A tentative knock at the door interrupted him and he looked up from the composition in front of him. �Coming,� he sighed, as he set the instrument to one side. He had no idea who could be knocking on his door, but he figured it might be important.
He opened the door and blinked in surprise. �Hello, Mistress Beth,� he said softly. He glanced at the Warden who was assigned to watch her at that moment and asked, �Is there a problem?�
Emily shook her head and Beth said, �I heard music coming from in here. Do you have a phonograph?� She peered over his shoulder and frowned when she didn�t see the device.
�No, ma�am,� Bertram said softly, stepping aside to let her in. �That was � I was playing my violin, Mistress Beth,� he explained softly. He�d been inside Beth�s suite on numerous occasions, in his official capacity as head of her security detail, but she�d never entered his rooms before.
�It was beautiful,� she said softly.
Bertram felt a light blush creep into his cheeks and said, �Thank you, ma�am. I � it�s been over a year since I last played.�
Beth smiled. �You were well trained if you retained the knowledge that long.� Bertram smiled slightly and she asked, �Can I ask where?�
�Cygman Bardic Academy,� he replied softly.
Beth looked surprised. �You were training to be a bard? What happened?�
Bertram looked down and sighed. �Would you like a cup of tea? Some cookies?� When she nodded, he headed into the kitchen area and poured two cups. As he prepared the tea, he explained, �My father and older brother were in the Defense Wardens. I was in my last year of training when�when my father was killed on a mission.� He brought the tea service over and set it on a low table, before sitting opposite Beth. �At nearly the same time, Edwin�Edwin was kidnapped by pirates. I � I had to come home and look after my mother and sisters.� He shrugged and added, �I�ve been trying to find Edwin, and been getting some leads, but I haven�t gotten very far.�
�That�s so sad,� Beth said softly.
Bertram adjusted his glasses and said, �I still make music when I can, but it�s hard to find the time.�
�I play the violin too! What other instruments do you play?� Beth asked, leaning closer.
Bertram smiled. Soon the two were discussing their bardic training � Beth�s at the Equisetan Bardic School and his at the Cygman Academy � and discovering that they had a lot in common. Both of them had been trained in dance, as well as music and some of the fine arts. The longer they spoke, the more comfortable Bertram felt around his protectee.
After a few hours, Beth smiled and said, �I have to go. I have a thing this evening to get ready for.�
Bertram nodded and said, �I�m going with you, remember?� They stood together and Bertram showed her to the door. �I�ll see you later,� he said softly.
Beth nodded and then frowned. �Maybe we could play together sometime,� she said excitedly. �I�m singing at the Congressional Holiday Celebration.�
Bertram smiled. �I�d be honored, Mistress Beth,� he replied.
Beth nodded and headed back into her own suite, to prepare for that evening. Emily grinned and said, �You�re going to play at the Christmas Party?�
�Maybe,� Bertram replied seriously. �I�ll talk to Eric about it. What better way to make sure she�s safe while she�s performing than to be right beside her on the stage?�
�I never thought of that,� she admitted.
Bertram grinned. �That,� he said, �is why I am the head of the security detail and you are but a lowly peon.�
�Shut up,� Emily hissed, grinning at the joke as she went into the suite to watch Miss Sebohn.
Bertram grinned and headed back into his own rooms. He cleared the tea set and put his violin and music away. Then he headed into the bedroom to prepare for the ball. He stopped short as he realized that it was more to him than just an assignment. Sometime over the hours they had spent together Bertram had stopped merely being attracted to his protectee, he�d fallen in love with her. �Oh, hell,� he muttered. �Eric�s going to have kittens!�
Silverwebb shook his head in dismay. He guessed it was true what they said. �Nothing on earth can interfere when love is what the heart wants.� Not reason, not rules, not anything. Bertram sighed deeply. �Oh, this is not good,� he muttered as he headed into the bedroom. �Not good at all.�
End