Contents (57)
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Acknowledgements
- About the Author
- Also by Sharon Gosling
‘That does sound right up my street,’ Gilly said. Then she put down Julius Caesar and picked up Much Ado About Nothing. ‘But you said this was comedy. And I’m already doing a History course as well, aren’t I?’
‘That’s true,’ Rachel agreed.
Gilly tapped the cover of the book in her hand. ‘Maybe this one would be a better idea then.’ She sighed. ‘Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn’t bother with any of them if I didn’t have to.’
‘Don’t say that,’ Rachel said. ‘I thought you wanted to know everything you could learn about literature? You can’t get much more literary than William Shakespeare.’
‘I know,’ Gilly said. ‘But now that it actually comes down to it…’ She made a face. ‘Let’s go with “Comedy”. And yes, I am very much putting the word in inverted commas.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
Rachel smiled. ‘Great. Much Ado is probably my favourite Shakespeare, to tell you the truth. And I’ve had a look – there’s a production opening in Edinburgh later in the year. Why don’t we see if we can go?’
‘Edinburgh? I’ve never been there. I’ve never been to see a play, either.’
‘Perfect,’ Rachel said. ‘Then it’ll be something to look forward to while we study, how about that?’
‘Okay,’ said Gilly, suddenly feeling a little more positive about the whole having-to-study-the-Bard thing. ‘Much Ado About Nothing it is.’
Rachel told her that they would read a few scenes of the play together in each lesson and then discuss what they thought was going on, but that Gilly could go ahead and read it herself if she wanted to get a head start on her studies. What with the play and the pile of books that Ron and Ezra had given her to read for her History course, Gilly already felt a bit swamped, not to mention Edie’s insistence that she spend at least an hour in the print room every day. But she had all these people giving her their time and attention. She didn’t want to let them down. And she really did want to pass those three exams.
One evening a few days later, Gilly was sitting curled up in one of Edie’s living room armchairs with her copy of the play on her knee when the artist came in.
‘What are you reading?’ Edie asked. ‘Something for your lesson with Rachel tomorrow? It’s your first on Shakespeare, isn’t it?’
‘Yeah,’ Gilly sighed, already frustrated with the unfamiliar language and play format. It wasn’t nearly as easy as reading a book. ‘I wanted to read the whole thing first, but it’s so boring! How can anyone think this stuff is good?’
Edie reached out and took the paperback from Gilly’s hands, turning it over to see the cover. Gilly was surprised to see the artist break out in a wide smile. ‘Much Ado About Nothing! Oh, that’s one of my favourites.’
‘Rachel said that too,’ Gilly said impatiently. ‘I don’t get it.’
‘For me it’s Beatrice,’ Edie said. ‘She’s one of the main characters. She’s sassy and sparky, and doesn’t take any nonsense. She’s got a sharp tongue and isn’t afraid to use it, especially on the men who disappoint her.’