Love in a Major Key by Fiona Hill

Author:Fiona Hill
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626814875
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2014-11-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter VI

The Season progressed, as Seasons will, the days lengthening imperceptibly as spring broadened towards summer, the costumes of the ton growing less substantial as its gossip grew more so, since each evening provided new opportunities for intrigue and scandal. Lady Hargreave was rumoured to have taken a lover; Lady Margold was reputed to have abandoned hers; and so on. The gentlemen strove to commit ever greater follies as they challenged one another to races, contests, and duels, gambling sums upon these which were so extravagant as to be positively bizarre. Very little of this extraordinary way of life penetrated to the Keyes family, for they followed scrupulously the precepts which Lady Bryde had set down for them and these shielded them indeed from the greater irregularities of the aristocracy. Exactly as she had predicted, in fact, they had made very little mark upon London, and were scarcely discussed at all. They went on, consequently, quite comfortably.

Christian Livingston, that remarkable pianofortist, was the talk of London this Season. No self-respecting hostess omitted to engage his services for her dancing-soirée or ball; if Mr. Livingston were unavailable, she simply changed her scheme and held a rout or card-party instead. It was generally discovered some time during May that Mr. Livingston composed as well as played, and from that time on all sorts of musical afternoons were planned and attended. There seemed no end to his popularity, and hardly a soul in London dared to deny his genius.

Daphne, of course, saw him every where. It was impossible not to, since the ton had made a pet of him. They smiled at one another always; on several occasions they had opportunity to speak, which they did civilly and shortly; but it was not until early June, at the Viscountess Kirkwald’s modest soirée, that their acquaintanceship began to take on the cast of what might be called a liaison.

Christian had been permitted, during the early part of the evening, to play what he would. Some twenty couples sat quietly in the Viscountess’ drawing-room, or stood speaking in low voices among themselves, during this performance—not a few of them finding his much-praised compositions perplexingly dissonant, and secretly hoping it would soon be over. It was, of course, and an interlude followed during which a light collation was served in the dining-room. When this repast had ended there was to be dancing. Daphne had come escorted by Latimer only, for though he was yet unwilling to go into public, their mother had succumbed to an headache—which was apparently contagious, since their father caught it too. She found Mr. Livingston’s playing enchanting, as she always did, and forgot to go in to supper. On most evenings, William Ballard—whose attentions had become excruciatingly assiduous—would have been at her side to prevent her forgetting; but the Ballards had gone to the theatre tonight, since Lady Ballard had been feuding with the Viscountess Kirkwald for years. Daphne had been invited to make up one of their party, but she had declined.

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