His Lady's Crescendo

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Last night had been terrible for Theodore; the hangover was worse than he imagined. He had forgotten how wild Adrian Montrose could be. Theodore had thought they would have a nice conversation and catch up on lost time, but all they did was drink until they were in a stupor.

He should have known that a bar was not the best place to meet up. Worst of all, Adrian and his friends had made him drink way past his limit. Theodore was thankful for Tom, who somehow got him home because he remembered nothing.

Today was supposed to be a relaxing day, but he had forgotten he had to meet with one of the merchants in Eldoria with whom he wanted to start a new business. Now he found himself in the middle of the bustling town with the worst hangover.

He had sent Tom on a goose chase to find the person who played the music last night at the Montrose party. He wanted to return home, but surprisingly, he decided to walk around town.

As he wandered aimlessly through the alleyways, Theodore's headache got even worse, and he regretted not going home earlier.

Passing by a familiar tavern, Theodore's memories of the previous night came flooding back, eliciting a groan of discomfort. He recalled the raucous laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the overpowering scent of alcohol that permeated the air.

He hated the idea of going into a tavern of all places, but he needed to rest his head for a moment, and there was no other option in sight.

Theodore hesitated momentarily before pushing open the tavern door. His head throbbed with every step he took, the remnants of last night's revelry still weighing heavily on him.

He winced as the dim lighting of the tavern intensified his headache, his eyes scanning the room in search of respite.

Approaching the bar, he took a seat on one of the weathered stools and signaled to the bartender. "Something for a hangover," he muttered, rubbing his temples in an attempt to alleviate the throbbing ache in his head.

The bartender, a burly man with a gruff demeanor, arched an eyebrow at Theodore's request. "This is a tavern, mate," he replied, his voice rough with years of cigarette smoke and whiskey fumes. "All we sell here is drinks."

Theodore groaned inwardly, cursing himself for not seeking solace elsewhere. "Come on, I'll die if I have another drink, you've got to have something," he pleaded, handing the man some coins to change his mind.

The bartender nodded in understanding before disappearing into the depths of the tavern, returning moments later with a steaming mug of herbal tea. He placed it before Theodore, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Trust me. This'll do wonders for that hangover, although I can't bet on the taste," he remarked before going back to making more drinks.

Theodore eyed the tea warily, unsure of its efficacy but too desperate for relief to argue. Taking a tentative sip, he almost gagged but had no choice but to keep drinking.

As he nursed his tea, Theodore's gaze wandered back to the stage. He remembered the last time he was at a tavern, he had loved the music and being surrounded by the happy cheers of people around him. Right now, the person on stage was singing and damn did it sounded awful.

*******************

Isabelle, on the other hand, was catching up with musician friends who played other instruments. They had formed something like a band and met at least twice a month to practice and perform at taverns.

Isabelle always did her best to keep her identity a secret, so she avoided going to places where the nobles or wealthy socialites visited. Instead, she performed for the common people. They had no restraint and did what they wanted; she loved their freedom.

Even their music was freeing, and she loved to learn from them. She knew Mr. Antoine would faint if he knew she was refining her playing style and her sound by performing at taverns.

Their band was made up of Jack, who played the guitar, bragging about it being a romantic instrument. He was in his late twenties, still single, because he had tried to seduce all the women in their town but had been rejected. He was good at the guitar and a nice person, if not for his womanizing tendencies.

Robin, the violinist, was a quiet presence but clearly dedicated to her craft. The violin held a special place in her heart, and she approached music and composition with a seriousness that commanded respect.

Isabelle knew Robin was hoping she would get sponsored by a noble and finally get out of working to survive and finally live her dream of playing the violin.

But women who played the instrument rarely got sponsored, and she didn't have a formal education or connections. Isabelle knew what talent was, and she saw it in Robin.

Finally, Henry played the flute. At only fifteen, he was a prodigy with the flute, and his father, who worked for some nobles, was trying to secure Henry patronage from the wealthy upper class.

Isabelle was happy to be acknowledged by Robin, who lived and breathed music. Yet she always felt ashamed whenever she faced her; she was hiding her identity, pretending to relate to Robin's problems, yet she lived in a lavish mansion with servants at her beck and call.

Obviously, she could relate to being a woman and how stigmatized it was to be a Musician. But what she had that Robin didn't was the financial freedom to invest in her craft, while Robin had to work to provide for herself and her family. 

She felt guilty because even though she loved Robin's music, she knew that all her connections, even her mother, would never support a musician who was a woman.

"Elle, let's do that count again; I want us to match up at this point," Robin said to her, referring to the name Isabelle used when she was preforming.  Isabelle agreed, and they practiced again.

"You have no idea how dreadful it's been practicing without you, Ella. Ben went and hired another pianist. A lad! I much prefer being surrounded by lovely ladies like you and Robin," Jack chimed in, his fake accent failing to charm Robin, who rolled her eyes in disdain while Isabelle chuckled at his antics.

"The new fellow is dreadful; I don't know where Ben found him," Henry added, echoing the sentiment shared by the group.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it last time," Isabelle apologized, her tone tinged with regret.

"It's alright, mademoiselle," Jack reassured her, eager to lift her spirits. "I hate to see you sad. Why don't you and I get a drink after this to cheer you up?" He said obviously flirting.

"She's not interested. Now focus on practice; I've got places to be," Robin interjected, annoyed at his antics.

"Fine, fine," Jack relented, raising his hands in surrender, chastened by Robin's rebuke.

With a new performance scheduled for the following month, the group diligently rehearsed for their upcoming show. Though Isabelle couldn't attend every rehearsal, she made an effort to join them for the performances.

"Ben said I could do one performance tonight. Anyone up for something fun?" Isabelle proposed once they were done practicing.

"You know I'm always in," Jack exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Count me in too!" Henry added with equal fervor. All of them turned to Robin, awaiting her response, hoping she would join them.

"Come on, Robin!" They all chimed in, attempting to persuade her.

"Very well," she said, albeit reluctantly.

"Let's go with the one we've been practicing," Henry suggested, and they all nodded in agreement.