Hilary and the Beasts, Part 19

The music room was one of the smaller ones in the house. It was dominated by the massive organ, a round, blond wooden instrument with sky-blue trim and straight ivory keys. Other instruments hung on the pale blue walls, and books on musicians and sheet music were stacked in a large shelf near a wide window. The afternoon sunlight streaming from the window illuminated Maple, giving her red hair the sheen of pure burnished copper. 

Her toothy grin was a mile wide when she finished. “Hey, Miss Organ, that was great! I think we’re gettin’ better at that one.” 

“Why, thank you, Maple!” The organ…spoke. Its keys and pedals moved without Maple touching them, but instead of music, a pleasant, sweet woman’s voice was heard. “That’s one of the Master’s favorite songs. He always said it reminded him of…of her.” 

“Oh, hi Hilary!” Maple grinned as her sister entered. “Hilary, this is Miss Organ. She’s the one who’s been playing the music we’ve heard. I think she’s really good!”

“Hello, Miss Hilary!” The organ tootled cheerfully. “The Master’s asked me to play that at least twice a day since you arrived. I never thought he was a sentimental young…Troll, but he seems to like it. When he’s not growling. It’s a shame. He’s not usually like that.” Her notes suddenly turned discordant. “Oh dear. I’m not really supposed to discuss that. It’s part of…well, we can’t, can we?”

“Why?” Hilary settled in the soft blue armchair near the organ and leaned on a table. “Why can’t you discuss it?”

“It’s part of…well, it.” Her notes turned discordant again. “Troll used to be such a dear! He had a very lovely…” Hilary winced at another discordant note. “Well, he had a wife, but then she came along, and she made him bring her here.” 

“He was married?” Maple frowned. “No wonder he’s mad. Bet he’s divorced, and he really regrets it.”

Hilary rolled her eyes. “That’s still no reason for throwing crockery.” 

“I happen to remember what you were like after Jeff dropped you.” Maple smirked. “You called Jeff names that would make sailors blush and threw every single damn object in your room. Dad tried to go in to talk to you, and you ended up klonking him in the bean with one of your shoes.” 

Hilary made a face. “He could have said he was coming in!” 

“Well!” Miss Organ played notes that were far cheerier. “Does anyone have any requests? Why don’t we sing something much cheerier? I know songs from all those new sound musicals they’ve been putting out.”

“Ooh, how about ‘Someone to Watch Over Me?’ Miss Organ’s note sounded more like a sigh. “That’s such a lovely, romantic song! Master used to ask me to play it for…for her.” 

Hilary’s voice caught in her throat. “No…Jeff used to love that. Said it was one of the best things the Gershwins ever did. He had a record of Gertrude Lawrence singing it that he wore out whenever we…” She coughed a bit herself here, “whenever we were together at night.” 

“Hey Miss Organ.” Maple’s long, tapered fingers ran deftly across the plump instrument’s keys. “Who’s ‘her’?” You’ve mentioned Troll was crazy about another lady before.”

“Oh, yes. They were made for each other! We always said that. I never saw two people with so much in common.” Miss Organ’s notes dripped with romance. “His first wife. They were so crazy about each other, until that…that…well, until they weren’t anymore.” 

“First wife?” Maple raised an eyebrow. “What happened to her? And why did they divorce?”

The notes turned sad and dreamy. “Oh, he didn’t want to divorce her! I personally think he loved her, more than anything. He had to because…well, because of that awful woman.”

“Now we’re getting somewhere.” Hilary pulled out her notes. “This other woman, who forced Troll into marriage. Does she have to do with the curse?”

“Oh yes!” The notes soured. “But I really can’t say more, Miss Hilary. It’s part of…well, that’s what the other woman told us. We can’t say anything, and I’m no talker.” 

Maple growled. “I don’t like the sound’a this. Bet she forced Troll into it, if he loved the other lady that much.” 

“I don’t, either.” Hilary scratched away at her notes, shaking her head as the music washed over her. “He was so…we used to dance to this song, sometimes. The way he held me…” Her eyes closed. “It was like no one mattered but us.”

“Oooh!” Miss Organ’s notes squealed with delight. “Sounds so romantic!”

“Oh, it was.” Hilary put her notes in her pocket again, the music bringing her back. “His arms…they were so strong, so warm. It was like leaning into a summer’s day.” She frowned as the song ended, shaking the memory away. “But that was a long time ago. He made his choice, just like Troll did.” 

That was when a pair of long, soft brown ears and a twitching nose peered in. “Oh hi, Mr. Rabbit!” Maple grabbed the sheet music. “Yeah, I know, it’s your turn.”

He hopped shyly in, carrying a single lavender rose. “Mr. Rabbit?” Miss Organ’s notes sounded soft and sweet. “Oh, thank you!” He slid the rose reverently on the remaining sheet music. “That’s so sweet of you. You’re the nicest m…er, rabbit around.” He barely noticed Maple. He only had eyes for Miss Organ. Hilary swore that the instrument turned red around its keys.

Maple patted Mr. Rabbit on his thin shoulder. “Go for it, hon. You’re on.”

Hilary followed Maple out the door. “What was that about?”

Her sister grinned widely as the sentimental ballad “Jeannie, I Dream of Lilac Time” echoed through the house. “I think Mr. Rabbit really has a crush on Miss Organ. If I ain’t talkin’ to her, he’s playin’ her an’ bringin’ her flowers.” She waggled her eyebrows. “The way he looks at her…makes me think of what I wanna do with Eagle and his feathers.”

“Well, yes,” Hilary coughed. “Have you heard from our one-bird spy network recently?”

“Naw, he’s mostly been in his rooms.” She smirked. “I’m gonna see if I can talk him into lettin’ me in again. How about you?”

“I’m going back to the library to make another call. I want to see how C.J is doing with that…that Eastern European role-stealing vampire woman. I think your sister might be there, too.” She frowned. “I want to talk to Betty about Bear. There was a talking newspaper in the library, and he basically confirmed what Betty said. Bear wasn’t always like this.”

“A talking newspaper?” Maple raised an eyebrow and patted Hilary’s shoulder. “Maybe you need a nap. I’ll see ya later, ok?” Hilary sighed as her sister wiggled off to talk that overly patriotic feather duster to let her into his private nest, and she went back towards the library. 

Hilary almost literally ran into Mrs. Fox in the hallway, holding a covered silver plate. “Mrs. Fox?” She raised an eyebrow. “What’s with the food? Is the King of England visiting?”

Mrs. Fox rolled her eyes. “The Master isn’t feeling well. I’m bringing him his lunch upstairs.”

“Don’t give me the walk into the door bit. Mr. Cat already tried that.” She crossed her arms. “What do you know about Troll’s first wife?”

Her long nose fell sadly; the bristly whiskers drooped. “I’m sorry, Miss Hilary. I’m not at liberty to discuss it.” She turned around to head back down the hall, but Hilary blocked her.

“Oh no. I’m not hearing more of that.” She made a face. “My sisters and I have all had the same dream for the past two nights. I am talking to a half-fox. Talk. Why did Troll divorce his wife, if he loved her so much?”

Mrs. Fox glared at her. “It wasn’t his choice! He had to. She…” Her breath caught, and she gasped before going on. “It was to help his friends. They found out…she…was…” She let out a hacking cough before she shook her head. “I’m sorry, Miss Hilary. Master doesn’t want us to talk about it.”

“Master,” Hilary snapped, “or whatever magic is holding you all here. Don’t deny it. I’m no magician, but even I can feel it. None of you are like this normally.” She narrowed her eyes. “What about that flirt of a Bear, who keeps throwing himself at my little sister?”

“Bear,” snarled Mrs. Fox, “is doing nothing of the sort. And watch what you say about him.” She got as close to Hilary as she dared carrying a silver tray, glaring daggers at her. “After he was…after his mind was…attacked, Eagle and I nursed him for three days. Three days, he was completely unresponsive!” She closed her eyes…and when she opened them, they were haunted and broken. “And Miss Hilary…when he did wake up, he knew. He knew there was something wrong with his mind. He broke down in tears. Eagle didn’t know what to do. I was the one who held him, let him cry on my shoulder.”

Hilary, for once, didn’t know what to say, either. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…” 

“No, you assumed.” Her glare was so vehement, Hilary stepped back. “Maybe Bear is throwing himself at Betty because she’s the only one who is treating him like he matters. Not pushing him around or avoiding him because he’s…well, because he’s Bear.” She winced at a frustrated Troll’s roar. “Excuse me. I have my work to do. Why don’t you go find something to do, and stop making nasty comments about things you have no understanding of?” Hilary was still sputtering when Mrs. Fox stormed back down the hall.