It was a deliberate goad, but he failed to rise to the bait. “Yes, I’m very lucky in all my family.” His gaze carefully avoided Silver as he bowed mockingly. “Malvina’s waiting.”
Elspeth kept a firm clasp on Silver’s hand as she half-pushed, half-pulled the girl down the steps. “We’re coming. I’ve always loved piano music.”
“You haven’t heard the old woman play,” Silver muttered half beneath her breath. “You will wish you had gone back upstairs and covered your ears.”
Elspeth learned what she meant in the next three quarters of an hour. Malvina drew sounds from the upright Chickering piano that were unbelievably unharmonious. Elspeth listened in amazement as Malvina thumped the keys with blatant disregard of tempo, her hazel eyes shining with enjoyment. Elspeth cast a surreptitious sidewise glance at Shamus sitting on the elegant amber tufted couch beside her and received another shock. His face shone with the same pleasure and pride as when he had earlier spoken glowingly of his wife’s accomplishments. Great heavens, the man must be deaf not to recognize that Malvina was an abominable pianist.
Then, as Malvina finished the tune she was playing with a little flourish and turned to face them, Elspeth changed her mind. The look Malvina and Shamus exchanged was one of perfect understanding… and love.
“A delightful performance, my darlin’,” he said softly. “You get better every time I hear you play.”
Malvina’s cheeks flushed with pleasure as she rose from the piano stool, her emerald taffeta skirts rustling far more harmoniously than her recent effort at the keys. “I thought you’d like it, Shamus.” Malvina was suddenly no longer the grim, forceful woman Elspeth had met this morning. She was as eager and glowing as a young girl, her gaze shifted to Elspeth as if for approval.
What could she say? Elspeth wondered wildly. She moistened her lips with her tongue. “It’s a very pretty tune. I don’t believe I’ve ever heard it played quite like that before.”
She heard a small rude explosion of sound from the window alcove where Silver was sitting. Elspeth carefully avoided looking at Silver and kept her polite smile firmly in place.
Without so much as a glance at Silver, Malvina turned with a sweeping movement of royal disdain. “There are some people who have no ear for music.” She glanced at the fine bogwood clock that graced the mantel across the room. “It’s growing late. We won’t wait any longer for Brianne. Shall we go in to dinner?”
Shamus gallantly offered Elspeth his arm. “I told you we were in for a treat. Malvina could have been even better if she’d taken lessons when she was younger. She’s been trying to teach Brianne how to play, but the girl won’t sit still long enough to practice.” He shook his head. “My granddaughter would rather be down at the Mexican village or riding herd with the vaqueros. Do you know what she begged me to get her for her birthday? A new saddle! Malvina wanted to send her to St. Louis to buy some pretty gowns, but Brianne wouldn’t have any part of it. She wouldn’t leave Killara.” Affection and pride flickered in his expression. “She’s a Delaney through and through.”
Elspeth was growing more curious about Brianne Delaney by the moment. She obviously held a very special spot in the hearts of her grandparents, judging by Shamus’s remarks. A Delaney through and through. She inhaled sharply as the tactlessness, even cruelty of those words impacted upon her. How did Silver feel to have her cousin spoken of with such warmth and affection while she was denied even recognition as a member of the family? It was incomprehensible to her that Shamus could be so warm and callous at the same time.
She cast an anxious glance over her shoulder at Silver as Shamus escorted her through the archway that separated the parlor from the dining room. She sighed with relief as she realized she needn’t have worried about Silver’s reaction. She doubted if Silver had even heard Shamus’s words.
The young girl was standing by the piano, her fingers caressing the black and white keys with a loving touch. On her absorbed face was an expression that was an odd mixture of wistfulness, wonder, and hunger.
Elspeth was able to satisfy her curiosity regarding the Delaney “princess” a short time later. Brianne Delaney appeared in the dining room just as they were finishing their meal.
Her appearance was foreshadowed by the sound of the heavy front door being thrown open, the light clatter of boots on the tiles of the foyer, and then a hurried, breathless voice. “I
Brianne’s eyes brightened with curiosity as they fell upon Elspeth. She hurried forward, her hand outstretched. “How do you do. I’m Brianne Delaney and you must be Elspeth MacGregor. Patrick has told me all kinds of interesting things about you.” Her grip was as strong and cordial as her grandfather’s had been as she eagerly shook Elspeth’s hand. “I’ve wanted to see London and Edinburgh since Rising Star persuaded Patrick and me to study geography with her.”
“We can’t even get you to St. Louis,” Malvina said dryly.
“Someday.” Brianne laughed. “There’s plenty of time.” She turned to Silver seated at the place next to Elspeth and gave her an affectionate wink. “Isn’t that right, Silver? There’s no hurry about leaving Killara when there’s always so much to see and do here.”
Silver returned her smile and Elspeth could see no hint of resentment in her expression. It would have been impossible for Silver not to be stung my the favoritism shown Brianne by her grandparents, but she obviously did not blame her cousin for their discrimination.
“You’re too late for dinner,” Malvina said with an effort at gruffness. “You’ll have to grab a bite in the kitchen.”
Brianne nodded. “Rosa will fix me something.”
“And probably a better meal than she served us.” Shamus grimaced as he shook his head with mock ruefulness. “She wouldn’t want her
Brianne shook her head. “Cort told me he rode out of Shamrock five minutes after Dominic arrived.”
Shamus frowned. “I thought he’d gotten over the foolishness that made him fly up at Dominic. I’ll have to have a talk with him. It’s not like Patrick to hold a grudge.”
Brianne avoided her grandfather’s eyes as she said lightly, “Give him a little time. Patrick won’t let Dom leave Killara without settling their differences.” She turned back to Elspeth. “Why don’t I have Rosa fix me a tray and bring it up to Rising Star’s room? Then we can get comfortable and you can tell me all about Edinburgh and the journey across the sea and-”
“Miss MacGregor hasn’t been well,” Shamus said. He turned to Elspeth. “You mustn’t let this wild gypsy impose on you.”
“I don’t feel at all tired.” Elspeth found to her surprise that it was true. She had been so fascinated by the myriad complexities of the Delaney clan that she felt as if they had lent her a large quantity of their own vitality. “I would like very much to have a chat.” She smiled. “Though I imagine your account of your life here will be a great deal more colorful than what I can tell you. It’s true I’ve done a good deal of traveling but I’ve actually lived a very quiet life.”
Brianne grinned impishly. “Well, from what Patrick says, you’ve recently been making up for any past monotony.” She turned away and started for the door. “Just give me ten minutes to talk to Rosa and then get the smell of horse off me and I’ll join you in Rising Star’s room.”
“Elspeth is occupying your room because it’s the best bedroom,” Malvina called after her. “And Dominic is occupying his old room, and Silver’s here, so you’ll have to sleep in one of the guest rooms.”
Brianne smiled and said over her shoulder, “I’ll sleep on the couch in the library. I’ve always loved the smell of that room. The scent of ink and the leather binding of the books and Gran-da’s pipe tobacco…”
Then she was gone, her words drifting behind her as they had rushed before her, in a bright, shining trail.
12
