“If she keeps on shrieking like that,” Washell said to Merelan when she approached him for advice on how to deal with Halanna, “she won’t have a voice in a couple of turns. That’ll solve that problem rather neatly, I’d say.”
“Washell!” Merelan was shocked by the acid tone of his voice.
He raised his eyebrows, wrinkling his forehead, and gave her a long look.
“Of course, it’s a lot harder to sing softly, since it requires considerable breath control. I’ve had many difficult students in my life as a teacher, m’dear, but that one is unique in my experience.
Whatever was Maxilant thinking of to encourage her to think so highly of her ability?”
“Sheer desperation, I’d imagine,” Merelan replied with understandable disgust. “And a chance to get her out of his hair.”
“You may be right. Though how he could let her away with so little fundamental understanding of note values is really beyond me.”
“And quite possibly beyond Halanna,” Merelan added. They exchanged understanding grins.
“Let Petiron handle this one, m’dear,” Washell said, winking. “He won’t like her messing up his music, you know.”
“There is that,” Merelan mused, and then grimaced. “Only he’s likely to find me lacking as an instructor. And I’m not!” she added with a touch of desperate anger in her voice.
“By no means, m’dear, as everyone else in the Hall will vouch.” Washell patted her arm. Then he paused, thinking. “There may be another way. We’ll contrive. Just you wait and see.”
Many of the Masters, and even journeymen, at the Harper Hall were eccentric in one fashion or another, traits which were respected or, sometimes, endured as a necessary evil to the results.
But they had all put in the essential work to master the basic mechanics of music. Halanna could not be bothered with such slogging.
Merelan kept at it, as obstinate in her attempts to instruct Halanna as the girl was to avoid such lessons.
Halanna was an accomplished flirt and quickly isolated those whom she would favour – because of their rank, either within the Hall or from prestigious Holds. She chose only the attractive journeymen and Masters, of whom there were quite a few just then: back at the Hall either for reassignment or to take part in the TurnOver rehearsals. Not only did she have a voice, even her worst enemies had to admit that she was a beauty. Blond hair bleached almost silver by the sun in Ista Hold, a flawless tan that accentuated her light green eyes and white, even teeth, a figure more mature than those of most girls her age – and she knew far more than she ought of how to accentuate her sensuality. She did not obey the cottage-keeper’s basic rules, deciding they were for children and not the daughter of a Holder, though all the other boarders were of the same rank, and some more prestigious than hers. She was
caught time and again sneaking in late at night.
Then Halanna took a dislike to Robinton …
Merelan conducted her voice lessons in her own quarters, as they were spacious enough and offered some privacy. Right now, preparing for the TurnOver celebrations, she was coaching quite a few students and often had to schedule them when Robie was not in the Hall nursery school. He had always played quite happily and quietly in the other room. Now Halanna said his very presence so close to her was distracting, even with the connecting door closed, and she hated anyone to overhear her lessons. That was too much for Merelan. Nor’ was it an excuse to find favour with Petiron, who was busy dreaming of the success of his new composition.
“Since it is so important to you, love,” Merelan said from behind gritted teeth, “I really think you ought to take over her coaching. As you may have observed,” she added, knowing perfectly well that he hadn’t, “she will probably do better with a male coach. I’ve already more than I can handle with the secondary parts.”
“But I can’t teach her what you can,” Petiron protested in surprise. In his estimation, Merelan was much the better vocal coach, and he couldn’t quite understand how she was having difficulties with a voice as fine as Halanna’s. “You’re not annoyed that I’ve written in a duet for you to sing with her?”