Chapter 10
Early the next morning, Darrell descended the stairs to find his household staff huddled at the front entrance like teenagers at a concert stage door.
“Don’t you have work to do?” His sharp tone made a nearby maid jump.
“Mr. Woods!” She straightened instantly “Miss Nina Woods is painting something remarkable–we couldn’t help ourselves” “Painting?” Darrell recalled her promise to replace his ruined masterpiece. So she’d actually risen at dawn to make good on
Making his way through the crowd, he found Nina in the courtyard, where she’d spread a canvas across the flagstones.
She was using a cat toy to guide a small black cat–its paws stained with acrylic paint–in an intricate dance across the surface. Each leap left a constellation of chaotic prints.
The scene struck a chord. Ms. Berthe Morisot had used the same technique just last night. The similarity was… interesting.
Satisfied with the pattern of prints, Nina scooped up the cat by its scruff and tossed it casually to Humphrey, who stood watching irra crisp white dress shirt. “Keep it contained,” she said “No escape
artists”
Humphrey caught the startled cat despite a split–second hesitation at those paint–stained paws. The cat, predictably, went into full panic mode, leaving perfect paw prints all over his immaculate shirt.
The staff gasped collectively. Everyone knew Humphrey’s fastidious nature. While not quite reaching his second brother’s germaphobic levels, he insisted on pristine clothing
Previously, a new maid had accidentally splashed water on him while tending the garden–he immediately changed his clothes, and the maid hadn’t returned the next day.
The message was clear: that warm smile masked a core of steel. Even the pampered Jessica had to tread carefully around him, knowing that crossing his rules would reveal a heart colder and harder than anyone else’s,
Yet here was newly–returning Miss Woods, casually demolishing his perfect appearance.
“What?” Nina caught their frozen expressions. “Something wrong?”
warnher
The staff traded nervous glances, wondering if they should warn her.
But Humphrey just smiled, adjusting his grip on the squirming cat. “Eyes on your art, Nina.”
“Oh.” She caught sight of his ruined shirt and winced, realizing she probably shouldn’t have handed the cat directly to him.
ry about that. I didn’t mean to get your shirt dirty,”
At least she was quick to own her mistakes.
“Just a shirt,” he said with unexpected lightness. “It’ll wash.”
The staff’s eyes threatened to escape their sockets. This was not the Humphrey they knew. Clearly, Nina held some special status. Mental notes were rapidly updated.
From his position at the back, Darrell watched this exchange with growing curiosity, Has Humphrey truly accepted this girl?’ he wondered.
Upstairs, Jessica hobbled along the wall, her injured leg protesting each step. The missing staff had left her to fend for
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Chapter 10
herself, stoking her fury with each painful inch forward.
“Jessical Rachel rushed to support her daughter. “Why are you one?
“Where is everyone?” Jessica’s voice dripped venom. “No one has shown up for ages. I’m going to tell Dad to fire them all!”
“Hush. Think of the gossip, Rachel cautioned. If all the servants got fired, word would definitely get out, and Jessica would end up with a reputation for being spoiled and demanding. That would be terrible.
At that moment, a burst of exclamations drifted up from below
“What happened?” Jessica’s frown deepened,
Something twisted in Rachel’s gut. “Let’s see.
They found Nina putting final touches on her work. The crowd watched, mesmerized, as each catprint transformed into a delicate rose blossom.
“Miss Nina Woods is incrediblet”
“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d swear someone switched the painting!”
“Who knew Miss Nina Woods could paint like that!”
Though Humphrey and Darrell had witnessed her work at the auction, distance had hidden its true mastery. Up close, her skill was breathtaking. The imagination required to see beauty in random paw prints, the technique needed to reveal it.
Darrell studied Nina with new intensity as an impossible thought took root. Could she be Berthe Morisot?‘ He suddenly realized that Nina’s figure resembled that of Ms. Morisot from the previous night.
“Don’t you have jobs to do?” Jessica’s sharp voice cut through the crowd’s wonder. She pushed forward on her mother’s arm, then froze at the sight before her. “What is this?”
“Miss Nina Woods’s painting,” a maid explained.
“Who wastes dawn on painting? Get moving!” But her eyes remained locked on the artwork as panic bloomed in her chest She was shocked to find that Nina had created this. Even with her limited knowledge of painting, Jessica recognized mastery when she saw it. This might even surpass yesterday’s garden landscape. Which meant Nina might win their father’s approval.
“Dad…” Jessica’s eyes darted to Darrell and found him watching Nina with an expression that made her blood run cold.
No. That little upstart couldn’t steal Dad’s love, she decided inwardly. The painting had to go.
“Nina.” Jessica’s voice dripped honey as she limped closer. “What’s so fascinating about dawn painting? This isn’t a circus. Let me see what you’ve done?
She moved toward the painting, preparing her “accidental” stumble.
“Oh no!” She began to fall, attempting to destroy that painting.
But Nina moved like lightning, shoving her clear. “Don’t touch my work!”
Jessica’s legs gave out, and with a push from Nina, she crashed onto the flagstones, landing hard on her bottom. Pain exploded through her, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.
Her scream shattered the morning peace. “Ah! It hurts!”
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