Page 79 of Aurelia

“I’m glad I am not the only one,” Aurelia muttered.

Mrs. Walker’s face was both knowing, and a bit sad as she studied Aurelia. “You are very skilled,” she said. But Aurelia suspected that was not what she was thinking about.

“Thank you.”

“Would consider selling any of those drawings of Guustin?” Mrs. Walker asked.

“You may have them once I’ve finished the portrait,” Aurelia said, grateful to leave the subject of her nude employer behind.

“That is very kind of you. I will treasure them.” Mrs. Walker turned to look at her teacup, as if she were considering something. “Guustin is very taken with you. I had hoped—” she broke off and sighed, a faintly chagrined expression on her face. “I had hoped that you might feel the same way about him. I’m sorry, Miss Burton,” she hastily added. “That was an extremely indelicate thing to say. Please forgive me. I hope you are not offended.”

Aurelia took a moment to gather her thoughts and then said, “I appreciate your plain-speaking, Mrs. Walker. I much prefer that to pointless chatter. I am not offended.” Stunned and embarrassed, but not offended.

“I am so glad to hear it. I talk to so few people now, and I find that I’ve taken an immediate liking to you. Won’t you please call me Nora—I know you and Guustin have exchanged Christian names.”

“Of course, and you must call me Aurelia. And—and I hope you always speak plainly with me.” She felt a pang of guilt at her words because what she really wanted—more than anything but was too cowardly to say—was for Nora to speak plainly about Roland. Just thinking the name gave her flutters.

She was such an infatuated fool.

“Do you think you might come to love my son?” Nora asked, and then chuckled. “Is that too plain speaking?”

“No, it isn’t,” she said, only lying a little. “And no, I’m afraid my feelings for Guustin are platonic.”

“Because you have stronger ones for his father?”

Aurelia didn’t want to lie, but neither did she want to admit the truth—especially when she wasn’t sure what it was. “As my sketches would indicate,” she said, blushing fierily, “I am fascinated by the earl, but I suspect that a great many women are.”

“That is certainly true.” Nora hesitated, and then said, “I have not been Roland’s mistress for many years—not since before Guustin was born.”

The relief that surged through her at the other woman’s admission made her dizzy.

“Because we share a son, we see each other and are friendly, although I would not go so far as to say we were friends, if you know what I mean?”

Again, Aurelia nodded, although she wasn’t really sure.

“But just because Roland and I are not together does not mean—” she bit her lip, met Aurelia’s gaze, and then said, “Roland has always had lovers, Aurelia, oftentimes more than one at any given time.”

Aurelia’s jaw sagged.

Nora’s eyes went wide and she gave a bark of laughter. “Oh, dear! That did not come out the way I intended. I did not mean in the same bed at the same time. Although—” she broke off and gave Aurelia a strained smile.

Aurelia was so nauseated by the thought of the earl with another woman—any woman—that she could not even ponder the second part of what Nora had said. Or what she had not said, rather.

“I would like to be even more direct,” Nora said, and then paused, giving Aurelia a questioning look.

Aurelia nodded, not trusting her voice.

“If what you are seeking is sensual pleasure and experience, then you could not find a more generous, skilled, and attentive lover than Roland. However—” she paused and chewed her lower lip. “If you are seeking a husband? Well…”

“I understand,” Aurelia said, her voice barely a croak. And she did understand. More than Nora knew. Twice now she had flown too close to Lord Crewe’s flame and had been scorched. Both times she had been spared a more painful burn when he had ended the flirtation.

She stared bleakly at her clenched hands. Nora hadn’t said anything Aurelia hadn’t already thought of herself, but it hurt to have her suspicions confirmed.

“Would you like to hear what Roland was like as a young man?” Nora asked, breaking the awkward silence that had begun to fill the room.

Aurelia snorted. “Bold, arrogant, and brilliant?”

“Would you believe shy, reserved, bookish, and—yes, also brilliant?”