Child Of Music by Mary Burchell

Author:Mary Burchell [Burchell, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780373015085
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Published: 1971-10-15T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THREE

Dazed as she was by Stephen Tarkman's unexpected offer, Felicity found some difficulty in pulling herself together sufficiently to appear calm and sociable when the first visitors were ushered in. But as one of them proved to be Julia Morton, she called on all her powers of self-control, smiled sweetly and contrived to say all the right things.

With Mrs. Morton came Professor Blackthorn who was, Felicity remembered, the other person Stephen Tarkman had originally proposed to bring with him to the ill-fated school concert. Apparently the professor — a pleasant, middle-aged man with shrewd dark eyes behind horn-rimmed spectacles — remembered this too, because he immediately said,

'I was sorry not to come to your end-of-term concert a few weeks ago, but I had to go north to adjudicate at a county competition that night. How did things go?'

She was taken aback to find that apparently Janet had not rated so much as a word of discussion between the two men and she asked quickly, 'Didn't Mr. Tarkman tell you?'

'I haven't had a chance to talk to him since,' the professor explained.

'Oh — well,' Felicity admitted, 'I'm afraid my protégée had a fit of nerves and did herself less than justice, but—'

'It often happens,' he interrupted consolingly. 'She may get another opportunity. How old is she?'

'Eleven. She is Mrs. Morton's niece,' Felicity added in a lower tone, and she glanced across the room to where Stephen Tarkman was displaying to his other guests what appeared to be a recent addition to his collection of water-colours.

'Really?' Professor Blackthorn seemed interested. 'Was it she who first drew Tarkman's attention to the girl?'

'On the contrary,' replied Felicity drily. 'In my view, Mrs. Morton seriously underrates her niece's gifts, and there seems little sympathy between them. But of course one doesn't want to bring personalities into these matters.'

'Of course not,' agreed the professor, but rather regretfully, as though he would have enjoyed a little gossip at that point.

Sounds of other arrivals were heard just then, however, and into the room came Oscar Warrender, preceded by his wife.

Once more Anthea Warrender looked so engagingly like the Anthea Benton Felicity remembered from her student days that the years seemed to fall away, and she watched smiling while Stephen Tarkman welcomed his distinguished guests. Then Anthea turned, saw Felicity and cried,

'Felicity Grainger ! I don't believe it! Where did you find her, Stephen?' She kissed Felicity warmly and, still holding one of her hands, turned to her husband. 'Oscar, you remember Felicity? She and I roomed together at Mrs. McManus's when we were students.'

Felicity could think of no reason why Oscar Warrender should remember her, and she shrewdly suspected that he couldn't either. But he greeted her with a touch of the famous charm which he used when he wanted to be specially nice to a friend or unpleasant to an enemy, and the talk became general.

Within the next few minutes other guests arrived — mostly connected in some way with the Foundation or local friends of Stephen Tarkman, Felicity judged.

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