Chapter 10

CHAPTER10

“For once don’t go around bothering people, will you?” Gerald boomed, shooting his brother a piercing look.

“Of course, my brother assumes my only task on earth is to bother people,” Simon huffed in exasperation, turning to face his brother.

A bit of his drink sloshed over the rim during the swift movement. Gerald looked at it.

“No, Simon. I mean it’s best not to bother the Duchess during her work,” Gerald insisted as he walked closer, taking the glass from Simon’s hand. “You are spilling the drink. I think it best if you don’t have any of this during the day. You have to recover.”

“Recover from what, exactly?” Simon asked with a raised eyebrow. He looked irritated by his elder brother’s micromanagement.

“From this,” Gerald said, slightly raising the glass in his hand. “You had far too much last night, you must have a pounding headache.”

“Does that mean you would join me tonight?” Simon asked with a look bound to drag the soul out of the body. “Have a couple of drinks at the gentlemen’s club?”

Gerald looked at his brother for a second, handing the glass to one of the maids passing by. “If I agree, would you let the Duchess do her work?”

“I will,” Simon said with a wide grin, making his way out of the drawing room. “I am going to lie down!”

The sound of his footsteps faded as he walked down the corridor, leaving Katherine to stare back at Gerald, unsure of what to say.

“Good day, Your Grace,” she uttered.

Gerald heaved a sigh, his focus still on his brother’s morning stunt.

“Good day, how is the painting progressing?” he asked distractedly.

Katherine smiled at him, rising from her seat. “Just amazing, Your Grace,” she replied, an unexpected blush blooming on her cheeks as she looked up at him. “I would like to heartily thank you for the amazing gift, it means a whole lot to me. I haven’t painted in such a long while, and your gift allows me to do so again.”

“Oh, no trouble at all.” Gerald shrugged. “You showed a desire to paint, so I find it a good gesture to provide you with the necessary tools.”

“It still remains an amazing gift.” Katherine smiled.

She was unsure if she or Gerald had moved closer, but she noticed that the two of them were standing much closer to each other. Her heart fluttered slightly in her chest.

“I’m glad you find enjoyment in the supplies, Duchess,” Gerald said with a faint smile.

Katherine was unsure if she had imagined it, but it appeared that the Duke’s cheeks had pinkened. She wanted to point it out, but she was enjoying their brief moment too much to ruin it.

“Your Grace!” Simon’s voice echoed from the corridor once again. This time, it sounded like he was coming closer. “I had asked the maid to clean my quarters, so i can’t lie down at this very moment. Do assist me with a task in the library?”

Gerald looked over at his brother, who was standing in the doorway. He frowned, his irritation at his brother’s intrusion evident. Simon returned his frown.

“Come on, you said we were to leave the Duchess to her painting, remember?” Simon pointed out, waving Gerald over. Katherine watched as he disappeared down the hallway once again.

Gerald opened his mouth for a brief moment, as if he were about to say something. Katherine even looked at him expectantly. Instead, he gave a curt nod before starting to walk away.

“Excuse me, Duchess. I have to tend to my brother. But I hope you enjoy your painting,” he said before disappearing around the corner.

Katherine let out a small sigh once she thought he was out of earshot and then sat back in her seat. The only task left for her was to paint again.

A ray of sunlight filtered through the window in front of her. She smiled, feeling the subtle glow on her cheeks.

She grabbed the palette and dipped her paintbrush in a mix of new colors, attempting to create the perfect hue that would allow her to show the beauty of the sunlight.

* * *

“Duchess,” Gerald said from behind her.

Katherine had been sitting in front of the easel for so long that she started upon hearing his voice. The sudden movement jolted the paintbrush in her hand, creating a small stripe of pink amongst the wildflowers she had painted.

Gerald winced. “I apologize for frightening you. I hope I have not ruined your painting.”

Katherine let out a small chuckle as she dipped a finer paintbrush into the shade of pink. “I think you may have just given me a bit of new inspiration, Your Grace, and I thank you for that.”

With those words, she started to transform the stripe of pink into a large, luscious flower protruding amongst the other flowers. After she finished painting it, she stared at it with a sense of pride. Finally, she placed the palette and paintbrush down, flexing her hands to release the tension in them.

“You have a truly creative mind to transform a mistake so easily into something beautiful,” Gerald complimented, leaning a bit closer to admire her new creation.

“There are few mistakes in art that one can’t fix.” Katherine smiled, stretching out her palms in front of her. Both were paint-covered and a bit sore, but she had never felt more at peace. As she turned to stretch her back, she noticed the sky outside had darkened. “Oh my, how long have I been painting?”

“Quite a while,” Gerald responded, his eyes still fixed on the painting. “I apologize for the intrusion, but I had noticed this work of art from the corridor and couldn’t help but admire it a bit more closely.”

“Oh, Your Grace, I thank you. But unfortunately, the piece is still far from finished.” Katherine laughed.

But her laugh carried some nostalgia. It reminded her of her younger days, when she used to paint the whole day until her mother had to eventually order her to get up and go wash up.

“One can’t even tell that. It already looks like a masterpiece, and I am excited to see it finished,” Gerald said, finally straightening up.

Momentarily, Katherine had forgotten just how tall he truly was.

“I thank you for the compliments, Your Grace. I’ll make sure to show you the finished piece.” She blushed, feeling a bit shy at his unexpected compliments.

“It’s beautiful,” Gerald murmured, but now his eyes were fixed on Katherine.

For a moment, Katherine found herself confused as to whether he was talking about the painting or her. Her cheeks started to grow hot.

“Brother!” a voice boomed from the corridor, and she didn’t even have to ask who it might be.

Gerald sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. “Simon?” he responded.

Katherine listened to the footsteps approaching them, feeling disappointed by Simon’s awful timing.

“Afternoon,” Simon said from the doorway. His body swayed ever so slightly, and Katherine couldn’t help but wonder if he had kept his promise of not drinking during the day.

“Oh, it is starting to look pretty now,” he commented as he stepped toward the easel. He lifted a finger as if to touch the canvas, but Gerald was quick to hold him back.

“Oil paint takes a long time to dry, Simon,” he said sternly.

“My apologies,” Simon intoned. “This must have taken you all day, Your Grace. Did you really sit here all day, painting?”

Katherine bit the inside of her cheek, unsure if he meant it in a judgmental way. “I had almost spent the entire day here, indeed.”

“Well, you must enjoy it, then.” Simon nodded, and she felt a small relief as he turned to walk away. “Come now, Brother. Remember what you said about letting her work? I believe we have to go to the bar.”

Gerald heaved a sigh and shook his head. “Yes, Simon.” He then nodded to Katherine with a smile. “Enjoy your evening, Duchess. There is an event I have to attend.”

“I hope you find a way to enjoy it, Your Grace.” Katherine chuckled, finding it comical how little spirit Gerald had to join his brother for a night of drinking.

“The carriage is here for us!” Simon called from the foyer. “If you don’t have any spirit now, there will be plenty of spirits to indulge in at the club!”

With that last statement, Katherine watched as Gerald disappeared and Simon’s voice grew increasingly muffled. She heard the front door click shut and stood in silence for a while, now having the entire manor to herself.

“Anne?” she called once she saw her maid pass through the halls.

“Yes, Your Grace,” Anne replied, somehow having appeared in the doorway in a second.

Katherine looked at her, impressed by her swiftness. “Would you mind telling the kitchen maid to prepare me a cup of tea? I’ll be here in the drawing room,” she requested with a smile.

“Of course, Your Grace. I’ll have it arranged in no time,” Anne said, before starting to walk away.

Katherine believed that statement to be true. She could hear how quickly Anne was moving down the hall and knew she would arrive with the cup of tea any moment.

Yet, just as the footsteps faded, they approached once again. Katherine looked up in disbelief. If Anne had already a cup of tea in hand, she must possess some kind of magic.

“My apologies, Your Grace,” Anne said, slightly out of breath as she reappeared in the doorway. “But I was wondering if I should prepare a cup for His Grace as well?”

“That won’t be necessary, thank you, Anne. He is out with Lord Simon for the night,” Katherine responded with a wave of her hand. She gently leaned against the side of a table, resting her weight on it.

Anne furrowed her brow as she muttered something under her breath—something Katherine couldn’t quite catch.

“Excuse me, Anne, where you saying something?” Katherine inquired.

“Oh, no, Your Grace.” Anne shook her head. She rested a palm on the doorframe. “I just hope Lord Simon is not using any of his old tactics.”

“Old tactics?” Katherine echoed curiously.

She knew Simon was a strange man, but she must admit that she was curious about what he had done before she married his brother.

“Oh, just the old habit of separating his brother from others.” Anne sighed, visibly disappointed. “He had always done something to prevent His Grace from having too many interactions with ladies—or now his wife.” She shook her head again. “I may have said too much. I believe it best that I go get you that cup of tea, Your Grace.”

Katherine nodded at her but held her back for a brief second. “Just don’t overexert yourself. Allow yourself time to breathe.”

Anne nodded with a laugh before leaving once again.

Katherine stared up at the mural on the ceiling, the cherubs playfully flying around with their small wings and arrows. She wished to be up there with them, even just momentarily. To float about and get the ache off her back.