by Vikki Vaught
“It’s one of Mozart’s, Le nozze di Figaro. Have you ever seen it?” she asked.
“Yes, and it’s one of my favorites. I love the comic operas best, and that one is delightful.” She took a bite of the chicken and closed her eyes as the savory morsel delighted her senses.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying your stay. I do love Bath. Since so many of my friends live here, there are constant parties and soirees to keep me entertained. Of course, Sanderford Park is wonderful, but I’ve always enjoyed city living much more than living in the country.” The duchess met her gaze. “If you plan to establish a studio in London, you will need to adjust to city life.”
“While I attended the institute, I enjoyed London. Even though I’m not thrilled with balls and such, I do love the other amusements in town. Lady Helton has suggested I continue to stay with her whenever I’m in London, so I will be returning there in the spring.” They continued talking as they finished their meal. It was one of the most pleasant conversations she’d ever had with her mother.
Once they were finished their meal, Kathryn stood. “I’m going to take a walk this afternoon.” She left the dining room and went to find her maid.
She enjoyed walking, and she could walk for miles without growing tired. Fortunately, Sarah enjoyed it as well, since she had to come with her. She felt constrained by the rules governing unmarried females while in the city. When she resided at Sanderford Park, she could walk for miles by herself and never leave the grounds. Here, if she wanted to stick her nose out of the door, she had to take a maid. Although she was fond of Sarah, it would be nice to take a walk by herself.
While Kathryn was on her walk, she stopped by the bookseller and found an excellent book on art, and a new novel, so she purchased them both. Then she went to the confectionery and picked out some sweetmeats. On the way back to her mother’s, she ran into Lady Milsom and they chatted a bit. Overall, she’d had a very pleasant afternoon.
* * * *
When Jonathan returned home, he went to his rooms, and Hatton treated his knee. Since he was in a great deal of pain, he took a dose of laudanum and fell asleep. When he awoke several hours later, he felt much improved, and his head no longer pounded from his excessive drinking the night before. It pained him greatly that he’d let his brother down.
The problem was the whiskey, so he ordered Goodman to remove all of it from the house. He loved the way it made him feel while drinking it, but he did not enjoy the aftermath. His head always felt much worse the morning after. It was not how much he drank, but what he’d consumed. From now on, he would only have wine and a little brandy before he went to bed.
That night, after he retired to bed and sent Hatton away, he sat in his chair. While he read, he sipped his glass of brandy; no more drinking it quickly. He would savor it; nurse it along, that way he would not drink as much. It worked for a while, but then the warmth in his belly had him feeling mellow. Perhaps he could drink a little faster. By midnight, he’d passed out in his chair and never made it to bed.
When Jonathan awoke the next morning, he had another pounding headache, and his stomach tossed worse than it did when he went out to sea. Since Hatton had not come up yet, he hid the evidence and got into bed.
When Hatton prepared his bath, he did not tell him he needed his morning brew. He did without it. Once Hatton shaved him and helped him dress, he went to his study. As soon as he was alone, he poured a glass of brandy and drank it down in three gulps. As soon as the liquor hit his stomach, his hands quit shaking.
He spent the entire day drinking. By the time bedtime arrived, he was too drunk to go upstairs. The next morning, Goodman found him passed out in his study. Hatton and Goodman helped him upstairs. He felt so poorly he slept most of the day away. When he woke up at eight that night, he rang for Hatton, then sent him to the kitchen for food.
This has to stop.
He had to be up early the next morning since he was due at Lady Kathryn’s at nine. That night he was determined not to drink, since he did not want to have the headache when he went for his sitting. After he ate, he climbed into bed and eventually fell asleep from sheer exhaustion.
Hatton awoke him at seven the following morning, and Jonathan felt much improved. He even managed to eat breakfast. Obviously, he had to stop drinking brandy as well. From now on, he would only have wine, and only with his meals. Surely he would be fine if he left the brandy alone.
After a pleasant drive into town, he arrived at the duchess’s house a bit early, and the butler showed him to the drawing room then told him Lady Kathryn would be down shortly. Ten minutes later, she arrived.
While they went upstairs to her studio, he said, “You look very pretty. Blue compliments your eyes.”
She entered her studio ahead of him. “Thank you. Remember how I told you I wanted to do sketches of you standing? If you will go over to the window and put your hand on the ledge, I’ll get started.”
Jonathan did as she had requested. “Is this how you want me?”
Kathryn glanced at him. “Perfect. I hope it doesn’t bother you when I direct you, but I’ll need to do that so I can get the right poses. It’s fine to move a little, but try to stay as still as possible.” She walked over to her easel and began drawing. “Why don’t you tell me more about yourself? I enjoyed meeting your brother and his wife, and of course, your sister, Lady Elaine. She’s quite a bit younger, is she not? By the way, talking will help pass the time for you.”
“Roderick and I are close. Since we’re only a year apart, we did everything together. My father waited to send me to school so we could go together. We attended Eton, and we both enjoyed school. It’s hard to separate my story from Roderick’s because we’ve always been together, especially when we were young.”
“It’s the same for me and my sister,” she assured him. “We were inseparable while growing up. Tell me more.”
“Roderick and I joined the army together. We ended up apart during the fighting, and that was when I received my injury.” He flexed his hand to relieve a cramp. “He found me after the battle. He refused to allow them to amputate, and I shall always be eternally grateful to him.”
She looked up from her sketch. “I can understand why you’re thankful he was with you.”
“When we returned to England, he married Allison as soon as we arrived at St. John’s Wood. They nursed me back to health, or at least as healthy as I could be.” Thank God for both of them. “It took me four months before I could even attempt to get out of bed and walk. Roderick and my valet would not give up on me, and eventually I learned to walk using my cane.”
“Are you close to your valet?” she asked. “You’ve mentioned him before.”
Jonathan shifted his weight to his good leg. “Hatton was my batman. I’m very fortunate to have him. Once I was up and walking, Roderick and Allison went to Westland Acres. After they left, I grew morose. Eventually, I went to London. I started drinking, carousing around with my friends, and living my life quite recklessly.” He sighed. “Part of me wished I’d died over there.” He realized he’d failed to answer her question regarding his sister. “I’m sorry, you asked about Elaine, did you not?”
Lady Kathryn glanced at him and smiled. “I enjoyed hearing you talk of your brother. Now tell me about your sister.”
“Elaine is fifteen. She has a different mother than Roderick and me. Our mother passed when I was twelve. My father remarried a couple of years later to a woman who was years younger than he. My stepmother passed after giving birth to my sister,” Jonathan flexed his hand again, then placed it on the windowsill.
She nibbled on her lip, and desire shot through him. “I shall be through shortly, if you can bear it a few more minutes. So, Elaine never knew her mother?”
“She did not. I’m fifteen years older than she, but even though there’s a big age difference, we’re close.” A pang of remorse filled him, cooling his ardor. “When my father died, I left her alone with her governess. I’m not proud of m
y behavior. I should have tried to be more of a father to her. She’s turning into a wonderful young lady thanks to her governess. She went with Roderick and Allison when they left to go back to their home. I thought it would give her a holiday. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to rattle on like this.”
She laid her pencil down. “You did exactly what I wanted you to do. As you talked, I was able to capture several different facial expressions. That will help when I start to paint your portrait. That’s enough for today. On Thursday, I should finish my sketches and can start painting on Saturday. I’m sorry this session ran over a bit.”
He met her gaze. “Please, do not be concerned. I was fine until the end. In fact, I lost track of the time as I talked.”
“Excellent. I need you to decide what you want to wear for the portrait. I’ll need you to wear whatever you choose at the rest of your sittings starting Saturday. Let me show you out, and I shall see you on Thursday.” Kathryn stepped away from her easel. He found her pert manner enticing, and together they left her studio.
“This isn’t very fair. I’m telling you all kinds of things, but you haven’t told me anything about yourself. Next time, it will be your turn to talk, and I shall listen.” When they arrived downstairs, Jonathan bowed over her hand and left.
CHAPTER 7
Over the next two days, Jonathan only drank wine at his meals. He started to feel much better. He now realized he could never drink brandy again. His knee was bothering him quite a bit, but he ignored it as much as possible and took laudanum before bed, which helped him sleep.
His first thought when he arose Thursday morning…he would see Lady Kathryn again. Today, he planned to encourage her to talk, instead of him doing it all.
Jonathan arrived on time, and the butler took him up to her studio. As he entered, she smiled. “Good morning. You certainly look cheerful today. Are you ready for your sitting?”
He approached her and bowed. “Good morning to you as well. What position do you need me in?”
Lady Kathryn blushed. “I need to pose you today. I hope you don’t think I’m too forward, but it’s the only way.”
After he moved in front of the window, he grinned. “Do whatever you need. I think I can tolerate your touch.”
She approached him. “Please stand facing the easel. Place your hand on your hip and stand with your right foot slightly forward, putting more of your weight on your left leg.” He did as she asked. “No, that’s not quite right. I need to adjust your position. Let me know if it will bother you.”
She touched his hand, and a jolt of energy raced through his body. As she picked up his hand and placed it where she wanted it, he became aroused. He tried to think of something else, but it was not working.
She stepped back. “Ah, much better. Are you all right? You appear a little flushed. Is it too warm in here for you?”
Jonathan continued to attempt to gain control over his body. “Yes, it is a little warm, but I shall be fine. Am I standing correctly for you?”
“Let me open the window a little, but please do not move. You’re just perfect, and I do not want you to lose your pose.” She reached behind him, brushing against his arm as she raised the window. A cool breeze blew across his heated face, and his loins grew harder. “That’s much better. I promise I shall draw quickly.”
Devil’s teeth; he was glad his riding coat covered his breeches. “You promised to talk today. Tell me a little about yourself.”
She walked to her easel, picked up her pencil, and started sketching. “You already know about my family. As a child, I spent most of my time creating art. I started drawing when I was six. I painted my dog, my cat, my sister, and both of my brothers. They were extraordinarily patient with me, and they always told me my paintings were wonderful.”
Laughing, Jonathan asked, “Did you keep your early work? When did you start painting with oils, or did you start as a young child?”
“At first, I only used watercolors, but when I tried oils, I discovered the medium for me,” she explained. “My parents didn’t take my art seriously for a long time. In fact, if it wasn’t for Henry, I would not have gone to art school. He paid for my first art instructor since my parents refused. That was when I was fourteen.”
God, I love her enthusiasm. “Well, it’s good your brother took your talent seriously.”
She glanced up from her work and gave him a determined look. “Henry made them accept me into the Art Institute. I know he gave them a huge donation so they would let me attend, but I didn’t care as long as I was able to go. I knew I was good enough, and my instructors realized it too, once the institute let me in. I graduated top of my class. I found all the instruction invaluable, and I plan to open my own studio in London in three years.”
“Why wait three years?” he asked. “Once more people see your work, they will all want you to paint them.”
Lady Kathryn took a step away from her easel. “Henry has promised I can set up my own household when I turn five and twenty. His only requirement is that I hire a companion to live with me.”
Clearly, she was passionate about her art. “All this is interesting, but surely you have other interests besides art. What other things do you like to do?”
“Let me think.” She continued to sketch with an adorable, quizzical expression on her face. “I like to walk. I went exploring when I was a child and walked for miles. Sanderford Park is huge, and so I walked anywhere I wanted. There’s a lake on the estate, and I used to go there a great deal. In fact, my brother Nelson taught me to swim. We spent most of our afternoons during the summer at the lake, so I definitely like to swim.”
“I have a lake on my estate,” he told her, “and Roderick and I spent most of our summers fishing when we were children. In fact, one of my friends came to visit me a few weeks ago, and we went fishing. Now, what else do you like to do?”
“I enjoy reading. I owe my love of the written word to my sister-in-law. Melody introduced me to fiction, and I’ve loved it ever since. She’s an avid reader,” she explained. “I also enjoy the opera. I recently saw Le nozze di Figaro, and it was so amusing. I’ve always loved singing and took lessons. I know you mentioned you play the pianoforte. Do you like opera?”
So, they had music in common. That gave him one more thing to like. “I do enjoy it. I like all types of music, and I find it soothing to play. I’ve barely touched my pianoforte since I came home. I must rectify that. Where did you live while you went to the institute?”
She looked in his direction and smiled. “Oh, Melody has an aunt. Lady Helton is so generous. She invited me to stay with her. I shall return to her when I go to London in the spring. She’s turned one of her bedrooms into a studio for me. I could stay at Sanderford House when Henry and Melody are in town, but they prefer the ducal estate, so they’re rarely there. They only go to London when my brother attends Parliament. Did you take your seat in the House of Lords?”
Jonathan recalled the importance his father had placed on his role in Parliament. His father had believed it was his responsibility as a peer of the realm. His father would be disappointed in his lack of interest.
Feeling somewhat discomforted because he was not living up to his responsibility, he sighed. “I did take my seat, but I hate to admit this, I’m not active. I know your brother is though. I find it difficult to sit for long periods of time, and to be honest, I grow bored quite easily. Of course, that’s no excuse for shirking my duty.”
Lady Kathryn laid her pencil on the easel ledge. “My brother wasn’t sure he would like Parliament in the beginning, but now he enjoys it. He believes he’s helping his people by attending. I’m finished for the day. I shall begin painting on Saturday. Have you chosen what you will wear? Please wear whatever you’ve selected to our future sittings. I hope that’s not too much of an inconvenience?”
He relaxed his stance and flexed his hands. “Not at all. As I mentioned early on, I shall dress casually. How long will it take you to complete my portrait?
I promised my brother I would be in Bristol to pick up Elaine the first part of August. Will you have it finished?”
“Your sittings should be complete by then,” she assured him. “I shan’t need you when I add the finishing touches. Your brother and his wife asked me to come to Bristol and do their portrait. I told them I would come as soon as I finish yours.”
Should I offer to take her when I go for Elaine? “If we added another session each week, could you be ready to go to Bristol by the first of the month? You could travel with me when I go?”
She stiffened a moment at his suggestion, but then she relaxed and smiled. “That would be excellent. I’m so pleased they want me to do their portrait. As long as I can take my maid, my mother should have no objections. After all, the trip should only take a day. I shall see if she has any concerns and let you know Saturday. Now, what day will you add to your sittings?”
“I could add Wednesday. Will that work for you?” he asked.
She beamed. “Excellent. Since we’re through for the day, I shall walk you out.”
Jonathan was pleased she wanted to come with him. He just hoped he would move beyond the obsession he had with her. Perhaps spending time with her would help. Once they were downstairs, he turned to her and kissed her hand, then departed.
* * * *
Friday morning, Kathryn worked to prepare the canvas for Jonathan’s portrait. She chose tightly woven linen for it and stretched the material over the frame, ensuring it was taut. Then she securely fastened the canvas to the frame.
Once finished with it, she mixed the primer and sealed the canvas for tomorrow’s sitting. After she applied the first layer, she set it aside to dry. She would apply the second coat of primer when she returned from her walk.
Kathryn had dozens of excellent sketches. She liked the way she’d posed him on Thursday. While he appeared almost regal, he still looked relaxed. She noticed his color was much improved than in previous sittings, much less tension in his face, especially around his eyes.
