“I suppose you must ask him that. But his interest in music has brought us together and he has been helping me facilitate my future,” Emily said, becoming irritated with this conversation and longing to get to her bath and a nap before dinner and her recital.
Then Sophie came over and stood before her, finally getting to the gist of her inquiry. “And do you have any romantic feelings for Mark? I want to know, because I want to make it quite clear that he is off limits. He is mine and I mean to keep it so.”
“Oh…” Emily said, shocked by the bluntness of her statement.
“Well?”
Emily did not know what to say. She knew of Mark’s and his grandmother’s concerns about Sophie—but it was not for her to reveal those concerns to Sophie, herself. And whatever the reality might be, she could not keep her private hopes, dreams, and desires from wandering to Mark from time to time. She would be a hypocrite if she said otherwise.
Emily finally answered, “Any romantic feelings from me would be entirely inappropriate.”
Sophie smiled. “Excellent. I am delighted to hear that, and please keep it that way. Good day.” And she swept out of the room leaving Emily quite nonplussed.
Chapter 20
While Emily was not nervous about her performance that evening, she was determined to keep focused on her objective and planned to refuse any wine and to eat little during dinner. It was imperative she maintain a sharp and alert mind.
When Emily entered the green salon, where drinks were being served before dinner, she immediately sought out a friendly face and headed directly toward Alice and Chester who were chatting with the Duchess.
Alice opened her arms and welcomed Emily in an embrace.
“How lovely you look this evening,” Alice said, stepping back and admiring Emily’s dress—a high-waisted, navy blue gown with black lace at the sleeves and as a collar around the neck. It was an exceedingly simple design but very effective. Her mother had offered to let her wear her simple diamond and blue sapphire necklace which added an additional element of elegance to her ensemble.
“Thank you, Alice,” Emily said. “It looks to be a very elegant and delightful evening. I am looking forward to it.”
“And are you ready for your recital?” Alice asked.
“I certainly hope so. I spent all afternoon practicing for it.” Emily then turned to the Duchess. “And did your floral entries arrive at the county fair in a satisfactory condition?”
“The lad who took them over said so. But I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow to see for myself. I cannot afford to lose even one precious petal in the rose arrangement.”
Emily nodded. “And I shall go with you if you like. I want to see you win two first prizes.”
“Oh, I do not know. I always win first in whatever I enter, but I fear it is because I am the Duchess. And I instructed Mark to try and prevent that happening again, but I do not know if he did that or not.”
Just then Mark came over, accompanied by a glimmering Sophie, and took his Grandmother’s arm.
“And what was it I was supposed to do?” he asked her, having overheard the end of her statement.
“Talk to the mayor about me always winning firsts at the flower show.”
“I did talk to him as you asked me to,” he said with a smile.
The Duchess looked slightly dejected. “Well then, who knows what will happen tomorrow.”
“Well, they will be first in my heart,” Emily said.
“You are such a darling,” the Duchess said, patting Emily’s arm.
Mark turned to Emily. “Might I have a private word with you for a brief moment?”
“Of course,” she answered as he pulled her aside. Sophie gave them a sour look as they headed over to one of the tall salon windows overlooking the park.
“Emily, how are you feeling about the recital? Are you ready?”
“I believe so. Thank you for asking,” Emily said as she caught Sophie’s angry stare over Mark’s shoulder.
“I just wanted to let you know that my conversations with a few of the guests at tea time went very well. They are looking forward to hearing you later. And several of the gentlemen said they might be in a position to help with the tour. Also, there are a few more gentlemen coming from the continent who have not arrived just yet, but are expected by the end of dinner. I wanted to let you know we may need to delay the recital a short while to accommodate their arrival.”
“I understand.” She smiled shyly. “A delay is not ideal, but I will be happy to do whatever you think is best.”
Mark placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. “You look stunning this evening. And I know the recital will be exceptional. After all, you are a seasoned performer.”
“But this may be the performance of a lifetime. My whole future depends on what I do this evening.”
Mark smiled. “I do not for one moment feel there is anything to be concerned about.”
“Thank you,” she said humbly.
“And now I must get back to Miss Sophie, who appears not to be happy that I am chatting with you, while she languishes without an escort or a glass of champagne.”
Emily nodded and he left. She was very seriously considering going back to her room until it was time for the recital, but Silas came over and offered her a glass of champagne.
“I am not drinking this evening, thank you,” she said.
“Miss Emily, you look bereft. Are you nervous about the recital?”
“Perhaps a little,” she said as he set the wine on a side table.
“But I know you to be a true professional and I am sure you will dazzle.”
“Thank you, Mr. Skeffington.”
And just then, Wesley announced, “My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, dinner is about to be served. If you will follow me and take your seats please.”
Silas offered Emily his arm, as there was no one else to escort her, she accepted—abandoning her thought of retiring to her room until the recital.
They headed, along with the others, to the dining room. The room was ablaze with candles in chandeliers hanging above the long table. They also blazed from sideboards and from candelabra along the table.
There appeared to be seventy or eighty guests who were being seated, and Emily was very grateful that the seating was assigned, and she was not to be near Silas.
Her immediate companions were two gentlemen on either side of her, and she was pleased to see Alice sitting across from her. It gave her a little comfort.
The two gentlemen introduced themselves. On her left was Oscar Bradford, the Earl of Kensington. And on her right was the Viscount Henry Livingston who was one of the chief patrons of the Royal College of Music—a lofty duo.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” Mark announced as he stood at the head of the table. “We are quite a crowd. I hope you can all hear me,” he began. No one said they could not, so he pressed on. “The theme for this weekend is music. Many of you in attendance are from the music profession, or at least, support it. And we have a most delightful treat for you after dinner when we will be presenting a recital by a very talented young pianist, Miss Emily Dunn. I feel certain some of you may have heard of her previously.”
A polite round of applause ran through the guests as Mark stretched out his hand and bade Emily stand—which she did, bowing slightly and smiling.
“And I want to welcome you all. I hope you have a most enjoyable weekend. There are many activities available to you, so feel free to ask any of our staff to assist you and they will direct you to the appropriate venue for whatever it is you wish to do—as long as it is legal.” The guests laughed. “Now, please enjoy the delicious meal our cooks have prepared for you and have a most delightful evening.”
The footmen immediately began serving a beef and barley soup, as the Earl turned to Emily and asked, “Miss Dunn, I am ashamed to say, I am not one of those who has heard you play before. Do you come from a musical family?”
“I do. My
father is the owner and proprietor of Cartwright & Phillips Musical Instruments. And my two sisters and I were all part of the Dunn Trio. Might you have heard of them?”
“Alas, I have not. I am from up north and rarely get down to London.” The large man ran his hand down his beard as a footman arrived to serve the soup.
“Miss Dunn,” Henry Livingston, on her right, spoke up. “Where have you studied?”
“My father taught me as a child, and then I have been studying with Giles Carter since I was twelve. Have you heard of him?”
The Viscount, a nervous, slender man, shook his head. “I have not. So you have not studied with any recognized institution—such as the Royal College of Music?”
“I have not. But I hope that does not lessen me in your estimation.”
“Hmm. We shall see. However, I have not found unschooled musicians fare well as professionals.”
“I am not unschooled, My Lord, my instruction was of the very highest quality or my father would never have allowed it.”
The Viscount ticked up his head and turned to the business of his soup.
Neither gentleman seemed able to provide any stimulating conversation, so Emily spoke across the table to Alice for the rest of the dinner.
During the course of the meal, several gentlemen and their wives appeared and sat at empty spaces. Emily surmised they were the late arriving guests from the continent.
But as the meal came near to a close, Emily excused herself before the final course was served and retired to the room where the recital was to take place. She ran scales and worked through several of the more difficult sections of her repertoire.
Before long, Alice came into the room.
“Emily, the dinner ran a little late but is ending and the guests will be arriving here quite soon. Do you want to take a break and refresh yourself before the recital?”
“Yes, an excellent idea,” she said as she stood at the piano bench.
“Come with me. There is a secluded toilette where we can retire and you can prepare.”
“Thank you, Alice,” she said, as they left the room and saw the dinner party breaking up—the guests beginning to exit the dining room.
Alice took Emily to a comfort room and saw her settled.
“I shall inform Mark where you are, and when he is ready for you I shall come and fetch you.”
“Thank you.”
Emily washed her face in the basin and sat down to compose herself. She allowed her hands to finger a difficult passage on her lap.
Finally, Alice returned.
“They are ready for you.”
Emily took a deep breath, stood, and followed Alice to the recital room.
All heads turned as Emily entered, and the guests began to applaud. Mark was standing at the piano ready to welcome her, and as she approached he whispered, “I know you shall be brilliant.”
He then turned to the audience and said, “You have already met our performer and now I shall let her introduce her first selection.”
Emily stood at the piano, announced her first piece would be a Beethoven sonata, and then sat and began to play.
The program was flawless and the guests cheered loudly at the end of the hour when the recital was finished. Many came forward and crowded around her and Mark as they congratulated her on a most delightful musical experience.
Emily was still shaking from the relief of having performed successfully when the crowd subsided. Alice came over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, and said, “Let me just tell you that was as splendid as your performance for Andre—only he was ungracious and treated you unfairly. You were wonderful, my dear friend.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
Mark had retired to the side of the room with several gentlemen and was in earnest discussion with them when Alice led Emily to the Duchess, who was still seated in one of the more comfortable chairs.
The Duchess reached out her hands which Emily took.
“Miss Emily, that was most delightful. This is the second time I have heard you perform and--without a doubt--you are a major talent. Thank you for making this such a pleasant musical evening.”
“And it is entirely my pleasure, Your Grace.”
Silas interrupted by leaning over and giving the Duchess a kiss on the cheek. She winced slightly and looked up at him.
“Silas, I have not seen you for ages. Have you been avoiding me?” the Duchess asked.
“And why would I do that?” he asked. “I lavish attention upon you whenever I am visiting. But I have been busy organizing a tour of the south of England for Miss Emily’s sisters. How I am taxed,” he said, as he feigned exhaustion.
“Get away with you, tiresome man. You are never sincere with me. And tomorrow, I am to be taxed by the floral competition at the county fair. Two of my most prized entries are to be judged and I know I shall have a sleepless night until the competition is decided. And only Miss Emily has shown any sympathetic interest in my plight.”
Silas perked up at that. “Then allow me to escort the two of you to the fair and we shall relish your triumphal win together.”
Emily did not like the sound of that proposal, but the conversation was interrupted by Mark coming over and engaging Emily.
He gave Emily a big grin. “You have had an excellent and positive response from the gentlemen I invited to see your concert. Now is not the time, but I have proposed we meet tomorrow morning to discuss your future. There have been a number of suggestions and we need to explore them together. Might you be able to attend that meeting?”
Emily immediately remembered she had promised the Duchess to accompany her to the fair, but she smiled inwardly as she realized Silas had just committed himself to accompany her—but now without her presence. He would not like that.
“Certainly. I shall be happy to attend.” She turned to the Duchess, “I am so sorry, Your Grace, but I must attend this meeting and will be unable to accompany you to the fair.”
Silas’s expression soured.
“I understand,” the Duchess said with a sigh. And then she turned to Silas, “But I shall gladly accept your offer to accompany me. I shall be leaving at nine-thirty. Please be ready by nine. We shall go in my carriage.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Silas said glumly, as Emily smiled.
Chapter 21
Mark was taking a morning constitutional walk before breakfast. With the crowd of guests, he had not had a moment alone for several days. He was walking along the edge of the lake. He thought about going to his fishing spot but there really was not enough time before the guests would start arising and besiege the breakfast room for their morning meal. He would need to be there quite soon, so he turned around and headed back toward the hall.
He spotted a figure walking toward him up ahead. Who, besides him, would be up at this hour? He shaded his eyes from the rising sun and squinted to see who it might be.
As the figure got closer he realized it was Emily.
“Good morning. I thought I was the only one up this early,” he said.
As Emily approached, she grinned and said, “Oh, no. I love the early morning and, on such a fresh summerlike day, I could not resist stretching my legs. I have been practicing so very much these past few weeks, I have taken no exercise at all and it is very refreshing.”
“That it is. Please continue on with your walk undisturbed, as I know of no one else up at this hour. Unless you would care to accompany me back to the house for breakfast.”
“Yes, I should like that.”
She turned and followed along with him. They were both silent for a few moments as they drank in the beauty of the morning. The sun was rising through the trees that lined the lake. The birds were singing their morning songs and a number flitted across the lake, dipping to skim across the surface, before landing on the shore to gather nesting material.
Thin clouds scudded across the sky catching the light from the rising sun and glowing orange, pink, and yellow. A soft breeze blew the
scent of newly mown grass that the groundskeepers had recently cut in preparation for the guests’ arrivals.
Mark glanced at Emily before he asked, “You are quite near Hyde Park. Do you enjoy taking your exercise there?”
She looked up at him. “I do—when I can. However, my sisters are generally useless at accompanying me, and my father leaves early for the shop each morning, so I mostly leave the house alone.”
“Is it quite safe or proper for a young lady to walk unaccompanied early in the morning?” he asked.
A Dashing Duke for Emily Page 18