Page 30 of The Duke's Spinster Bride
She shook her head. “I do not think they are worth that.”
“Well if you do not share them we shall never know.” He moved as though to catch her hand, but stopped before he could touch her, curling his outstretched fingers into a fist that he hastily placed behind his back.
Andrea could not tell if she was relieved or disappointed. Her chest tightened.
“Please?” Frederick’s eyes were wide and inviting.
“I was thinking about the colours I would use if I were to paint your eyes.”Why did I say that?She waited for him to laugh at her, to make a silly quip about her wanting to stare at him.
To her surprise, he simply canted his head towards her. “My eyes?”
“The way the light caught them just now. They looked so dark and yet so vibrant. The blue is dark and complex, and there is so much emotion, I wondered how I could bring it to life.” She had taken a step towards him, tracing the air around his face with the paintbrush and then realised what she was doing.
Hastily she took a step back and swallowed. “It was a silly thing.”
“I do not think so.” Frederick moved to stand closer to her, gesturing to the painting as he scanned it with his eyes. “You have quite a talent for painting. The hills practically seem alive, and you captured the atmosphere perfectly. The way your hands seem to tease things to life, the confidence of your brushstrokes. I’ve seen professionals with less skill.”
“You do not mean that.” Andrea felt herself straighten at his words, her chin held high.
“I do. I have half a mind to ask you to do my next portrait, the man who did the last one was useless.” Frederick gave her painting an approving nod. “How on Earth did you make the fog look like that?”
“I play with the consistency of the paints and then I use colour to draw the eye in particular directions. Though I do not think I have quite managed to capture the way it sits.” Andrea frowned at the slowly dissipating fog.
“I think you have captured it perfectly.” Frederick met her gaze with an earnest smile. “It is beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Andrea ran her thumb across the tips of her fingers.
“Now I am even more curious to see how you would capture my eyes, especially as you seem so enraptured by them.” He batted his eyelashes at her, and placed his hands under his chin as though her were a cherub in a painting.
“I am not enraptured by them, they just present an interesting challenge as a painter.” Andrea shrugged, but could not help but look at the Duke’s eyes.They would be an interesting thing to try and capture in oils.
“I am surprised my grandmother never spoke of your talent. She has a keen eye for art.”
“That is because she has never seen my work.”
“Why ever not?”
“My father thought that my paintings were childishly derivative, he only wanted to hang ‘real’ art in his house.”
A muscle in the Duke’s jaw twitched, his fist not quite clenching. His words were clipped, his easy smile not quite meeting his eyes as he said, “then he is a fool and lacked the wit to see your skill. I would proudly hang your art where anyone could see it.”
“Oh please, do not do that.” She gave a small shudder. “What if someone asked who had done it?”
“Then I would tell them it was my highly talented wife.” Frederick shrugged.
Highly talented wife?Andrea’s eyes widened, even as a surge of warmth swept through her chest, she twisted her fingers together. “They would think I was terribly arrogant.”
“I doubt that.” Frederick glanced at her, and Andrea saw his gaze soften. “Though if it distresses you this much, I will not do it.”
“Thank you.” Andrea almost reached out to lay a hand on his arm, but she stopped herself just in time.
“I would do not anything that would cause you distress. But you should consider hanging some of your work, one should always have things of beauty around them. Your gift should be celebrated, not hidden.” He looked at the painting and then at her. “I should let you get back to your work. I have distracted you long enough.”
He doffed an imaginary cap to her and walked away. Andrea had taken half a step after him, her hand raised before she caught herself.
“How does he do this? I was quite content to be furious at him and now I am practically chasing after the man.” She looked at the painting. “Just because he said I had some skill with painting.”
More than that, he wanted to show off my work.The pride in his eyes made something inside her ache.I wonder what he would think of my other paintings.
