Page 109 of Her Beast

“Miss Harlow is a painter,” Malcolm said. “Kemp tells me they are quite good although she won’t show me any.”

Julia laughed. “First, I would never be so arrogant as to call myself apainter; I dabble. Second, they are certainly notart. And third, you may see them any time you like.” Well, all but the one she was going to surprise him with.

“I’ve actually seen one of Miss Harlow’s paintings,” Smith said.

“Where could—oh no!” Julia grimaced. “Please tell me Lily didn’t show you that childish effort I gave her?”

“I thought it was a charming painting of Lady Bankton.”

She snorted. “As long as you didn’t look too closely at the hands.”

“I have an artist friend who complains about ears,” he said. “But every time I look at something that she is unhappy with, I cannot see it.”

“Smith knows Mrs. Edward Fanshaw,” Malcolm said. “Nora Hudson is the name she goes by in the art world.”

“Nora Hudson? Why, I saw her work at an exhibition last spring. She is quite marvelous,” Julia stammered, vividly recalling her body’s reactions to the erotic and wicked paintings.

Judging by the way Smith’s eyes glinted he knew what she was thinking.

“That must have been her show at the Roth gallery.”

“It was,” she admitted.

Mr. Smith grinned. “It was quite a spectacular display of her work before it was shuttered for public indecency.”

Julia scowled. “I was disgusted when I read about that in the paper. Did she actually go to gaol?”

He chuckled. “No—her husband saw to that. And don’t be angry on Nora’s behalf because she was quite tickled to be at the center of such a storm. Her work is always in demand but that controversy catapulted her into an entirely new category.”

“Smith has sat for Mrs. Fanshawe on multiple occasions,” Malcolm said.

“Thatis why you look familiar,” Julia said. “There was a section at the gallery with several of you, wasn’t there? They were the ones that—” she broke off and bit her lip.

“Weren’t nudes?” Smith said. “No, I was clothed in all those.”

“Smith has purchased all Mrs. Fanshawe’s more incriminating paintings,” Malcolm added, grinning at his friend.

Julia’s gaze slid over Mr. Smith and she had to admit he appeared to be a fine physical specimen.

When she looked up it was to see both men regarding her with amusement.

“Oh dear,” Julia said, mortified to be caught in the act of examining a man’s physique. “I think it is time for me to retire,” she said, before she could embarrass herself any further.

Besides, now would be an excellent time to search the hallway for her bracelet seeing that Malcolm was occupied with his friend.

∞∞∞

Malcolm turned to Smith once he’d shut the door behind Julia and scowled at the gloating expression on his friend’s face. “What?” he snapped rudely.

Smith tried to assume an innocent expression and failed miserably. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

“Then why are you grinning in that obnoxious manner?”

“Because I am pleased to see you happy, my friend.”

Malcolm tried to maintain his scowl, but, for once, his face refused to obey him. His lips twitched into a smile and he grunted.

“She is a lovely woman,” Smith said.

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