When she had the occasion to glance up, she did note him smiling and looking very approving.
Viola might not be the best musician in the world, but it seemed as if her playing would suit the lord very well.
Of course it would. She and Lord Baderston were like hand and glove. She must just see that her chosen glove stayed steady and stalwart in the face of a rumor about a tinker’s boy.
Chapter Nine
Roland counted thebeginning of Lady Hightower’s musical evening a resounding success. The end had been something else entirely.
Miss Mayton was an exceedingly odd creature, but he was growing very fond of the lady. She had been so very helpful in arranging for him and Lady Viola to have some minutes alone.
What a conversation they’d had! He’d been able to declare his very actions, should Lady Viola need to be defended. He’d even hinted at a duel, which he thought had been rather direct in communicating his strong feelings.
Then, Lady Viola played the pianoforte. He’d assured himself that if she presented something bizarre, as her sister had done, he would welcome it. He would take the opportunity to counter all the naysayers and stop their talk. It would be a perfect chance to display his loyalty.
And yet, when it came to it, he’d found himself relieved that she played in a very usual manner.
Watching her so gracefully running her fingers over the keys had led him down all sorts of starry paths. He imagined cold nights, sitting before the fire and listening to her play. He thought of sultry summer afternoons, with the doors to the balconies flung open and her music drifting through them. Mostly, he thought of interrupting her playing to sweep her into his arms.
She would be lovely to interrupt.
After all the ladies had their chance on the pianoforte or the harp, the obligatory circling the room to congratulate them had commenced.
While he would have preferred to stay by Lady Viola’s side, the walk round the room with compliments in hand was an absolutely essential activity. It was not so much that the lady who had played would notice if she were not congratulated by each and every person. It was the mamas and chaperones. They had put their young charges on display, like so many items for sale in a shop window, and they would demand to know how it had been received.
Then of course, Lady Hightower had eyes like a hawk and surveyed it all.
Fortunately, Roland had been to so many of these sorts of things over the years, that he had in his pocket several compliments he might throw out.
He ran them through in his head—
“Such was the vivacity of the playing that I would almost think you studied under the great Clementi!”
“It was a positively stirring rendition!”
“If I closed my eyes I would have thought it was the great composer himself at the instrument!”
And, the ever well received—“It was nothing short of a triumph.”
He’d done his duty and sprinkled his phrases all over the room. As he’d looked to make his way back to Lady Viola, Lord Thomas had greeted him.
Then had come words he’d never thought to hear spoken.
Lord Thomas had glanced in Lady Viola’s direction and said, “I suppose whatever inclination was there is off now.”
He’d no idea what the fellow meant.
“Shame really, she is comely and comes with an attractive dowry.”
“Lord Thomas, what are you referring to?” Roland had asked warily.
“Oh, I am sorry,” Lord Thomas said. “I get ahead of myself sometimes and flatter myself that I am very observant. I had thought I’d detected keen interest for Lady Viola on your part.”
“And what if you had?” Roland asked. “Why should such a thing be off now?”
Lord Thomas looked at him quizzically. “My dear fellow, everybody is talking of it. Lady Viola once ran off with a tinker’s boy. To Gretna Green, you understand. It didn’t come off in the end, but I only say…alone in a carriage and he not even a gentleman.”
“That cannot be true,” Roland said.
