Chapter 16

“I’m going to spend another hour or two working on other music,” Tom said, “and you’re welcome to stay and listen. Just bear in mind that I’m still learning some of these pieces and they’re far from polished.”

“I’m quite comfortable in this choir pew,” she said, “so I’ll stay right here with William and Henry.”

When he finally stopped playing, he heard, to his surprise, applause from a small crowd of onlookers in the first few pews of the church. He walked to the top of the steps leading to the altar to acknowledge the applause. Then he invited the crowd to come back at four o’clock Sunday afternoon for the concert.

While Noah was returning the music to the captain’s case, Tom sat down in the pew beside Mrs. Lane and said, “That’s about all I have the energy for right now.”

“I should think so,” she said. “If one of my grandsons will go down the street to the garage and retrieve my car, I’ll treat all of us to a late lunch.”