“The only thing I can think of that will make today lovelier is a little music,” the Earl said, looking at Rose, his eyes twinkling.
Rose flushed.
She should have expected that, since he had invited Daniel to tea, he would also suggest that she play and sing for them. However, seeing her father looking so much happier and more relaxed, she knew she could not refuse.
“What should I play?” Rose asked as she rose from her seat.
“My dear,” the Earl said with great pride. “Anything you play is delightful and pleasant.”
Rose blushed again, this time, with a smile. She walked over to the pianoforte and seated herself. She shuffled through the array of sheet music that contained everything from Beethoven to Mendelssohn, and at last settled on a lovely country piece.
Books and theater were her greatest loves, aside from her father, but she did enjoy spending a few hours each week playing the pianoforte. She settled herself into position with a smile and began playing.
As she played, she noted that everyone, especially her father, were very much enjoying themselves. She even caught a couple of glimpses of her father and the marchioness exchanging smitten looks at one another.
Still, despite the pleasant, joyful ambience, her mind kept wandering to the destruction at the theater, and her meeting with the Specter that evening. She tried to shake off the thoughts, however, and keep her father’s spirits high for as long as she could.
After three songs, one of which she sang, and many accolades from everyone in the room, the marchioness rose slowly from her seat.
“This has been a very lovely afternoon,” she said. “But I am afraid that I must take my leave.”
Rose moved away from the pianoforte and over to Lillian.
“Thank you so much for joining us,” Rose said warmly.
Lillian dipped her head, her eyes sparkling.
“Thank you once again for inviting me, Lady Rose,” she said. “It was wonderful to see you, as well, Lord Elbrook.”
Daniel stood and bowed politely.
“The pleasure was mine, Lady Dolomore,” he said with a warm smile.
“Please,” the Earl said, also rising from his seat. “Allow me to see you off.”
“That would be wonderful,” the marchioness said, taking the Earl’s arm.
The butler stepped aside and stood in the doorway as Rose’s father slowly walked with the dowager to the front door. As soon as they were out of sight, Daniel stood and approached Rose.
“You play beautifully,” he said, seemingly in awe. “And your voice is exceptional.”
Rose, still half lost in her thoughts, smiled softly.
“You are very kind,” she said. “Thank you.”
Daniel studied her for a moment.
“What is it?” he asked, his voice full of concern.
“Pardon?” Rose asked, confused.
“You seem rather preoccupied,” he said. “I have noticed since you began playing.”
Rose blanched and looked at Daniel. His bottomless blue eyes were warm and concerned, and his face was kind, but she hesitated. What would a respectable man like Daniel think if she confessed all her troubles to him? What would he think of her, of her father?
She tried to put on her brightest, bravest smile.
“Father surprised me a great deal by inviting you to tea today,” she said. It was part of the truth, so Rose did not feel so much like she was lying to Daniel.
“Please, accept my sincerest apologies for having such an offensive presence,” Daniel teased, giving a greatly exaggerated bow.
Rose could not help but laugh.
“Oh, please” she said, waving her hand at Daniel. “I simply meant that he seemed to have forgotten to tell me that we were having company.”
“Yes, he seemed quite aware that the marchioness would be in attendance, as well,” Daniel said, with a chuckle of his own.
Rose blushed, but she laughed again.
“You make quite a fair point,” she said with a giggle.
Daniel’s smile gradually faded, and his face became concerned once more.
“I understand that things must be quite stressful with the theater in such disrepair,” Daniel began.
Rose blinked. She was not surprised that Daniel knew about the incident; all of the ton knew. She was, however, surprised, that he would care.
“I want to let both you and your father know that I will help in any way that I can,” Daniel continue.
Rose smiled, but her lips were tight. His offer was clearly sincere, but he did not know of the strange man she saw before the chandelier fell. Nor did he know that she was going to seek the Specter’s help.
Rose wanted so much to explain everything to him, but she was not yet sure.
Daniel looked into her eyes and smiled once more.
“And I promise you, you will have any aid you need, no matter what the issue,” he said.
Rose’s heart began to beat faster. Had he heard her thoughts? Had she accidentally spoken aloud? No, she thought, feeling instantly silly. My face must be speaking volumes.
She still hesitated to tell Daniel everything, but she found that his words and his offers brought her great comfort. She smiled again at him, much more genuinely, and met his gaze fEarlessly.
“I will keep that in mind,” she said.
Chapter 11
After leaving Rose’s home, Daniel went straight back to the theater.
James had given him Rose’s note, which had asked him, or rather, the Specter, to meet her at the theater at 7 o’clock that evening.
He still had a few hours before he was to meet Rose, but he intended to do what he could to assist those working on the theater in the meantime. Rose’s apparent worry while they were having tea had wounded Daniel, and now he was more resolute than ever to do whatever he could to help her and her father.
He also hoped that whatever it was that she would not tell him, she would tell the Specter that evening. He suspected that would be case, since he believed that part of her distraction had to do with their impending meeting.
When he arrived at the theater, he went straight to work. He helped haul away more ruined pieces of cloth, wood and metal. He helped organize things that could be saved where he could and took it upon himself to begin cleaning some of the things that could be salvaged.
As he was bustling back and forth, rushing to complete as many tasks as he could manage, he happened to look up at the place where the chandelier had once been. He stopped for a moment, trying to figure out what might have made it fall so suddenly. Surely, there were no worn out ropes. Rose and her father loved the theater well and could afford to make repairs needed to prevent such a catastrophe.