brushstrokes.
Satisfied with his day's efforts, Jack flexed his stiff shoulders and repacked his case. He was just about to turn for the far gate when he spotted a child with a watercolor box, her half-hidden face scrunched in concentration.
On impulse, he altered his course for a quick glance at what she was working on.
The girl looked up.
The imp of Satan
She didn't look any more pleased at the chance encounter than he was. Her small mouth pinched to a scowl. "It's not finished yet," she said defensively. "You aren't supposed to peek."
Jack had already caught a glimpse of the paper. "Why not?" he asked. "It's actually very good."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes. Really." He craned his neck for a better view. "It is not easy to draw gargoyles, but you have caught their expression quite nicely." The fantastical creatures no doubt appealed to a youthful imagination. He smiled in spite of himself. "Indeed, your efforts are much better than mine."
She fixed him with a fishy stare. "You aren't an artist."
"No. Just a student, like yourself, Miss Isabella."
A giggle greeted his reply.
He knew he was asking for trouble. Still, he couldn't help but be curious. "What's so funny?"
Her gaze ran slowly from the tips of his boots to the top of his high crown beaver hat. "You look too big to be in the schoolroom. And too old."
"Education is for a lifetime," replied Jack. "If you recall, Lord Hadley was studying science with Lady Sheffield, and he is far more ancient than I am." The earl was, in truth, two months older.
The little girl's mouth pursed in thought.
"So you see, even old dogs can learn new tricks "
Isabella laughed again. "You aren't so horrid after all," she conceded. "Though not quite so much fun as Lord Hadley." She paused. "He is going to teach me and Perry how to box when he gets back from his wedding trip."
"Why do you want to learn fisticuffs?" asked Jack.
"So I can protect myself." Her chin rose a notch. "The next time a nasty villain tries to kidnap me, I will punch him in the nose."
It suddenly struck him how very frightening the recent experience must have been for the child. With a twinge of conscience, he realized that perhaps he had been a little harsh in his judgment of her. Looking down, he was aware of how very small and slender she was. And how very large and black he must appear.
And weren't all children afraid of the dark?
Jack cleared his throat "You need not worry—you aren't in any danger here in Bath, Miss Isabella." He looked around. "Though I am not sure that you ought to be out here alone."
"I'm not alone," she answered. "Mama just went to the fountain to fetch some fresh water for my paints."
"Ah." All the more reason to move on. Instead, he sat down next to her. "May I see the rest of your sketchbook?"
She hesitated a moment and then shyly passed it over.
The sketches showed a great deal of talent. "Do you study with a drawing master?" he asked after perusing the pages.
"Yes. He is very good," she answered. "But very strict"
"No bad words allowed, eh?" he murmured.
Isabella made a face. "There are an awful lot of rules here in England, especially for girls. It's not very fair. Perry can say far worse things than I do and not get a spanking.''
Jack chuckled. "Trust me, boys get their fair share of swats."
She blinked. "I bet no one ever tried to birch your bum."
"Oh, more times than I care to remember. I had four older brothers who found it very amusing to see that I took the blame for their mischief."
Her expression turned a little wistful. "I wouldn't mind having a brother or a sister. Even if they teased me."
Jack wasn't sure how to respond. As he had told the girl's mother, he had no idea how to act around children. Maybe he ought to be going...
A tug on his sleeve stopped him. "It's your turn to show me your sketchbook, sir."
"Very well." He passed it over.
After wiping her paint-smudged hands on her skirts, Isabella carefully opened the cover and began
Satisfied with his day's efforts, Jack flexed his stiff shoulders and repacked his case. He was just about to turn for the far gate when he spotted a child with a watercolor box, her half-hidden face scrunched in concentration.
On impulse, he altered his course for a quick glance at what she was working on.
The girl looked up.
The imp of Satan
She didn't look any more pleased at the chance encounter than he was. Her small mouth pinched to a scowl. "It's not finished yet," she said defensively. "You aren't supposed to peek."
Jack had already caught a glimpse of the paper. "Why not?" he asked. "It's actually very good."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes. Really." He craned his neck for a better view. "It is not easy to draw gargoyles, but you have caught their expression quite nicely." The fantastical creatures no doubt appealed to a youthful imagination. He smiled in spite of himself. "Indeed, your efforts are much better than mine."
She fixed him with a fishy stare. "You aren't an artist."
"No. Just a student, like yourself, Miss Isabella."
A giggle greeted his reply.
He knew he was asking for trouble. Still, he couldn't help but be curious. "What's so funny?"
Her gaze ran slowly from the tips of his boots to the top of his high crown beaver hat. "You look too big to be in the schoolroom. And too old."
"Education is for a lifetime," replied Jack. "If you recall, Lord Hadley was studying science with Lady Sheffield, and he is far more ancient than I am." The earl was, in truth, two months older.
The little girl's mouth pursed in thought.
"So you see, even old dogs can learn new tricks "
Isabella laughed again. "You aren't so horrid after all," she conceded. "Though not quite so much fun as Lord Hadley." She paused. "He is going to teach me and Perry how to box when he gets back from his wedding trip."
"Why do you want to learn fisticuffs?" asked Jack.
"So I can protect myself." Her chin rose a notch. "The next time a nasty villain tries to kidnap me, I will punch him in the nose."
It suddenly struck him how very frightening the recent experience must have been for the child. With a twinge of conscience, he realized that perhaps he had been a little harsh in his judgment of her. Looking down, he was aware of how very small and slender she was. And how very large and black he must appear.
And weren't all children afraid of the dark?
Jack cleared his throat "You need not worry—you aren't in any danger here in Bath, Miss Isabella." He looked around. "Though I am not sure that you ought to be out here alone."
"I'm not alone," she answered. "Mama just went to the fountain to fetch some fresh water for my paints."
"Ah." All the more reason to move on. Instead, he sat down next to her. "May I see the rest of your sketchbook?"
She hesitated a moment and then shyly passed it over.
The sketches showed a great deal of talent. "Do you study with a drawing master?" he asked after perusing the pages.
"Yes. He is very good," she answered. "But very strict"
"No bad words allowed, eh?" he murmured.
Isabella made a face. "There are an awful lot of rules here in England, especially for girls. It's not very fair. Perry can say far worse things than I do and not get a spanking.''
Jack chuckled. "Trust me, boys get their fair share of swats."
She blinked. "I bet no one ever tried to birch your bum."
"Oh, more times than I care to remember. I had four older brothers who found it very amusing to see that I took the blame for their mischief."
Her expression turned a little wistful. "I wouldn't mind having a brother or a sister. Even if they teased me."
Jack wasn't sure how to respond. As he had told the girl's mother, he had no idea how to act around children. Maybe he ought to be going...
A tug on his sleeve stopped him. "It's your turn to show me your sketchbook, sir."
"Very well." He passed it over.
After wiping her paint-smudged hands on her skirts, Isabella carefully opened the cover and began
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