yay! i'm so happy with myself (does happy dance) i finally got through my problems with the computer -sorta broke- and through my writer's block! chapters will come easily again!

Well i hope you enjoy:)

Part Forty-two:

Lark folded her arms, tapping her chin thoughtfully while watching Rachel stop Erik from looking at the painting. Then a thought hit her. "That's what it is!" she exclaimed, causing both adults to look at her. "What is?" asked Erik. The woman just stared at Lark and shook her head slowly, as if to warn her. Lark took notice of this, but only smiled innocently at her friend; Rachel paled. Erik walked over to the girl. "What is, Lark?" he demanded, placing his hands on her shoulders, peering into the girl's eyes. Rachel looked pleadingly at her, but Lark was facing Erik. "Oh," she smiled widely, "I just found out whose image Rachel used in her painting." Erik's eyes showed the battle between curiosities and minding his own business; curiosity won. "Whose?" Rachel looked close enough to faint.

Lark laughed, her eyes sparkling. "You!" she cried out, smiling. A soft cry came from Rachel as Erik's mouth dropped open. "…Me?" he asked, looking very taken aback. Erik looked over at Rachel, whose blush had deepened, and looked curiously at her. "Is this so, mademoiselle?" Rachel didn't meet his eyes. Erik looked at Lark who smiled again and nodded. "Me…" he repeated softly, disbelievingly, "why?" The girl shrugged and glanced over to Rachel who blushed and opened the door. "I think we should find Richard," she said, still blushing furiously. With another sweep of hair, the woman left the room; her neck and face a bright crimson with embarrassment. Erik turned to Lark and found her staring at him with a little mischievous smile. "You did that on purpose," he accused, "didn't you?"

Lark beamed. "Not really," she said, "I spoke the truth! Rachel was just embarrassed of using your image for her painting without informing you." Erik just sighed and rolled his eyes. "You didn't have to embarrass her." Lark's face fell slightly as she bowed her head. "Yes," she agreed, "I should have restrained myself, but she would have never shown you the painting!" She skipped over to the covered painting and motioned him over, placing a hand on the piece's white covering. Erik scowled but came over, his eyes searching for some clue to what the painting was. Lark smiled but kept her face or eyes from betraying the secret. "Alright, are you sure you want to see it?" she questioned teasingly.

Erik growled at her but the girl just giggled and took off the sheet covering the easel. "She's really good, isn't she?" He just stared at it, jaw slack. Lark closed his mouth and stood beside him, admiring the well painted picture of the man, and the beautiful woman. The man, as Lark had said, had no head yet, but the rest was unmistakably taken from Erik himself. "That's me…?" Erik muttered, taken aback. Lark nodded and leaned against him, he didn't seem to notice. "It's really good, huh?" He only stared at it, his eyes falling on the dark figure. "Am I really that thin?" he asked, amusement finally seeping into his shocked tone. The girl laughed, delighted, and pulled the sheet back over the painting. "Come on," she said, "we got to go back downstairs before Rachel thinks you're stealing her ideas!" She skipped out happily calling out to Richard and Rachel, leaving Erik mouthing silently behind her. "I won't steal her ideas," he muttered darkly, leaving the room after Lark.

He walked back downstairs to meet up with Richard in the entrance hall who was leaning against the wall, looking relaxed. Rachel was currently helping a giggling Lark back into her cloak; the woman seemed to have forgotten her embarrassment. A tightly wrapped package lay somewhat forgotten by Erik's own cloak. Lark noticed Erik first and eagerly ran up to him. "Hurry, Erik!" she squealed, "Richard says we can ride in his carriage back home!" Erik looked at their host with surprise; the younger man just smiled meekly and shrugged. "Is that so?" he questioned, eyeing the wrapped package by his cloak with curiosity. Rachel bent and picked both cloak and package up in her arms and handed the cloak to Erik.

"Your cloak," she muttered, blushing. The woman quickly walked over to Lark and handed her the package. "And your secret, my dear," she said, winking at her. Lark laughed and tucked the parcel under her arm and clapped her hands together. "Let's go!" she chirped, "I've never been in a carriage before!" Rachel looked at her with alarm. "'Never'?" she echoed; Lark nodded. The woman clasped her hands over her heart and gasped. "We must correct that at once!" Grabbing the child's hand, Rachel led her out the door calling over her shoulder, "Well? Aren't you two going to join? Or will you walk?" Lark's light, happy laughter came afterwards as she turned to see both men glare after them.

I have always found my Richard and Rachel like twins, i enjoy adding them to my story!