Beauty and the Brooding Lord by Sarah Mallory

Author:Sarah Mallory [Mallory, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488087066
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2018-11-01T16:06:21+00:00

Chapter Ten

The golden glow of the evening sun had been replaced by candlelight by the time Quinn and Tony returned to the drawing room, although the long doors to the terrace were thrown wide to allow in the balmy night air. The gentlemen’s quiet entrance went unnoticed and they both remained by the door, unwilling to cause a distraction. Serena was at the piano, playing a sonata, while Lottie sat beside her, turning the pages. Quinn had not seen Serena play before, although he had occasionally heard the melodic strains of the piano filtering through the house, but Serena always left the instrument as soon as he appeared.

He stood now, entranced by the performance, until the final note died away.

‘Bravo, my lady.’ Tony applauded enthusiastically.

‘She is very good, isn’t she?’ said Lottie. ‘I could never play Scarlatti.’

‘That is because you will not take the trouble to practise,’ retorted her fond spouse. ‘But Quinn here is an excellent pianist. Has he played for you, Serena?’

‘Not yet, but I had guessed he was musical because this is such a beautiful instrument.’ She ran her hands over the keys. ‘It is kept in tune, too. Do you do that yourself, my lord?’

‘No. Houston’s send someone out from town to do it.’

Lottie said mischievously, ‘I think the two of you should play a duet for us.’

Serena quickly vacated her seat at the piano, blushing and shaking her head.

‘Perhaps we shall,’ said Quinn, ‘when we have had the opportunity to practise together.’

Serena said hastily, ‘Lottie, you were telling me about the new Italian songs you have purchased. Perhaps you would sing one of them?’ She glanced at the clock. ‘We have time, before I order the tea tray.’

‘Yes indeed,’ declared Tony. ‘Since you made me send for the sheet music, at vast expense, may I say, I should like to see what we get for our money!’

Knowing that Tony would not deny his wife anything, Quinn laughed at that.

‘Yes, come along, Lottie,’ he said, taking Serena’s arm and drawing her down on the sofa beside him. ‘It is your turn to entertain us.’

* * *

Serena tried to concentrate on the singing, but all she could think of was Quinn sitting beside her. He was at his ease, one arm along the back of the sofa. Surely it was mere imagination that she could feel the heat of it on her spine. If she were to relax just a little, she was sure she would feel his hand against her shoulders. The thought was strangely exciting, but frightening, too. After last night, would he think she was teasing him? He might be offended. He might even move away and that was the last thing she wanted.

Serena remained rigidly upright, fixing her attention upon Lottie’s performance and trying to forget how close Quinn was, his muscular thigh almost touching hers, his fingers only inches from her back. She thought she would be pleased when the song was over, but when it ended and Quinn sat up

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