Broken Strings

by

Gisela Woldenga

©Copyright 2011 by

Romance at Heart Publications E-Novels

ISBN 10: N/A

ISBN 13: N/A

Edited by Cheryl Jeffries

Cover Art by Dara England

Publication by Romance At Heart Publications ©2011
http://rahpubs.com/

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Cover art by Dara England

Edited by Cheryl Jeffries

First published by:

Romance At Heart Publications

http://rahpubs.com/

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Romance At Heart Publications

First Electronic Edition By Romance At Heart Publications: March 2011

Blurb:

After hiring the talented and beautiful cellist Elvira Torres, symphony conductor Daniel Abogado finds himself a target of physical and psychological threats. To get to the bottom of them he digs into Elvira’s past. She admits that she has walked out of a bad relationship which has resulted in a pregnancy, her daughter Mia. The first suspect seems to be her former boyfriend.

Against his better judgement Daniel falls in love with Elvira. He is torn between the vow he has made to his wife, Louise, and the ever increasing pull towards Elvira. He hopes that an engagement in San Francisco will give him a chance to dissolve that conflict. But feelings about his jealous wife’s involvement in the threats increase his longing for Elvira. His suspicions are verified when Elvira is attacked and barely survives.

Will the mystery be solved between Daniel’s busy career, his wife Louise and the double life of his manager Steve McCain?

Broken Strings

by

Gisela Woldenga

CHAPTER ONE

Maestro Daniel Abogado sneezed, and then sneezed again and again.

“Lord Almighty,” he groaned and sniffled into his handkerchief, “I must have the century’s biggest cold.”

“And that before the concert,” came a voice from the doorway. Daniel looked up. His wife, Louise, held up a glass of water and two capsules. “Take your medicine.”

“But not the stuff that makes me nod off in the middle of Eroica’s funeral march.”

Louise laughed. “These are non-drowsy. Do you really have to go?” She looked concerned.

“What else can I do? Tomorrow is the concert, today the last rehearsal. I have no choice.” Daniel swallowed the pills, put the glass back on the table and climbed the stairs to the bedroom to change. At least he could be comfortable today, slacks and a turtleneck would do.

Tomorrow he needed to squeeze himself into a tuxedo. Monkey suits, he called them. He passed by the mirror and grunted. Good thing I have a good memory and don’t need to read the scores too closely, he thought. My eyes are pretty bleary and my nose looks like a red Christmas bulb. Not exactly the look I would prefer.

Daniel, at forty-two, was a good-looking six-footer, slim with dark hair that curled around his ears. His blue eyes could shoot arrows at musicians who weren’t on time, either for rehearsals or according to the score of the composer. He kept himself in good shape, although he disliked exercising with all his heart.

“I am swinging my arms around enough at one rehearsal to make up for two work-outs,” was his favourite excuse. He finished dressing, stuffed two extra handkerchiefs into his pocket and headed downstairs.

“I hope all goes well,” said Louise. She patted Daniel on the shoulder. “No good-bye kiss from me; one sneezer in the family is enough.”

Daniel edged the car out of the garage and turned into the street. Except looking out for traffic only the concert and its music filled his mind from then on. His career had taken off in the last two years. He was asked more and more to take over out-of-town performances as a guest conductor and had to schedule carefully to avoid overbooking.

Tomorrow’s concert had been planned two years ago to leave time for these eventualities. The program consisted of Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony and Richard Strauss’ Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks. Daniel had learned to make up his own mind about interpreting music. His favourite pastime consisted of finding details in the composers’ scores, little comments and notes that other conductors might have missed. He wanted the music to sound as close to the artists’ ideas as possible with maybe a few new twists of his own.

At least I don’t have to cope with a soloist today, Daniel thought. One less worry for me. And then he remembered that somebody had scheduled an audition for the cello section today, since one of the players had recently retired. Daniel had forgotten whether the applicant was male or female. Let that be a surprise.

He drove into his designated spot in the underground garage of the theatre, grabbed his satchel and headed for the elevator. A young woman waited already with a cello case in her hand. She looked up, gave him a nod and uncertain smile and stepped into the elevator.

Daniel smiled back. Wow, he thought, what beautiful eyes. Then aloud he said, “Are you by any chance auditioning for the cellos?”

“Yes, I am.” She looked a bit worried.

Daniel offered his hand. “Not a big deal. I’m the one listening. Daniel Abogado.”

“I know, that’s why I’m here. I admire your work. Elvira Torres.” She shook his hand.

Wow, Daniel thought again, I have a new fan. “I am honoured,” he said and promptly sneezed. “Pardon me! As you see, I have a cold and my ears will probably miss half of what you are playing. Are you Spanish?”

“Half—from my father’s side,” she answered.

“What a coincidence.” Daniel steered her along the hallway to the dressing rooms. “My father was Spanish, too. Small world.”

Scales and arpeggios, played on a violin, drifted through the corridor amongst sounds of flutes and oboes.

“My loyal workers,” Daniel commented. “I’m glad they’re getting ready. Why don’t you go on stage and relax or practice or whatever. The curtains are closed. I’ll call you to come to the front and we’ll get going. Okay?”

Elvira nodded. “Yes, fine.” She climbed the steps to the stage and Daniel opened the door to his dressing room. He needed a moment of calm to put his mind back on the music. His head still felt like cotton batting, but at least he could breathe better.

“Why did this audition have to be today,” he grumbled. He had to admit Elvira Torres was beautiful. Daniel had his share of female admirers, some of them quite tempting. He felt lucky that Louise didn’t take it too seriously. And he had made a vow not to betray her. Besides, he needed a good cellist, not a beauty queen.

Daniel looked at his watch. Time to start. Then he had an idea and went up onto the stage.

“Miss Torres, how about coming down into the orchestra pit? We can do the audition between Beethoven and Strauss during the break.”

“Okay, I would like that.” Elvira grabbed her cello and her purse. Daniel picked up the case. She gave him a surprised glance. “Thank you.”

“Just follow me.” Daniel resisted looking into her dark eyes.

After greeting the musicians of the orchestra Daniel pointed to the timpanist. “If I sneeze during your drum part you have to forgive me. It’s beyond my control and not meant as criticism.”

Laughter erupted. Daniel knew the musicians needed some humour now and then to remind them that the “big cheese” up there was human and not just a slave driver with a big stick.

“Okay, let’s show Beethoven.” From that point on Daniel’s mind was caught up with the thoughts of the composer during Napoleon’s wars and his eternal quest for freedom to compose and play his music the way he felt it. The symphony engulfed Daniel, transported him.

Even as he interrupted a few times for minor corrections, he never lost the sense of the whole. When the last chord faded he took a deep breath. He wiped his face with a handkerchief. Should’ve worn a T-shirt, he thought.

“Good! Thank you. Please make a note of the corrections. Take a break.” He saw Elvira making her way through the music stands.

“That was one of the best Thirds I’ve heard,” she said. “You put so much detail into it.”

“Thank you. I hope good ol’ Ludwig heard that.” Okay, the audition. “Let’s get to you now. Any time you’re ready.” Daniel sat down and closed his eyes. He only wanted to hear, not to see.

As he expected, Elvira chose a Bach composition for solo cello. Her playing sounded smooth and expressive, quite amazing. It reminded him of dark chocolate. Technically she was secure. After the first two movements he stopped her.

“That sounded good. I see you know what you’re doing. Anything else of a different nature?”

“Can I read some of the cello parts from the symphony just now?” Elvira asked.

“Be my guest.” Daniel knew she had probably played along in her mind anyway. He gave her the score of a part from the last movement and closed his eyes again. He imagined the other instruments fitting in with the cello. She is a good reader or has worked on it before. Not only is she beautiful, she is smart, too.

“Why didn’t you work toward a solo career?” he asked. “You are good enough.”

Elvira got up. “It’s a long story—but thank you. Was it okay? Am I hired?” She looked at him hopefully.

Daniel shook her hand. “Yes, welcome to my band. You’ll do just fine.”

Elvira’s face lit up. She gave him a big relieved smile. “Thank you so much.”

As the musicians trickled back in, he turned to them. “Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to our new cellist.” Daniel knew they had listened in the background.

They applauded, smiled and got ready for the rest of the rehearsal. In the back of Daniel’s mind the thought grew that he would eventually try to find out Elvira’s “long story” about not choosing a solo career. He was curious about this woman but would wait for the right time and opportunity.