," she waved her own copy to emphasise her point. The writing was bad Elle had to agree, it looked like a chicken had walked over the page a few hundred times too many.

"You stated here that you want to play the part of Mr Henry Crawford who shows an interest in both Maria and Fanny as the play progresses," Ms Frizzle clarified, "Well as Charlotte has accepted the role of Miss Crawford I think I scene with the one of you together would be give us a good idea of his ability and style."

"I agree that is an excellent idea," Elle exclaimed smirking at Charlotte and grinning in Ms Frizzle's direction.

Charlotte glared at Elle as she snatched the sheet with the lines from Elle's hand. She sat up straight in her chair and turned to face Nathan.

"Whenever you're ready," called Ms Frizzle, "Mr Collins it is you to start so in your own time." Nathan took one last lingering look at Elle before starting.

"I like your Miss Bertrams exceedingly sister, they are very elegant agreeable girls"

"So they are indeed, and I am delighted to hear you say it. But you like Julia best."

"Oh yes! I like Julia best."

"But do you really? For Miss Bertram is in general thought the handsomest."

"So I should suppose. She has the advantage in every feature, and I prefer her countenance; but I like Julia best; Miss Bertram is certainly the handsomest, and I have found her the most agreeable, but I shall always like Julia best, because you order me."

"I shall not talk to you, Henry, but I know you will like her best at last."

"Do not I tell you that I like her best at first?"

"And besides, miss Bertram is engaged. Remember that, my dear brother. Her choice is made."

"Yes, and I like her the better for it. An engaged woman is always more agreeable than a disengaged. She is satisfied wit herself. Her cares are over, and she feels that she may exert all her powers of pleasing without suspicion. All is safe with a lady engaged: no harm can be done."

As the scene ended Ms Frizzle stood and clapped," That was wonderful, just wonderful."

Elle also gave a small clap, "Well done Nathan, I didn't realise your talents lay in acting."

"They don't, but seeing you watching me gave me a purpose to perform well," Nathan stated as smoothly as possible, "As Lady Catherine says one can do anything if you put your mind to it. I have not told you about Lady Catherine have I? She was the one who is paying for all my college courses; think of it like a scholarship. She is willing to pay for the best new lawyers to represent her and I was one of the lucky few chosen."

"That's really interesting Nathan and I wish I could hear more but we have a lot of people to see," Elle smiled sweetly.

"How thoughtless of me. I will come to the house tomorrow evening Elle and finish telling you about Lady Catherine," Nathan walked to wards the door-waving goodbye.

"Can't wait I will be counting the minutes," Elle called as he exited the room, "When hell freezes over."

"I think he was very good, he may get the part," Ms Frizzle stated as the next person walked in, "I think he suited the part."

"He will get the part, could you imagine my mother if he doesn't," Elle whispered to Charlotte how didn't look too happy at the prospect of working with the young man.

"Hi, what's your name?" Elle asked the tall blonde. He was taller than Nathan but seemed to be quite well built and comfortable in his own skin. He was dressed in a part of dark blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt.

"My names Brian and as you can probably tell by the accent I'm not from around here," he spoke with a strong Scottish accent and had a charming, easygoing presence.

Elle smiled, "There seems to be quite a lot of Europeans here at the moment." Brian's eyes flashed but the apparent fear quickly vanished behind light blue eyes.

"Well it is a lovely part of the world," he stated quickly.

Charlotte laughed and looked up from his form, "If you say so." Brian laughed to and his face broke into an easy smile.

"So you are hoping to play William Price Fanny's brother," Ms Frizzle rummaged through a small pile of pages before speaking again, "I think this exchange between Fanny and William will work." She passed out the sheets and Elle sat waiting for Brian to say his first line.

"This is the assembly night. If I were at Portsmouth I should be at it perhaps."

"But you do not wish yourself at Portsmouth, William?"

"No, Fanny, that I do not. I shall have enough of Portsmouth and of dancing too, when I cannot have you. And I do not know that there would be any good in going to the assembly, for I might not get a partner. The Portsmouth girls turn up their noses at anybody who has not a commission. One might as well be nothing as a midshipman. One is nothing, indeed. You remember the Gregorys; they are grown up amazing fine girls, but they will hardly speak to me, because Lucy is courted by a lieutenant."

"Oh! Shame, shame! But never mind it William. It is no reflection on you: it is no more than what the greatest admirals have all experienced, more or less, in their time. When you are a lieutenant! Only think, William, when you are a lieutenant, how little you will care for any nonsense of this kind.

"I begin to think I shall never be a lieutenant, Fanny. Everybody gets made but me."

Elle sat in silence she had not come across anybody that good in a long time.

"That was brilliant, so brilliant that I am willing to offer you the part right now," Elle laughed nervously.

"That would be great, thank you very much. I guess I'll be seeing you all again," Brian smiled happily.

"Yes I think we will," Ms Frizzle replied as Brian walked to the door, "We will give you a call."

"Send in the next one!"

XXX

"Thanks again Charlotte," Elle said as the two friends packed up to leave. Ms Frizzle had left only moments before them and now the friends were free to talk. "You are really good, are you sure you I can't persuade you to change career paths."

"I don't think so Elle," Charlotte laughed, "I'm better at writing but if that even fails you never know."

"Charlotte you will not fail, I've read your stuff remember. It is really great," Elle reassured her.

"That might be true Elle but without cash I won't get anywhere."

"Just make sure you fall in love with and marry a millionaire," Elle laughed.

"That's not a bad idea do you know any? Do you need I lift home?"

"No thanks I'll walk. See you tomorrow," Elle called as the two friends parted ways.

This chapter was for all my lovely reviews.

Sorry that there is no Mr Darcy in this chapter but I wanted to get this two characters introduced. Sorry about the long wait and I hope to update again before going away on holiday. Let me know what you think, it might help me write faster. Hope you like. Until next time.