Page 46 of The Duke’s Duet

The words struck uncomfortably close to home. Harper moved slightly away from the group, ostensibly to accept a glass of wine from a passing servant. But he couldn't help overhearing Melody's response.

"You're very kind, Signor. Though I find English audiences are not entirely opposed to passion - when it's presented properly."

Was that a hint of challenge in her voice? Harper turned back in time to catch her glancing his way, something unfathomable in her expression.

"Ah, yes!" Bianchi clapped his hands. "Your famous duet with the Duke! I have heard talk of nothing else in musical circles. Such chemistry, they say. Such perfect harmony!"

Lady Pembroke, bless her romantic heart, chose that moment to draw Bianchi into a discussion of Italian opera, allowing Harper and Melody to step slightly apart from the group. They stood in companionable silence for a moment, watching other guests stroll past on the illuminated paths.

"You wrote to him about me."

It wasn't quite a question.

"Yes." There seemed no point in denying it. "Your talent deserves recognition beyond London's drawing rooms."

"Recognition? Or removal to a safe distance?"

The soft words struck him like physical blows.

"Melody..."

"No." She shook her head slightly. "Don't explain. I understand duty, Your Grace. I understand what's proper."

But her voice suggested that she understood far more than that - understood all of the things he couldn't say, all of the reasons that this opportunity in Italy was both perfect and terrible.

Before he could respond, Lucy Pembroke appeared at their side.

"We simply must walk through the Grove," she declared. "The new illuminations there are spectacular."

As they moved away from the pavilion, Harper caught Lord Pembroke's knowing look. Had his friend arranged this? Created an opportunity for him and Melody to speak more privately while maintaining the appearance of proper supervision?

The Pembrokes gradually fell behind, engrossed in what appeared to be a fascinating discussion of the gardens' design. Harper found himself walking beside Melody along a path lit by coloured lanterns, their light painting patterns across her face that made her seem almost otherworldly.

*****

Melody felt as if she'd stepped into another world. The illuminated paths wound through carefully cultivated wilderness, lantern light catching on leaves and branches to create shifting patterns of coloured shadow. The evening air carried the scent of night-blooming flowers, mixed with distant music and the subtle warmth of Brightwood's presence beside her.

They walked in silence at first, maintaining a proper distance between them though every fibre of her being yearned to move closer. The Pembrokes had fallen well behind - not quite out of sight, but far enough to give an illusion of privacy that made her heart beat faster.

"I used to dream of places like this," she found herself saying softly. "When I was young, practicing scales for hours, I'd imagine performing in magical gardens, where the music could flow freely without any constraints."

"And is the reality everything you imagined?"

His voice was equally quiet, intimate in the lantern-lit darkness.

"It's..." She hesitated, then decided on honesty. "Both more and less. More beautiful, certainly. But also more complicated. When I was a girl, I thought talent was all that mattered. That if I worked hard enough, developed my gift enough, then the rest would take care of itself."

"And now?"

"Now I understand that talent is only part of it. That there are other considerations - propriety, reputation, social position. That being respected for my voice doesn't necessarily mean being respected as a person."

They reached a small clearing where a fountain played, its waters catching the coloured light. Harper stopped, turning to face her.

"Has someone failed to show you proper respect?"

The protective edge in his voice made her smile sadly.

"Not in any way that I can openly object to. Just... little things. The way that some patrons speak to me, as if I'm some exotic creature they've purchased for their entertainment. The way that they assume that, because I perform publicly, I might be available for more... private performances."