Page 28 of Singing For His Kiss

Beautifully crafted chairs were set up side by side, all facing the piano, in preparation for a mini concert. The room was luxurious, daunting and overwhelming all at once. She’d never seen a room so magnificent.

“Come on. Let’s play the piano.” Madeline tugged Elizabeth into the room.

“Oh no. I’m not going to touch a thing like that.” Her mind spun with all the things that could go wrong. “What if I scratch it?”

“This was Mummy’s. She’d let you play it.”

Elizabeth stared at the piano, dumfounded. “What do you mean? This was your mother's?”

“She used to play it. She was good. She had concerts and everything.”

“Really?”

Judging by the quality of the instrument, Madeline’s mother had been a serious musician. Not just serious – talented. No one would purchase something like this unless they really knew how to use it. She wandered, spellbound, towards the piano, as though an invisible cord tugged at her core. Wanting – needing – to see it more closely.

She touched the keys. Just lightly. They were smooth and cool to the touch. Alabaster white and shining black. This was nothing like the pianos she’d ever played. They were usually old, out of tune sticks of wood. This – this - was the true meaning of an instrument.

The superb craftsmanship was apparent just by looking at it. Breath held, she pressed a key. The note echoed throughout the space, the quality of the tone nothing short of pure. An instrument of this magnitude called for skill and talent. A complicated classical piece. Chopin, or Bach perhaps.

Before she could stop her, Madeline plonked down on the seat and hit several keys. The sound could probably be heard throughout the house. Although she was horrified, she was also astounded the clashing tones didn’t mask the quality of the instrument. It was amazing. She’d never had the chance even to come close to an instrument like this.

She couldn’t resist. She just had to touch it. She had to play. It was always this way with music. With an instrument. Her fingers itched with a mind of their own. Awed at playing such a fine instrument, she sat next to Madeline, and despite the fact that this was going to get her in trouble, she surrendered to the temptation to play.

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