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Chapter 6: Piano Lessons
The sun was shining beautifully as Mary and Mr Hawkins walked towards Neatherfield the next day. They were having a debate on Hamlet and Mary was surprised by the intelligent responses Mr Hawkins gave. She had not thought of him as a man who would spend his time reading, but she had been proved wrong in that assumption. They entered Neatherfield and were warmly greeted by Jane and Mr Bingley. After making the necessary introductions Mr Bingley and Mr Hawkins left to discuss estate matters while Jane amused Mary with the mischievous antics of little Mark.
"Would you mind dear sister, if I left you for some time? I need to feed Mark and speak to the housekeeper." Jane enquired.
"Not at all Jane. Please do not feel that you need to be here with me. I am after all not your guest but family." Mary replied.
Jane thanked her sister and left. Mary decided to go and read in the library for some time and was walking in that direction when she saw Miss Bingley. Miss Bingley too stopped when she saw Mary and a friendly smile came on her face. She came towards Mary and happily stated-
"Mary, how good to see you again!"
"Yes Miss Bin…eh…Caroline, I hope that you are well" Mary replied with a smile. It was a rare sight to see Caroline genuinely pleased or behaving in such a polite manner.
"Yes I am, thank you. Have you come to play the pianoforte with me?" Caroline enquired.
"Eh… no. I came because Mr Hawkins, Longbourne's new steward wanted to speak with Mr Bingley. But now that you mention it, we can go and practise if you have the time or…"
"I would love that" Caroline responded.
Together they walked towards the music room. Caroline spoke about the music pieces she had learned and enjoyed. Mary was surprised to notice that there was no condescension in Caroline's tone when she spoke about her musical accomplishments. She seemed genuinely interested in helping Mary. Mary, for the life of her, could not understand why.
They entered the music room and Caroline went to the pianoforte to look at the music sheets. She picked up a particular sheet and frowned. Mary noticed it and enquired.
"What is the matter Caroline? Why do you frown?"
"This is very strange" Caroline replied. "These sheets do not belong to me. This piece is very difficult to play but is one of my favourites. I do know that my brother never plays the piano and nor does Jane, does she?"
"No, she does not" Mary answered seating herself on one of the many chairs in the room.
"Strange" Caroline murmured to herself.
"Would you mind playing that piece Caroline?" Mary asked
"I will try Mary but I must warn you that I do not play it well." Caroline said and began playing. She was right Mary though. The piece was very difficult and Caroline was stumbling while trying to play it. Failing miserably, she shook her head sadly.
"I told you" She began "I play it very ill indeed! I wish I could learn how to play it and….."
Caroline stopped speaking as she saw a figure at the doorway. Mary followed Caroline's gaze and saw Mr Bingley's valet Mr Arthur there. He bowed and seemed undecided whether to stay or leave. Mary suddenly remembered that she and Maria had seen him play the pianoforte and asked him-
"Do these sheets belong to you sir?"
Caroline looked startled by that question and was even more surprised by Mr Arthur's response.
"Eh… yes it does Madame. Eh… Mr Bingley was very kind and allowed me to use the pianoforte whenever I was free. I apologise if I was intruding." He said.
"Not at all sir" Caroline replied having found her voice. "You know to play this piece? Is it not one of Mozart's most difficult musical compositions?"
"It is Madame" He answered. "My mother was a very talented musician. She taught me how to play this piece."
"Oh! Would you mind playing it for us sir?" Caroline asked and then bit her tongue. She had never been this forward in her entire life and he was a mere valet! If any of her acquaintance knew of the way she had behaved right now, it would have caused a scandal.
Mr Arthur hesitated for a moment but then sat down and began to play. He played so skilfully and with such depth, that both Mary and Caroline were rendered speechless.
Nobody spoke after he had completed playing. All the three people in the room were in deep thoughts. Finally, Caroline broke the silence.
"I wish you could teach us how to play it sir. I have never heard anything like it. It was so beautiful and touching!" She said.
"I thank you madame. But I do not think Mr Bingley would approve my giving you piano lessons." Mr Arthur said.
"Yes, of course, I …eh…apologise. I should have never suggested it. Why would you waste your time in teaching us? I am sure you would have many things to do" Caroline stated sadly.
"That is not what I meant at all Madame…." Mr Arthur began but Caroline shook her head.
"No Sir. I completely understand. But I hope you will forgive me for asking it of you. You see sir, I have heard many play the same piece. But your style of playing was so different from them. They wanted to prove to others that they were great. They wanted to be the controllers and they controlled the music. But your music was heartfelt. It was as if you were allowing it to control you and flow through to you. It was magnificent!" She said.
Mr Arthur was deeply moved by the speech and the sincerity in which it was made. Without thinking, he gently took Caroline's hand and his and spoke-
"I cannot thank you enough for your kind words Madame. That was exactly what my mother had said when she used to teach me, that we should open our hearts and let the music flow through us and speak through us. We are never the controller but the controlled. But being controlled in this manner is not bondage but a freedom of the highest kind, where without inhibition we can speak our feelings through music. If Mr Bingley agrees, I would certainly love to teach you all that I know."
"You would!?" Caroline exclaimed
"Yes Miss Bingley. It would truly be my honour to teach you"
Mary who was watching all this smiled. They had both completely forgotten that they were not alone. However all three of them were shaken out of their musings and feelings at the sound of someone clearing his throat. Mary saw that it was none other than Mr Hawkins. Since the others in the room did not know him and considering the circumstances, she introduced him. He told them that Mr and Mrs Bingley were waiting for them in the parlour and that refreshments were being served. Mr Arthur left them to go back in his room while Mary and Caroline accompanied Mr Hawkins downstairs. Caroline held Mary back just before they entered the room and asked her not to mention anything to her brother as she wanted to talk to Mr Arthur and be certain that he would not mind teaching them. Mary readily agreed. She spent an enjoyable morning at Neatherfield and despite Mr Hawkins addressing her as Bella and arguing that Romeo was not immature while they were discussing the play Romeo and Juliet, her good mood continued to exist throughout the day.
Later at night as Mary rested her head on the pillow, she smiled at the thought of how their piano lessons would go for Caroline if Mr Bingley and Mr Arthur agreed. Caroline Bingley would no longer be the proud, haughty and cold women that Hertfordshire knew.
But Mary, however, could not help but wonder, that apart from music and compositions, what else would Mr Arthur teach Caroline's heart to whisper.
