Chapter 4
Chapter Four
“ W ell?”
Patience laughed as Eleanor’s eyebrow lifted gently.
“Yes, my dear cousin? What is it that you are asking me?”
“Your drawing!” Eleanor grinned as Patience rolled her eyes. “You did not think that I would forget about it, did you?”
“I hoped that you might,” Patience laughed, pulling herself out of her chair and, thereafter, making her way across the drawing room. “Though you have always been quite determined, have you not?”
Eleanor shrugged.
“When I know what it is that I want, then yes, I will admit that I am so. And what I want at this moment is to see your beautiful drawings.”
Rather touched by her friend’s considerations of her, Patience found the drawing and, thereafter, walked across the room to hand it to her cousin.
“There, now. You cannot complain any longer.”
This made Eleanor laugh aloud again, though that sound quickly died away when she took in the picture that Patience had drawn of the gentleman and the lady standing very close together, each looking into each other’s eyes. She tilted her head one way, then the other, before letting out a small sigh, though Patience found herself rather anxious, worried about what her cousin would have to say.
“That is quite beautiful, Patience. I so admire your ability to capture such a moment.”
Patience let out a breath of relief before smiling at her cousin.
“I am glad that you think well of it.”
“Oh, more than that! I think it quite wonderful, truly! You have made Miss Spearton and Lord Milthorpe’s fervent look stand out beautifully.”
“I thank you.” Reaching to pour the tea, Patience smiled at her cousin. “Tell me, have you had any gentleman callers of late?”
Eleanor giggled, the color heightening in her cheeks and giving her away.
“I might well have done.”
“And might you tell me their names?”
“I might.” Eleanor laughed as Patience rolled her eyes. “I will confess that there are some gentlemen that I think very well of indeed, but some that are less welcome to call upon me. Alas, the ones that came to call on me the most recently are the ones whom I am less inclined towards, though one I might consider.”
“And what is his name?” Patience asked, only for the door to open and her mother to step in, closely followed by Christina and another lady, whom Patience did not recognize. Quickly she and Eleanor rose to their feet.
“Good afternoon, Patience, Eleanor. Forgive me for the intrusion.” Lady Osterley gestured to the as yet unintroduced lady, who appeared to be a little younger than their mother, but older than Patience herself. “Might I introduce Lady Tolerton?”
Patience dropped into a curtsey.
“Good afternoon, Lady Tolerton. It is very nice to make your acquaintance.”
“And I yours.” The lady had a warm, rich voice and a bright expression which made Patience smile. “I have known your mother for many years, though it has been some time since we have been in company together. I am delighted now to meet you, and especially to spend time with her again.”
“How very nice,” Christina murmured, coming to sit down. “I have rung the bell, Mama, so we shall soon have more tea.”
“That will be lovely, I am sure.”
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 the ton should 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’s features 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.
“Does it matter if they do? I think that there will be far more members of the ton thinking very highly of your work and, mayhap, they too might soon desire themselves to be drawn in such a fashion.” She smiled. “In fact, I know that The London Chronicle has been looking for something new and interesting to include in its publication. If I could be so bold, might I suggest that I ask if they would print your work there?”
Patience blinked rapidly, the question catching her by surprise. It was one thing to talk about what it might be like to share her work with other members of society, but quite another to suggest having it printed in a newspaper!
“Oh, that would certainly single you out, would it not?” Lady Osterley clapped her hands rather than looking at all concerned. “You would become well known in society, and there might be many a gentleman who would think it quite wonderful to have a young lady such as yourself on his arm!”
Patience shook her head.
“Mama, by the very same thought, there might be many a gentleman who would not come near me because of such a thing! They might desire a young lady who would do nothing other than smile and do just as she ought, without having even the least bit of interest about her.”
Christina reached out and touched Patience’s hand.
“But would you like such a thing as that, Patience? Would you truly be contented with a husband who would not even know of your desire to draw and paint? Would you be happy, married to someone who tried to quash that desire within you, rather than encourage it?”
Patience opened her mouth to say that she did not see any difficulty in that, only to snap her mouth closed again. The truth was, she did not want to marry someone who would not be in the least bit interested in what her passion was. With a small sigh, she turned her gaze away from her sister and looked down at her teacup.
“Might you permit me to see if your drawing of this lovely couple could be printed in The London Chronicle?” Lady Tolerton asked, gently. “I do not mean to put you under any sort of pressure, but I do believe that your work would be appreciated by many.”
Uncertain as to what she wanted to do, Patience looked from her mother to Christina, and then back to Lady Tolerton. Every face had an encouraging smile on it, and Patience let out a slow breath, closing her eyes for a moment.
“Might it be possible to have it published anonymously?”
“Anonymously?” her mother interrupted before Lady Tolerton could reply. “Why would you wish to do such a thing?”
“Because that way, I will be able to ascertain the reaction of the ton before deciding whether or not I ought to publish more – and whether I ought to put my name to them also!” Patience smiled as her mother’s lips puckered. “I know that you believe that there will be a great deal of happiness and delight in what I have drawn, but I should like to see that for myself, first.”
“A wise consideration,” Lady Tolerton agreed, smiling at Patience. “I think it a good suggestion. Thank you, Lady Patience. I know that we have only just become acquainted, and yet here you are, trusting that I shall do just as I have said, and print your work in The London Chronicle!” Her eyes shone with expectant hope. “I am quite certain that you will see a good deal of delight in all that you have done here, Lady Patience. And that, I hope, will encourage you even more.”
“I hope so.” There was a writhing in her stomach that told Patience that she was still anxious about agreeing to this and it grew all the more as she watched Lady Tolerton pick up her drawing of Miss Spearton and Lord Milthorpe. “I saw that moment at the announcement of Lord Milthorpe and Miss Spearton’s betrothal,” she said, as Lady Tolerton nodded. “I kept it in my mind until I was able to put pencil to paper. I do not mind in the least if The London Chronicle names them since it is a piece without any exaggeration – but for others, I may wish their identities to be kept a secret.”
“Though some will identify them regardless,” Christina put in, quietly, as their mother nodded. “Your work is better than you realize, Patience.”
“Mayhap.”
Wishing now to change the subject, Patience took a breath and, with a smile, asked Lady Tolerton about any recent events that she had attended. Much to her joy, the lady was more than willing to speak, and soon, the conversation had changed entirely, from Patience’s artwork to something completely different. However, at the back of her mind, Patience could not forget what was going to happen to her artwork, silently hoping that all would be just as her mother and Lady Tolerton had said.