James stood and pulled her around to him. She immediately gave him her full attention and had sex with him as another girl came around behind Meeks and said something to him. He waived her off and she moved to another table. Mirisa looked at her as she walked away. Meeks poured a shot and handed it to her.
Mirisa was still on his lap but as far from the girl as she could get. Meeks ran his hand up her skirt as her breathing changed. Mirisa was drunk enough that his touch was all she needed to respond without thinking. Garnett watched her eyes because never had she watched another woman seduce a man.
After three more skits and more sex than she had ever seen in her life, they decided to go to the café on the river by the house and have a late dinner.
They ordered great wine and a lot of food sitting and talking for hours about things they wanted to do and see. Mirisa was very quiet and didn’t engage in the conversation much but she stayed very close to her husband all through dinner. She just barely made it to the house before she ran out of energy and he picked her up and carried her upstairs. She was asleep before he got her boots off of her. He kissed her nose and climbed in bed with her.
When Lizzie stopped the maestro made several suggestions and asked her to play it again. He put his head down listening to each note and nodding at how good she sounded after just one week at the school. When Lizzie reached the end she changed it slightly making it more romantic. She put her violin down and opened her eyes.
The sound of the soft clapping from behind her made Lizzie turn. Francoise stood from the gallery and walked down toward them. She smiled as he held her eyes captive and he knew that this was the girl he would marry.
“Such an improvement for only a week.”
“How do you know how long I have been here?”
“I’ve been listening to you every afternoon when I get a break from my own students.”
“You teach?’ The maestro realized they had completely forgotten he was there so he put his violin in his case and decided to step out for a cigarette giving them privacy.
“I teach concert methods to musicians who have never played in public.”
“Then I am not ready to be your student.”
“Not yet. You have the ability but not yet the stamina or the strength to be on stage.”
“How do you know this?”
“You slow down in the afternoons and keep attempting to switch to softer music because you are tired. Your teacher is aware of your method of switching but he is trying to build up your strength.”
“How often do you listen to me?”
“As often as I can.” Francoise was standing close to her and Lizzie was so lost in his presence. “I notice that you have an escort and not your father. Have they decided to leave you in France to attend school?”
“No, my father said I could take lessons while we are here.”
“Are your sisters musicians?”
“My entire family is but most are pianists. My father composes and plays in concerts when he can but my sisters play merely for enjoyment.”
“Why did you decide on the violin if you are a pianist?”
“I love the sound of the violin.”
“Do you come from a large family?”
“Yes.” She hoped he wouldn’t ask any more questions. She looked away from him and he saw the uneasiness in her eyes before she did.
“Will you play for me?”
“I thought I just did.”
“No, you were playing for your teacher. I want you to convince me that you love me.”
Lizzie looked at him for a moment before she decided this was how he taught. She picked up her violin and set it under her chin. She closed her eyes and lifted her bow as he walked away and sat on the bottom step of the gallery. Lizzie started slowly with a song he had never heard. It was mellow and light giving the impression of running through a field of flowers as a spring shower burst under the morning sun, before it switched to one of surprise, excitement and a ritual dance of partners not yet knowing, the coming of the first touch, the first kiss and the passion between them. She played it completely from her heart and even without words you could hear them with each note.
Francoise stood up and walked back toward her as she slowly ended the piece, lowered her violin and opened her eyes. He took her in his arms and kissed her softly.
“Beautiful.”
He told her he had a student waiting and hoped to see her again then he turned and left the room. Lizzie stood there with her bow in one hand and her violin at her side and just watched him. Like her sisters she was neither promiscuous or in a hurry but like both of her parents she was a hopeless romantic looking for the perfect love whether it be her music or a man. His face had been in her dreams since the night of her birthday and his kiss had sealed her fantasy of true romance. She put her hand on her lips as though she could capture and hold the kiss.
The maestro coughed and Lizzie turned blushing at the fact that he might have been there the whole time. He spent another hour with her before he told her that she needed to quit because it had been a very hard day and she had performed extremely well. He knew that Francoise had distracted her and any further attempts at teaching would be unproductive. Lizzie thanked him and gently laid her violin in its case. She walked out through the front doors of the school and sat down on the steps. She loved this part of Paris. She closed her eyes and listened to the music that seemed to just fill the air. She got up again and went back inside walking down the long hallway looking into empty rooms until she found one with a grand piano.
Lizzie put her case on the floor and sat on the bench. She ran her fingers lightly over the ivories to get the feel of them. They were smooth and cool to the touch. She began to play and it came to her as though she had been playing every day. The tone of the piano was beautiful and she became so lost in her world that she lost track of time.
Francoise heard the music as he was leaving and stopped to see who was playing. She was ten times the pianist as she was a violinist. Her face was so absolutely beautiful when she was playing any instrument and her fingers were so slim and sensitive to the music. He finally tore himself away before she realized he was there.
Lizzie was sitting on the bed writing in her journal when Sara came in and threw herself on the bed asking her if she enjoyed her lessons. Lizzie closed her journal and hugged her sister. They lay on the bed for an hour talking about their day, their dreams, their wishes and how much they enjoyed seeing the Eiffel Tower, visiting the museums and the beautiful churches. Cassie came up and handed a small envelope to Lizzie. Her name was scrawled across the envelope in the most romantic penmanship of loops and swirls. They both sat and watched as she just looked at it.
“Are you going to read it?”
Lizzie opened it and a small smile spread across her lips. She handed it to Sara as Cassie leaned over her to read it.
“I would be honored if you and your sisters would attend the LeTrescale concert tomorrow night as my guests. Francoise Giran-Max.”
“Oh Lizzie, is he not the very handsome man from London?”
“Yes, I ran into him this afternoon at the school.”
“Are we going to go?”
Lizzie looked up at both of them and smiled. “I think it would be wonderful.”
She slipped it back in the little envelope and put it in her journal.
“The messenger is waiting for an answer.”
“I don’t have stationary here.” She thought for a moment then tore a page out of her journal and wrote him a note accepting his invitation. She jumped off the bed and ran down the stairs handing it to a young man waiting by the door. He bowed and left.
Francoise looked at the paper that was ragged down one side then opened it.
“My apologies for having no stationary suited for a proper response to your invitation. We would be more than pleased to accept your invitation and humbly thank you. Elizabeth Alexander.”
He clipped it to his open music and pic
ked up his violin playing only for her.
Garnett and Charisse were walking up the walkway to the villa when they saw the young man get on his bike and head down the road. Mirisa was sitting in the garden with Meeks and James enjoying the morning when they stepped out. Garnett pulled out Charisse’s chair and sat down. “Who was the young man that just left?”
Mirisa looked up. “What young man?”
“A young man came out of the villa and left on a bicycle.”
Meeks stood and walked into the house yelling for the girls to come down to the garden.
They all froze as Cassie’s eyes got wide. “I answered the door and came right up here.”
Cassie sat down and reached across the table for a pastry as James put his paper down and waited for her to spill the beans. “Cassie?”
Cassie looked at her mother. “He was a messenger with an invitation to a concert tonight.”
Meeks cleared his throat. “First, how do you know this and why wasn’t he brought out to give it to your mother?”
Cassie looked at her sisters and it was clear that they were up to something. “Because I was walking past the door and answered it.”
“And?”
“And it was addressed to Lizzie so I gave it to her.”
Garnett looked at his daughter. “It is an invitation to the LeTrescale Concert.”
“Is this from your teacher?”
“No, it is from Francoise Giran-Max.”
“I see. Is he in Paris?”
“It seems he teaches at the school.” Mirisa found the silent interaction between the father and daughter to be interesting on so many levels. “He has invited the three of us to attend as his guests.”
Mirisa put her cup on the saucer and sat back. “Girls, why don’t you go upstairs until lunch.” Garnett started to object when she met his eyes and he sat back as they left the garden and went back upstairs.
“Mirisa, I don’t approve of this relationship.”
“Why? Elizabeth is seventeen years old, she has spent the last ten years doing nothing but studying music.”
“I know nothing of this young man except he is older than her.”
“All of you were older than me.”
“That’s totally different.”
“Only because she is your daughter. It was very hard to let go of Matthew every time he went away with you and Dominic, it was hard to accept when he was old enough to follow his dreams to be a doctor because it kept him away for so long, it was hard when Jonathan decided to live the life he has and take my first daughter with him. That was so hard that I had to pull all my strength to deal with it. Every time one of them reaches the age I was when I married Dominic, I panic and I pray that when they do go out in the world without me that I have taught them enough that they are safe and happy.”
“Mirisa, she doesn’t know him and yet she has obviously fallen under some romantic notion.”
“She is as romantic as I am but that’s a good thing. Let her discover her path.”
“I’m having trouble dealing with this.”
Mirisa stood up and walked around the table bending over Garnett and whispering in his ear before she kissed his cheek and asked Charisse if she wanted to go shopping with the girls.
“Are we not going to escort them to the concert?”
“No Garnett we are not.”
Lizzie stepped down from of the carriage in a blue gown that fell softly around her very blossoming figure. It was sleeveless but she had on a wrap in gold. Sara stepped out and heads turned. She was wearing green that made her eyes glow and the gold in her hair shimmer. A young man stepped toward them as Lizzie was straightening the hem of her skirt. He bowed as they looked at him.
“I am to escort you to your seats.” He put out his arm to Cassie since she was the youngest and they followed him into the concert hall where he sat them in the third row from the front. The hall was almost full and the girls looked around at how absolutely beautiful the theater was. The French loved ornate carvings, gold leaf and deep, deep colors. The stage had heavy velvet curtains across it but you could hear the musicians tuning their instruments.
They finally settled into their seats waiting for the lights to lower as the hired escort took a seat in the back of the theatre. It felt so strange to be at a concert without their parents and to be sitting down in the audience and not in a box. Lizzie was talking to Sara when the woman next to her touched her arm. She turned to the woman and saw the same young man who escorted them to their seats standing at the end of the row. He passed a small bouquet of eleven tiny white tea roses down to her and bowed before leaving.
The fragrance was so intoxicating that everyone turned as they were passed down the row. Sara and Cassie both leaned forward as did most of the people in their area. She put them on her lap and picked up the small envelope. She looked at Sara who nodded that she must open it. She slid out the card.
“Tonight I will convince you of my love. Francoise.”
“What does that mean?”
Lizzie bit her lip and couldn’t respond to her sister. Sara opened her purse and took out a hankie and put it in her hand knowing she was going to cry. She always wore her emotions on her face and tonight was no different.
The curtain started to rise and the conductor walked out onto the stage bowing before picking up his baton and facing the orchestra. He hit the podium twice as they picked up their instruments and the music began. Lizzie found Francoise with the other violinist and he smiled each time their eyes met. Lizzie became so lost in her fantasy that she couldn't have told you the name of one piece that was played.
The concert was almost two hours long. Near the end they all put down their instruments as Francoise stepped forward to play a solo piece as he did in London. He was wearing a small single white rose in the lapel of his tux. It was the twelfth rose. Sara held Lizzie’s hand as he began. It was the most romantic song ever played and all three girls fell in love with it. Sara looked at Lizzie who had tears in her eyes as she glanced back at Francoise who was looking only at Lizzie as he played. It was obvious between the flowers and the passion in his face that he was playing only to her.
Francoise received a standing ovation and as he was bowing he took off his rose passed it down to the first row and they passed it back to Lizzie. The audience ate it up as though it was part of the concert and Lizzie blushed as the tears streaked her cheeks. He smiled and threw her a kiss before stepping back.
The escort rose and walked out of the theatre waiting on the walkway as the patrons left heading toward the cafes and restaurants. He didn’t think Mr. Alexander was going to like this report.
Meeks walked into their room to find all three girls curled up on the bed with their mother and Aunt Charisse talking. They immediately stopped when he walked in and he just smiled and walked over taking a clean shirt out of the wardrobe. Meeks took off his shirt and all of them just sat watching him. He wasn’t real sure if they were waiting for him to leave or what they were doing but they were making him uneasy. He put on his shirt and started buttoning it up.
“Daddy.”
He didn’t look up right away. “Yes Sara.”
“Mom’s right you are beautiful.” He looked at his daughter and his wife who was biting her lower lip trying very, very hard not to smile.
“Sara, men are not beautiful. They are handsome, rogue, interesting, good looking, dangerous but not beautiful.”
“Oh no, I think you are so wrong. You are absolutely beautiful.”
“I think I’ll leave you girls to whatever you were doing and go find the boys.” Meeks walked over to the bed and kissed Mirisa. The girls were suppressing their giggles.
“Daddy.”
“Yes Cassie.”
“Do you mind that we call you that when we’re alone with you?”
“Not at all, why?”
“Because I think you’re beautiful too.” He looked back up at Mirisa and shook his head before leaving the room. Meeks wasn�
�t two feet out of the door before the laughter broke out followed by a thump on the floor as Cassie fell off the bed hitting her head on the hardwood.
“Mom.” Lizzie was curled up with her head on her mother’s lap. “I need to know if I can keep taking lessons until we leave for London.”
“I don’t see why not. We’re going to be here at least two more weeks but I think your father will allow you to continue. What has your teacher told you?” Mirisa looked at Sara and Lizzie. “Darling, has something happened?”
“No. He’s only kissed me and not the way you kiss daddy but just a nice kiss.”
Both Sara and Cassie nodded in agreement with her definition of the kiss. Lizzie buried her face in her mother’s lap and cried. James walked in to find her crying and Cassie telling her that it was alright.
“Am I interrupting something?”
“No. We’re just discussing girl stuff.” He nodded. “I have to go run some errands if anyone wants to come but I wanted to let you know that we’re going out to dinner tonight.”
“Where are you going Daddy?”
“Down to pick out some new things for cooking.”
“I want to go with you.”
“Cassie can you go get my stationary and pen?” Cassie slid off the bed and brought them back for her. She asked where they were going to dinner and wrote out a short note putting Francoise’s name on it.
“I think Garnett is going by the school this afternoon. Would you tell him that Lizzie wants to keep up her lessons until we leave and to give this to Francoise for me?”
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