Page 51 of Arranging Ayra
We headed straight to the back of the manor and plunked down at one of the small tables and ordered tea.
“I saw you sitting out in the garden yesterday,” she said as she carefully set her teacup down.
I smiled. “I’ve got a lot of things swirling around in my head. Sitting in the garden gives me a chance to unwind and concentrate on the music score.”
She let out a light laugh. “Geez. With everything going on and my constant headaches with Barnaby, I’d almost forgotten about that. How are things coming along?”
“Pretty good considering everything. Working on a romantic score for a Jane Austin movie isn’t easy when you’re stressed out.”
She set her hand over mine. “I’m sorry. That’s my fault. I shouldn’t have burdened you with the whole Barnaby issue. I need to step up and... well, put my foot down,” she said with a laugh.
“Don’t worry about that,” I said. “I don’t mind dealing with him. It’s just...” I let out a laugh of my own. “I guess I didn’t expect it to be so constant.”
As if on cue, Barnaby came around the corner and made a beeline for our table. Without waiting for an invitation, he grabbed a chair from a nearby table and set it down at our table and sat down.
“Glad I caught you both here,” he said as he slammed the script on the table nearly spilling our tea. “I was looking at this scene between Lizzy and Wickham.”
No, I thought.Oh, my God, no. Don’t meddle in scenes that don’t even involve you.
“What about it?” Keely calmly said.
He pointed to the open page. “I thought the scene would work better if I came up to them and made my affection for Lizzy clear.”
“I’m sorry, Barnaby,” Keely said rather firmly. “There is a reason that Mr. Darcy is not in this scene. You have to trust the flow of the story. You have to trust the timing in which certain things – like Mr. Darcy’s emotions – are divulged.”
He looked at the pages in front of him. “But...” He pushed the script towards her. “Just take a look at what I jotted down.” He tapped the script with his finger. “Look at what I would say to him.”
I glanced at the script as Keely read it and immediately shook my head. “It doesn’t work, Barnaby,” I said before Keely finished. “What’s marvelous about this romance is the slow burn... the... the sexual tension that builds up over time. I’m sorry, but as a loyal and devoted fan to all that Jane Austen has ever written, I cannot allow that simmering romance to just be brought to a boil so abruptly.”
“Simmer?” he said with a quizzical air. “Boil? I don’t get it. What are you talking about?”
Keely and I looked at one another then turned to him. “It’s a girl thing,” we said.
He laughed as he stood up. “You women. I’ll never understand how romance works for you. It all seems far too complicated.” Still chuckled, he walked away.
“Well,” Keely said as she let out a relieved sigh, “that ended better than I expected.”
I finished my last sip of tea and stood. “While I have all these emotions boiling over, I’ll go up to work on the music a bit.”
“Good. I’m hoping to have a chance to hear what you have soon.”
“Soon,” I said simply as I left her.
*****
SOMETHING ABOUT THATscript meeting with Barn sent me on a new musical journey. Going over the scenes where tension built between Lizzy and Mr. Darcy, I moved my melody to a different register, bringing a bit more angst to the tone.
Finally, two days later, I brought my music sheets to Keely.
“Ready to hear what I’ve got?” I asked.
“Can I take a look?” she replied, reaching out for the sheets.
“Sure.” I handed them to her.
Nodding, she read the notes, tilting her head to the side on occasion and then frowning. “This is interesting,” she said, clearly doubting my choices.
“Come to the piano,” I said.
