Page 29 of The Thief
“When I was eight, my mother had me pose for an awful portrait in the most horrible outfit I ever could imagine,” he said, breaking the tension of the moment.
“Do you have the portrait still or did your mother take it with her when she moved out?”
He shook his head. “It was never finished, and for that I am very grateful.”
Scarlett almost laughed at the mischievous and conspiratorial look that came over his face.
“I was so miserable that the artist took pity on me and accidentally got the portrait too close to a nearby candle and set it on fire. My mother took that as a sign and decided not to have him start over. I still gave him half of the Royal Litas my mother promised him for it.”
Scarlett couldn’t hold back her laughter and had to cover her mouth to keep from spitting out the fruit she had in her mouth.
He lifted his glass of vino to hers and toasted, “To sympathetic painters who take pity on miserably dressed eight-year-old boys.”
She clinked her glass with his and took a sip of the sweet vino, the bubbles from the drink popping on her tongue.
“I love the vino taste. How is it made?” she asked.
Alastair opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Bard clearing his throat to get their attention.
“My Lord, there is someone to see you and the queen. I believe he will be staying for a few days as he has brought a large entourage with him,” he said, handing him the card.
Alastair looked at the card and then at Scarlett and reached over, grasping her hand in his.
“You can tell Lord Art that we will be able to receive him in a few minutes. Make up our finest room if he does intend to stay. Last time he was here he did not stay.”
Bard nodded and bowed at the waist.
“Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?” he asked as he straightened.
“No, just those things will be all right for now. I will call you if we need anything else.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
He bowed and walked back into the castle, leaving them alone again.
“It will be all right. Just stay strong and he will not be able to intimidate you. I will also be right beside you.”
She smiled shakily and squeezed his hand that she still held.
“Let’s go.”
He stood and helped her up, squeezing her hand once more before letting go and gathering the food items together, putting them back into the basket placed near their blanket. They headed inside together and on the way to the drawing room, Alastair asked a passing maid to make sure that their picnic was cleaned up.
Scarlett fretted the entire way from the courtyard to the drawing room. She steeled herself to see her uncle again. The last time she saw her uncle it was not a pleasant time for her. She felt though that she had grown a little bit in the last few months. That thought alone made her spine stiffen and determination flood her body. She would fight her uncle to get what she wanted and what she wanted was more time.
Together they approached the door of the drawing room and Alastair stopped before he went in, turning to face her.
“Right beside you,” he whispered.
She smiled at him and took the arm he offered to her and let him escort her into the room.
Art turned to face them as they walked in, his eyes cold and hard, the smile on his face no more than a sneer.
“Hello, Scarlett.”
