As her chin dropped and fingers slowed, Cassian wanted to object because he wanted her to keep playing.
Yet, despite his wishes, the song came to an end with her hands rested on the final notes, eyes closed, and a contented smile on her lips before Lady Samantha sighed and looked up.
All Cassian could do was smile and applaud as he approached. “You do play marvelously.”
Her cheeks deepened to a lovely rose as she glanced away. “Thank you.”
“Tell me, are you truly feeling so peaceful and calm.” He would ask if she were also filled with desire, but that would not have been appropriate.
Lady Samantha tilted her chin and frowned. “Is that what you experienced?”
“Yes,” he answered. “But that was not all.”
Thank goodness she had shielded herself before she began to play or Mr. Jourdain would not be peaceful. He would instead be suffering from disquiet and infatuation.
“I did tell you that I must be mindful when I play.” She’d not tell him that she was not at peace but would let him believe what he wished.
“I also experienced yearning.” He frowned and shook his head. “I have rarely felt anything but enjoyment when listening to a song.”
Neither peace, nor yearning, had been in her soul. Nor was it a song to produce either emotion. She had chosen a piece that was powerful and chaotic, one that she loved to play when tension needed to be released or she had too much energy in her body and it needed to be expelled. A song that caused her pulse to pound and set a soul on edge waiting for the tempo to crest before it slowly died into silence. Yet, he had experienced peace and yearning.
It was something she would need to ponder at a later time.
“You should play more often,” he said after a moment.
“I do not make a practice of it when I am not in my own home.”
“That would be a mistake. I very much enjoyed hearing you play.”
Her face heated, and Samantha could not meet his eyes. She had been complimented on her playing before, but it was a gift she had been given, nothing she had earned. Yet to hear his praise elicited pride. “Thank you, Mr. Jourdain.”
“Cassian.”
She glanced up to meet his silver eyes, lighter than she had previously noted.
“Please, call me Cassian.”
“I…um could not…it would not…” Goodness, why was she suddenly stammering?
“Everyone else does and it feels odd to be called Mr. Jourdain. In fact, I have not been addressed in that manner since I left school.”
“Where you studied hard,” she teased, though surprised that she was able to given her sudden embarrassment.
“Yes.” He chuckled.
He chuckled!
This was the first time that she had heard such a reaction from him.
Had her music unintentionally lifted a burden? Nothing could have made her happier if her playing had brought him peace even with yearning.
“Will you?” His voice intruded on her thoughts. “Call me Cassian.”
“I will try,” she finally answered, though not certain it would be possible. Calling him by his given name was too intimate, but she was the only person at Nightshade Manor who addressed him as Mr. Jourdain…
“There the two of you are.”
Samantha startled and looked behind Mr. Jour…Cassian to find Petra entering the music room.
