In Response to the lovely Guest Reviewer: To the guest who thinks recovering from the Butte fall-out is absolutely necessary, I wholeheartedly agree! And, I think you'll like this new chance for almost everyone, if not everyone, to shine.
Now, when it comes to Phoebe and Carlisle, that's definitely the case. Moreover, I'm thrilled to hear you like the teaching assistant, Linda Vance! She's definitely inspired by a couple of awesome people, and she'll definitely fit in nicely at Downton.
Furthermore, hehe, I can agree that "Summer Nights" is not necessarily a favorite on my end –– that's the case with one or two of the songs, actually. And there's a reason for that, but for now: when it comes to Cora, I'm fairly certain that the conversation was "'Mamma Mia' or 'Summer Nights', Mr. Carson, Mrs. Hughes. Your choice." And, since Summer Nights is more accessible than Mamma Mia for a cappella (personal experience speaking here, my opinion is firmly neutral when it comes to taste!), the choice was more pragmatic than not.
Now, in regards to relationship, I just had to let Thomas have a good long-distance relationship and I'm so glad you like it! Moreover, my thoughts were running along those lines with Mary and Matthew. I just know of modern stories that played with that, and didn't know if I should consider that, too.
Nevertheless, I confess that I busted up at "the Crawley Admin Triumvirate" –– I'm seriously considering slipping that phrase into a future chapter and crediting you with it!
Author's Note: This chapter should have more answers to any questions you have. It also contains a healthy dose of Chelsie sweetness amongst other things.
Technical Note: New form of communication! This is what written notes passed in classes will look like - RC
Enjoy!
_._
Friday, the 10th of January, 2020
7:14 a.m.
The idea of the normal Downton choir sound being mashed up with musical theatre, something she always thought was way too American for their school, that was somewhat believable. Not completely believable, especially considering what she thought Mr. Carson's opinion about all that stuff would be. But it was a little believable with Mrs. Hughes around.
Add to that the fact that she herself could actually get a solo in an actual show, not just singing in the shower, and the young singer was starting to trust this show was for real.
Multiply all of that by the realization that, in the grand scheme of musical theatre, she knew more about show-tunes than most of her peers and it became more than a little believable this was going to be awesome.
It became probable.
So, with all of that in mind, what was the problem for Molly Curtis?
Honestly?
Her love for this genre was getting in the way.
Especially because it led her to this moment.
She really wasn't supposed to be up here, not yet. But, the door to 402 was unlocked and no one had yelled at her upon entering. In fact, nobody was around the rooms. So, she took that as a cue it was all right to be here. That she could go about and get a closer look at the upcoming songs.
The stacks of sheet music radiated a hypnotic warmth in their little corner of the room, furtively placed and waiting to be perused. These were the songs Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes tucked into the back, the remaining songs in the entire set list. The ones that the choirs weren't going to touch until later.
It was the reason she'd come here in the first place. Because, the truth was, Molly craved an answer when it came to knowing all of the songs in the showcase. She didn't want to wait for the weeks it would take to hear about each and piece individually, she wanted to know all of them this very instant.
Problem was, she probably wasn't supposed to be here. Worse yet, it didn't look like all the songs were there. Mrs. Hughes had mentioned that some of the music would be taking its time getting shipped in, and it looked like the Scot was right. Something which was disappointing but not surprising.
Still, the ones that were here had her beaming in delight.
"I Could Have Danced All Night", "Blue Skies", "Anything You Can Do", these were only some of the songs she'd grown up with. And when she realized "My Favorite Things" and "42nd Street" were going to be performed, Molly couldn't help but grin to herself as she continued to take a glimpse at everything. This was her childhood, this was what got her through so many rough days, and –– and only a few feet away was the one piece she hadn't immediately recognize.
Walking over to the largest stack of sheet music, the Bel Canto girl approached the sheet music with great curiosity. Molly had seen the name of this song listed amongst all the other ones she could audition for, but she'd never heard of it before. Approaching it, her curiosity fervently bubbling more and more the closer she stepped, Molly laid a hand on top of the stack, ready to finally get some answers.
"And what brings you up here so early?"
Whipping around, furiously blushing at the sight of Linda Vance standing in the doorway, Molly began to stammer away some sort of excuse in the vain hope it'd let her escape with her dignity intact.
"Ju–– just wanted to see what we'd be doing this semester, Miss Vance."
"You're in Bel Canto, right?" The young brunette nodded tentatively, not knowing if she was about to get suspended or something worse for being here. She didn't know the rules for this sort of thing, and she knew that if she'd done this with Emma Butte around she would've been liable to lose any chance of a future solo.
"Yes, Miss Vance." Because only the teachers referred to the assistant teacher as Linda. "My name's Molly. Molly Curtis."
"Friends with Isabel, Claire, and that redhead, right?"
"Isabel, Claire, and Jane. Oh, and Charlotte, but she's in Advanced." The young singer affirmed, smiling a bit at the thought of her friends, "Oh, and it's Jane Wayne, not Moorsum. Completely different person. Though I suppose their name is something they have in common. But, it doesn't matter. Honestly, Miss Vance, I didn't mean to do anything! I just wanted to see what we would all be working on and I really didn't mean to––"
The blonde held up a hand, stopping the flow of guilt before it could escalate any further, "Curiosity, Molly, is no crime."
This stopped the brunette in her scurrying tracks, easing a little tension from her shoulders. Which was enough for teenage fascination to re-emerge.
"Do you have a favourite musical, Miss Vance?"
This would be how the choir teachers would find them later, the pair maintaining a back-and-forth right up until there were ten minutes left before the start of school. Charles looked thoroughly confused by this whereas Elsie opted for full appreciation.
"I told you she'd fit in just fine," The Scot would later knowingly interject, quietly murmuring this after the pair had left 402 to carry about with their respective tasks.
But whether she was referring to Molly or Linda, he'd never know.
_._
8:04 a.m.
"Now, I'd like to remind you all that if you are selected for a solo, you will not be able to audition for another one. While there may be a small ensemble opportunity down the road, an opportunity which might be open to everyone, as of today our rule is that you cannot audition for another part if you've already been selected for one. You may choose to decline the offered role and audition for something else, but do keep in mind that you are not guaranteed to be selected for another solo. We must be fair to each and every student auditioning, after all." Mr. Carson intoned all of this imperiously, gesturing for Mrs. Hughes to continue.
"And so, in an effort to maintain fairness," She continued, pleased to see that everyone was still focused, "We have the entire set-list on hand for everyone to peruse."
Unsurprisingly, most of the young men in the room straightened in their seats at that announcement. Needless to say, the teaching couple had recognized it would be unfair to ask them to audition on the spot and not show them all of the options.
"You are more than welcome to ask any questions you may have. But, do note that we have already marked the songs that your choir, the Bass Choir, will be able to audition for."
Glancing at the list resting on top of the piano, a list they'd spent weeks composing, Elsie scanned it once again for the ones Bass could audition for: "Seasons of Love" from Rent, "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel, "One Day More" from Les Misérables, "Hushabye Mountain" from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! and another personal favourite they were hoping to receive many auditions for.
"But, before you can look at this list, we have one more announcement to make. And," She was losing their focus, but hopefully this next part would retain it, "A question to pose."
_._
The two young women had been discreetly passing notes to each other in-class, deciding to forego texting for the old-fashioned version of sending messages. Alyssa Cummings had been the impish culprit this time, deciding that Ms. Feather's history lesson was worth a mental skip today, especially after hearing the shocking announcement in Bel Canto.
Girl! Can you believe Mr. C and Mrs. H asked us if we wanted to COMPETE on top of everything else going? –– AC
Maribel Diaz took more convincing to break the rules of school, biting her lip for a solid few seconds as she stared down at the note. But Ms. Feather was convinced to keep lecturing about the key differences between the infamous French Revolution and the July Revolution of 1830 –– the older woman perfectly oblivious to anything going on in the back of the room.
Yeah, I don't really want to compete, not with everything else going on. But I reaalllyyyyy want a shot at "One Day More". And, maybe, "Holding Out for a Hero"? –– MD
Alyssa smiled at this, encouragingly beaming in the direction of the fellow soprano.
I know EXACTLY what you mean. Why learn all those really boring competition bits when we can focus on something FUN? And I like "Holding Out" but I REALLY want to try for "Seasons"! Do you know who's gonna audition next week? - AC
This is where Maribel began to pout a little. Not only because she was offended by Alyssa's lack of love for "One Day More", but because she'd begun to think about who had announced their plans to audition for this first round of songs. These thoughts of her were in conjunction to thinking about who in all the choirs was liable to get all the parts.
I heard Camellia talking about it, of course, and a few others. But I'm sure that everyone in the Concert Choir will get something for "One Day More", it is open to them. So maybe we shouldn't even bother? –– MD
This mentality was not something Alyssa Cummings was ever going to take –– especially not from her best mate!
MARIBEL DIAZ, THAT'S EXACTLY WHY WE SHOULD BOTHER! –– AC
Hastily reaching for the slip of paper, Maribel began to dictate her concerns.
But––
Alyssa was not in the mood, snatching up their notes before the other girl had a chance.
Besides, maybe you'll get a chance to sing with
"Maribel, Alyssa, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"
It seemed Ms. Feather was not as oblivious as she appeared.
_._
11:28 a.m.
They'd gone downstairs on a whim, talking about how important it would be to understand the space before-hand. Linda merely raised an eyebrow in response, saying how surprised she was that they didn't already have the whole auditorium memorized. They'd been a little sheepish upon hearing this, but she hadn't teased them for much longer, stating how "vitally important" it was that they go look at the area "in the name of musical theatre".
And, at first, it had been invigorating. Stepping back into the auditorium, having not needed to do so since rehearsals for Chicago, it had been a grand treat to step into the auditorium once more. Yet, just like over the summer, they both couldn't help but eye the entrance to the basement with more than a little sense of dread, still remembering all that could've happened on that fateful day with Green.
Still, as haunting as those hours had been, both Elsie and Charles couldn't stay trapped in that moment forever. Hence, the current conversation being held here instead of tucked away on the second fourth floor: discussing potential duets and solos for the students. What with auditions beginning soon,it was time to focus on a matter a little less pressing: individual performances.
Or, more specifically, potential duets. Seeing as how the Concert Choir had until the end of the week to tell the pair about whether or not they wanted to compete in the small ensemble/solo competition –– the competition slated to be at The Center this year –– the two choir teachers didn't want to sort out any solos until they absolutely had to.
"Charles, you know as well as I that, as age appropriate as 'Where or When' may be, there's certainly not enough variety in the lyrics to maintain interest for the students or the audience." Arching an eyebrow, Elsie dutifully explained, "'And though it seems as though we've met before, and laughed before, and loved before, who knows where or when?' is almost the entire song!"
Needless to say, she wasn't the biggest fan of the song.
"Even so, it's not a bad choice, all things considered. Maybe we could add in some choreography or something." Her eyebrow rose further, her lip biting currently occurring only because she didn't want to outright snort at the idea. Now it was he who felt like rolling his eyes in fond exasperation, taking her point quite well.
"Right. 'Where or When' will be saved for sometime later, then." In other words, we're never performing it, are we?
Oh, I'm so glad you understand.
"Right. Well, 'As Long As You're Mine' is probably too risqué for them, even though they are teenagers." Elsie turned away to think about the matter, muttering various thoughts such as, "Much as I like 'Take Me or Leave Me', that's also out of the question, maybe a duet involving friendship instead?" and left her fiancé to wrack his own brain over the matter.
Interestingly enough, the man already had another idea. This particular duet had been bouncing around in his mind ever since he had started researching musicals this fall. But the urge to bring it into the spotlight today had been dimmed by her own enthusiasm. After all, he didn't want to dominate what clearly wasn't his area of expertise. And yet, with the fact that Elsie was struggling to think of something appropriate and fun, he felt now was as good a time as any to make the suggestion.
Though, this time, Charles wasn't going to just state it.
"Maybe the sun gave me the power," She chuckled with a surprised recognition, looking over at him with impressed wonderment. Brigadoon was one of the few well-known musicals that mentioned Scotland, let alone took place there. And for someone who repeatedly confessed to knowing very little about musical theatre, this was a stunning piece to pull out of thin air. "For I could swim Loch Lomond and be home in half an hour."
Further encouraged to enjoy this moment that was just the two of them, another idea struck the man. Impulsively spurred on by the song, he reached out for his fiancée, spinning her around him the moment their hands met –– tickled to see her face light up at his touch. "Maybe the air gave me the drive." And slowly kissing Elsie as though they were already married, he softly parted from her lips to murmur, "For I'm all aglow and alive."
And, now, leading them in a back-and-forth sway, one that required no music, "What a day this has been! What a rare mood I'm in! Why, it's almost like being in love,"
"Is it now?" Elsie teased, thinking that would take him away from the lyrics and figuring he'd want to call it a day on the singing. Though, seeing as how they rarely indulged in these sentimental sort of things, she hardly minded the enchanting change in events.
She should've known nothing would've deterred him from his playful serenade. After all, this was the man who had to let a song finish if it had already played the first chorus; naturally, he was going to finish his performance.
"There's a smile on my face for the whole human race," Even though her fiancé had transposed the original key for his range, the woman couldn't help but feel as though his timbre and tone sounded perfect for the piece. "Why, it's almost like being in love."
Hearing her phone buzz briefly from the piano, Elsie halfheartedly turned to leave his arms and address it. But, not wanting this moment to be ruined by anyone, Charles twirled her back into his arms and held her gently as she questioningly looked up at him. Please, his eyes solemnly requested, let's have this moment for ourselves.
Suppose it's something urgent? Her eyes glanced back at the device hesitantly.
Suppose they know they can call if it is urgent, He reminded her, watching the weight of responsibility falter at his look. It was fairly logical reasoning, logical enough that Elsie couldn't argue with it.
Not that she really wanted to.
"All the music of life," What would normally be booming sound in the recordings was currently resting at sotto voce, meant to soothe the concerns of his fiancée. "Is like a bell that is ringing for me."
With another thoughtful kiss, one placed gently into her lovely hair, "And from the way that I feel, when that bell starts to peel," Continuing to sway once more, Charles could feel Elsie let go of fixating on a future they couldn't predict. In other words, the phone had been long since forgotten. "I could swear I was falling, I would swear I was falling, it's almost like being in love."
With both teachers now fully devoted to performing the piece in their own special way, they readjusted themselves, proceeding to stride about the stage as though they were in the show. It was a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour for they were fully aware that such a performance would never occur. But, it was a bit of sweet fun, one they intended on thoroughly enjoying.
"When we walked up the bray," Charles looked at Elsie with more fondness than he thought possible as she effortlessly continued to gently chime, "Not a word did we say. It was almost like being in love."
Fully taking the reins of the duet over, Elsie's eyes sparkled, her smile twinkling as they let their arms further intwine, "With your arms linked in mine, made the world kind of fine."
"It was almost like being in love," He wholeheartedly agreed, sharing another sweet peck before twirling her out toward the center of the stage once more –– taking great pride in listening to her voice swirl around the space.
"All the music of life seems to be," Although she wore trousers befitting of a teacher, it was as though the skirts of a ballgown swirled around her as the woman graciously spun, still able to maintain fantastic breath control with the crescendo.
"Like a bell that is ringing for me!" Joining her in the center, their voices affectionately came together in one final chorus as they danced about the stage.
"And from the way that I feel,
When that bell starts to peel."
"I could swear I was falling," She murmured in his ear, being tenderly dipped as he concurred that, "I would swear I was falling,"
"It's almost like being in love."
Waltzing one final time to the swell of an invisible orchestra, the couple finished their little dance. The world was forgotten to them as they basked in the pleasure that came with their simple song and dance, content to remain in one another's arms until the next bell rang.
And when she eventually opened up her phone to discover that it had only been a spam email of sorts, the woman could only chortle in amusement. Something that he easily echoed when he caught on to just what had happened.
"As I told you, Elsie," She glowed at the sound of her name being uttered in the auditorium, loving how it reverberated around the space. "If it's an emergency, they will call."
"I do believe you're right, Charles." And if he blushed at the resonance that came with hearing his name bounce around the air, the rolling of the "R" delightfully spinning out, well, it was no matter of consequence.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
_._
11:37 a.m.
She shouldn't have been this indulgent. But, solos and musical theatre had been on her mind for a really long time, and she couldn't help herself with this.
"On my own," Lavinia Swire half-whispered to herself, trudging up the stairs after a disheartening lunch period. Normally, Laura or Ellie or Rose would've spent the period with her, but they'd all been caught up in their own worlds. And, normally, that wouldn't be bothering her.
But, today didn't feel normal.
Not really.
Continuing to carry herself up the steps, the wish continued to escape:
"Pretending he's beside me."
Although she knew that Les Mis would be a part of the show, this specific song probably wouldn't. Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes had been adamant that any musical chosen would have only one song picked, even if someone from the Concert Choir was requesting a separate, competitive solo. So, if they were already doing "One Day More" from Les Mis, the teachers wouldn't incorporate "On My Own". And, anyway, this song didn't strike her as the grandest part of the show, even though the haunting lyrics had been spinning 'round her mind for the last fifty minutes without fail.
"All alone,
I walk with him 'till morning."
It wasn't really singing that she performed right now, the breathy droplets of hope scattering themselves among the air. Singing was what Mrs. Hughes or Mary Crawley did, not her. Theirs was that beautiful sort of sound that the world craved to hear, a sound she could never really reproduce, much to her disappointment.
"Without him, I feel his arms around," And she did, she really did. It made these not-so-normal days feel better, it made the disconcerting world easier to face. When the two students realized lunch would not be shared this year, when school had gotten tougher, this feeling helped remind her she wasn't alone. "And when I lose my way I close my eyes, and––"
The bell rang, insistently reminding the soprano that she would be late to class. Yet, still, Lavinia clung to one thought throughout all of it, something that would make this next class easier:
"And he has found me."
_._
2:17 p.m.
"Remind me: why do we bother to compete?"
Phoebe inwardly chuckled at this, knowing full well that her boss and friend was well aware of why Carlisle Institute competed. And if the older woman needed help remembering, then something was clearly wrong.
"Because it's not enough to sing. We need to perform." And for their esteemed institution, concerts alone would not fulfill that need. No, they needed to prove themselves to strangers who were dead set on judging every aspect of them. They needed to demonstrate their worth to crowds of people who held no attachments to their school. Concerts were where fans of all ages primly adorned the seats of their auditorium –– that was guaranteed approval year after year. That was nothing like the thrill that came with walking away victorious after waging choral war against a sea of the unknown.
"Right." Papers shifted in the distance, computer keys being heavily whacked. "Not buying that today."
There were only a few reasons why Francesca Barnes would be thoroughly uninterested in her favourite passion. And, somehow Phoebe felt confident enough to wager a guess on today's reason for the issue. She wouldn't be foolish enough to hazard that guess just yet. She knew that waiting for a terse response from her boss would be infinitely preferable to boldly inserting herself into the subject.
As if right on cue, "I mean, what's the point with meeting with all of us individually? We've all done this competition countless times, and I don't remember ever calling up Dickie Merton or Joyce Barnaby to discuss their competition plans when we were the hosts!"
"I take it The Center's being difficult?" Phoebe coolly inquired, as though she hadn't suspected this being the issue all along.
"You know, his signature may be at the bottom of this screen, but Charlie Grigg couldn't give a flying fig about what our competition plans are –– this has Alice Neal written all over it."
"Well, I'm sure Alice will be fairly easy to work with." Phoebe wasn't speaking from experience. Still, by this point, she felt that it would be far easier to work with Ms. Neal than to corral some of Carlisle's finest into this latest scheme of theirs. "And, a meeting with her can't possibly last forever."
"Have you met Alice Neal?" Francesca dryly asked, "I suppose you'll have the harder task soon enough, but I suspect I'll be the one who has more of a headache."
Phoebe chuckled at the thought, "Remind me to never direct a choir."
"Don't you dare! I'm supposed to be retiring in seven years and I'm not leaving a second later!"
The air stilled a bit at the statement, a sense of loss tingeing the conversation. Both women stopped typing for a brief moment, avoiding the other's gaze and fixating on their computer screens.
Right.
Let's make this count, then.
"Well, if you're going to twist my arm about it," Phoebe lightly began to tease, needing to tease the matter, "Though, if you expect me to be handling Alice Neal in seven years time, you've got another thing coming!"
_._
Sunday, the 12th of January, 2020
9:14 p.m.
The pair quietly laid side by side, basking in the calm before the storm. They both knew some sort of storm was the horizon –– from which angle it laid was the question.
Of course, he couldn't remain quiet forever.
"I got an email from Alice Neal," Charles gave a bothered confession, the wretched communication having been bothering him for half the day.
"Oh? And what evil scheme is she up to this time?" Except, Elsie was only half-joking. She knew that whenever Alice Neal chose to involve herself in something, it was liable to be some sort of personal, malicious scheme.
"She wanted to know of our plans to compete, if we intend on competing at the Center this spring or not." He refused to mention the numerous taunts about their "inevitable" stress levels, what with a blessed wedding only six months away.
"And what did you say?"
"That we were in the process of deciding that and would have an answer for her by the 23rd."
Yet, there was something else bothering him, something he wasn't saying: "What else was in that email, Charles?"
Elsie didn't care to prod her husband like he was some sort of farm animal. But, sometimes the glacier pace he moved at proved to be a little too much for her. Though, she knew she was one to talk: she was content to move at the same pace, had been more than happy to do so, especially when it had come to their relationship. Heavens know if it weren't for that night last spring, when the storm had forced them to stay inside Downton, they would probably still be only colleagues and nothing more.
But, that was neither here nor there.
"Alice wants to meet in person to discuss this." The man admitted, not in the mood for such a dramatic venture. He knew that such a request only spelled out vexation.
"Well, if we must, then we'll meet her together." Elsie took hold of his hand, silently reminding him of the many promises they'd made to each other to face the future together.
"Right." Charles had forgotten he wasn't alone in this. That being the choir director no longer meant he was isolated and couldn't ask for help. That he didn't have to face the world by himself. Honestly, it was nice, though he tended to forget it in moments like these. Still, he didn't want to spend tonight talking about that ghastly nightmare when there was another potential nightmare less than twenty-four hours away.
"So, they've all agreed then? The octet's a go?"
Elsie didn't scoff at the fact that this was the fifth time her fiancé was confirming the matter. She knew perfectly well why he was in this stage of tense bemusement, why he felt on edge. She also reasoned this was a decent distraction from contemplating what exactly Alice Neal was planning to do.
"They have."
Charles nodded, churning the matter over in his mind. He was not fully assuaged by such knowledge, but it did give him some comfort. The man also couldn't help but continue to wonder about his fiancée in all of this, unsure of whether or not this is too much for her.
"And they all know who they'll be working with?"
It'd been a point of rumination for him, wondering how well the idea would be taken. Whether Carlisle would be amenable to the idea, if his own students would protest the idea. It was certainly a risk they were taking, both with reputation and commitments. But if his fiancée had faith then he had to trust her. And, naturally, Elsie would've had a chance to gauge the students' reactions when she individually informed them of the opportunity.
Except, "Not exactly."
"Not exactly"? What did you tell them, Elsie? Four of Downton's best combining forces with Carlisle's finest, striving to break the harsh rivalry between the schools in any possible way, and the students were unaware of these finer details? "What do you mean 'not exactly'?"
_._
Monday, the 13th of January, 2020
3:42pm
Penelope Carlisle regally stared about the auditorium, blue eyes coldly observing the venue.
"Exactly why are we here, Miss Miller?" Her instructor ignored the student's inquisition, knowing that they would all balk at the reason behind their being at Downton. "This may be the most spacious auditorium in Yorkshire, but Carlisle has an equally suitable rehearsal space."
Phoebe internally rolled her eyes at the tone of her student, thinking it too arrogant and prestigious for a teenager. She'd really just prefer to have left the soprano out of this, the teacher not convinced this sort of thing was Penelope's "scene". But, Miss Carlisle's presence had been a special request of Francesca –– or, rather, Richard Carlisle. Therefore, if they had any hope of their fine institution officially approving of this collaboration with Downton, the teenager's involvement was a necessary part of the process
"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, Penelope." Abigail Hankins coolly remarked, having taken to sitting in one of the seats closest to the exit. She did want to be here, having recognized the opportunity long before Phoebe had officially persuaded her to join. She just didn't care for the snob that was her classmate.
"Did I ask for your opinion?"
Connor Pond snorted at this, looking to be amused by the lacking retort. He was normally one for being easy-going in general. However, that was almost never the case when it came to responding to Penelope Carlisle.
"I don't think you ever ask for opinions, Penelope." The one tenor of the group aired his comment, an unusual amount of disdain in his light words. David Eckley, the only bass in the bunch, rolled his eyes indifferently at the building banter. He personally thought Connor was asking for a fight by this point, which was pointless with Penelope.
"I'll have you know," Luckily, Phoebe could hear familiar footsteps approaching the auditorium's entrance, footsteps by the lovely sound of keys jangling against a lanyard. Finally.
"You will find out in a moment what we're doing here," The instructor quickly informed them, praying for patience. This was her first time ever doing anything remotely like this; she hardly knew how to go about it the "right" way. "But, before you do, I will remind you all that you have promised to be respectful and courteous to our future colleagues."
They did nod at this, remembering the promise they'd all individually given her –– whether it had been reluctantly uttered or not. Looking at all of their faces, expressions ranging from sullen to intrigued, she could only hope that Elsie was still up to the task after today.
"Ah, Miss Miller," The Scottish choir teacher greeted her with a calm smile upon opening the door, "And these must be your students."
"You're the accompanist for Downton's choirs," Penelope stated with alarm at the sight of Elsie, having recognized her from last year's competitions. "What are you doing here? Miss Miller, why are we here? Don't tell me we're to work with an accompanist? Why would we be working with an accompanist if this is to be an a cappella performance?"
Elsie's smile didn't twitch in frustration at Miss Carlisle's blatant attitude or incessant questions. Nor did she arch an eyebrow at Abigail Hankins' sighing in disbelief at her peer's behaviour. No, she'd dealt with enough divas of all types to know not to take any attitude personally.
"Miss Carlisle, I presume?" At Penelope's wary nod, "Miss Carlisle, I am not only the accompanist for Downton. In fact, Miss Miller and I will be working together this semester with your octet. And you may refer to me as Mrs. Hughes."
"This is our octet?" It looked like Mary Crawley was having a similar reaction to Miss Carlisle, entering the room looking horrified at this ghastly surprise. "But, Downton and Carlisle never work together. Grey, perhaps. Strallan or Midsomer even. But not Carlisle."
"There's always a first." Phoebe spoke evenly, not letting an ounce of irritation slip into her tone. She and Elsie had already discussed these two sopranos personalities before this meeting, but to see their personal theories already confirmed left a sour taste about all of this.
"Well, I don't know about you two ladies but I think this could be fun." It seemed Connor was going back to being his cheerful self. He even got nods of agreement from Matthew Crawley and Phyllis Baxter, the tenor and alto curious to how this would all unfold and determined to make the best of it.
"I suppose only time will tell. Though I'm sure today's rehearsal will be quite informative." Penelope haughtily spoke, clearly not believing this to be the case. And if four of the seven other singers glanced upward for the strength, that was on them.
_._
Author's Note: Ta-da! And now that we've essentially met all of the main characters of this finale, and even gotten a little taste of what's in store, I do believe it's time for the story to properly pick up!
