Book excerpt: Vernon Deyre spends his childhood in fear of the grand piano, which seems to him a great and terrible Beast with ivory teeth. In consequence, he grows up regarding music with distaste and distrust. Then, years later, he attends an orchestral concert as a favour to a friend, and is enraptured by the performance. Vernon becomes a sensitive and brilliant composer - quite possibly a genius. But there is a high price to be paid for his talent, especially by his family and the two women in his life...