Chapter 14 #3
Ellis couldn’t contain her derisive laugh.
“Her Grace has no use for me. She only allowed me to be Min’s companion because the duke insisted.
However, I don’t want to discuss her today.
In fact, I’d rather not discuss her ever again.
She’s not a parent I wish to claim. I came here today wondering if you might be that parent, but so far, I’m apprehensive. ”
His features softened. “I shall do what I can to ease your concern. The reason for your visit is lovely. I’m always delighted to meet one of my children.”
One of his children? Ellis turned her head toward Jo to see her reaction.
“Good heavens, Papa, how many by-blows do you have?” Jo’s voice rose in consternation, as her brows drew sharply together. She glanced toward Ellis and murmured, “Sorry.”
Ellis waved her hand gently. “I’m not offended. I am one of his by-blows.” She narrowed her eyes slightly at Harker. “I have the same question regarding potential half-siblings.”
“Only a few,” he replied without even a hint of humility. “This makes three daughters and two sons.” He actually sounded proud.
Jo gaped at him. “Why have you never mentioned them to me?”
Harker drummed his fingers against his leg. “I didn’t think you’d appreciate hearing about them, and it seems I’m correct. I can see you’re upset with me about my liaison with the duchess.”
Exhaling, Jo rolled her eyes. “Being angry with you is a futile exercise. You are an infuriating man, but you are also sweet and loving. Perhaps if you could be bothered to tidy your house, you could have a gathering with all your children someday.”
“That might be nice,” Harker said, appearing as though he’d never considered the idea.
“And here we’ve another to add to our ranks.
” He beamed at Ellis. “May I say how beautiful you are? More of me in you than your mother, I think, but you do have her stubborn chin,” he added with a laugh.
“I’d like to paint your portrait. I’ve painted all my children. ”
“Have you?” Ellis asked.
Harker nodded.
Ellis was curious to see Jo’s, at least. “I should like to see yours.”
Jo pursed her lips. “Papa will have to show you. He paints them for himself, not us.”
“I see.” Ellis had to keep herself from laughing. Jo had warned her that he was self-centered, but he was almost comically so.
“Well, this is splendid,” Harker said gleefully to Ellis. “You were companion to Min for how long?”
“More than fifteen years.”
“Now she is married,” Harker noted. “I can’t imagine you’re still her companion. What are you doing?”
“I’m making my own way,” Ellis replied vaguely.
The gold flecks in Harker’s brown eyes sparkled. “That sounds intriguing. I’d like to hear all about that. I do love an independent woman. That’s what drew me to Jo’s mother. She’s an astonishing businesswoman.” He jumped to his feet. “Come, I’ll show you the studio. Jo, will you join us?”
Jo looked at Ellis, and Ellis gave her head a subtle shake. She would be fine alone with Rowland Harker for a few minutes. In fact, she wanted to be.
“I’ll wait here if you don’t mind,” Jo responded. “I’m a bit fatigued this afternoon.”
“That’s to be expected. I’m looking forward to the birth of my second grandchild, but the first one in line to be a duke.” He clapped his hands together with a giddy chuckle.
“You already have a grandchild?” Jo asked, incredulous.
“Just one,” he said proudly. “A girl.”
Jo and Ellis exchanged glances of disbelief and humor.
“My child may well be a girl too. I hope you won’t be disappointed.”
He waved his hand. “Bah, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of children, or at least until you have an heir. That’s your duty now, my dear.” He winked at her before he started toward the door. “Come along, Ellis. May I call you Ellis?” he asked. “I would be very happy if you called me Papa.”
Ellis didn’t think she could do that. Solomon Dangerfield had been her one and only “papa.”
“I think I would prefer to call you Rowland, at least for now,” she said.
He gave her a solemn nod. “I understand. We mustn’t rush things. We should get to know one another.” He held his arm out. “Come, take my arm.”
She walked to his side and took his arm as he guided her from the room and upstairs to the second floor.
“I apologize, for my studio space is even more cluttered than the drawing room,” he said sheepishly.
Ellis wondered to herself how that could possibly be but would soon find out. The studio was very large, as it encompassed the entire front of the house.
“The morning light must be excellent here,” she said.
That was all she could think to say about her surroundings.
There were easels and paints and brushes and buckets and cloths strewn just about everywhere.
There were a few empty canvases, but far more that were in various stages of completion.
Against the walls, he had stacks of finished work.
It looked as though the completed ones were on the far wall.
The walls were also covered with his paintings.
“I enjoy painting.” Ellis startled as he clapped his hands.
“Splendid! Two of my other children are also talented in the arts. Poor Jo can’t even draw a rudimentary flower.”
For the next several minutes, he showed her the room and many of his works. They ranged from landscapes to still lifes to portraits. Those of his children adorned the space between the front windows. They included a very pretty Jo from several years ago.
“How old is Jo in this picture?” Ellis asked.
“Seventeen, I believe.”
Ellis had to admit he was very talented. “I’m surprised I haven’t seen your work before.”
He shrugged. “You might have, but sometimes I go many months or even years without painting. I paint for a while, then I write for a while, then I tinker with experiments for a while. My laboratory is back through there.” He pointed through a doorway.
There was another door near Ellis. It stood ajar, so she poked her head inside. “What’s in here?”
“That’s my special studio.”
A wide, dark-blue velvet-covered chaise longue stood in front of the hearth.
There were several silk pillows, both on the chaise and the floor.
Various kinds of lighting, including candlesticks, candle branches, and standing torches were scattered about.
But none of that compared to the portraits covering these walls.
They were not like the ones in the main studio—they were intimate, sensual portraits of women in various states of undress and abandon.
There were also a few portraits of men in the same manner.
“I hadn’t meant to show you this room,” he said with a nervous laugh.
“You being an innocent young woman, of course. I’m rather proud of them, though.
These are all people for who I cared deeply at some time.
A part of me still loves them all.” He turned his gaze toward Ellis.
“I assume Jo told you of my debauchery. If not, I suppose our conversation downstairs would have informed you.”
“Yes, I was aware.” Ellis couldn’t help scanning the room. Suddenly, her focus fixed on one of the portraits near the hearth. She recognized the subject. In fact, Ellis had seen the likeness at the Laceys’ house the other night.
It was Clarissa, Roman’s wife.
Ellis walked toward the portrait. “Who is this?”
“That was one of my students,” he said. “She was quite talented. With a brush, I mean.”
Assuming his last statement alluded to some other skill, Ellis stared at him. “Was she also your mistress?” It seemed likely, given the portrait’s presence in this room.
“Oh, yes,” he replied nonchalantly. “As was everyone on the walls in here. Clarissa was one of my longer attachments. I’m proud to say we had a deep and abiding love.”
Love? When she’d been married to Roman?
“Was she married, like the duchess?” Ellis asked, though she already knew the answer.
“I’m afraid so.” His tone wasn’t regretful, at least not for his actions. It seemed more than he regretted having to tell Ellis. “Most of the women in here are. It’s less complicated that way. I’m married, they’re married…nobody expects anything permanent.”
“And were you faithful to any of these people?” Ellis felt certain she knew the answer to that as well. “Or are you not able to be monogamous in any way?”
“I can be faithful for a time, but not long.” He leaned toward her with a sly expression. “Usually, there’s more than one horse in the stable, if you know what I mean.”
Ellis was horrified by her father’s overall attitude and behavior as well as by the fact that he’d had an ongoing affair with Roman’s wife. Debauched didn’t begin to describe him. He lived a life she simply couldn’t grasp.
But the worst of it was his liaison with Clarissa. Did Roman know his wife had been unfaithful?
Perhaps that was why he preferred a marriage of convenience—he’d been cuckolded. Except his marriage to Clarissa had been arranged by her parents. It wasn’t a love match. Still, to be betrayed, even if you didn’t love your spouse, had to hurt.
Ellis couldn’t be certain he knew, however. She wanted to ask him, but since she hadn’t been keen to share her past, why should she expect him to?
“What happened to your ‘deep and abiding love?’” Ellis asked flatly, turning her back on the portrait.
“My love is constant, yet ever-changing,” he said with a sigh. “She became a bit too attached, and I encouraged her to return to her husband—to her duty.”
Ellis was growing to dislike this man. “She has a duty, but you—a husband to Jo’s mother—have none?”
“I suppose I deserve that,” he said quietly.
“For the most part, I’m very clear with everyone about my expectations regarding love affairs.
The only person I truly deceived was Jo’s mother, and that was because I didn’t realize I was going to.
I fell in love with her and didn’t think I would ever want anyone else. I was wrong.”