Love Comes in Three

Chapter Nine "Musical Moonlight"

            Finding myself alone again I retrieved the sheet music as well as the letter my father had saved from my room and settled at the pianoforte.  I sat there for a moment, although I had piano lessons as a child, I never was very good, so I set the music aside and opened the letter.  The flowing hand of my mother was beautiful and the art of it only paled in comparison by the sentiments it contained.  I had no idea that my mother could express herself so, then I never had the chance to know her as more than my mother.  As I read her words I could feel her longing for my father as he was away on business in Vienna, it must have been around the time that Freddie was born because she remarked how their son looked more like him every day.  I lingered over the writing as she described how she missed him and their time together.  It wasn't long before tears stained my cheeks.

            The light from the windows began to diminish as the afternoon sun started to set, so I decided to try my hand at playing the score before anyone would return.  It was more complicated than anything I had ever seen, let alone played, but I wanted to hear it and I had yet to ask Faith the favor.  As I tried my best I noticed some of the servants hustling down the hall, I could only imagine to flee from my tedious playing.  I slammed my hands over the keys in frustration, if only I had been a better student.

            "Were you actually trying to play or was that merely a tantrum?" Percival's voice cut the silence easily as he sauntered into the room.  I just stared at him for a moment, he had an uncanny ability to just appear and that smug look on his face was adding to my frustration.  "I can see why Patience has never asked you to entertain us," he said sitting beside me on the bench.

            "What do you think you're doing?" I asked grabbing the opened letter and quickly trying to put it into my pocket.

            "Piano lesson?" he offered playing a little flourish before settling on a familiar tune, "It sounds like you could use one."  He leaned his shoulder against mine, his tone was lighthearted and easy again.  Patience must still be out, I thought to myself.

            "I've had lessons and I am just not musically inclined," I rebuffed as I reached for the sheet music.

            "Wait now, what is this?" he set his hand over mine before I could take the composition and escape. "Quasi una fantasia?" he murmured as he set his fingers appropriately, "So you are a fan of Beethoven?"  He began playing smoothly and I closed my eyes to shut everything out but the music.  It was beautiful, and I knew that the tune would haunt my memories for years to come.

            I sat still listening as Percival continued to play.  There was no other sounds, nothing from the servants scurrying about or preparing for supper and nothing from outside to interrupt this bliss, I wanted this moment to last.  A gentle hand on my shoulder made my eyes open and there was Faith looking out of breath, "Go to the sofa," she said quietly to me and looked at her brother.  Whatever glance she gave he understood and he never stopped playing, even as I moved across the room.  "You play almost as well as I do, Percy," she noted.

            "Only because you've had more practice," he reasoned as he watched me picking up another book and making myself comfortable as if I had been in this seat for hours, "I trust you have a good reason for this interruption?"  I could barely hear their conversation but I didn't need Faith's answer as soon Patience entered looking quite pleased with herself.

            "I would have sworn that was Faith playing but since she was with me . . . ," she said joining her siblings at the piano, "When did you become so accomplished, Percy?"

            "There were several years between your marriage and my commission, dear sister," he smiled indulgently at her, "at one time I thought of becoming a pianist . . . it seemed like an excellent way to meet and woo women."  Faith stifled a giggle and Patience turned around looking for me, "But alas I find myself in the Royal Navy, so I only get to play when I'm home a few times a year."

            "A great shame," Faith acknowledged,  turning the page for him.

            "Speaking of your commission, when are you due back?" Patience asked moving closer to me, she turned to look back at him but kept a watchful eye in my direction.

            "Ah," he sighed and the music changed into something morose, "Captain wishes me to return tomorrow.  He said there's important business that we need to address."  I fought the urge to look up from my book, sure that Patience was waiting for it to happen.

            "No," Faith whined, "we've barely had time together."

            Percival stopped playing and leaned over to kiss her forehead, "I doubt I will be away long, there's at least another week until the formal reviews begin."

            "So you will come back?" Faith asked as her fingers ran over the ivory keys.

            "Nothing could keep me away," he said as she began a lively tune, "So you have nothing to be concerned about Patience, I shall be back to entertain you soon enough!"  I bit my lip to keep from smiling, I could only imagine the look on Patience's face since she was standing with her back to me.

            That evening we had an enjoyable supper as Faith and Percival monopolized the conversation discussing music.  I became fond of their overly expressive faces when they argued preferences between Beethoven and Bach.  Finally Faith had enough of her brother's disposition and turned to Patience, "Will you sing for us tonight?  I am feeling in the mood to do an accompaniment."

            Patience cleared her throat and gave a swift glance in my direction before answering her sister, "I don't think so, Faith.  I am sorely out of practice."

            "Come now," Percival interjected, "when have you ever been out of practice?"

            "I have not sung in a long time," she answered and then rang the bell for the table to be cleared, "besides I feel a headache coming."

            "That leaves you, Miss Woodbridge," Faith smiled across the table from me, "do you play?  Or sing perhaps?"

            "Oh, no," I gasped, "I do neither I'm afraid."  I started twisting the napkin in my lap and looked to Patience anxiously.

            "Then what do you do?" Faith inquired as if my existence was a mystery due to lack of musical aptitude.

            "Margaret sketches," Patience said as she stood, starting to leave the room.

            "And she reads . . . ," Percival chimed with a smirk, "profusely."  Patience stopped in the doorway and stared at her brother a moment.  I noted his cheerful smile as he gave her a small informal bow, although she was clearly unimpressed.  Faith gave his shoulder a light tap as she passed him and left the room too.  I hurried after, not wanting to give Patience any reason to be more annoyed than she already was.

            Percival joined Faith at the pianoforte and they played several duets while I dutifully read and Patience lingered over some needlepoint.  After awhile Faith decided she had enough playing and sat beside me on the sofa but said nothing.  There was a brief quiet before the Beethoven piece began to play again.  I fought the urge to smile at Percival and instead, excused myself for the night, slowly climbing the stairs to my room so I could hear the music just a bit longer.

            Once in my bedroom I slipped the letter from my mother back into the book of poetry.  I made a mental note to retrieve the sheet music in the morning, there was no way I wanted to lose that.  Just as I was climbing into bed, about to turn out my light, I heard something in the hall.  I tiptoed closer and found that someone slid the music under my door.  I rested my forehead against the solid wood and took a deep breath, "Thank you," I said lowly, unsure that anyone could have heard me.  I waited for a few moments, heard nothing and went back to bed.

            I lay in the dark going over the events of the day, remembering that Patience had smiled on several occasions.  I felt eased somehow, that things were getting better.  Perhaps Patience's opinion of me would improve too and then I recalled Percival saying that he leaves tomorrow.  My hope was short-lived and I fell into a fitful sleep, the moon rose brightly with the haunting music from earlier and I was bathed in light as I stood in the garden.  Then as the music began to fade, so did the moonlight and soon I was alone and in the dark.