Page 108 of A Most Forgettable Girl

Suddenly, he recalled her indignant account of how Mistress Bartree would not share her duties. Gunnilde had been so spirited and open in the retelling. He missed those days. She had not spoken with such animation in a while. “How is Mistress Bartree?” he asked as Gunnilde sank onto a seat next to her brother and placed the books in a neat pile at her feet.

“She is much the same as she always is.” She shrugged. “Perhaps a little sourer, as the Queen was conferring with Viscountess Bardulf all morning, so she was left out in the cold like the rest of us.”

“In the Queen’s privy chamber, was she?” Hal asked casually.

“Yes,” she replied, picking the top book off the pile and opening it.

“How about this afternoon?” Hal persisted. “Was the Queen still favoring the viscountess?”

Gunnilde hesitated. “I, er, well, I did not go to the Queen’s chambers this afternoon,” she admitted, keeping her eyes firmly trained on her book. “I was invited to attend a function in the lower gallery with some friends and went to that instead.”

Hal opened his mouth to interrogate her about which friends but as James already knew this, he forestalled him. “Perhaps you should tell Mistress Bartree about ‘I Cannot Show the Love I Owe,’” he suggested. “You could tell her it will be performed at our banquet in her honor.”

Gunnilde almost dropped her book. “Really?” she gasped, snapping it shut. He nodded, glad to get a strong reaction out of her. She flushed and bit her lip. “How do you think she will feel about it?”

James shrugged. “I hardly know. She may even be wildly offended.”

“Offended?” she repeated indignantly. “Once she has heard it, she could not be!”

“What the devil is it?” asked Hal. “A poem?”

“A piece of music,” his sister corrected him. “The most wonderful piece of music you ever heard! James wrote it.”

James was surprised and gratified by her vehemence. Had she really liked it that much?

“I did not realize you were going to perform it at our banquet,” she exclaimed. Which, as he had only just decided on it, was hardly surprising. “I know Arthur Billingsley and Master Chamberlain are playing for us, but will you invite the other musicians to come too?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, “but if they cannot attend it hardly signifies. I can arrange a pared-down version for our guests.”

“Oh no!” she said, shaking her head. “If Mistress Bartree is to hear it for the first time, then it must be in its full magnificence!”

As Gunnilde had only heard it played in its early stages, James did not think even she had heard that. They had been practicing every day since then and he had tweaked and fine-tuned a good deal of it, as well as brought three more musicians on board.

“Why did you want to go and write a piece of music about The Bartree for?” Neville asked with disgust. “I daresay she will not send so much as a penny piece your way in patronage!”

“Yes, and what happened to False Billiam?” Hal asked sternly.

Gunnilde rounded on them at once. “Because her story inspired James, of course!” she said heatedly. “It gave him the creative spark.” She looked suddenly self-conscious. “I was hearing all about such things in my lecture this afternoon by Master Aldwick.”

James sat up in his seat. “And who, pray, is Master Aldwick?”

“Oh, have you not heard of him? He is a poet that Winifred admires very much. She says he is sure to become one of the greats, given time.”

Ah, thought James, Lady Winifred Hawes. This confirmed his suspicions. “But why are you listening to poets when you do not care for poetry?”

“Oh, well...” She glanced down, pleating her skirts. “I thought I should likely give it another try. Besides, it only lasted an hour. After that, I accompanied Harriet to her tailor’s appointment.”

“Wanted your opinion on a new gown, did she?” Hal asked. “I’m not surprised. She’s one of those quietly pretty girls. She needs something to make her stand out from the crowd. Maybe a nice scarlet brocade.”

“Lady Harriet?” Neville said, frowning. “I’m surprised you even know her, Payne.” Vaguely, James noted his brother sounded put out by this, though he had no idea why.

“Oh, I’m on my way to racking up a fair acquaintance about court now,” Hal said comfortably.

“Especially among the ladies,” James said dryly. Hal nodded in agreement, quite unabashed.

“In fact, Harriet wanted me to explain tippets,” Gunnilde clarified. “For Master Forrester had never heard of them, and Lady Portstanley won’t let her engage a more up-to-date tailor.”

Hal tutted. “That’s too bad. Her current one doesn’t do her justice.”