Page 8 of Enamored with a Brooding Earl
“Please, Lady Temperance, do not feel as though you must answer every question here,” Lord Calverton interrupted, putting his hand on his mother’s arm. “Mother, please. You are very passionate about your drawing, I know, but you must not press the lady.”
Temperance managed to smile as she looked into Lord Calverton’s eyes, a little surprised at the softness about his hazel eyes which settled against the firm pull of his lips. Much to her surprise, he did not once look at her cheek, did not let his gaze pull towards her scar. Whether that was deliberate or not, she did not know but all the same, she greatly appreciated it.
“I apologise,” Lady Calverton sighed, though the twinkle in her eyes lingered. “Lady Temperance, whenever you might wish to speak of your artistic work, please be aware that I should be very glad indeed to listen to all you have to say. I should very much like to share my passion so mayhap, you might be willing to call upon me one day also!”
Lord Calverton cleared his throat and his mother shot him a quick look before rolling her eyes and making Temperance smile.
“That is the dinner gong.” With a warm smile, Lady Thurston directed them towards the door which would lead out to the dining room. “Shall we make our way there? I am certain that this conversation can continue over some excellent food and wine!”
Lady Calverton agreed enthusiastically and stepped away, just as Lady Hartford and Lord Thurston walked away together.
She was left looking to Lord Calverton, who, much to her astonishment, smiled, turned and offered her his arm.
“I must apologise for my mother,” he said as she, somewhat tentatively, put her hand to his arm. “She is much too enthusiastic though ithasbeen some time since she was able to speak about such things with anyone.” He offered her a small smile as they followed after the others. “To be truthful, she has not even looked at a pencil or a paintbrush for some years. Now, however, we have returned here and within a sennight, she is talking about beginning to paint again! There must be something about this place that brings such an enthusiasm back to her.”
“I can understand that,” Temperance found herself saying, still a little overcome by all that had happened. “I find this place to be quite marvelous and in that regard, I cannot help but want to capture it as often as I can.” She glanced up at him again, seeinghim nod slowly as though he were trying to understand but could not quite do so. This was not the fellow she had thought him to be when he had first stepped into the room. She had been certain that the way he had looked at her and then stepped towards Lord Thurston had been because of her scar whereas now, she realized that he had only done such a thing in order to give opportunity for his mother to speak with the other ladies in the room. She had been quick to presume, quick to judge and he had proven her wrong in all that she had thought.
“I am afraid that I do not paint or even sketch!” he told her, as they entered the dining room. “I have no skill whatsoever in that regard, though I certainly doappreciateart. I have many a painting in my manor house and at the estate.” Leading her to her chair, he released her hand and then pulled the chair out for her. “If you ever have opportunity to present your work, I certainly would be glad to see it. I am sure it is quite wonderful.”
“Thank you, Lord Calverton.” Temperance’s heart leapt as he smiled, the action pulling away the seriousness from his hazel eyes. “I will consider it, of course. As I have said, it has been some time since I have shown anyone my work.”
“Then I shall be all the more honoured if I ever have opportunity to see it,” he smiled, before making his way to his own chair which was opposite her at the table. Temperance followed him with her eyes before dropping her gaze to her lap. This dinner had already gone a good deal better than she had expected and that brought such relief to her, she could barely speak. With a smile and a set of her shoulders, Temperance looked around the room and caught her aunt looking at her. Temperance’s smile grew as her aunt gave her a small nod, clearly aware that all of Temperance’s fears had been chased away. The first course was served and Temperance joined in with the others in conversation, though now and again, her gaze snagged on Lord Calverton. Never once did he look anywhere other than her eyes, never once did he glance at her marred cheek. For the first time in many a month, Temperance felt herself relax entirely at this social occasion. Perhaps shewouldshow her artwork to Lady Calverton. Perhaps she would be bold enough to share some of her paintings with others rather than keep hiding them away and, only on occasion, sharing them with her aunt. There was a fresh encouragement inLady Calverton’s enthusiasm and Temperance found herself smiling at the thought.
This year might turn out to be a little better than she had ever permitted herself to hope. She might have new acquaintances, new friendships and, mayhap, a new lease of life with it.
Chapter Six
“Mother?”
Walking into the drawing room, James stopped sharply, his breath catching in his chest as he took in the scene before him. Lady Calverton was standing before an easel, paintbrush in hand with a tray of paint on the table to her right. There were papers everywhere, lying at her feet and on the chair to her left and he dared not let his eyes go to the paint tray for fear that he would see paint dripping on the carpet between that and the easel.
“Ah, there you are! I did wonder when you would return from your ride.” Lady Calverton turned towards him, the brightness in her eyes making James smile despite the scene. There was a smudge of paint on her cheek, a flush of color in her face and James found himself rather relieved that she was wearing an apron over her gown.
“Good afternoon, mother,” he said, coming a little more cautiously into the room. “Goodness, might I ask what has brought this about?”
“Oh, it was in speaking with Lady Temperance!” came the reply. “She did not say much about her art, granted, but there was such a passion in what shedidsay that I could not help but take out everything I have and begin to paint!”
James frowned. “I did not think that she said anything.”
“She did not say anything toyou, mayhap. But when you stayed with Lord Thurston to take a glass of port, we ladies retired to the drawing room for tea and there, we were able to speak about a good many things.”
James closed his eyes. “Mama, I do hope you did not press her on such things. It seemed to me as though she was a little reluctant.”
“She is simply not used to it, that is all,” his mother stated, waving a hand – a hand which held the paintbrush and James eyed it nervously, worried that a splash of paint might fling itself onto his shirt. “I am going to call on Lady Hartford tomorrow afternoon and I hope that Lady Temperance will be present also and would be willing to show me even one of her sketches.”
Silently wondering if he ought to write in advance of his mother’s visit to apologise for her fervency, James bit his lip to keep those words from escaping.
“I am sure that, after a little more encouragement, Lady Temperance and I will be able to share our artistic passions,” his mother sighed, seemingly quite contented with all that she hoped for. “Goodness, it is quite marvelous how this has all returned to me so quickly! It has been a long time since I felt the desire to draw. In fact, I believe the last time I did so was before your father passed away.”
At the mention of this, James’ stomach twisted. “That has been a very long time indeed then, mother. Years, in fact.”
“Something he would not have liked,” she replied, smiling softly. “I know that you would have preferred that I found another place to paint but the view from the window was simply begging me to paint it and – ”
“If you are happy, mother, then please, do not concern yourself with where you are painting,” James interrupted, gently putting one hand on his mother’s shoulder and seeing her smile. “I am glad to see you doing so again.”
She smiled at him. “You are very generous, Calverton. I do hope that when I speak with Lady Temperance, I will have some recent work to speak of…so I must continue painting and finish this piece given that we are to call on her soon.”
“I am certain you shall finish it very soon,” James remarked, turning on his heel and making to quit the room. “I shall leave you in solitude so you might continue on without interruption.”
