
And despite a reluctant muse - and a strange buzzing and recurring pain in his head - he must finish composing his symphony before the grand opening of the city's new opera hall. Nationally acclaimed conductor Nathaniel Tate Whitcomb is Nashville's new orchestra leader. To make matters worse, Adelicia Acklen Cheatham, mistress of Belmont Mansion and Rebekah's new employer, agrees with him.

Because the conductor - determined to leave his mark on the world of classical music - bows to public opinion. But women are "far too fragile and frail" for the rigors of an orchestra, and Rebekah's hopes are swiftly dashed.


A master violinist trained in Vienna, Rebekah Carrington manages to wheedle her way into an audition with the maestro at the newly formed Nashville Philharmonic.
