On the way Lester asked James how the flying school was going, and he told him excitedly that they had four pupils already and lots of enquiries were coming in. They were hopeful it was going to be a success.
‘It sounds exciting,’ Lester told him. ‘I’m sorry I can’t join you after all.’
‘We never expected you to, but Alex wanted to give you the option of doing something else if you couldn’t go back to your music.’
He nodded. ‘Yes, he’s a good man, and at least I’ll be able to have a free flight now and again. Just to keep my hand in. Won’t I?’
‘Any time you like,’ his friend told him. ‘Ah, here we are.’
The guest list was huge, but this splendid house could easily accommodate such a large gathering. Everyone enjoyed the sumptuous meal, and the house was full of laughter.
James managed to catch up with Lillia as they were getting ready for the performance. ‘I say, isn’t this a splendid occasion.’ He kissed her on the cheek and winked. ‘I think we should be next to get married.’
She shook her head. ‘No, it’s Lester and Ruth next – then us.’
‘You agree!’ He caught hold of her arm and urged her over to her mother and Alex. ‘Can I have permission to marry your daughter, please?’ he asked both of them.
‘Only if it’s what our daughter wants. Is it, darling?’
‘I think I had better. He’s been on about this for years, and nothing has made him change his mind.’ She gave him a teasing smile.
‘I never will,’ he declared.
‘Then you have our permission,’ Sara told him.
He gave a whoop of delight, spun Lillia round, kissed her firmly, and shook hands with the newly-weds.
The professor broke up the celebration. ‘Come, come. It’s time for the recital. My special guests have arrived.’
Joshua’s introduction was longer than usual, heaping praise upon his pupils by comparing them to famous artists, and then declaring that in his opinion the twins were better.
‘I’ve never heard such high praise from him,’ Sara whispered to Alex.
‘He’s selling them to his guests.’ He glanced along the row at the four men in smart suits, only here because of Joshua’s reputation as a first-class tutor. They had slight smiles on their faces as if they’d heard it all before, and they probably had, only to be disappointed in the past. They were about to have that amusement wiped from their faces now, he was sure.
Their performance was varied, showing their different talents to advantage, and when Lillia sang a powerful aria, Alex drew in a deep breath. Josh was right, they were better than ever. By the time Lester closed with one of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, everyone was on their feet, cheering for more.
When Joshua walked over to his guests he had a look on his face that said, I told you so. Now you must believe me.
The men, Joshua and the twins disappeared to another room, and the wedding celebrations continued. The newly-weds were going to spend a few days at their new house, but couldn’t leave until the children reappeared.
‘Wonder what’s going on?’ James couldn’t sit still. ‘Did I tell you that Lillia has agreed to marry me?’
‘Three times,’ Ruth remarked, also anxious about what was happening in that closed room.
An hour later the door opened and the men went over to Sara and Alex, shook their hands, accepted a drink and began to discuss something with them.
The twins came back and the friends rushed over to them.
‘What happened?’ James wanted to know. ‘Who were those men?’
‘Two were from an opera company, and the other two are connected to a symphony orchestra,’ Lester told them, his expression giving nothing away.
‘And?’
He draped an arm around Ruth. ‘And I’m starving. Let’s find some food.’
‘Me too.’ Lillia slipped her arm through James’s.
The cousins could stand it no longer, and James refused to move. ‘Never mind the food. For goodness’ sake, talk to us. What did they say?’
‘Lillia will be joining the opera company,’ Lester told them. ‘Minor roles at first, but it will give her the opportunity to learn the art of stage work.’
‘I say, that’s wonderful, my darling girl.’ James was excited by the news. ‘I knew they would like you.’
‘What about you?’ Ruth wanted to know.
‘The orchestra have engaged me.’ He told her. ‘I’ve actually got a job playing piano. Isn’t that marvellous?’
‘Just wonderful. You won’t be such a struggling musician after all,’ she teased.
‘I don’t know about that. We’re starting at the bottom. It will take time.’
‘We have plenty of time.’
‘True.’
The men came over, shook hands with the twins and left. They all rushed over to Sara and Alex, who were still talking to Joshua.
‘I say, isn’t this wonderful news?’ James couldn’t stop smiling. ‘What a marvellous day this is turning out to be.’
‘Couldn’t be better,’ Alex agreed.
Joshua still had that satisfied look on his face. ‘I know you have both struggled to take up where you left off, but you have worked hard and with a determination I am proud of. You’ve made a start, and what happens after this will be up to you. But one thing is for sure, now the music will continue.’
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About the Author
BERYL MATTHEWS was born in London but now lives in a small village in Hampshire. As a young girl her ambition was to become a professional singer, but the need to earn a wage drove her into an office, where she worked her way up from tea girl to credit controller. She grew up in a family who all loved to read, and books have always been an important part of her life. She had always weaved stories in her head, but never written them down. After retiring she joined a Writers’ Circle and began to see if she could fulfil the dream of becoming a published author. With her first book published at the age of seventy-one, she has since written nineteen novels.
By Beryl Matthews
Hold on to Your Dreams
The Forgotten Family
Battles Lost and Won
Diamonds in the Dust
A Flight of Golden Wings
The Uncertain Years
The Day Will Come
When the Music Stopped
Copyright
Allison & Busby Limited
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First published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2017.
This ebook edition published in Great Britain by Allison & Busby in 2017.
Copyright © 2017 by BERYL MATTHEWS
The moral right of the author is hereby asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All characters and events in this publication other than those clearly in the public domain are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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br /> ISBN 978–0–7490–2162–7
When the Music Stopped Page 26