other two pitiful musicians.
Cade's action gave Lily the courage she needed. She might never have been to a dance before, but she had played a piano at many. The child on the bench couldn't raise too strenuous an objection to a little help. With a lift to her chin, she made her way to the piano and took a seat next to the young girl.
The dance tune reached its natural end, and while the dancers were laughing and gasping for air, Lily smiled at her surprised companion. "I used to play at dances when I was your age. Would you mind if I joined you for a while?"
"No, ma'am. Mama usually does this, but she's down ill. I don't rightly know all the tunes like she does."
"Well, I'll see if I can remember some, and you can pick up when you recognize them. How's that?"
The girl looked more than relieved, and soon Lily discovered heavenly bliss as her fingers once more struck ivory keys. The instrument was old and out of tune, but with a little work, she could pump a rousing frolic from it. It wasn't Beethoven, but the dancers responded instantly.
Cade watched as the weary features of Mrs. Jim Brown, farmer's wife, relaxed into the laughing, glowing excitement of Lily Porter Brown, musician. It was a miracle to him to discover that a woman could have more than one face. He had more or less lumped females into certain categories relative to their sexual availability. Lily Brown transcended those categories.
Relegated to the band, where he couldn't offend the sensibilities of the ladies present, Cade began to enjoy himself. He had never played for an audience, but he appreciated their response now that he and Lily had enlivened the music. A guitar player stepped in on "Piney Woods," and the crowd began to hoot and holler with joy.
A boy led the girl at the piano into the dancing, and Cade was reminded of something Lily had said the night before. She'd never experienced the pleasure of dancing because she had always been the one playing the music. She certainly didn't seem to mind it. Her face was aglow with pleasure. He had never seen her happier, but the foot-stomping excitement that the music generated was affecting even him. Cade wanted to know what it would be like to have a woman in his arms, swinging her through the steps like the other men were doing with their wives and girls. Would Lily be feeling the same way?
She laughed and looked up at the young piano player’s father when he stopped to thank her for helping Anna out. Alan Whitaker's proudly watched his daughter as she sipped lemonade with her partner, and Lily could see that he was happy because his daughter was happy.
"She's a charming girl and I'm glad to have been of assistance, Mr. Whitaker. I can remember myself at that age, dying for a chance to dance and stuck at the piano instead. Besides, I'm being entirely selfish. I love to play."
"Anna's shy, and we've been worried that she doesn't get a chance to talk with young people her age. I don't know how you did it, Mrs. Brown, but I have to thank you."
"Anna did it all on her own," Lily assured him. Before she could say more, she looked up to find Cade towering over her.
"Do you think they could do one song without us so I might have the pleasure of the next dance?" he asked formally.
Lily looked startled and Whitaker frowned, but Anna had just arrived and offered shyly, "I'll play for you, Mrs. Brown. What would you like to hear?"
It was settled. Feeling a quiver of excitement, Lily took Cade's hand and rose from the bench. "Do you know 'Molly Cotton-tail'?" It was an easy song, one every child learned, but great fun for dancing. Lily smiled at the child's eager nod. She would finally have a chance to try dancing.
Lily's excitement was irresistible. Ignoring the fact that he would most likely get his head blown off for daring to lay a hand to a white woman, Cade led her out to join the dancers. Langton and his wife were there, and they joined the circle beside them. Cade hid his surprise as Maria
Cade's action gave Lily the courage she needed. She might never have been to a dance before, but she had played a piano at many. The child on the bench couldn't raise too strenuous an objection to a little help. With a lift to her chin, she made her way to the piano and took a seat next to the young girl.
The dance tune reached its natural end, and while the dancers were laughing and gasping for air, Lily smiled at her surprised companion. "I used to play at dances when I was your age. Would you mind if I joined you for a while?"
"No, ma'am. Mama usually does this, but she's down ill. I don't rightly know all the tunes like she does."
"Well, I'll see if I can remember some, and you can pick up when you recognize them. How's that?"
The girl looked more than relieved, and soon Lily discovered heavenly bliss as her fingers once more struck ivory keys. The instrument was old and out of tune, but with a little work, she could pump a rousing frolic from it. It wasn't Beethoven, but the dancers responded instantly.
Cade watched as the weary features of Mrs. Jim Brown, farmer's wife, relaxed into the laughing, glowing excitement of Lily Porter Brown, musician. It was a miracle to him to discover that a woman could have more than one face. He had more or less lumped females into certain categories relative to their sexual availability. Lily Brown transcended those categories.
Relegated to the band, where he couldn't offend the sensibilities of the ladies present, Cade began to enjoy himself. He had never played for an audience, but he appreciated their response now that he and Lily had enlivened the music. A guitar player stepped in on "Piney Woods," and the crowd began to hoot and holler with joy.
A boy led the girl at the piano into the dancing, and Cade was reminded of something Lily had said the night before. She'd never experienced the pleasure of dancing because she had always been the one playing the music. She certainly didn't seem to mind it. Her face was aglow with pleasure. He had never seen her happier, but the foot-stomping excitement that the music generated was affecting even him. Cade wanted to know what it would be like to have a woman in his arms, swinging her through the steps like the other men were doing with their wives and girls. Would Lily be feeling the same way?
She laughed and looked up at the young piano player’s father when he stopped to thank her for helping Anna out. Alan Whitaker's proudly watched his daughter as she sipped lemonade with her partner, and Lily could see that he was happy because his daughter was happy.
"She's a charming girl and I'm glad to have been of assistance, Mr. Whitaker. I can remember myself at that age, dying for a chance to dance and stuck at the piano instead. Besides, I'm being entirely selfish. I love to play."
"Anna's shy, and we've been worried that she doesn't get a chance to talk with young people her age. I don't know how you did it, Mrs. Brown, but I have to thank you."
"Anna did it all on her own," Lily assured him. Before she could say more, she looked up to find Cade towering over her.
"Do you think they could do one song without us so I might have the pleasure of the next dance?" he asked formally.
Lily looked startled and Whitaker frowned, but Anna had just arrived and offered shyly, "I'll play for you, Mrs. Brown. What would you like to hear?"
It was settled. Feeling a quiver of excitement, Lily took Cade's hand and rose from the bench. "Do you know 'Molly Cotton-tail'?" It was an easy song, one every child learned, but great fun for dancing. Lily smiled at the child's eager nod. She would finally have a chance to try dancing.
Lily's excitement was irresistible. Ignoring the fact that he would most likely get his head blown off for daring to lay a hand to a white woman, Cade led her out to join the dancers. Langton and his wife were there, and they joined the circle beside them. Cade hid his surprise as Maria
Similar Books
