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Read Online The Serenade: The Prince and the Siren [Daughters of the Empire 2] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) by Suzette Hollingsworth - Free Book Online
Authors: Suzette Hollingsworth
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flowers, showed it to the audience, and then caressed her cheek with it, closing her eyes.
They call me Mimi
I live by myself
I eat alone—sometimes I forget
I don’t often go to church,
My life is my prayer
From the window of my tiny white room
I can see the Paris rooftops,
the moon and the stars…
When spring comes
A rose blossoms in my vase,
I breathe its perfume, petal by petal
The flowers I make, alas,
have no scent
But when spring comes
She whispers in my ear
The sun’s first rays are mine
April’s first kiss is mine!
She made a circle with her arms to the sky as she sang, “The sun’s first rays are mine,” hugging herself. A pang of guilt for her lack of discipline crept into her consciousness even as she felt herself yielding to the music.
And when she sang, “ April’s first kiss is mine! ” Nicolette did the unthinkable—she fell to her knees and clutched her handkerchief to her heart. In that one instant she could not regret it—she owed it to the music. Regaining her senses, her eyes scanned the audience as she prepared to exit in disgrace .
How could I have been so unaccomplished as to succumb to my feelings ? There was a long moment of silence, and her heart fell.
A thunderous applause ensued. She saw tears in the eyes of some. One gentleman pulled a single rose out of a nearby vase and threw the deep-crimson flower to the floor at Nicolette’s feet.
Four or five more roses followed with no apparent remorse or embarrassment for rearranging the Red Assassin’s flower arrangements.
She learned a valuable lesson that night. In giving herself to the music, she imparted those emotions to everyone present. And she received something unexpected.
Their hearts reached out to meet hers .
“There are few who can actually bedazzle an audience, but you, my dear, are one of those few,” Lady Ravensdale whispered as she hugged her.
“Oh, no, Mama. I don’t wish to draw attention away from the music. I wish to be the music.” She heard the truth from her own lips for the first time. And I want to do this every day for as long as I live .
“Come to me, child,” the sultan commanded.
Her father took her hand, and his touch reminded her that she was safe. The earl of Ravensdale was dressed in the full military garb of The Princess Royals , the 7th Dragoon Guards, reminding her that he knew how to fight—if indeed she needed such a reminder.
Even she had to admit that the captain of the 7th Dragoon Guards looked quite dashing in his uniform. He was tall and slim, and he wore a red jacket sporting his captain’s insignia, black pants with a wide claret stripe down the sides, and black leather knee boots. He carried a steel helmet adorned with a long black tassel. An enormous sword was strapped to his side.
Her hand firmly resting in her father’s, curiosity became her overriding emotion as she approached the dark man upon the throne. She turned to look at the captain of the guard, who did not appear to share her enthusiasm for the experience. He kept his deep-blue eyes straight ahead, never wavering from the sultan.
The sultan studied her from the throne for a long while before speaking. The supreme ruler of Constantinople was wearing his traditional military dress as well. The impression of ferocity he conveyed was furthered by dark, piercing eyes, a moustache, and a pointed beard, not softened in the least by the addition of a fez hat. There was no doubt in her mind that she stood before a person of great power.
“Most interesting. I have heard other European music, which I found stale by comparison.”
She curtseyed. “Thank you, Grand Seignior.”
“Your music sounds different from Eastern music. Explain this to me.”
“Europeans sing in half tones rather than in the quarter tones of Eastern music, Grand Seignior. What to the European ear is sharp or flat or out of tune is actually a note to the Eastern ear.”
“ Out of tune ?” He frowned at her, and it
They call me Mimi
I live by myself
I eat alone—sometimes I forget
I don’t often go to church,
My life is my prayer
From the window of my tiny white room
I can see the Paris rooftops,
the moon and the stars…
When spring comes
A rose blossoms in my vase,
I breathe its perfume, petal by petal
The flowers I make, alas,
have no scent
But when spring comes
She whispers in my ear
The sun’s first rays are mine
April’s first kiss is mine!
She made a circle with her arms to the sky as she sang, “The sun’s first rays are mine,” hugging herself. A pang of guilt for her lack of discipline crept into her consciousness even as she felt herself yielding to the music.
And when she sang, “ April’s first kiss is mine! ” Nicolette did the unthinkable—she fell to her knees and clutched her handkerchief to her heart. In that one instant she could not regret it—she owed it to the music. Regaining her senses, her eyes scanned the audience as she prepared to exit in disgrace .
How could I have been so unaccomplished as to succumb to my feelings ? There was a long moment of silence, and her heart fell.
A thunderous applause ensued. She saw tears in the eyes of some. One gentleman pulled a single rose out of a nearby vase and threw the deep-crimson flower to the floor at Nicolette’s feet.
Four or five more roses followed with no apparent remorse or embarrassment for rearranging the Red Assassin’s flower arrangements.
She learned a valuable lesson that night. In giving herself to the music, she imparted those emotions to everyone present. And she received something unexpected.
Their hearts reached out to meet hers .
“There are few who can actually bedazzle an audience, but you, my dear, are one of those few,” Lady Ravensdale whispered as she hugged her.
“Oh, no, Mama. I don’t wish to draw attention away from the music. I wish to be the music.” She heard the truth from her own lips for the first time. And I want to do this every day for as long as I live .
“Come to me, child,” the sultan commanded.
Her father took her hand, and his touch reminded her that she was safe. The earl of Ravensdale was dressed in the full military garb of The Princess Royals , the 7th Dragoon Guards, reminding her that he knew how to fight—if indeed she needed such a reminder.
Even she had to admit that the captain of the 7th Dragoon Guards looked quite dashing in his uniform. He was tall and slim, and he wore a red jacket sporting his captain’s insignia, black pants with a wide claret stripe down the sides, and black leather knee boots. He carried a steel helmet adorned with a long black tassel. An enormous sword was strapped to his side.
Her hand firmly resting in her father’s, curiosity became her overriding emotion as she approached the dark man upon the throne. She turned to look at the captain of the guard, who did not appear to share her enthusiasm for the experience. He kept his deep-blue eyes straight ahead, never wavering from the sultan.
The sultan studied her from the throne for a long while before speaking. The supreme ruler of Constantinople was wearing his traditional military dress as well. The impression of ferocity he conveyed was furthered by dark, piercing eyes, a moustache, and a pointed beard, not softened in the least by the addition of a fez hat. There was no doubt in her mind that she stood before a person of great power.
“Most interesting. I have heard other European music, which I found stale by comparison.”
She curtseyed. “Thank you, Grand Seignior.”
“Your music sounds different from Eastern music. Explain this to me.”
“Europeans sing in half tones rather than in the quarter tones of Eastern music, Grand Seignior. What to the European ear is sharp or flat or out of tune is actually a note to the Eastern ear.”
“ Out of tune ?” He frowned at her, and it
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