“Helping us beat Fairfax and Bristol is what a good brother-in-law, and good friend, would do. Like when I carried you home after you broke your leg.”
“We’re going to be eighty, bald, and toothless, and you’re still going to hold that over me, aren’t you?”
Liam ruffled his full head of hair. “Who says I’m ever going to be bald?”
David gave an impatient snort. “Magic or marriage?”
Liam found the sheets he’d been searching for and held them aloft with a flourish. “Figaro!”
As they played the overture toThe Marriage of Figaro, David concentrated on playing the correct notes, refusing to think about Miss Hamlin and her reaction when she heard him sing.
* * *
Ashley awoke when daylight first peeked through the curtains, to the sound of birds just outside the window and the robin in the room cheerily welcoming the sunrise. Though she and Georgia had stayed up late, talking and giggling like schoolgirls, she never had been able to sleep well in unfamiliar places. Careful not to disturb Georgia, she arose and dressed. She didn’t know the household’s morning routine—if they dined in their rooms, or at the table as a group, or something else entirely—and didn’t want to be a nuisance.
The haunting refrain of the music Ravencroft had played last night as a warmup came back to her. She finished her morning ablutions and hurried downstairs. No one else was about as she entered the music room. She found the right cupboard with the music folders, blessed Lady Mansfield’s careful cataloguing of her collection, and soon sat at the pianoforte with the music she wanted.
Dare she?
She shut the door to the hall, then sat on the bench again. She closed her eyes, picturing Ravencroft last night as he played, tried to hear the sounds he’d made on the antique viola da gamba, and set her hands on the keys.
Music flowed from her fingers as it never had before.
It ebbed and flowed, crescendo and pianissimo, glorious even when she stumbled over some of the sixteenth note runs. She kept going, losing herself in the centuries-old melody, the perfectly tuned instrument making her effort sound better than the mediocre pianoforte at the academy ever had, even better than the one in her uncle’s rented townhouse.
She was halfway through when she realized it was not Ravencroft in her head she was hearing, but an actual violincello.
Lady Mansfield had joined her and was playing with her eyes closed, lost in the music she was creating in what had become their duet. She alternated between the violincello’s traditional eight-note part and the melody that was usually played by the violin.
Ashley’s pulse pounded but she kept going until the final chord.
Not until the last note faded away did Lady Mansfield open her eyes. She smiled at Ashley fondly. “Good morning. How did you know that’s one of my favorite tunes?”
Ashley allowed herself to relax. “Lovely, is it not?” She smoothed her palms on her lap. “I did not wish to disturb anyone. Georgia was still asleep…”
“And the music called to you.” Lady Mansfield set the violincello and bow in its holder and got out her lyre. “I completely understand.” She plucked a few notes on her instrument. “Would you like to play some more together? Or would you prefer to practice alone?”
“I would be honored, my lady. Though you may regret your offer. My skill pales in comparison to yours.’
Lady Mansfield smiled. “There is only one way to improve. What shall we play next?”
* * *
After a lovely morning in the music room with Lady Mansfield and a raucous breakfast with the family in the dining room, Ashley was almost disappointed when her uncle’s carriage came to collect her shortly after noon. She said her goodbyes as Sally and a footman carried their valises out to the carriage.
Georgia pulled her in for another hug and squeezed Ashley’s hands before she would let go. “Please promise me we will do this again.”
Ashley blinked back tears. Georgia had truly made her feel like a sister last night. “That would be most pleasing.” As long as Georgia didn’t discuss her matchmaking plans for her uncle and Ashley. Such a union was completely out of the realm of possibilities. Ashley was going back to working at an academy when the Season ended.
Once home, Ashley inquired about her aunt’s friend.
“Oh, la, she is so lonely,” Aunt Eunice said. “Tomorrow I’m going back and plan to stay two days.”
Ashley tried to keep her expression neutral. Much as she adored Georgia, she could not stay the night with her young friend again so soon. Georgia needed time to transfer her attention to some other topic. Finding her own suitor, for example.
“But I could not miss Lady Calvert’s musicale tonight,” Aunt Eunice said as they walked along the hall to her bedchamber. “I know how much you enjoy the music. Lady Calvert is friends with Lady Bristol, and they made special arrangements for tonight. Instead of listening to young misses who are looking to catch a husband, we’ll hear several of the groups who will compete at the Noblemen and Gentlemen’s Catch Club.” Aunt Eunice held her hand over her heart. “How I do love a talented male quartet, don’t you?”
“Couldn’t agree more.”
