Emily arrived at Giles’s studio a little early as she had been doing some errands for her mother beforehand. As she waited outside his studio studying the music she would be practicing, she heard the most delightful, delicate rendition of a Chopin nocturne that she, herself, had been thinking of performing. She stopped her studying and listened. Most delightful, she thought.

When the playing had finished, Giles opened his door and spoke to the unseen student. “Caro, you must still work for a lighter touch on the keys. Like a bird that walks on the beach but leaves no footprints—half walking and half flying.”

“Thank you, Professor Carter, I shall do my best,” a male voice said before appearing behind Giles at the door.

“Oh, hello,” the young man said when he saw Emily. “Emily Dunn, I have seen you play many times,” he said offering his hand.

“Oh, hello,” Emily said, struck by the gracious beauty of the young man. “And you are?”

“Excuse me, I am Linton Hawthorn. I have just started studying with Professor Giles. After hearing how lovely you played, I sought him out to make me as good as you are.”

Emily blushed. “Oh, Mr. Hawthorn, you are far too generous.”

“Not at all.”

The two stared at each other for a moment. Emily found him to be very attractive, with his finely chiseled features, long flowing black hair and surprising blue eyes. He dressed simply, as was the fashion with humble students with little income.

“If you like, might we have tea after your lesson? I live close by and know of a charming tea shop. I could come back when you finish,” he said with a wide smile

Emily gave a quick glance at Giles, who was smiling.

“That would be lovely. I usually finish by three-thirty. But we sometimes discuss the lesson for a few moments longer. If you do not mind waiting.”

“I should be happy to.”

Giles spoke up. “Mr. Hawthorn, if Miss Dunn does not object, why not stay and observe her class. I believe you might learn something valuable if you watch her.”

Linton turned to her. “If you do not object, I should like that.”

“It is fine with me,” Emily said, secretly pleased he would stay.

“Excellent. Shall we start your lesson now?” Giles asked, ushering the two back into his studio.

With her most attractive audience of one, Emily played particularly well. After the lesson was over, Giles came over to her and said, “Cara, mia, you should have someone observe more often. You played at your very best. It was almost like a polished performance. However…” And he proceeded to go over a few points he wanted to make about her playing.

“Thank you, Giles. I felt inspired today. Do not be too harsh with me next time if I am not up to today’s lesson.”

Giles laughed. “Not to worry, mia piccola principessa. You always manage to surprise me in some way or other, even on one of your off days.”

“Thank you, maestro.”

“Might I have just a quick word with you privately?” he asked. He turned to Linton. “If you would excuse us for just a moment, Miss Emily will join you shortly.”

“Of course,” Linton said and left the studio to wait outside.

Giles took hold of Emily’s hands and looked at her with a very serious expression.

“Cara, I am greatly concerned about what Mr. Skeffington offered the other day when he visited your family. What he is suggesting is not at all what the Duke proposed. I do not know if Silas is trying to take over from the Duke, or if the Duke has changed his mind, but continuing with the trio as he suggested will do nothing for your career.

“The only way to move forward is to aggressively establish yourself as a solo artist. Do you not understand that?”

She took Giles by the arm. “Yes, I do. And that is what I want. But what do you suggest? I am at my wit's end. I cannot leave my sisters without some form of a living for them.”

“I have been thinking about it,” Giles said, “and I thought I might visit Mr. Skeffington and see what other options might be available. With your permission, of course.”

Emily nodded. “Please, do what you can. I am desperate to move forward.”

Giles took her by both shoulders and looked at her with sympathetic eyes. “I shall. Now, off you go. Have tea with your new friend. You need to enjoy yourself a little now and then. And he is a very handsome young man, is he not?”

“And talented from the little I heard,” Emily answered.

“Not quite at your level. But promising.”

* * *

Linton took Emily to a quaint local tea shop and, after they ordered, Emily looked around the shop and felt right at home. The shop was slightly below street level and one needed to step down to enter. Café curtains covered the windows and a variety of small tables filled the shop. The aroma of freshly baked scones, biscuits, and cakes filled the air.

“Thank you for bringing me here. I have never noticed this shop before, and I pass by here all the time on my way to Giles’s studio.”

“It is somewhat hidden away,” Linton said, nervously playing with the cutlery. “Emily, I just wanted to say how splendidly you played during your lesson. You are both an inspiration and a threat.”

“Oh? A threat? How is that?”

“I feel I shall never be able to reach your level of excellence,” he said lowering his eyes and bowing his head as though he was embarrassed.

“How long have you been playing?” she asked.

“Since I was six.”

“Well, there you are then… I have been playing since I was five. I am bound to be more advanced.”

He laughed. “But I am older than you, so it evens out.”

“Oh, how old are you?”

“Three and twenty.”

“Well, you are wrong there. I am twenty… something. But older than you are.”

“I would never have guessed. You are very beautiful and young looking,” he said, with a smile. “Sorry, if I am being presumptive.”

It was then the waitress brought the tea and they were interrupted. As they were being served Emily snuck quick looks at Linton who was preoccupied with putting butter and jam on his scone. She had to admit she was surprised and pleased to meet a young man who was different from the usual hangers-on she usually met. This was the first time she had even considered seeing some young man a second time.

But then her mind wandered to Mark. She knew it was impossible to think of him as anything other than a possible mentor and friend. But his face and form still lingered in her mind, even as she admired this young man before her.

After the tea was over and the dishes were taken away, there was an awkward pause as they both considered what to say at the end of this lovely afternoon tea.

“Might I have the honor of calling on you again?” Linton asked.

Emily was collecting her music folder and took a moment to consider his suit. “Of course.”

“If I might walk you home, I would be honored.”

“I am not nearby. I must take the omnibus.”

“That is fine. Might I still accompany you? It has been such a pleasant afternoon, I hate to part.”

“Very well. And you may meet my parents—if both are home.”

“Thank you. I should like that.”

And they stood up and headed out of the teashop.

* * *

Neither parent was at home when Emily returned with Linton. So he excused himself and said he would contact her again soon, hoping that they might meet again.

Emily watched him leave from the parlor window, then immediately scurried over to see Fanny, knowing she would be home from work by now.

Emily scurried down and across the street to Fanny’s parents’ house.

Fanny had seen her from the front window and answered the front door when she knocked.

“I am so glad to see you, I have such news,” Fanny exclaimed.

“Me too,” Emily announced.

“Come in. Can I get you tea?”

“No, thank you. I have just now come from tea with a charming young man.”

“Really? I think your news trumps mine. Come. I am sorting receipts from work. I much rather do it at home than in my dingy office so I bring work home with me.”

They went into the sitting room and sat at a card table where the receipts were laid out.

“Do not mind me. I can work and listen. So, who is this young man?”

Emily proceeded to tell her all about their meeting at the studio and tea after.

“What a difference from the usual chaps who pursue you, no?”

“Without a doubt. But, quite honestly, I am not sure how much time I will have with this gentleman, with all I have going on right now, with the trio and my own solo practice.”

“But Emily, certainly you must want a private life as well as a public one. You are certainly at an age to seriously think about, at least, getting engaged.”

Emily sat with her hands in her lap and a slightly pained expression on her face. “I do want that. But at the same time, I have chosen an uncommon life. If I am to reach the pinnacle of musical excellence that I seek, there must be sacrifices.”

Emily then told her about Mr. Skeffington’s visit, his proposal, and his smarmy, unwanted insinuations.

“Oh, Emily. That is horrific! What a rotter. What are you going to do?”

“Right now everything is in Giles Carter’s hands. He is going to try and see what can be done to separate me from the trio so that I might solo. Hopefully, I shall have nothing more to do with Mr. Skeffington. But everything is still very much unsettled.”

Emily reached over and took Fanny’s hand. “And what, pray, is your good news?”

“Oh, it is nothing like yours. It is just that I am getting a small raise and some added duties at work.”

“That is wonderful. You must be very pleased?”

Fanny wagged her head and made a grimace. “It is just work. Nothing like your splendid life. And, oh, Emily, I do hope you can work out all of this nonsense over the trio. It would be so wonderful if you could have a solo career and travel all over Europe. I shall miss you if you leave and you will probably never talk to me again, but I could point to your concert posters and say, ‘I knew this musical star back when’.”

Emily growled and swatted at Fanny’s hand. “You know I would never abandon my best friend.”

“I am glad to hear that. You are very dear to me.”

* * *

Giles Carter had sent a note to Silas asking for a meeting to discuss Emily’s career. Silas had replied and they were to meet this afternoon.

Giles arrived promptly at Mr. Skeffington’s townhouse where the meeting was to take place. He rapped on the large front door’s brass knocker and a short, plump woman answered the door.”

“Mister Giles Carter. I have an appointment with Mr. Skeffington,” Giles said, taking off his hat as he entered the house.

“Yes, sir, he is expecting you. If you will follow me…”

The maid led the way to the large front sitting room, where Giles found Silas smoking a pipe and reading a periodical.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Skeffington.”

“Mr. Carter, how prompt you are.”

“In music, if one is late by even a semi-demi-quaver, the magic is lost,” Giles said with a twinkle in his eye. “I find promptness to be like a perfect melody that pleases both the musician and the audience.”

“Well, said, Mr. Carter. And might I offer you a whiskey or a sherry?”

“No thank you, sir. I need to keep my wits about me.”

“But you do not object if I…? Silas asked, already pouring himself a whiskey.

“Not at all.”

Silas took his time pouring the drink and ambling back to his chair. “Oh, please sit, Mr. Carter.”

“Thank you.” And Giles sat upright in the chair with his hands resting on his walking stick.

“And what might I do for you this afternoon?”

Giles weighed right into his concerns. “At the meeting with the family, you spoke of developing bookings for the trio.”

“Yes, and I have begun my negotiations with several concert tour operators on their behalf.”

“But there is a concern.”

“Oh? And what might that be?”

“Miss Emily is one of the most accomplished up and coming British musical talents to be seen in decades,” Giles said.

Silas nodded but he also had a strange leer on his face. “I quite agree.”

“But you see, the girls’ father is opposed to splitting up the group and allowing Emily to break free and pursue her solo career. He is dead set on keeping the trio together.”

“I understood that, and that is why I offered to secure bookings for the trio.”

“But I come to you with the need to change this arrangement. I want to ask you if you have any idea about how we might make some provision for the other two sisters to have some sort of a musical career separate from Emily? Miss Emily wants desperately to have her own career as a concert soloist, but she feels obligated to secure a living in music for her sisters before she breaks away.”

“I see.”

“Might you have any ideas as to how this might be accomplished?”

Silas puffed on his pipe, lost in thought. Finally, he removed the pipe, tapped the spent tobacco into an ashtray, and said, “I do understand Emily’s predicament. She is supremely talented. I might have an idea or two. Leave it with me for a few days and I will see what I might be able to come up with.”

Giles stood. He did not know why, but he felt uncomfortable in Silas’s presence. He wanted to leave as quickly as possible. “You might reach me at my studio if you have any solutions. And I look forward to your successful conclusion to Emily’s dilemma.”

“I will be in contact shortly. Good-day Mr. Carter.”

* * *

After Giles left, Silas had a large grin. What a lovely development, he thought. With the sisters out of the way, I shall have a much better chance of meeting with Miss Emily on my own. What a charming lass. A bit uncooperative. But I can change that with my undeniable charm. So fresh. So ripe. Just waiting to be plucked from the tree and consumed. Silas relit his pipe. He sat back in his chair and contemplated the joys that Miss Emily offered.