His Christmas Match (A Gentleman's Guide to Once Upon a Time) (6 page)

“Who shall play?” Lady Meadows asked.

None of the guests offered to be the
accompanist and everyone glanced about the room to the others.

Lady Meadows frowned and concern marred
her brow. “Does no one know how to play?”

Noah glanced at Lady Jillian, she smiled
weakly.
 
“Not well enough that I could
accompany a singer.”

He nodded.
 
He certainly couldn’t play. It as a shame
Phoebe wasn’t here. Then again, if his sister were present, and somehow had
been convinced to play for the guests, the others would prefer to simply listen
to her without a vocalist.

What were they to do?
 
He could do well enough without musical
entertainment, but he hated to see Lady Meadows disappointed.

He looked from one of the guests to the
other. Surely he had heard one of these ladies play, or perhaps a gentleman,
but none came to mind. His eyes lit on Penelope.
 
Though she managed well enough, she certainly
didn’t have the talent Phoebe did.
 

Beside her stood Miss Valentine and a
slow smile spread across his lips.
 
“Miss
Valentine plays the piano,” he announced.

Miss Valentine’s eyes grew wide and a
bit of color drained from her face.

“Oh, I couldn’t,” she exclaimed.

“You play beautifully,” Noah insisted.
Then he glanced at Lady Meadows. “She has often played in church, and I’ve
heard he play in her home.”

“Yes, Rosalind, please play,” Demetrius
encouraged.

“She does play beautifully, almost as
well as Phoebe,” Lady Penelope exclaimed and gave Miss Valentine as gentle
shove forward.

Miss Valentine’s cheeks went from pale
to a blushing rose in a matter of moments.
 
“I am not nearly as talented as Lady Sandlin,” she insisted.

“Please play,” Lady Meadows urged
gently.

Miss Valentine glanced about the room.
Felding nodded with an encouraging smile, and she made her way to the
pianoforte.
 
She settled on the small
bench and situated her hands above the keys.
 
She tested a few then ran through a scale. Up one end of the keyboard
and back down to the other, she sighed and relaxed.

“Miss Hardgrave,” Lady Meadows addressed
a young brunette Noah had made the acquaintance of last spring. “Would you like
to go first?”

A shy smile graced the young woman’s
lips, and she came forward and placed the music before Miss Valentine.
 
The two exchanged words Noah could not hear
and a moment later, with fingers poised above the keys, Miss Valentine began to
play soon followed the melodic alto of Miss Hardgrave.

Noah didn’t so much listen to the singer
but more to the smooth transition between the notes played by Miss
Valentine.
 
He had forgotten how well she
played. He knew no one who played better other than Phoebe.

Miss Valentine glanced up from her music
for a mere moment and their eyes met.

Five

Rosalind didn’t really need to look at
the music before her. It was a song she had played several times in the past
and knew it from memory. By the middle of the song her heartbeat had returned
to its normal rhythm, and her hands had relaxed making it easier to play.
 
How many more singers would wish to take
their turn? She glanced up to count the number of young ladies and gentlemen
who held music, but her eyes met Felding’s.
 

His gaze was full of warmth, and
Rosalind heated. He was simply being polite when he suggested she play, but a
part of her was thrilled. She couldn’t help herself and returned his
smile.
 
Her eyes shifted to Lady Jillian
standing beside Felding. The lady’s expression was not as pleasant. In fact, it
was almost hateful and focused solely on her.
 

Rosalind struck three wrong keys before
she dropped her head and concentrated on the music.
 
Goodness. Why had Lady Jillian looked at her
in such a manner? Had she offended her somehow?

Rosalind tried to put it from her mind
but could not and was still thinking about the cold gaze as the song
ended.
 

Miss Hardgrave moved to remove the music
from before Rosalind. She glanced up at the young woman. “I am so sorry to have
made a mistake.”

Miss Hardgrave laughed and shrugged. “It
is no bother. We are simply enjoying ourselves.”

Inwardly, Rosalind breathed a sigh of
relieve. At least Miss Hardgrave wasn’t upset, but why had Lady Jillian looked
at her in such a manner?

Lady Penelope moved from the fireplace
and lifted the stack of music off the edge of the piano before settling in the
chair closest to Rosalind and proceeded to thumb through the selection. Was she
going to participate after all?

“Who would like to go next?” Lady
Meadows called out.
 
Rosalind could only
hope she made no more mistakes.

“I will,” Lady Jillian announced.

Rosalind prayed even harder her fingers
were light, quick, and mistake free.

Lady Jillian placed the music before
Rosalind and opened it before leaning down.
 
“Do keep your eyes on the music this time,” she whispered. “There is no
one in this room for which
you
should
have a concern.”

Heat stole into Rosalind’s cheeks. “I
will do my best.”

“See that you do.”
 
Lady Jillian straightened, smiled sweetly,
and Rosalind began to play.
 
It was
another song she knew well, yet she didn’t let her eyes stray form the music before
her.
 
She had never been so humiliated.
 
The only thing that made this situation worse
was the clear soprano voice of Lady Jillian.
 
Rosalind had never heard the likes of it before.

Rosalind didn’t look, but she suspected
Lady Jillian was singing to Felding. Her body was turned in his direction, and
she sang a love ballad.
 
Rosalind willed
herself to keep her eyes on the sheets in front of her. She did not want to
know his reaction to Lady Jillian.
 
Tonight was becoming difficult enough without adding the pain of seeing
him fall under Lady Jillian’s spell.

Those who had been seated came to their
feet applauding as Lady Jillian finished.
 
She curtseyed and blushed as any young lady should do.
 

“Your voice is enchanting, Lady
Jillian,” Felding said as he drew to the young woman’s side.

Lady Jillian blushed further. “Thank
you, Lord Felding.”

“I hope you will honor us with another
song.”

Rosalind stifled a groan but kept the
pleasant expression on her face.
 
She was
simply jealous of Lady Jillian which she must learn to overcome.
 
Such a petty emotion would gain her nothing.
Besides, it wasn’t as if Felding would ever consider her for the position in
which he was considering Lady Jillian nor should he. Felding was a lord, and
she was the daughter of
missionaries
.
 

* * *

Noah let Lady Jillian’s voice sweep over
him.
 
Pure and clear, unlike anything he
had heard before.
 
Her voice rivaled
those he had heard at the opera, and he envisioned evenings with this entire
family gathered in the music room with Phoebe playing while Lady Jillian
sang.
 

He led her across the room while the
next singer prepared. “Have you met my sister, Lady Sandlin?”

“Yes, last spring.” Lady Jillian smiled
sweetly. “I’ve heard that nobody can match her playing.”

“That is true,” Noah agreed. “Miss
Valentine is the only person who has come close.”

The smile dimmed in Lady Jillian’s eyes.
What had he said wrong? He was only stating a fact.

He pulled her further away from the
crowd and toward the fireplace where Penelope and Miss Valentine had stood
earlier.
 
“However, I’ve yet to hear
anyone sing as beautifully as you.”

A slight blush stole into her cheeks.
“Thank you, Lord Felding.”

“Did your parents hire an instructor, or
do you come by singing naturally?”
 
He
wasn’t sure if there were singing instructors for ladies. He had hired a dance
instructor for his sisters before their first Season, and he knew there were
music instructors as well though Phoebe learned to play without the assistance
of anyone. Nobody had ever suggested a vocal instructor.
 
Was that something he should have looked into
for his sisters?
 
Certainly his
step-mother would have mentioned hiring one if she deemed it necessary.

“I was taught to read music,” Lady
Jillian answered. “My mother hoped I would learn to play the piano, but I
preferred singing.”

“For which I am pleased,” Noah smiled.
“Nobody should be denied the chance to hear your voice.”

Her blush deepened. “You are too kind.”

The first notes of the next song were
struck, and Noah turned toward the performer.
 
She was the younger sister of a friend.
 
She had also chosen a ballad, but her voice wasn’t near as lovely as
Lady Jillian’s. Noah doubted there would be another performer who would compare
to the performance he just heard. In fact, he would be pleased not to hear
another vocalist this evening and simply enjoy listening to Miss Valentine
play.
 
However, there were three more
ladies anxious to perform, and he would listen politely as they did.

“She has a sweet voice,” Lady Jillian
said when the young woman had finished.

“Not as sweet as yours,” Noah murmured
for only her ears.

A pleased smile graced Lady Jillian’s
lips as the next performer took her place beside the piano.

Unlike the first time she played, Miss
Valentine did not look up from the music once but concentrated on the paper
before her anticipating the rhythm of the singer at her elbow. Other than that
one mistake, she didn’t hit a single incorrect key, and Noah found himself
watching Miss Valentine instead of the singers. A small smile played on her
lips, but that was the only sign of emotion. Nor did she speak except for when
she and the singer whispered about the song before the performance.
 
It was good of Phoebe to have encouraged Miss
Valentine to visit with Penelope.
 
She
was much too lovely to be left on a nursery floor with children.
 

He glanced about the room to the
gentlemen present.
 
Most had their eyes
fixed on the singer except one.
 
Lord
Broadridge was watching Miss Valentine. Was the gentlemen struck by her playing
as much as he?
 
Odd, he did not think
Miss Valentine would be the type of woman Broadridge was attracted to. He had
always escorted willowy blondes about.
 
Miss Valentine was of average height with auburn hair.
 

Besides, Broadridge was the heir to a
dukedom, and Noah didn’t anticipate the gentleman would marry anyone who was
not a high ranking lord’s daughter.
 
However, love did change everything.
 
Would Broadridge marry so far beneath him for love?

Noah glanced back at Miss
Valentine.
 
She deserved to be loved, and
he hoped that one day she would allow herself to be courted and be settled with
someone who would appreciate the person she is. As far as he knew, none of the
Valentine daughters had ever been courted though they had danced often enough
at country assemblies.