Jane Actually

both?”
    He turned and saw Dr Davis appraising him.
    “Oh, hi!” he said with enthusiasm at seeing his advisor, before remembering that their relationship had probably changed for the worse. “Uh, you’re right, I’m waiting for them both.”
    “That was … an interesting keynote,” she said. “Especially the question and answer session.”
    “You stayed for it?” he asked.
    “I did. The temptation to run away and lick my wounds was strong, but … Stephen, I am very sorry for the situation I put you in. You must have had a difficult time explaining it all to … Mary and Jane.”
    She now looked away, and Stephen thought that he’d never seen her so vulnerable.
    “It got a little tense,” he confirmed, and would have left it there, but his concern about Jane and Albert and Mary caused him to add, “but another drama is brewing and … I shouldn’t …”
    “Oh, I see,” she said, but not really understanding. She was a little nonplussed that her confrontation with Austen had faded in importance.
    Stephen wanted to explain, but of course he couldn’t without revealing confidences. He desperately, however, wanted to mend fences.
    “I’m very sorry that … in the meeting, I couldn’t … I just couldn’t …”
    “Please don’t think you have to explain anything, Stephen. I was in the wrong.” As she said the last, she met his eyes.
    “Does this mean you accept Jane as … Jane?”
    “Lord, no,” she said with her harsh laugh. “I reserve judgment, but I am forced to admit I have no proof against her and I … I will not seek proof against her. After her keynote today, it’s obvious to me how popular she is and it would be foolish to fight a losing battle.
    “I do hope my stupidity has not cost me a graduate student, someone I’ve come to depend on and someone who gave me good advice that I chose to ignore.”
    Stephen smiled and said, “See you Wednesday?”
    “Yes, at our regular time,” she answered. Just then, the dance that had been underway when he arrived ended.
    “Uh, would you like to try country dancing?” he asked.
    “And I just said you gave good advice. You know my opinion that all this nonsense gets in the way of the serious study of Austen, and besides, I should look like a bull in a china shop. Wait for your girlfriend.”
    She left him abruptly and he realized that the only reason she had been in the ballroom was to talk to him.
    “That was the woman from the meeting yesterday, the one who was questioning Jane’s identity,” Albert said.
    “Yes, my graduate advisor. I thought for sure I’d be looking for another, but maybe not.”
    “I’m afraid I still don’t know all that transpired in that meeting.”
    “Well, since you weren’t exactly invited … I’m sorry, said that without thinking.”
    “No, you’re quite right. I wouldn’t be … Jane wouldn’t be mad at me if I’d just kept my nose out of things that don’t concern me. And now Mary suffers from my stupidity as well.”
    “Don’t beat yourself up over it. There’s been enough stupid to go around the past couple of days.”
    Albert was about to reply when simultaneously his roommates and Ms Henshaw arrived.
    “Stephen, there you are. Have you forgotten your promise to dance?” she asked in a loud voice. “There are several ladies who are looking forward to this.”
    “Stephen, Ms Henshaw is here,” someone said in Stephen’s earbud.
    “Quick, before the next dance starts,” another said, his comment overlaid on the previous. Stephen had no idea who said what.
    “Introduce us.”
    “No, of course not, Ms Henshaw. I’ve been looking forward to this, and so have my roommates. Uh, may I introduce: Mr Albert Ridings, Mr Alan Timison, Mr Michael Chapman … um, Mr Rob Perkins and Mr Clarence Higgins. Is that everyone?” Stephen asked, after looking at the display of his AfterNet terminal.
    “Susan, please call me Susan. And accompanying me, I have Ms Agnes Hutchins, Mrs Catherine Stone … I mean Stein, Miss Mary Ellen Meyers, Mrs Nora Latham, Ms Roberta Hoskins … I mean Miss Roberta Hoskins, I am sorry, and Ms Shawonda Dobie. Well, let’s find a line to join,” she said, and took Stephen’s arm in a surprisingly strong grip and led him to the shortest of the three lines that had formed in the ballroom. She was dressed in Regency costume and seemed to be very familiar with country dancing.
    When she heard the name of the next dance, she clapped her hands together and