Page 36 of Romancing the Artist

Caroline watched them go, then turned back to Edward with her eyebrows drawn together. “That seemed rather abrupt. I certainly hope I didn’t offend—”

“No, of course not. You did nothing wrong.” Edward put his hands on his knees beneath the small table, steadying himself as he searched for a way to excuse his sisters. But was this not what they wanted? He had to laugh, though he winced when he realized how he had to force the sound. “I think they suspect I have an interest in you. They have left us alone to create an opportunity for private conversation. Unobserved flirtation, perhaps.”

Her cheeks flushed. “It is as easy as that for a couple to be left to themselves? I thought the trick near impossible.”

Some of the tension in the air eased. “I have excessively affectionate sisters. And they still believe in romance and love.”

“You are doing well, I think,” she said. When he stared at her blankly, Caroline clarified. “You were quite attentive in our conversation, though I cannot imagine a gentleman enjoying the topics of bonnets and gowns. It is no wonder your sisters think you have a genuine interest in me.”

It took Edward a moment to shift his thoughts. Had he been pretending? At any point in the conversation? No. He hadn’t. He’d genuinely enjoyed every moment of it. And he’d forgotten—or nearly forgotten—their ruse. Unnerved by his realization, Edward spoke in as flat a tone as possible. “Thank you. You did well, too.”

Caroline looked down at the cake he had served her a moment before and smiled. “They did give us an excellent opportunity to discuss another private matter.” She kept her tone low, where it would not carry to others in the room.

It took Edward a moment to recall what other private matter she meant, and when he remembered, he winced. “Have you spoken to Lady Inglewood about painting me, then?”

“Indeed. She approves of the idea and wants you to visit as soon as possible, so we might compare schedules and make arrangements to be properly chaperoned.” Caroline’s nose wrinkled slightly, and he had the absurd desire to wrinkle his own back. But he resisted. “I imagine we will need to consult on other parts of our social calendar, too. I do have one more concern,” she said.

His heart had deviated from its steady rhythm, though Edward hadn’t any idea why. Even if he hadn’t meant to begin their plan, it was already going well. “What is it?” he ventured at last.

“I haven’t a great deal of time for socializing, though Lady Inglewood is determined that I attend every picnic and fete from here to Ipswich,” Caroline said, using a small fork to halve her little cake. “At the end of August, Sir Thomas Lawrence is coming to Inglewood Castle as the countess’s guest. Do you know who he is?”

“The name sounds vaguely familiar,” Edward admitted with a small shrug. “Ought I to know him?”

“He is the president of the Royal Academy and one of the most talented artists of our time. The royal family has employed him since the start of the century. He’s painted every important person you can think of for nearly three decades.”

“I see. And you will meet him when he comes?”

“Not only that. He will view my work, and his opinion of it will determine my future in art.” Her expression turned anxious; her eyes less bright than before and her jaw tight. “That is another reason the painting is important. I haven’t many samples of gentlemen, and nothing fantastic, such as representation of biblical or mythical figures. I need to show that I am capable of more than domestic scenes of sheep and orchards.”

The painting he had agreed to pose for meant more to her than he had guessed. And it was daunting to know it, too. As much as he wanted to avoid the needling of his parents and stop their misguided matchmaking for Mariah’s sake, as a man, he could simply tell them “no” and suffer few consequences.

Upholding his end of their agreement meant considerably more to Caroline and Mariah. It meant everything to them both. Mariah’s heart depended on him. Caroline’s dreams were at stake, too, and Edward knew well enough how sharp-edged an unfulfilled dream rested in a person’s heart.

“I understand. I promise I will take you from your work as little as possible, and I will put myself completely at your disposable, Miss Clapham.”

“Thank you.” Caroline relaxed, at least enough that the crease left her brow. “Have you given any thought to how best we will go about our feigned courtship?”

“Some.” Edward shifted in his chair and glanced toward the open staircase, ensuring himself his sisters hadn’t yet returned. He glanced across the room and nodded to one of his mother’s friends, sitting at a table with her husband. She’d been staring at him throughout the course of their tea. “Being seen together like this is enough to create gossip, and my sisters already suspect something.”

Caroline’s smile, though slight, still reached her eyes. “Our conversation the other evening certainly helped matters. How long did we stand in that corner?”

“Not even a quarter of an hour,” he insisted, folding his arms across his chest. “But that, and my eagerness to speak to you today, made an impression.” And she didn’t need to know how little he had feigned that eagerness. The moment he had spied her upon the street, he’d wanted to speak with her. He hadn’t even minded his sisters taking the reins in the conversation. Realizing that now made his chest feel tight. Surely, he’d only been eager to begin their ruse. But then, why had he forgotten about the whole thing until the moment his sisters left the table?

She smoothed a small wrinkle from the tablecloth, not looking at him. “I am glad we happened upon each other, then.”

Was that the only reason she was glad, or had she enjoyed his company?

Why did he care?

Edward studied the woman in front of him. Admitting she fascinated him felt dangerous, and yet he wouldn’t deny it. At least not to himself. “When I come to visit you at Inglewood to determine our schedule, I will be certain my parents are aware that I am intrigued by spending more time in your company.”

Caroline’s amusement grew. “What will they think of that? I am a little nobody to them.”

At this he shrugged and barely resisted giving a tug to his cravat. “I’m not concerned on that end, so long as it distracts them from Mariah. You will leave at the end of summer, and whether they are relieved or disappointed, it hardly matters.” At least, he kept telling himself that. If his parents were going to meddle in his life, they well deserved the consequences of such a thing.

The woman’s expression briefly turned to surprise, but then she lowered her gaze to her plate and took up her fork. “You seem quite calm about all of this,” Caroline murmured, still cutting her cake into smaller and smaller pieces. “I suppose you will yet face a great deal of opposition from them.”

“Yes. Perhaps.” Edward forgot himself and ran his hand through his hair and then placed it on the table again to tap his fingers. “Mariah will face the worst of it if she cannot manage her parents’ reaction to my courting another woman. At least they cannot perceive it as a deliberate move on her part. If they did, I’m certain they would send her away. I know she lives in terror of a certain Scottish great-aunt.”