SEALs of Chance Creek 01 - A SEAL's Oath by Cora Seton

Author:Cora Seton [Cora Seton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: War
ISBN: 192703678X
Publisher: One Acre Press
Published: 2016-01-10T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

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BOONE ENJOYED THE dinner far more than he’d expected. He liked the Russells, but had expected to be put off by their lavish lifestyle. Instead, he’d been charmed by their sincere delight in entertaining Riley and her friends.

He was impressed by Savannah’s prowess at the piano. Music lessons had been non-negotiable in his household and he had studied the instrument until a final ugly rebellion at sixteen ended them. He was accomplished, but Savannah was obviously an expert. He had a healthy respect for anyone who transcended mere capability and actually brought passion to their playing. He enjoyed sitting down to play a duet with her—one he couldn’t believe he could still play after all this time.

It was obvious to him when Riley followed their performance that she feared she would come out the worse in a comparison with Savannah. As someone who’d struggled to become as competent as he was, he felt for her, so when she sat down and began to play he was relieved that she didn’t stumble and stutter through the piece. The only thing worse than being forced to play unprepared was to watch someone else do so, red-faced with humiliation. He smiled and relaxed, happy for the chance to watch her.

Then she began to sing.

She might as well have punched him in the gut. Boone had no idea that Riley could sing. Every syllable of her song reached into him, tangled its hand into his basest emotions and twisted until he was no longer his own man. Each note threaded a new connection between the two of them he knew would never be severed. How could something as simple as a woman’s voice create so much havoc in his heart?

The old-fashioned melody rose and fell, as did Riley’s hands on the keyboard. There was something pure about her voice and about her manner, too. It heartened him. Surely a woman who could appreciate such simplicity would one day see that his plans for his community made sense.

He also had to acknowledge that the experience wouldn’t be quite the same without the beautiful trappings. The song would have touched his heart no matter when or where he heard it, but the dress she wore, her elegant hairstyle, the room full of antiques framing her, all made the experience that much more special.

He wouldn’t trade these few minutes of beauty for a working windmill, he realized. Someday his community’s get-togethers would be just as memorable—he hoped—but this one would forever stand out as a special moment in time.

Everyone clapped heartily when Riley finished and she gave a little curtsy when she stood up from the instrument. When a woman Boone didn’t recognize in a plain, dark blue gown and a voluminous white apron edged into the parlor and announced that dinner was served, his surprise was echoed on the others’ faces.

“Thank you, Mrs. Wood,” Maud said and stood up to usher them into the dining room. “Mrs. Wood cooks for us several days of the week,” she explained.

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