Page 10 (1/2)

"Your bass notes are flat" Søren hit a key and turned a pin inside the piano "You shouldn’t have the piano near theThe temperature fluctuates too much"

"I’ll have it moved"

"When was the last time you had it tuned?" Søren asked

"Never"

"I can tell" Søren hit another key, turned another pin Kingsley watched Søren’s hands as he worked Large, strong and flawless hands His clothes had changed, he’d grown taller, more handsoed They were the saht and lowered the lid of the grand piano back down

"The action is stiff Has it not been played very often?"

"You were the first No one’s allowed to play it"

"No one? Then I apologize for playing it"

"Don’t apologize When I say no one is allowed to play it, I lanced up and sley’s resolve, fortitude and the alcohol left in his bloodstream not to break eye contact Søren always had this way of looking at hi to hiether, he’d had that power But Kingsley kept silent, kept his secrets They weren’t boys anysley finally said "I’ll have it tuned"

"Call a ood tuner"

Kingsley and Søren studied each other over the top of the piano

"Do you want to keep talking about the piano, or should we have a real conversation?" Søren asked

Kingsley gave him a halfhearted smile and sat down on the piano bench The adrenaline had subsided, but the disorientation remained If he awoke to find himself in bed and all this was a dream, he wouldn’t be surprised

"Soparish priest? Do back to hie he used to be fluent in but hadn’t spoken in years

"Jesuit," Søren said, taking a seat on the white-and-black-striped sofa across frohed

"A Jesuit I was afraid of that I knew they wanted you in their ranks"

"I wasn’t recruited It was my choice"

"So it’s real? The collar? The vows? All of it?"

He clasped his hands in front of hi I’ve ever done"