PUBLISHED TO YOUTUBE ON JULY 18, 2012 BY THE PIANO GUYS.
Isn’t this video fun to watch? I love how they use so many different parts of the piano. I’m pairing it with a chapter from No Other Choice (Choices, book 2). In this chapter, Georgiana helps Mary see herself through eyes other than her own.
Reminder: The Choices Series compilation ebook is currently on sale for $2.99 USD at all vendors and with all currencies reduced. The price will go back up to full price on Sunday, March 15, 2020. Because that is just a great price, all the links in this post will take you to the bundle.
No Other Choice, Chapter 4
Knowing that Lord Rycroft had mentioned the previous evening that he would be riding in the morning, Mary entered the breakfast room the next morning without worrying about whether he would be there or not. She had managed a full day without once giving in to her desire to lecture, and he had seemed rather contrite in all his actions toward her after he left the music room. It was as if he was trying to prove to her that he was not the oaf he continually claimed to be. It was quite unsettling to have him behaving so well. It made it difficult for her to maintain her resolve to avoid him, for he was pleasant company. Relieved that the breakfast room was indeed all hers, she filled her cup with tea and began to toast her bread.
“Ah, good,” said Rycroft as he entered the room. “Is Georgiana awake?”
“Are you not riding?” Mary turned her bread trying to focus on it rather than the man who was disturbing her quiet breakfast.
“I have, and I will.” He took a piece of bread and placed it on a toasting fork before joining her at the hearth. “You said you did not ride well. We should remedy that.”
“Today?” Mary’s eyes grew wide in surprise, and she nearly forgot to turn her bread again.
He nodded. “Did you have other plans?”
“We are going to the museum to draw this afternoon, but I had no plans other than to practice or read this morning.” And she had planned on avoiding him again today.
“Good.” He placed his bread near hers. “Now, do you know if Georgiana is awake?”
Mary sighed and turned her bread one last time. “She is, but I do not have a riding habit, so I am afraid we will not be able to ride today.”
“I thought of that. I have borrowed one from Brownlow’s sister.”
“You did what?” Mary pulled her bread from the fire and slid it off onto a plate. Apparently, avoidance of his lordship was not going to be an option today.
“I borrowed a habit.”
“From a lady I have never met?” She hoped beyond hope that he had not painted her as a project in need of assistance.
“Is this a problem?” His brows were drawn together. “Lady Serena was happy to help.”
Mary’s knife stopped with the sweet cream only half spread on her toast. A knot formed in her stomach. “What did you tell her?”
“I said that my mother had a guest staying with her and that the lady would like to ride but, unfortunately, did not have a habit with her.” He joined her at the table, his toast looking, in her opinion, a bit too sickly white to be proper. “I did not say anything that would embarrass you.”
“Are you certain?”
He paused and his brows drew together again as he thought. Then, he nodded his head. “Yes, I believe everything I said was acceptable.”
Relief washed over her as she cut her bread into small triangles. “Then, I thank you.”
He blinked. He did not know what he had expected ─ more questioning perhaps or some other objection to his plans ─ but not a thank you.
“Is she a particular friend of yours or merely the sister of a friend?”
He was still looking at her mouth ─ the lips that had just thanked him ─ as she lifted a piece of bread and took a bite. He quickly shifted his gaze to his plate as the tip of her tongue flicked out to catch a small bit of jam that remained on her lips.
“Merely the sister of a friend. She is all but betrothed to Lord Bowthorpe. It is expected to be the match of the season, or so her mother says.” He peeked up at her just as she kissed a bit of something from the tip of her finger. He expelled a breath and returned his attention to his own toast and the topic of conversation. “I believe, however, your sister’s conquest of my cousin may eclipse it for a time.”
At that, Mary giggled. The thought of her sister Elizabeth being the talk of the ton was strange. “If I had to choose a sister to be the topic of gossip, I would not have chosen Elizabeth.” She shrugged. “Kitty, possibly. Lydia,” she sighed, “more than likely.”
“And you?” There really was something about her eyes when she was amused, a twinkle that was most becoming.
“It is not one of my goals,” she said with a laugh. “But if the gossip were for a good reason, which it rarely is, I would not be averse to being a small topic of conversation.”
“And what would you say is a good reason?” He filled his cup with tea.
“I do not know. Something noble. Something of significance to help another. ”
He laid his spoon on his saucer and lifting his cup and stared at some object across the room. “Even when an act is done for all the right reasons, the gossips have a way of twisting it about to make it scandalous. They do not want to hear of good or noble acts.” He shook his head. “They do not deal in the imparting of truth or kindness.” There was a hint of bitterness in his voice. “And they enjoy nothing better than to ruin the life of any young lady who makes an error.” He took a sip of his tea.
Mary chewed her last bite slowly and swallowed, washing it down with the last of her tea. “That is what happened to you,” she said softly.
He looked at her in surprise. “You heard?”
She shrugged. “Papa read the news. Lydia read the on dit, and I listened.” She stood to leave. “Do not fear. I shall not ask. You may be a partial oaf, but I do not believe you are what the gossips portrayed.”
He grabbed her hand as she moved to leave. “You do not wish to know?”
She smiled at him. “I did not say that. I said I would not ask.”
He dropped her hand. “Thank you. That you, an acquaintance of short duration and a lady of principle, would not label me as they do means a great deal and to do so without knowing the full story means even more.” She stood waiting for him to continue for he looked as if he would. “I was very much like the man they portrayed me to be. Reckless. Seeking pleasure. Shirking responsibility. But never to anyone’s harm but my own.”
Mary lay her hand on his. “As you told your mother, you are that man no longer?”
He smiled and nodded. “I hope that is true.”
She gave him that little shrug again. “You must not hope. You must believe.” She turned and walked to the door, but stopped. “The riding habit, is it in my room?”
“It is.” He was still staring at that spot across the room. “Have Georgie join us in three-quarters of an hour.”
He looked toward her, and she curtseyed quickly. “As you wish, my lord.” His laugh followed her as she scooted out of the room. A smile formed on her lips of its own accord. Perhaps he was not so bad as she had thought. He had taken it upon himself to help her in learning to ride. As she ascended the stairs, she replayed his comments about the scandal that had driven him out of town. The emotions that had played across his face and found their way into his tone spoke of a man with more depth than she had considered. She had said she would not ask about the scandal, but oh how she wanted to! She remembered the story. She had looked for it in the stack of papers in her father’s study after she had met him. Having matched him to the Lord R of Essex mentioned in the paper, she had read the information several times.
Lord R of Essex has made himself scarce from town after being found in the company of Miss F when he was known to have been courting Lady S. It is said that the jilted lady’s brother, a close friend of Lord R, has broken ties with him.
She stopped as she pushed open the door to her room and her gaze fell on the beautiful blue riding habit that lay on her bed. Lady S! Lady Serena? She turned and looked back down the stairs. He had said she was merely the sister of a friend, a friend who had looked nothing but pleased to see him when he had come to visit that evening. She walked to the bed and ran her hand over the fabric of the habit. Even when an act is done for all the right reasons, he had said. As she moved to the bell pull, Mary considered what right reasons there could be for jilting a lady, especially one who was presumably a friend. How she wished she had not made the promise to not ask him about the scandal! She rang the bell to have a maid help her change. Then, remembering her promise to tell Georgiana about being ready, she hurried down the hall to her door, watching over her shoulder in case the maid arrive before she returned to her room.
“Miss Darcy,” she called. She bit her lip and stared at the open door to her room; anxiety that she would cause the made she had called to wait climbed her spine, making it prickle. Thankfully, Georgiana was quick in opening the door. “We are to go riding with Lord Rycroft in three-quarters of an hour.”
Mary looked over her shoulder and saw the maid just reaching her room. “Oh, I must go. I forgot that I was to tell you of the riding until after I pulled the bell for the maid to help me with my riding habit.” She was hurrying down the hall. “Well, actually, it is not my habit, it is borrowed.”
Georgiana followed her. “Borrowed?”
“Yes,” said Mary as she reached her room. “Lord Rycroft borrowed it from Lord Brownlow’s sister.”
Georgiana’s eyes grew wide. “Lady Serena?”
Mary nodded.
Georgiana sat on the bed. “I did not think she would have lent him anything after what happened.”
Mary stepped out of her day gown. “So she is the Lady S who was jilted?”
Georgiana nodded. “I did not think it strange that her brother would visit my cousin because a sister being attached to an equally worthy gentleman, who from all appearances is loved by her and loves her in return, is just the happy balm needed to heal a breach such as that.” She sighed. “Men are such fickle creatures. But a woman who has been so injured?” She shook her head. “How does one recover from such a thing so fully and in such a short time?” She stood at the window looking out across the garden. “I am sure I could not,” she said softly.
“Love heals,” said Mary. “You said she loves Lord Bowthorpe, and he loves her?”
Georgiana nodded as she turned toward Mary. “Oh, Miss Mary! You look lovely.”
Mary fastened the closures on the jacket. “It is a beautiful dress, and it fits so well.”
“That it does,” said Georgiana motioning for Mary to turn. “You shall not have to ride well to be noticed in this dress.” She grabbed Mary’s hand. “Come. Bring your hat. I will have my maid fix your hair once I am dressed.” Georgiana pulled her down the hall towards her room. “You must tell me what you meant by love healing while I am dressing, Miss Mary.”
Mary entered Georgiana’s room. “Might you call me just Mary?”
Georgiana smiled. “If you will call me either Georgiana or Georgie.”
“Very well,” said Mary sitting on the bed. “Georgiana. It is a beautiful name.”
“Thank you.”
Georgiana’s maid, who had just finished helping her dress when Mary had arrived to tell Georgiana they would be riding, had laid out her mistress’s riding habit and set about helping her change as soon as the door had been closed.
“Now, that thing about love healing.”
Mary cocked her head to the side and studied Georgiana. She seemed very anxious to hear this. Her expression was one of eager anticipation.
“My theory,” said Mary, “and it is only a theory because I do not know the full story, is that there was either no attachment or a false attachment. Perhaps there was an infatuation between Lord Rycroft and the lady. Such sentiments are easily replaced by true and steady affection, which is a healing balm that wraps itself around your heart until the cracks and pain gradually fade away, and its steadfastness frees your heart to trust once again.”
“What a beautiful thought,” said Georgiana with a sigh. “Have you ever felt you were in love only to find your heart had tricked you?”
Mary smiled. “What young girl has not?”
Georgiana, fully gowned in her habit, motioned for Mary to sit in front of the mirror. “Have you ever considered doing something very foolish because of those feelings?”
Mary noted the hint of pink that crept into Georgiana’s cheeks. “I have, but I was prevented.” Georgiana’s maid had removed the pins from Mary’s hair, and it tumbled down her back nearly to her waist. “I was to meet a young gentleman alone.” She looked at Georgiana and then the maid.
“Oh, Sarah is very discreet,” said Georgiana. “She will not share what she hears.”
“No, miss. What I hear stays with me, miss.” She had plaited Mary’s hair and was beginning to pin it up securely in loops.
“Very well. I shall trust you.” She gave Sarah a smile in the mirror. “I was fifteen and our neighbour’s cousins came for the summer. One cousin in particular was of interest to me. He had just passed his eighteenth birthday. He was tall and had lovely blond hair that curled about his ears and at his neck and on his forehead.” She sighed. “He was very handsome, and instead of paying any attention to my sisters Jane or Elizabeth, he chose to spend his time with me.” As Sarah pinned her hat in place, Mary turned so that she could see Georgiana. “I had not ever had the attention of such a gentleman before Roger. He was amiable and charming. He was all that I thought a young man should be, but he was not as he appeared.” She stood and allowed Georgiana to take her turn at the mirror.
“He read me poems and said very pretty things, and soon I fancied myself in love with him. I was so convinced of my feelings that I agreed to meet him on a walk. He had often whispered his desire to hold my hand and to kiss me.
“I blush to say that his constant attentions, his small brushes of his hand against my arm or the tucking of a stray strand of hair behind my ear, had left me desiring his kisses. I slipped out of the house on the day we were to meet a few moments earlier than necessary. I have never been given to tardiness, and it is what saved me. For as I approached the gate where we were to meet, I saw a bonnet duck behind a bush. He had been waiting for me with another. I saw them embracing. His hands were roaming over her back and…” Her cheeks coloured, and she dropped her eyes, “lower.”
Georgiana’s eyes grew wide with understanding. “How dreadful!”
Mary nodded. “I felt a fool for having fallen for such a man.”
Georgiana stood with her hands on her hips. “But he was a deceiver! You could not have known.”
“I should have known when he chose me over my sisters,” Mary said quietly.
“Why?”
Mary smiled sadly at Georgiana. How did one explain one’s lack of beauty?
“Oh, no!” said Georgiana. “Stand here.” She pointed to a spot in front of the mirror. “I do not know what you looked like then, but look at yourself now. You are beautiful. Your cheeks are perfectly rosy. Your nose is small. Your eyes shine with your emotions, and your mouth is lovely ─ neither too thick nor too thin. And your figure…” Georgiana studied Mary for a moment. “Although you are not tall, your height is by no means deficient, and you have ─ Oh, I do not know how to say it politely ─ you have softness in all the proper places. You shall turn many heads this season, and one of them may possess that healing love of which you spoke.”
Mary’s cheeks were glowing quite rosy, and she had to blink against the tears that had formed in her eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I have never before heard myself described as anything so pleasant.”
Georgiana wrapped her arms around Mary from behind. “You are everything that is pleasant. Is she not, Sarah?”
“That she is, Miss. Always polite and very pretty.” She ducked her head a bit. “I should not say it, but I heard it mentioned by a footman or two that you were pretty. They did not say it in an improper way, mind you. It was merely a comment made in passing about your arrival.”
Mary smiled at Sarah, who was looking uneasy about having shared so much. “Thank you. That is very nice to hear.”
“Did you require anything else, Miss Darcy?”
Georgiana looked at her reflection in the mirror. “No. You have done an excellent job. I dare say we are both very well-turned-out.” She took Mary by the arm. “Shall we go present ourselves to our escort and instructor?”
Mary took a last look in the mirror, turning just a bit to inspect her complete outfit. It did fit well, and the style Sarah had created for her hair gave a softness to her features that she quite enjoyed. She smiled at her reflection and nodded her head. She was ready.
And did Mary’s escort and instructor find her acceptably attired? Well, this is from the next chapter…
Daniels gave Rycroft a most disapproving look but stepped to the side. “Please wait here. Mr. Darcy is currently in a meeting, I shall see if he is willing to speak with you after he has finished.”
Rycroft’s brows rose. “A meeting?”
“Yes,” replied the butler. “It seems you are not the only person to ignore propriety today.”
Rycroft shifted from foot to foot as he waited for Daniels to return. He was not even sure why he was here. He just knew he needed to speak to someone about that riding lesson. He shook his head to clear the images of Mary in that riding habit from his mind. He did not remember Lady Serena ever looking so enticing when wearing that gown. And he was not the only gentleman to notice…
That was a most entertaining video and the music was so lovely. I love those guys and now, their friends. What a group.
Poor Rycroft, bless his pointy-little head. I can’t help but like him. You keep bringing stories I have forgotten about and then I remember why I liked them so well and NOW, I want to read them again. Time… I need tiime.
Aren’t they great? They always do such a wonderful job with all their music videos. They’re a truly talented group of fellas.
If you can find where to get more time, let me know. LOL 😉 I seem to always be short of that particular commodity. I keep getting sucked into stories and reminded of how much I loved writing them as I look for what to share on Mondays. I, too, love Lord Rycroft. He’s a fun character.
I enjoyed the video and reading this book excerpt again . I love books that feature Mary, the overlooked sister and daughter.
I like writing stories for Mary. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the music and the chapter