Opening them once more, the first feature that struck him were the curled fingers at her throat – shy but resolute.
Perfect.
And then he stared into her brown eyes.
“This isn’t her.”
“Nonsense.” The voice startled him; he’d forgotten Harper. “Course it is. What are you talking about? Blowsy dress and sluttish hair. I remember your painting well, all that naked skin and–”
“Leave.”
“I beg your pardon.”
Casper twisted. “Leave now, Harper, unless you wish the world to know the Jean-Baptiste painting, which you proudly display to all and sundry, is the work of John Bog from Pentonville.”
“I-I…” he spluttered, but Casper merely smiled, which frightened the toad yet more.
“And take Lloyd with you,” Casper snarled. “You’re both out of your depth.”
With a gulp, the man scuttled off, grabbing his companion on his way to the door.
Tension and anger roiled within Casper, seething and fierce. He sensed, rather than saw, Mrs Swift arrive to stand at his side.
“I hope,” she enunciated crisply, “that you plan to purchase it, since you have frightened off my other invitees.”
Casper stilled.
He knew not what this picture meant or what had come to pass.
But oh, Mrs Swift, deceiving a duke had consequences.
Chapter 12
Every picture tells a tale.
The tremor in Evelyn’s toes inched its way upwards, gnawed at her stomach, tingled her chest and then expanded in her throat till she could scarcely breathe.
His Grace stood so motionless and silent.
Whilst Mr Lloyd Esquire had been wittering on about paints, she had endeavoured to keep an eye on Rothwell, but his back had remained rigid, and only when he’d twisted to Mr Harper had she noticed an expression of confusion.
Why?
And then the two invitees had scuttled away as though Beelzebub and all his goblins were nipping at their heels.
Turmoil beset her.
Mr Harper had appeared enamoured enough, would surely pay a small sum yet…
The duke stared ahead, lips thinned, but emotion exuded from him. She could only hope in either satisfaction or pleasure.
“Tell me, Mrs Swift. What title does this painting hold?”
She frowned. “You know it already, Your Grace.The Fall of Innocence Unveiled.”
“And yet this woman captures only the corruption and downfall. No innocence.”
“Do…do you not like it?” Cold fear struck her.
