“Then why are they dining with us?” shegroused.
“Because I do see a possible bright future for Miss Emily, and it would be rude not to include the sisters after their jointconcert.”
“I am getting too old for all thisnonsense.”
“Then may we drop you off at the house on our way to therestaurant?”
“Whichrestaurant?”
“Simpsons-in-the-Strand.”
Grandmother thought about that. “No, I am hungry and quite enjoy the Simpsons’ beef. I shall endure the evening as best Ican.”
“But you will be pleasant to all the young ladies, will younot?”
“Of course, Mark, what do you take me for? Aheathen?”
Silas opened the carriage door. “I have three ladies and a fairly good-sized cello. Will we all fit comfortablyinside?”
Grandmother scooted over to the far side of the carriage. “Come. Come. We shall manage. Simpsons is not thatfar.”
The three additional guests and one cello squeezed inside. Teresa carried her oboe case in her lap. And with the carriage full, it wassnug.
As they arrived at Simpsons-in-the-Strand, Mark announced, “The instruments will be safe here. No need to bring them into therestaurant.”
The party filed out of the carriage and into the entryway of the restaurant, and, once they were settled at their table, Silas ordered champagne and told the waiter to keep itcoming.
Grandmother focused most of her attention on the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and very little on the conversation, except for the occasional grunt or reply to a directquestion.
Silas exclusively focused his attention on Emily while Mark struggled to include the other sisters in theconversation.
Silas was consuming far too much champagne, and at one point, Mark needed to lean in and try to moderate Silas’s consumption—but to littleeffect.
Finally, Mark took control of the conversation and said, “This has been a lovely evening, but I should like to ask you ladies, how might we be able to further your careers?” He turned to Emily and set his gaze upon her. “It is clear there is a lot of talent, and I would imagine that as young ladies you must find it difficult to find your way in the gentleman’s world ofmusic.”
Ruth immediately spoke up. “That is exactly the case. I cannot tell you how many times we have been denied a venue or cancelled for a concert when it was learned that we were young ladies and not younggentlemen.”
Silas then asked Emily, “And do you ever do solorecitals?”
Emily looked briefly at her sisters, turned toward Silas, and said, “I have been asked, but our father insists that we remain a trio. We have been together from the beginning and he wishes us to remainso.”
“I see,” Silas said, obviouslydisappointed.
But Mark pursued. “Whatever your plans are for the future, I should like to see how I… we… might be able to assistyou.”
“That is very generous,” Emily said, looking directly at Mark. “What exactly did you have in mind, and how do you foresee helpingus?”
“Giles Carter is our teacher and manager. I think we should set up a meeting whereby he might meet you,” Ruth said. “He is the one to speak to as he is the one who manages all of ourbookings.”
“Of course, I shall be happy to meet with all of you at anytime.”
Teresa who had been mostly silent during the conversation spoke up, “But why do you need us? Certainly, you could meet with Giles and accomplish all you need without us being inattendance.”
“That suits me,” Ruth said. “I care nothing for the business side of what we do. I find it to be quite abore.”
Emily seemed to disagree when she said, “I should like to attend. I feel at least one of us should be there with him, as I am sure you and he might have questions only we cananswer.”
Mark took a calling card out of his inside coat pocket. “Then, please have your manager contact me with a proposed time to meet and I shall be pleased to host the meeting at Linfield Hall at yourconvenience.”
