Page 65 of My Blind Duke
“Sure, Papa!”
The tinkle of musical notes began again and with them, William’s heart began to rise as the familiar calm of just listening to music descended upon him. He had tried for so long toignore how much he missed it, but it was clear that he had not succeeded in stifling just how much he longed for it.
The piece came to an end once more and William requested immediately, “Again, please.”
Melanie obliged and continued to do so, playing as soon as he asked her to, eager to hear his feedback.
Then, sometime after the fifth time, William felt… ready.
As Melanie began to play for the sixth time, he took a deep breath and placed his hands on the keys, letting his instincts and the guide he had run his fingers over several times lead him.
He made a mistake or two, but he did not let it deter him, continuing to follow his daughter’s lead closely, feeling prouder with every note that she had written such a marvelous piece.
It felt… indescribable to play again, the beautiful sounds reawakening all his senses.
When the song ended, he found himself breathing heavily from the sheer excitement of finally returning to a place he had called his home, a long time ago.
With a smile, he patted Melanie’s head, hoping that she would believe him as he said,
“That was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
His daughter’s voice sounded tearful as she replied,
“Thank you for playing with me, Papa.”
William held her close, stroking her hair as he easily stated,
“It was my pleasure.”
Chapter 21
“Another one! Papa, please!”
Prudence watched William sigh, long-suffering as he nodded with a grin.
“All right. Watch me closely,” he prompted gently.
Prudence watched as William’s fingers danced over the piano keys, his movements growing more certain with every note. He seemed to regain more confidence with every song he played for Melanie, spurred by her admiration and awe.
It was touching, to see them bond and converse over something they clearly shared a mutual love for and even more so to see them spending some quality time together.
“Can I try?” Melanie questioned uncertainly.
“Of course,” William prompted softly, urging her further with a hand on her shoulder. “Remember, if you make any mistakes, it is fine. I will be here to show you the correct way to play.”
Melanie nodded seriously, her enthusiasm nothing short of adorable as she faced the piano and tried to mimic the collection of notes her father had played earlier. If Prudence had harbored any doubts on whether or not they were related, they would have been cleared completely at that moment.
The duchess had learned in the last hour how remarkable the duke was – a factor proven by how he was easily able to influence and teach Melanie in such a short time. The girl was incredibly eager to learn from her father, determined to prove herself without a shadow of a doubt.
But surprisingly, William was not looking for perfection or anything of the sort. He merely sought someone to share his passion for music with. His playing was phenomenal, each note played at a measured and concise rate, stirring up strange feelings within her.
“Ah–”
The crash of a note out of place tore into the peaceful atmosphere around the music room, followed by Melanie’s upset whine.
“It is all right, it is all right,” William said quickly, reaching out to his left to pat her hair softly. “This progression is quite tricky,and it took me a long time to learn it as well. You merely need to keep practicing to get it right and I know you will eventually–”
“Can you show it to me again, Papa? Just one more time? Please?”
