Zechariah cast her a knowing look.

“Prefer your hobbies standing up?”

He started reading the music, poking around for the right key and then plucking out the left hand melody.

Now it was her turn to blush. She almost lost her cool composure at the rather vivid memory to break down into tears. There was a lump in her throat. Noah.

But she thought of what Cathy would do. She wouldn't cry. She was fierce like Cathy.

"Where ye listenin' at the door?" she inquired.

Something dark crossed his face, though he bothered not looking over.

“Never met a Ward without a big mouth and a wide stance.”

"I'm sure my sister's well-behaved, but I'm sorry to hear you think about her in that way." She sipped her tea.

Instead of answering, Zechariah focused on the right hand of the piano piece.

And what he would say to get Alice committed.

She watched him play piano quietly. Then, after a moment: "Teach me."

Her demand hit an odd crescendo.

In hindsight, Simon had been barely literate. Able to read, and carve out crude directives on paper like a caveman into stone.

Simon had had a pull on him – a siren in the sea. A siren whose song had broke when the ‘shipwreck’ took Simon with it. What did a married tramp with his face have to offer Zechariah?

His hands paused, and his gaze alone slid to her.

“What would your husband think of that?”

Alice shrugged. "'E's not 'ere, is 'e?" She put her cup down. "Ye keep pressin' the same keys with one hand," she observed, more as an invitation for an explanation than a statement. Her hand demonstrated the movement in the air.

Again, Zechariah’s eyes slid to her. It was easy to see how a child-… no, woman- like her had ended herself up in this mess.

Here she was, alone with a young, unattached man after a proven history of indiscreet affairs.

Which fire would burn farther: convincing Tobias that she was insane … or that she would ruin his reputation by sleeping with any man that paid her a moment's attention?

Zechariah studied her a moment longer, then slid to the far side of the piano bench. He patted the space beside him.

“It would be easier to show you.”

Alice knew that this entire situation was improper. She was aware that the man probably had bad intentions. Tobias would be furious.

And so she moved over and sat down beside him, her skirt and petticoats taking up significant space, her growing belly leaving less space between herself and the piano than he had.