Page 38 of Rescued from Betrayal
“To me? What sort of service are we speaking of?”
“I… That is… You know how much I enjoy painting.”
“Yes.” Nathaniel waited for his friend to continue, knowing how much of a struggle it was for him to speak in front of such a beautiful woman as Melior.
“I thought I might paint a wedding portrait for you,” John said so quickly that Nathaniel was not quite certain if he’d heard him correctly.
“A wedding portrait?” he asked.
Melior looked at John, excitement in her cobalt blue eyes.
John blushed. “If you do not wish it, I understand, I simply—”
“No, no. It sounds lovely.” Melior leaned forward in her seat. “It has been a year or two since I sat for a painting and I wouldlove to see your work, Lord Newhurst. I am unsure if you know, but I paint as well.”
Of course she did. There was not one accomplishment that she did not have, Lady Kendall having hired the best masters in every art possible. Melior danced without flaw, embroidered elegantly, and played the pianoforte nearly as beautifully as she sang.
John rubbed the palms of his hands on his trousers. “I hope you will for… forgive my deficiencies then. I am by no means… a… a Michaelangelo.”
Melior smiled brightly. “I am sure you are far more talented than I am, Your Lordship. It will be a delight to see your work. While I enjoy painting, I am not a master either.”
“What medium do you prefer?” John asked of his own accord.
“Watercolor mostly, but I have dabbled in oils every now and then.”
“My paintings are exclusively oil. I find watercolor difficult to control.”
“It can be…”
Nathaniel crossed his arms over his chest and pressed his lips together, their conversation fading into the background of his mind. His wife’s excitement at the prospect of a painting was natural, but John’s sudden openness was not. Somehow, Melior had stumbled onto one of three topics his friend could converse on for hours. And one of which Nathaniel was completely ignorant.
Melior’s dark eyebrows rose and fell with the conversation, her eyes alive with interest. Even the tip of her pert little nose expressed the life the topic poured back into her by bobbing slightly up and down as she spoke. He focused on the movement and for the first time noted how the curves at the tip created a heart-like shape. It was mesmerizing.
John smiled at something she said and Nathaniel frowned at her answering grin. Why did she have to flash such an inviting smile? Especially when it was not directed at him.
Melior glanced at Sir Nathaniel and her smile fell. His stern expression made her wonder if he was not as thrilled at the idea of Lord Newhurst painting them. Frankly, she was happy to be doing anything that afforded her to be with people as her husband seemed determined to avoid her. She’d spent far too much time alone in her room or the library the last two weeks—her afternoon teas with her new mother-in-law and the infrequent visits from neighbors the only reprieve from the loneliness.
Thank the heavens for Lady Stanford or her days would be unbearable. She had found something of a friend in the sweet woman as they talked of the latest fashions intermixed with bits of neighborhood gossip, which seemed to be Lady Stanford’s favorite pastime. That and hinting at Melior and Nathaniel’s future children. It was something Melior had learned to laugh at, but secretly pricked her heart.
And while there were days that Lady Stanford’s illness made her too weak to be good company, she never barred Melior from their daily visits. On those days, Melior had found solace in simply sitting with the lady while she slept or describing some of her favorite activities in London.
But it was not enough. She was used to being surrounded by people.
Fearing Sir Nathaniel might refuse his friend, she said, “Is it not a generous offer, Sir Nathaniel? You, of course, have already seen your friend’s work, but I am exceedingly curious to see his finished masterpiece.”
“I would not call it a masterpiece.” Lord Newhurst’s blush spread to his ears.
“Don’t be so modest, John. You know your attention to detail is second to none.” Sir Nathaniel sat back and laced his fingers together over his stomach.
The two friends looked at each other and Melior was relieved to see Sir Nathaniel’s defensive stance soften.
“When would you like to start?” he asked.
“I thought we might begin tomorrow, if you are both amenable?”
Tomorrow? Melior was disappointed. Could they not begin today? It seemed she was destined to spend another quiet day in the library.
“Very good,” Sir Nathaniel said, “Now come with me to the study, John. I have a new book about steam engines that has some fantastical ideas of how they might be used.”
