With a slight toss of her head, Melodie read the paragraph once more. Sure that it had sunk into her brain this time, she turned the page but before long, her mind was wandering again.
Much had happened over the course of the last few days since Henry's visit. The note from the managers had requested a meeting with Michael Blythe so the following morning, Melodie accompanied her 'employer' to the theatre. They wished his next work to be a violin concerto and if possible, wanted it completed by mid-November. Much like the symphony, the schedule was an aggressive one but not impossible. Mr. Blythe agreed to the terms.
When they returned home, Erik suggested that she could compose the concerto herself. He reasoned that she now had the technical ability to do so and after the confrontation with Henry, he thought she might not be comfortable working with him. Surprised by the offer, she took some time in considering it and for a long while, she was torn. The independent side of her wanted to accept the challenge of writing the music on her own, and since their relationship had become so strained, it would almost be easier. But another part of her – the one who seemed to melt within Erik's presence, all logic fleeing from her mind – couldn't stop thinking about Henry's accusation.
You're in love with him.
She had never been in love before. How would she know and recognize it if she was? After much pondering, she feared it must be true; despite Henry's fury and her own sense of propriety, she didn't want to leave him – and yet she knew she must.
On her next trip into town for supplies, she spoke with several shopkeepers about possible accommodations. One woman brightened considerably at her inquiry, as she had a room above the shop that had been vacant for the last year. Melodie explained that while she adored her uncle, he'd becoming increasingly difficult to live with until she had no choice but to leave.
With this housing arrangement, she felt she could continue to work with Erik, even justifying it with the fact that he was more of an expert on the violin. The simple truth was, she didn't want their partnership to end. When she announced her plans to Erik, he took the news well; he displayed little to no emotion. His reaction or lack thereof, left her both disappointed and relieved. This revelation of being in love was still new, fresh and fragile and quite honestly, she didn't know what to do with it yet.
Shifting back on the cushions, she put the book aside and absently rubbed her eyes.
"Stop that," Erik chided.
Though he spoke quietly, it startled her, as they had both been reading in silence for a while. It was evening and although several candles were lit, it probably wasn't the best idea for her to attempt reading in the dim light. "You've been rubbing at your eyes for the past twenty minutes," he informed her.
"Have I?"
"Yes. Actually, I've noticed you doing so for the last few weeks. Have they been bothering you lately?"
"A little," she lied, choosing not to reveal just how much they had been irritating her. To speak of her fears aloud would be too akin to sealing her fate.
"You should stop straining your eyes."
His advice was almost predictable; he had been issuing it from the day they had met. She said nothing, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.
This was her final night in Erik's home. He had already hired a cart to arrive tomorrow morning to take her belongings to her new abode in town. Other than her clothes and a few personal belongings, she didn't claim ownership to much else. While the knowledge that their professional relationship would continue took much of the sting out of the parting, she remained saddened. The months she'd spent here had been special but now, it was time to move on to the subsequent phase of whatever was to come.
After several moments, Erik spoke again. "Have you written to Henry?"
"No, not yet. I will."
Guilt stabbed at her as she recalled how hurt he had sounded that night. Her words had been so heartless, so cruel. Henry was her father in every way, regardless of their lack of shared blood. Once again, quick anger had loosened her tongue, resulting in instant regret. A letter of apology should have been written immediately, however, days had passed and it still wasn't done. She vowed to do it soon. Her thoughts flickered to something even more unpleasant and she finally had to give voice to a concern that had been nagging her. Raising her head, she turned towards Erik, whom shared the space on the opposite end of the couch. "Why would David go to Henry about your past? What could possibly be his intent?"
"Something malicious, I'm sure," he grumbled, "but I wouldn't want to hazard a guess."
"I'm so sorry you've been dragged into this. It's because of me."
"You have nothing to apologize for."
His tone was clipped, stern, and she imagined he probably didn't want to discuss this. Mere speculation on their part was of no use anyway. It was simply infuriating that they could do nothing but wait for David to make his next move, like an opponent in some crazed game of chess. She secretly worried that he might start spreading rumours and there was nothing society loved more than scandalous gossip. If anyone else were able to corroborate Ramsey's story, Erik would be doomed.
Her hand must have strayed towards her eyes again, as she found her wrist caught in his gentle grip. It was the first time they had touched in many days. With a sheepish half-smile, she drew back her hand.
"I could read to you," he offered.
Nodding, she rested her head against the cushion again. "I would like that."
Soon lulled by his beautiful voice, her body relaxed until it was limp and pliant, and all thoughts of David were swept into the furthest, darkest corner of her mind.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"And here we are," Lauralee called out cheerfully, unlocking the door and holding it open.
Melodie stepped through first, cane in one hand and a large carpetbag in the other. Bringing up the rear, Erik struggled with her wooden trunk, dropping it to the floor with a loud thud.
"It can get stifling in the summer," Lauralee continued, "but now that we're in to September, it's quite comfortable. I've left the window open to bring in some air and the room has been freshly scrubbed. I suppose I'll let you get settled. You know where to find me if you need anything."
"Thank you," Melodie said, setting down her bag. After the door was closed, she swung around to address Erik. "So, what do you think? I confess that when Lauralee first showed me the room, I didn't inspect it very carefully. She described the room to me, and what it contained. It's not horrible, is it?"
He walked past her, talking as he moved. "No, it certainly doesn't qualify as horrible. The space is small but clean. While I have use of the cart, I'll go back to the house and bring some more items."
"Oh? Such as?"
"A bedside table, a more comfortable chair, perhaps a cushion or two."
His thoughtfulness touched her. "That's really not necessary," she protested, but when he failed to respond, she murmured a simple 'thank you'. Striking out with the cane, she found the bed, and then maneuvered around it to the next piece of furniture. As she explored the surface with her hand, she surmised it was the dresser and slid open the top drawer, wondering how deep it was. Something small and grey flashed before her eyes, surprising her as she stumbled backwards. When she felt a warm fuzziness graze her collarbone and scurry across it, she shrieked, arms flailing, and landed squarely on her behind. The impact was jarring, rattling her teeth as she just barely missed biting her tongue.
Sitting there dazed for several seconds, she began to swipe at the neckline of her bodice with both hands. "Is it gone? Is it gone?" she asked frantically.
"I think it may have ran under your skirts."
With another strangled scream, she bolted to her feet and grabbed a fistful of the heavy cotton, shaking the skirts furiously. As the distinct sound of amused male guffawing reached her ears, she froze, narrowing her eyes. "I'm sorry, ma chère, I couldn't resist teasing," he said, still choked with laughter.
Zeroing in on his voice, she stomped towards him and slapped at his chest, the blows landing in time with each word. "That…is…not…funny!"
"Forgive me," he apologized again, though his attempt to inject a seriousness to his tone failed miserably. "Are you hurt?"
"Only my pride." Puffing up her cheeks, she blew out a breath, steeling herself against even the smidgeon of a smile. The humour in the situation wasn't lost on her; she must have made quite a spectacle of herself. Biting her lip was the only way to prevent herself from laughing, as she wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. She did, however, have to ask for one favour. "Erik, would you mind checking the other drawers? I don't wish to find another surprise."
"It's the least I can do."
After stating that all was clear, he told her he would return shortly with the other items to make her more comfortable. "And then tomorrow, we start the concerto?" he suggested.
"Tomorrow," she agreed. "And just for the record, mice don't usually frighten me – only when they lunge for my throat."
As his hearty chuckles faded into the distance, she allowed herself to succumb to helpless laughter, shaking her head. It was certainly a memorable start to this new journey.
A/N: This is getting to be a bad habit, I know, but here is another pre-beta version for your reading pleasure. If it helps, my beta came back with no changes the last two times. Sorry this chapter is so short. It made sense to end it here because of what I'm doing with the timeline in the next chapter, which will also be a short one.
Thanks once again, everyone, for continuing to read and review. I only have a couple of comments to make. The spelling of 'mantle', according to my dictionary, is acceptable like that or as 'mantel'. I'm not sure whether it's an American/British thing or not. But thank you anyway, Terpsichore, for your eagle-eye. And shimmeringtears, thank you for making me laugh with your review. Oh, and a special hello to those of you who are also on the GerardButlerdotNet board. Nice to see you here too :-)