The Virtuoso

Sixteen

Remember this, Ellen admonished herself. She ordered herself to recall the cedary scent of Val’s shaving soap, the feel of his arm embracing her where they sat on the hard bench, the reassuring heat of his body still warm from the exertion of conducting a major work. To recall the beloved sight of his face, so grave and tired now that the excitement of the debut was ebbing.

Remember this, because it might have to sustain you for a long, long time.

“You need to know,” Val began, “Freddy has left the country, and he is not expected back.”

“Gone?” Ellen’s jaw literally dropped. “Freddy detested travel by anything except curricle.”

“He’s better off on the Continent, believe me. Between Sir Dewey and Benjamin Hazlit, my private investigator, I have sworn statements sufficient to bring charges against Freddy on everything from conspiracy to commit arson, to attempted murder, to breaking and entering, and a host of lesser charges. I have a statement from the herbalist on the Roxbury estate. Freddy bribed her to teach him about poisons and further bribed her to sell him a supply of pennyroyal and to label it spearmint. She didn’t untangle his purpose until your third miscarriage, and by then, it was too late. She suspects Freddy did kill the late baron, but we’ll never know.”

“I wish I could kill Freddy,” Ellen said, staring at Val in shock.

“You won’t have to,” Val assured her. “He’s in debt to so many people from whom one does not under any circumstances borrow, that they’ll hunt him down and gladly make an example of him. Most damning of all, my father uncovered evidence Freddy has sold his vote in the Lords for coin, and that could cost him his title, should Prinny take him into dislike over it. Would you like that?”

“And the regent would benefit?”

“The regent would benefit handsomely.”

Ellen shook her head. “It doesn’t seem fair that one of the oldest titles in the land goes into escheat for the regent’s convenience. Freddy has an heir, and he may be a decent enough fellow.”

“He’ll certainly be an improvement over Freddy, but the Roxbury estate is of no moment to me whatsoever. Tell me you’ll marry me.”

“You’re sure he’s gone?” Ellen asked, unable to keep her voice from breaking. “He’ll stay gone? You’re safe from him?”

“I am safe from him.” Val held her gaze. “You are safe from him. I promise you this, Ellen, with my most solemn word. My family owns two shipping companies, and we’d spot him before he disembarked at any domestic port. His ship was headed for Italy by way of Portugal, because he already has enemies in France. He can afford to run for a bit, since he took his personal jewelry with him. Recall, though, that he’s alone, he doesn’t speak the language, doesn’t know the customs, and I have friends who will keep an eye on him in Rome. Will you marry me?”

“You’re going to keep composing, aren’t you?” Ellen peered at him worriedly. “That music, Val. It was… sublime. I could almost hear the frogs croaking and feel the tears on my cheeks—well, I could feel the real tears—and the flowers, I could smell them in the sunshine during that second movement. I think the Belmont boys were there too, and so was Marmalade. You have to keep writing. You have to. Is your hand all right?”

Val sat back and braced one of his hands on each of her arms. “If I promise to keep composing, will you marry me?”

“Yes.” It was a simple word but the most radiant in her vocabulary. Radiant like the notes of his symphony. “Yes. I will marry you, Valentine Windham, and you will write music, and our lives will always have something of the divine in them.”

“Always,” he agreed, hugging her to him.

And in his head, he heard a new tune: sweet, strong, and clear, underpinned by sturdy, driving rhythms and lush, generous harmonies. It was at once merry and profound, and as he bent to kiss his prospective wife, Val knew it might turn into something worthwhile, when he had some time to work on it.

And as it turned out, Valentine Windham was right. The working title of that piece, destined to be just as popular as his debut symphony, became, “Little Weldon Summer Christening.”