Page 11 of The Truth about the Viscount
Lady Tolerton made to sit down, only to pause as she looked at something on the table. A little unsure about what the lady was looking at, Patience tried not to appear rude, only for her eyes to flare as she saw the lady looking at the drawing she had done of Lord Milthorpe and Miss Spearton.
Her face flushed hot.
“Oh, do excuse me,” she said, reaching for it. “I was only just–”
“Might you permit me to see it?” Lady Tolerton’s eyebrows were lifted but her smile was still present. “I must say, it caught my interest because it is such a remarkable piece!”
There was very little for Patience to do but to agree, picking up her drawing and, with concern growing in her heart over what the lady might say, handing it to her. She watched Lady Tolerton’s face as she studied the drawing, though, of course, Patience’s mother was beaming with evident delight over how Patience’s work was being so considered. Christina went to open the door for the tea tray and still, Patience stood quietly, still a little anxious about what was soon to be said about her work.
“My goodness.” Lady Tolerton looked up from her scrutiny and, thereafter, shook her head in Patience’s direction. “I do not think that I have ever seen work like this before!”
Still a little unsure of whether or not this was meant as a compliment, Patience glanced at her mother, who quickly smiled reassuringly.
“I – I thank you,” she said, carefully, as Lady Tolerton looked up from the drawing, then shook her head.
“Goodness, it is quite remarkable how you have captured the look shared between two people,” she continued, as a warm glow of pleasure began to build in Patience’s chest. “Do you draw often?”
“She does, very often.” Christina, who now began to serve the tea, threw a smile towards Patience. “But she does not show her work to anyone, which I think is a great pity!”
Lady Tolerton nodded fervently.
“I would quite agree! More people should see such talent. Have you ever thought about how you might go about sharing your art with others?”
Patience shook her head, taking her teacup from Christina.
“That has never been something I have considered, truth be told. I do enjoy my artwork, and finding new subjects to draw, but I have never once thought about doing anything with my drawings.”
“Would you like to see some more?” Lady Osterley made her way directly across the room, without so much as glancing at Patience. “She has a lot of drawings and sketches here in the escritoire, though often even I am not allowed to see them!”
“But why is that?” Lady Tolerton exclaimed, looking at Patience with wide eyes. “You have such a talent, Lady Patience! Your work is remarkable, and I must say, I think even thetonshould see such beauty!”
Patience flushed at the thought.
“There is not always great beauty in what I have drawn, Lady Tolerton. The last piece I drew was, in fact, something of a rarity for me. There are often times when I will exaggerate a person’sfeatures or the like, and I am not certain that everyone would appreciate my focus in that way.”
Her fingers knitted together, her eyes darting this way and that as she looked from Christina to her mother and then back again, seeing how Lady Tolerton’s eyes widened as she looked through Patience’s pieces. Her mother was saying something, perhaps trying to describe what Patience had done in each piece, but Patience could not quite hear. Christina smiled encouragingly, but Patience felt herself growing tense all the same. It was the first time that someone else had seen her work in some time, and Patience prayed that Lady Tolerton would appreciate these just as much as she had the other.
An exclamation followed by a laugh made Patience’s eyebrows lift high. Much to her surprise, Lady Tolerton was grinning broadly, holding a piece of artwork in her hand. Turning her head, she came over to Patience, gesturing to it.
“This is remarkable! It is Lord Westerlake, is it not?”
It took Patience a moment to answer, looking at the artwork and then up into the lady’s face.
“Why, yes, it is.”
“I knew it!” Lady Tolerton giggled, her eyes dancing. “You have exaggerated the way he lifts his chin in that superior manner, as well as pressing out his nose a little more than it truly does.”
Patience nodded, hoping that the lady would not think poorly of her for doing so.
“Yes, that is quite so.”
“Remarkable.Remarkable.” Lady Tolerton said the same word twice but emphasized the second time a good deal more than the first, looking straight into Patience’s eyes as though she wanted her to understand just how fervently she believed it. “I have not seen work like yours before and I think that you ought to find a way to share it with others.”
Patience’s eyebrows lifted.
“Do you not think that there might be some who would find what I have done a little… insulting?”
Lady Tolerton chuckled as she made her way back to the writing desk, setting the piece of artwork down.
