Page 17 of An Arranged Betrothal with a Contrite Duke
The duke looked thoughtful for a moment. He seemed to be thinking hard about her question, and he hesitated before speaking. She found that odd, as though there was almost something specific he wanted to say. But when he smiled and shrugged, she dismissed the thought.
“Whatever you like Lady Lydia,” he said warmly. “This is a most impressive home. It looks almost like a miniature castle.”
Lydia smiled and nodded.
“It does,” she said. “You notice it more in some rooms than others. Come and I will show you.”
The duke offered her his arm and grinned.
“Lead the way, my lady,” he said.
Lydia thought for a moment. She was sure that he would be interested in the crux of her father’s collection, which was kept in a small offshoot room adjacent to his study. But she was afraid that if she showed him all the most interesting things first, he would grow bored with the tour, and with her. She didn’t wish to draw out the suspense and keep him longer than he wished to stay. But she did want every minute she could get with him. The longer she spent with him, the more she could learn about him.
She led him first to the music room, which was just between the first-floor parlor and the drawing room. Lord Strawbridge was instantly impressed with the old Master paintings on the walls. Lydia paused, letting him take them in. She was prepared to answer questions from him, but he surprised her pretty quickly.
“Renaissance and Baroque paintings, both,” he murmured, pointing to one just to their right. “That’s a Rembrandt.”
Lydia nodded, impressed.
“It is,” she said. “Father adores Rembrandt paintings.”
The duke nodded, but he was already looking at a different one.
“And that one is a Caravaggio,” he said. The awe in his voice made the flutter return to her heart, and she watched him with fascination. “My very first collector’s painting was a Caravaggio. It was the one with the older woman watching over a younger woman and the young child with no diaper who is stepping on a snake.”
“The Madonna of the Grooms,” Lydia murmured, nodding. “I understand there was a religious message in that painting. A representation of Christ rebuking the serpent while Saint Anne watches over them. It was a commission painting, done in 1601, I believe.”
The duke turned to look at her, his eyes wide as he nodded.
“That’s correct,” he said. “But I did not learn about that until I was on my Grand Tour, after I had already acquired the painting.”
Lydia blushed and shrugged.
“I often read Father’s books on paintings and sculptures,” she said. “I realise that many women of the ton are horrified by certain works of art. But anyone who takes the time is able to learn that they were actually created with beautiful messages and a great deal of symbolism intended within them.”
Lord Strawbridge gave her a small, crooked smile. He stared at her for a long moment before turning to another Rembrandt painting.
“Well, can you tell me about the message and symbolism of that one?” he asked.
Lydia could see that there was nothing but an awe-stricken interest in his question, and her cheeks grew warm. She gladly complied, explaining what she knew about the painting, Old Man with a Gold Chain. Then, they continued onto the Etruscan and Ancient Greek sculpture miniatures of harps, drums, pan flutes, and lyres. Lydia could see the immediate increase of interest on his face.
He gestured toward a miniature of a Greek man in a robe playing a lyre, silently asking for permission to pick it up. Lydia happily granted it with a nod, watching his eyes light up as he studied the figurine.
“I was fortunate enough to play one of these while I was on my Grand Tour,” he said.
Lydia’s eyes lit up.
“Oh, you found the instrument itself?” she asked.
The duke’s dreamy eyes widened. Then, he chuckled to himself and shook his head.
“Oh, no, forgive me,” he said. “I was not clear. I encountered a gentleman who had a replica lyre. Even the replica was a delicate instrument. I can only imagine that any authentic instruments such as that are either dust or in museums.”
Lydia nodded.
“And how I would love to get to see some of them some day,” she said.
The duke gave her a smirk.
