“The fashion suits you, Theo,” Lena said with a smile, appreciating his appearance. “You look like a gentleman.”
Adam Klein, who had joined them as a violinist,looked around nervously. His wig was crooked on his head and the dark blue suit seemed too tight for him.
Her dream was on the brink of realisation—they were to make their debut that night at Metternich's soiree. Yet, paradoxically, she found herself wishing they didn't have to perform. It was their first time playing in such distinguished company. What if they failed? What if they forgot their music, their fingers became unresponsive, or, worse, the boys burst out into one of their laughing fits during their performance? What if the elite discovered they were really impostors and expelled them in disgrace? Such a failure could end their budding careers.
Sweat gathered under her arms at the mere thought.
“Never fear, Mama,” Theo drawled as he alighted from the carriage and picked up his cello. “We’re all heading for a shipwreck for sure. Relax in the knowledge that it will all end in disaster, chaos, and infamy, and we can enjoy every minute of it.”
“Thank you, Theo,” Lena replied stiffly, “you’re no help at all.”
As she turned away, Theo tugged at her sleeve. “We know the pieces by heart. You could wake us in the middle of the night, and we'd play them perfectly half asleep. There's no one in Vienna who can match us. Deep down, you know that’s true. Step Aside, Paganini, for the Arenheims are coming.” With a swagger, he headed for the servants’ entrance at the side of the building.
“There’s nothing wrong with some self-confidence, but yours borders on arrogance, Theseus Arenheim,” Lena scolded. Yet she couldn't help smiling. Theo hadmanaged to calm her nerves. Squaring her shoulders, she followed her children through the side entrance into the grand mansion.
“This place isfull of naked people, Mama,” the incorrigible Hector reported. He pointed to the statue of a man that stood at the top of the marble staircase. Indeed, the entire corridor resembled a gallery of Greek gods and goddesses and heroes, all naked.
“I wonder why they always have to plant a tiny leaf overthatparticular body part…” Les muttered as he inspected the statue of his namesake, Achilles.
Mona hushed him and ushered him along. “The guests will be arriving soon, and we need to set up and tune our instruments. Help us, boys.”
The rooms where they were to perform were bright and airy, with high stuccoed ceilings, buttery yellow wallpaper, freshly waxed parquet flooring and a massive marble fireplace. Gilded mirrors hung on the walls, reflecting the light from the crystal chandeliers and making the entire room sparkle.
“How wonderful,” Mona gasped.
A pianoforte stood in the corner of the room. This was where they would set up their instruments.
The event turned out to be less daunting than Lena had feared. Their task was simply to provide background music in the grand salon while the guests mingled. This meant that instead of the audience sitting and staring directly at them, there was a constant buzz of conversation and movement as people came and went. Thisinformal setting meant that their performance wasn’t the sole focus, which was a relief. If they weren’t the centre of attention, then minor mistakes or mishaps were less likely to be noticed.
On the other hand, this could also be a source of irritation. Could the children concentrate and perform when the room was restless?
It turned out that they could. Both Hecki and Les comported themselves well, turning the pages with unwavering concentration. Lena was proud of them.
They started with a Trio by Haydn with just the strings. Then Lena joined them on the pianoforte for a piece by Mozart. They played very well. In fact, they’d never played it so well before.
Lena was pleased.
The room began to fill with people. They were all dressed in the latest expensive fashion, and it was clear that these were people from the top echelons of society, the statesmen of the nations of Europe. A small crowd had gathered around them, clapping politely.
“The music is first-rate. They play exceptionally well,” said one gentleman to another, lifting his lorgnette to study them. He tapped his fingers lightly on his palm.
Elated, Lena stood up and bowed. Pride filled her.
“Let’s play Mozart’s second quartet,” Adam Klein said, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.
Lena nodded and sat down at the pianoforte.
It happened in the middle of the Allegretto. Her fingers flew across the keyboard. It was as if the music absorbed her and she and the music became one.Everything around her ceased to exist, and she felt and saw nothing else.
The sharp sound of glass smashing on the marble floor nearby jolted her out of her reverie. She flinched, and there was an infinitesimal pause as the music stopped.
“Continue,” Adam growled.
Lena gave a shake of her head and struggled to regain her concentration. Then her fingers continued to fly over the keys.
There was a long applause when they finished. They stood and bowed.
“Intermission,” Theo mouthed.
