After playing a lengthy, well-known classical tune, Louise smiled in amazement at how talented Mark was. He played so delicately when he tapped the keys, yet with the speed of a mouse, he still didn’t miss a note. To Louise it sounded perfect as "impressed" looked like it had been wiped over her face, while he looked a little embarrassed, never before seeing someone so influenced. But to Mark, that’s what it was all about.

"Well that’s it. It’s quite easy after a while because music’s just a repeat of what you already know…"

"Really? Wow. You’re really good aren’t you?" Louise stated, turning to face him.

"I wouldn’t say I was that good…"

"Oh you’re just being modest now!" Louise laughed. "But you are! I’m never gonna be able to play like that and then when I play at this ball… ergh I’m just gonna screw up so bad!"

"Come on, don’t think like that. You’ll be great." Mark encouraged. "It’s easy when you know how…" He smiled.

"Ok, so where do I start." Louise asked, turning her attention onto the piano.

"Right… erm… ok well it’d probably be best if you knew what keys there were first…" Mark mused, too facing the piano. "Well there’s a lot of keys here right, but most of them are the same note. There are seven white original notes, and five black. Confused?"

"Er… a little maybe. Sorry, I’m not very good at this." Louise apologised.

"Don’t be sorry. We’re just beginning…" He smiled. "Ok, well there’s seven white notes which are known as A," Mark informed, pressing note A. "B," He said, pressing B. "And then C, D, E, F and G." He continued, playing the relative notes.

"Ok, yeah I get that." Louise smiled. "You’re doing well." She winked.

"Thanks," he grinned. "So then, to identify note C – you do this so you can work out all the others – it’s always found on the left side of a pair of black keys."

"Oh right… so this one… would be C." Louise questioned, tapping nervously a white key.

"Yeah!" Mark exclaimed. "You are a quick learner. Well done." He praised.

"Thanks…" Louise blushed. "So how do you work out the others?"

"Well it goes in alphabetical order, so if C’s there, D will be after." He pointed.

"Ooo you’re getting good at this teaching thing!" Louise smirked. "Another hidden talent."

"Well…" Mark grinned, pulling at his shirt collar causing Louise to let out a laugh. "Ok, so do you know about the pitch and what have ya?" He began again, easing into the whole teaching thing.

"Erm…"

"Its as easy as making coffee." He beamed. "Here, let me show you."

Before Louise had anytime to answer, Mark ran his hands along his end of the keys right up to Louise’s side, creating a varied effect from high to low.

"And that’s pitch." Mark smiled.

"Oh I dunno if I can quite remember that…" Louise said playfully. "Come on, I think we’ve earned a drink."

"Lead the way madam…" Mark grinned, standing up and motioning his arms towards the door.

"It’s Lou, remember?" She smirked, standing up too as she headed towards the door.

Smiling as he followed her lead, she slowly opened the door and turned right, heading down a small hallway. The floor was still a consistent light pine while the walls were a respectable white; pure and virtuous and as Mark admired the house she lived in, Louise drearily strolled ahead, nothing new to her.

"How do you know your way around this place? I’d get so lost." Mark said as they entered a huge kitchen that stretched across most of the back of the house.

"You learn, but don’t these white walls just make the place look so boring?" Louise retorted, giving her opinion easily while Mark looked a little frightful as a maid stood in the kitchen.

"Erm… well a bit of colour would help I suppose. What colour would you like to see in here?" Mark asked as she headed over to a high cupboard.

"I dunno. Something bright like yellow or green…"

"Louise, would you like me to see to you and your guest?" The maid across the room asked.

"No thanks. I can quite easily do it myself." Louise smiled.

As the maid left the kitchen, Mark leant against the kitchen side that was just a little opposite from Louise as she opened the cupboard door. More french double doors were seen in this room as they bordered the walls, allowing sunlight through and gateways out to what had to have been a big garden. Mark couldn’t get over the size of this house and as he stared intently out of the window, Louise tried grabbing two glasses from the top cupboard.

"Here, let me help." Mark offered, noticing she couldn’t quite reach the top shelf.

Stepping behind her and easily picking two of the glasses off the shelf, he placed them onto the side where Louise smiled in thanks.

"Thanks. I never have been able to reach that. Never really needed to though when you’ve got maids willing to do everything for you…"

"You really are totally against having a maid aren’t you?" He verified as she began making the drinks.

"Yeah." Louise laughed. "I’m not an invalid and I hate it when they treat me like one."

"But who needed help then ey?" Mark smirked. "Invalid…" He sang.

Louise laughed and shook her head as she passed Mark his drink and took a sip herself.

"So, who taught you how to play the piano?" She asked, sparking up a new conversation.

"Well my dad really… he was in a band and worked on cruise ships and stuff with my mum so I just learnt then. That’s why I wanted to be a musician because my parents were, plus I love music." Mark replied.

"Sounds interesting…"

"Yeah, well I’ve grown up with music so it’s always been a part of me." He added. "What about you? What do you do or wanna do?"

"Me? I don’t do anything…" She chuckled, a little ashamed. "I don’t get the chance to around here, not where he’s concerned…"

"Not where who is concerned?" Came a voice from the hallway.

Recognising the sound, Louise stood upright immediately, placing the glass on the kitchen side, where Mark looked on a little baffled before following her suit.

"How is my fiancée?" He smirked as he wandered through.

Louise smiled weakly while Mark stood startled, like his insides had been twisted, conveying the truth. Knowing that Louise was engaged to what had to have been the man of the house made Mark feel slightly stupid as the friendly flirting that went on earlier was obviously wrong. But if she was engaged then why was she flirting? Something was wrong here…

"Fiancée?" Mark almost choked.

"Yes, yes." Louise smiled, eyeing Mark, hoping for his co-operation.

"Oh yeah… I remember Lou…" Mark began until she looked dangerously again. "I remember Louise saying…"

"Oh good good." Anton beamed. "And you are Mr Read, the piano teacher, I presume?" He suggested, holding out his hand, offering a shake.

"Yeah, that’s right." Mark said, accepting the gesture.

"So, how was your first lesson?" Anton asked, showing an interest.

"It was good. Ma… Mr Read here is certainly a good teacher." Louise complimented.

"Ahh great! So she will be ready for the ball in no time I believe."

"Yeah, yeah she could be. She’s a quick learner." Mark replied, placing his glass on the kitchen side.

"Excellent!" Anton cheered. "I knew my Louise could do it! In just a few weeks time, everyone will be watching you. They are going to be so impressed!"

"I’m sure they will be." Mark complimented. "Just a few more lessons and you’ll be there, won’t you Louise?"

"Yes, let’s hope so…" She trailed off, glancing at Mark as he continued to look confident.

"Great stuff!" Anton chirped. "As long as I am getting my money’s worth." He chuckled.

Oh you are, Louise thought. You definitely are.