Free The Lorimer Line by Anne Melville Page B

songs which one hand provided as accompaniment for the melody played by the other. The piece was bound to be well known to all the ladies in the audience who had daughters of their own. Perhaps it was for that very reason, because they had heard it more stumblingly practised in their own drawing rooms, that they were generous in their applause.
    The two girls then changed places so that Luisa could play the accompaniments to their songs. Margaret stood stiffly, half facing her, with one gloved hand resting on the piano. Her first solo was an old favourite:
I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls.
Luisa played the introduction and Margaret began to sing.
    Throughout their little concert David’s eyes were fixed on the performers. An hour earlier Margaret would have taken it for granted that he was watching her. But now her pleasure was spoilt by Luisa’s presence. When they began their duets, Luisa sang the alto part and, although she took care to adjust her voice to Margaret’s sweet but less powerful soprano, the richness of her tone left no doubt that hers was the superior talent.
    Margaret, recognizing that Luisa had few advantages in life to compare with those of her own birth, had never before experienced any jealousy. Now, for the first time, she found herself resenting not only her musical inferiority but also the fact that her friend, unlike herself, was sopoised and stately. Elegance was a gift which Margaret had always affected to despise, since she knew that she could never possess it, but at this moment she was brought near to tears by the knowledge of her own lack of style.
    The reason for her jealousy was not hard to find when she looked at it honestly. As she ruefully castigated herself for not allowing poor Luisa her superiority in these areas, she realized the explanation with a shock so sudden and intense that for a moment her head swam. What she felt was not just pique. She had fallen in love.
    She did her best to conquer the surge of emotion. David had appealed to her at first sight for no better reason than the look of his curly hair and handsome face and slim figure. Later in their first meeting she had approved of his honest outspokenness and was grateful for the sympathy he showed towards her ambition. He was ambitious himself – she was sure of that, and in turn sympathized with him. Although conscious of being in this one respect held back by the wealth and position of her family, she could understand how much more severely David was handicapped by the poverty into which he had been born. From their conversation in Leigh Woods she knew that he had been an only child and that his parents were already dead. He was alone in the world in a way which she could hardly imagine. All these different impressions had combined to make her aware of a peculiar interest in him, but only now did she realize how much her feelings had deepened.
    After the music was over, the sight of David coming towards the piano made her steel herself to hear his compliments directed elsewhere. Yet it was after all her own hand over which he bowed. She told herself that this was merely social politeness, but his admiration appeared to be sincere. A little at a time she allowed relief to creep over her and dared to feel pleasure in the conversation with an intensity heightened by her earlier apprehension. It even seemed safe at last to turn towards Luisa.
    â€˜I believe you are already acquainted with Mr Gregson,’ she said.
    â€˜It’s a strange coincidence,’ David replied. ‘Miss Reni and I lodge in the same house. We keep different hours, so that even on the staircase we have never met until tonight. I have often heard her practising the very songs which you have just performed, but without knowing that I should have the privilege of attending their performance. Mrs Lambert, my landlady, knowing my employment, mentioned to me on one occasion the arrival of the Lorimer carriage to call for Miss