Ace of Diamonds, The

by Nona Mae King

12: Love’s Mysterious Song

  So again Setzer found himself in his private office staring at his reflection in the mirror as he adjusted his vest and coat as well as the sleeves of his collarless and ruffle-less shirt. In the back part of his mind he wondered at Maria’s reaction to their kiss the day before. Then the promise of the coming meeting pushed it further away. He had made a decision against what Lady Luck seemed to have planned. It was an exhilarating burst of independence and freedom. He had an untested and untraveled road of adventure ahead of him, and he took it of his own volition. It proved a new type of gamble.

  Setzer adjusted the collar of his jacket and gave his reflection a nod before leaving the office. He made his way across the main room and headed toward the exit. “No visitors, gentlemen,” he told them as he passed.

  “Yes, captain.”

  Then Setzer headed the few yards toward the Opera House. Instead of entering, he did as her previously received note had asked and veered toward the gardens. He found the gate closed with a note affixed to it by a bit of pale blue ribbon. He untied the ribbon with a slight smile and unfolded the note.

  ‘Dearest Setzer, I know how you enjoy a mystery and a puzzle. So I’ve placed three clues in different places throughout the Opera House for you to find and use in the solving of this mystery: Where am I? Your first, dearest, is simple: go to that place where memories of laughter and tears are protected by visions of the Espers and encircled by the arms of the earth.’

  Setzer folded the note again, chuckling as he tucked it into the inside pocket of his suit-coat. While he didn’t enjoy puzzles and mysteries to the extent of Locke--who seemed to thrive on them--he did enjoy the challenge, especially if there was a prize to be won. And what a prize.

  “All right, Maria. I’ll take your challenge.” He lowered his gaze to the ground as he crossed an arm and rested the other’s elbow in the palm. “‘Where memories of laughter and tears...’ Hmm.” Setzer pushed open the gate and began to walk absently forward. “Laughter, tears, Espers, and earth . . . “ He tapped his lips with a finger. “Visions . . . Arms . . . ”

  When he’d gone a great distance into the garden, his finger paused their action as his eyes focused on the gazebo to his left. Laughter. Tears. But Espers and earth? Setzer stepped toward the gazebo; his feet paused on the first step. He leaned to the left, looking around and to the side of the gazebo. The walkway completely circled it. Couldn’t the marble of the walk be considered ‘of earth’. Setzer’s lips twitched. Three of four...

  Setzer raised his eyes to the roof of the gazebo--that which would protect us... A mural of Espers was painted there. And number four. So he stepped the remaining way into the gazebo, making his way to the center bench they’d shared before. Another note was there, affixed under the bench with a long piece of gray ribbon wrapped around the seat. He untied it and unfolded the note.

  ‘One more clue, dearest, and then we’ll be together to laugh and sing as we once did.’

  Setzer’s smile broadened as he folded up the note, tucking it safely with the other as he stepped down from the gazebo to make his way to the back entrance of the Opera House. Memories flowed like the swift currents of the now-dry Nikeah Serpent Trench, compelling him forward to the main stage and the visions of scenes from plays and songs from choruses written specifically for her angelic voice and her unique style of performing.

  A third note was center stage and propped on a piano. He took it up and opened it with an eager tightening of his throat and chest.

  ‘You kidnapped my soul while leaving my heart. You stole away my hope while leaving my life. Where am I?’

  Setzer’s smile faded to a frown as he reread the note . . . and again. He looked up, tapping the paper against his hand in a steady thwap, thwap, thwap. The clue could be both literal or figurative. Even so, what did it mean? Setzer reluctantly smiled. You’ve pushed my wit to the brink with this one, Maria. Well done. He tucked the note away and turned to face upstage, rocking back on his heels as he clenched his hands behind him. He moved again to the balls of his feet and began again, scrutinizing the stage in hopes it would give him another clue. Then the memories began to grow of a performance halted and the star stolen away--

  Setzer’s hands dropped to his sides as he strode forward, retracing his steps back through the Opera House and the gardens as he returned to the Falcon. Maria had set up a blanket and a picnic basket outside the entrance. Setzer smiled. The guards had likely kept her from preparing it on board, just as ordered. I’m sorry, Maria. I didn’t intend to spoil your surprise.

  Maria looked up and smiled, gracefully standing to her feet before gliding toward him. She had dressed in dark green with yellow ribbons and lace decorating the bodice and skirt of the gown. Her hair was up, glistening with gems and pearls that sparkled in the sun as well as reflecting in her eyes. She was both entrancing and captivating.

  Setzer took hold of her hands and brought each to his lips before leaning within the warmth of her inviting persona and kissing her cheek. “Thank you for the adventure, songbird. It was fun to delve into those memories.”

  Maria’s eyes shone with the smile that brightened her already radiant features. “I’m so glad.” She held one hand and loosed the other to motion toward the Falcon. “They wouldn’t allow me aboard, so I planned a picnic instead.”

  Setzer gave her hand a squeeze. “I apologize for that, my dear. They were following orders.”

  Maria laughed. “It’s all right, dearest. I’ve made the most of the difficulty. See?”

  Setzer nodded as he steadied her descent to the blanket. He sat close to her left. “I do. I haven’t had a picnic since our last. Do you remember? I took you aboard my ship and whisked you away to Thamasa. We picnicked near the shore where we could see Ebot’s Rock.”

  Maria nodded, resting a hand on Setzer’s arm with a giggle. “And you told me a ghost story that gave me a fright.”

  “That’s right. I had forgotten.” He watched her laughing eyes and lips as she served him some varying foods from her basket. “That was our first night together. You didn’t want to be alone.”

  Maria’s cheeks flushed ever so slightly, but she didn’t raise her eyes from the duty of filling his plate. “I still don’t,” she said softly.

  Setzer’s smile was slight as he laid on his side, an elbow raising his torso as he watched her movements that seemed a dance. Her face, so perfect and calm. Her mouth, forever lilted upward in a smile. Her eyes, sparkling with intelligence and wit. “Have you always been so lovely, Maria?” he asked as he accepted his plate from her. “I’m willing to wager such isn’t the case. The life you’ve had apart from me has added to your beauty and fascination.”

  The blush deepened as her eyes momentarily held his. They retreated to her plate. “My heart is already yours, Setzer,” she said in a quiet tone, “there’s no need to purchase it with more flatteries.”

  Setzer chuckled and set aside his plate. Then he took hers, set it also aside, and adjusted his position so that his head was in the soft folds of her skirt within her lap. “Do you remember, songbird, the hours we would spend such as this? Your song lulling me to adventures of the imagination?”

  Maria smiled, and the look caressed his soul. She lightly touched the hair free from his forehead. “How could I forget moments such as those, dearest?”

  Setzer reached up to take her hand and pressed the fingers to his lips. “Sing me a song,” he whispered against them. “Sing me a song, little bird, of adventure and passion. Of love and longing. Of loss and mourning. Sing me a song from your soul.”

  Maria brought her other hand up to caress his face and the scar as she took in a deep breath, gathering the notes and intensity needed to fulfill the request. Then she opened her mouth and sang. Haunting melodies imbued with passion and life. Crescendos and sustains of mourning and loss. Ringing tones that pierced his soul with emotion and bombarded his mind with the pictures their words painted.

  Setzer closed his eye
s and drank it in, absorbing it into himself to fill that place he’d forgotten was empty.

  Her song continued even as Setzer’s soul overflowed. Bringing agony and pain; bringing discovered love and joy; bringing betrayal and rage all in the contents of her songs. It was radiant. Intoxicating. All-consuming. It could be his.

  Setzer opened his eyes to meet hers as her mezzo-soprano richness began the Aria di Mezzo Careterre. The love song of the opera when they had first met. The words, so tragic yet hopeful, were mirrored in her eyes as she sang; a confession to her feelings in his absence. It revived the ache.

  A tear escaped Maria’s pale eyes, and Setzer caught it within his hand. She answered the action with a smile as she continued to sing; to seduce his soul with the fire from hers. To share that part of her without hesitation or remorse. Setzer smiled up at her and caressed her cheek and lips. Still she sang, promising unknown things if only he would ask. I will ask, my songbird. I will ask. But the time wasn’t right. Not yet. She deserved perfection, and perfection was one thing he wouldn’t gamble with.

  The power of the song lingered as her voice sustained and softened to a tickle of a dramatic memory. Setzer continued to gaze up into that lovely face, held by its visions and passions and eyes of longing and quiet agony. Mesmerized by the pale blueness that wept and burned in the same moment of intensity and comfortable silence. Then, when he believed his soul couldn’t withstand a moment more, she looked away to their clasped hands. The sadness in her face heightened.

  “What is it, songbird?” Setzer asked in his velvet baritone.

  Another tear escaped, and Setzer’s eyes darkened as he frowned with concern. He sat up and turned, tipping her chin up with a tender touch under her chin. She closed her eyes as another group of tears glistened on her cheeks.

  “Maria? What troubles you?” She shook her head without a word, lifting her chin from his touch and facing away from him. Setzer examined her profile, paled and distressed. He caressed her cheek free from the tears, but more took their place. “What have I said? What have I done? Tell me. Please.”

  “It’s not you, dearest,” Maria said in a choked voice. “I’ve done this to myself. I chose this path, though I had a fear . . . ” She finished the statement with another shake of her head as she brought a trembling hand to her face.

  Setzer was at a loss, and his expression showed as much. “Maria--“

  Maria shook her head again, interrupting his push for an explanation as she turned toward him. She took his face in her hands with a choked sob and pressed her lips against his. Then she freed his mouth and buried her face in his neck and shoulder as her arms pulled him close. “Don’t question,” she begged in a broken voice. “Please, dearest, don’t question. Just hold me close. Don’t let me go. Don’t leave, lest the happiness we’ve found vanish . . . ” Then there was just the soul-twisting echo of her sobs as she trembled against him.

  Setzer held her tight, pressing his lips against her hair as he caressed her back. “I will stay,” he whispered in her ear.

  Maria’s hands clenched the lapels of his jacket. “Why?” she whispered brokenly. “Why did I ever . . . ?” But she refused to finish the thought, another shake of her head her only response.

  “Maria, don’t do this. I am here. You are with me. I’ve no intention of leaving, save to allow you to perform those operas that are your passion and soul. My wandering is done and I’ve chosen you and your soul as my haven.” He hoped those words would take away the agony he heard in her voice and saw in her eyes.

  Maria pulled back, releasing his jacket to raise glimmering eyes to his and caress the hair from his face. Then she tenderly stroked the skin of his cheeks. “This face. This scar. How I’ve dreamed of having it as my own, as it was for those glorious weeks before . . . ” She sniffed and leaned forward to touch his cheeks with her lips in a mere hint of herself. Then she again pressed her lips against his as her fingers continued to caress his face. “I don’t want to hurt you, dearest Setzer,” she whispered against them.

  Setzer’s arms tightened around her, increasing the pressure of his lips against hers in a promise of a future that he’d do his best to give to her. Her hands left his face as her arms encircled his neck, drawing herself closer as her soul spoke to his. Occasionally he believed he felt a slight sob shake her body, but the fire of her soul and the fervor of her persona would push it away and coax him to a more passionate kiss as memory and mouth moved together. Delights. Touches. Lingering caresses. Songs of wholeness. Welcoming smiles. Encouragement. A haven.

  A home.

  Setzer slowly released her soul and mouth and lips to stare down at her flushed face with parted lips and haggard breath. “I love you, Maria. Gods, how I love you,” he confessed in a hoarse voice. He touched her cheeks and then her lips with his, closing his eyes to relish the touch and the feeling and the gamble in the confession.