Sorry about being late. I have had a bad last week.
Two weeks later
"Wendy dear, Mrs. Shearmore had to cancel your appointment today." The Baroness told her over breakfast. "There was a family emergency."
"Oh?" Wendy said and put down her teacup without drinking from it. "I hope everything is all right…" A thought occurred to her and she listened as the Baroness told that it wasn't a serious matter. "As I would be free until lunch, perhaps I should take my horse for a walk? It has been a terribly long time since I last took her out."
"Oh, I am sorry dear." The Baroness said and shook her head. "I already made plans for you."
Wendy raised the teacup again to hide her frown. "Oh? And what might they be?"
"I wish to have a commemorating portrait drawn of you and Eric from your debut ball, so I commissioned the most popular painter to do it." The Baroness said gleefully.
"Oh, that is a wonderful idea, my love." The Baron agreed and huffed on his pipe. "It was a truly tremendous occasion."
"Is it not?" The Baroness said with a smile. "Of course, you will have to stand in the ballroom in your dress, but It will be the most enchanting painting that will be hung in our galleries."
"Yes, even the papers are talking about you too." The Baron said and looked up from the paper on the right side of his plate and glanced at Eric with a smile. "They are calling it a fairy tale, while politicians are praising you for your forward thinking."
Eric laughed and smiled at Wendy over the table. Wendy smiled back.
The idea of spending more time with Eric was inviting. The more time passed the more she felt she hadn't seen him. He was always busy. But there was always someone there to remind her that he was doing all this work for her. So she always just breathed and endured. This wouldn't last forever, just a bit more.
"Well, I would love a portrait if it means I get to spend more time with my fairy," Eric said with a mischievous smile - like he knew what she was thinking.
Wendy tried to cover her blush with a hand, but the way Eric's eyes glittered, she didn't think she was successful.
"Come now, we can't keep the painter waiting," Wendy said, as she walked as fast as she could down the hall.
"But miss, if you walk too fast, your hair will become undone again!" Lillian called after her.
Wendy just shook her head at her and pushed the big door into the ballroom open.
Inside at the bottom of this staircase, Eric looked up at her with a knowing smile.
"There she is," he said.
The painter stood up and she recognized him. It was Elias. He looked exactly the same and smiled politely at her and bowed as she walked down the staircase.
"Are they as difficult to navigate as the first time you came down?" Eric said with a smile.
Wendy's scoffed at him playfully. "I am thrice the lady I was when I first walked down them."
Eric smiled at her and then turned her towards the painter.
"Let me introduce you to Elias di Angelico, the best portrait painter in current England," Eric said and gestured to the tan man standing in front of them.
"You flatter me, my Lord… My lady…" He bowed to her again. This time he reached out to take her hand.
She reached it out to him, and he planted a light kiss on the top of her gloved hand.
"Now, My Lordship, Lady." He nodded to them as he took a few steps backward. "If I can ask you kindly to take place in front of the staircase, I feel it would be the best view for a debut portrait."
Eric nodded at the other man. "You are the artist."
As they took their place in front of the staircase, Elias adjusted his painting supplies and then came up to them. In between pardon's and careful smiles, he adjusted the way they stood and the way their arms were placed.
He walked back and forth from his canvas in silence and adjusted every little thing. As he slightly pulled at Wendy's skirt, he somewhat terrified looked over at Eric. Eric gave a nod back like it was allowed to do so. Elias even showed her an expression he wanted her to hold and did the same with Eric.
"Now, my Lord and lady," Elias said as he finally sat down and began to draw on his canvas. "Rest assured once I have gotten the outline of the portrait. You can relax a bit and speak, but until then I will prefer if you keep as quiet and still as possible."
Wendy was a bit mesmerized as they stood there in silence, as Elias occasionally glanced up at them and continued his work while mumbling to himself in Italian. Wendy didn't understand a word of it, but she did think it sounded familiar to French and Spanish.
It was such a fun day.
When Elias declared that he was done with the outline and they were now allowed to move, ever so slightly, Eric made eyes at her and smiled mischievously. It became somewhat of a game to them to see who could break from their spot last.
A servant knocked on the door to notify them it was lunch and announced that Elias was free to join them for lunch.
He thanked them and accepted the offer.
Wendy was glad she couldn't wait to talk with him again.
Three days later
Elias mumbled to himself, then finally spoke in English.
"It is done, my Lordships." He said proudly and stood up.
"Oh, let me see." The Baroness hurried over to the painting, as Eric and Wendy let go of each other's hands again. "Such a beautiful portrait. And yet it could never do the original justice." The older woman smiled as she peeked over the top of the painting at the youngsters.
"Really? I would like a glance as well." Wendy said and went towards Elias and the Baroness.
The portrait was beautiful. It was almost like Elias had gone back in time and captured the moment where they had just descended the staircase.
Wendy's own gaze was regal. They were slightly downcast and there was a polite, confident smile on her lips.
"Portraits are often hung so that you look up at them, Therefore I always paint the eyes when they look slightly towards the floor, so the viewer will get the illusion that they're looking into the person's eyes." Elias explained beside her.
"You are truly a talented man. A true master." She said with a smile.
Elias made an extravagant bow to her. "Your words honor me, my lady, though I do not think I could rival Da Vinci just yet."
"Wendy's right. We will pay you handsomely for your contribution to our gallery." The Baroness said and gestured to the painting. "For now, why don't you join us for tea?"
"About the matter of payment?" Baron said and huffed his pipe, as they sat in the tea salon. "You have done marvelous work and we will pay you accordingly, despite you having room and board during your stay."
Elias suddenly seemed nervous at the mention of payment.
"Is there something the matter dear?" The Baroness asked as the teacup in the young man's hand clearly clinked when he sat it down.
"It is nothing, my lady. I was just considering…" Elias let the sentence hang in the air.
"What are you considering, Sir?" Wendy asked, curious.
Elias smiled at her. "My lady, there is no need to call me by titles - I have none." He did not seem to want to elaborate.
Wendy looked at the others, confused. The Baron just smoked his pipe while looking at Elias sitting on the opposite couch. The Baroness seemed a bit curious, and Eric just smiled at her when he noticed her looking.
"Well, what is it, young man, that you have been considering?" The Baron finally asked.
Elias gave an apologetic smile. "I have heard many tales of Miss Wendy." He made a slow gesture towards Wendy. "About how she dances with fairies and such tales. I have long been looking for inspiration for a series of portraits of fairies I'm making. And I was wondering if she would be able to help me in this endeavor."
Wendy's smiled but remembered to look over the Baron.
The man just silently smoked his pipe.
When we knew that if she had been at home, her parents had gladly said yes if she wanted it. But now that she was living at the Baron Branigan's estate, she needed both his and his wife's permission to do anything.
The older man slowly blew out the smoke from his mouth. "It would help cement the legend of the female hunter and the girl who dances with fairies. Such things will also endear us to the common man, and perhaps bring more attention in the social circles. Wendy, child? What do you think of this … endeavor?"
Wendy tried not to behave too eager. "It sounds delightful, though I would not want anything to take away from my studies."
"Oh dearest, you could stand to skip a few here and there. I have heard great things from all your tutors in the last couple of months. You are such a clever girl." The Baroness gently patted her on the shoulder. "And also consider the trend you might set with fairy-like portraits." The Baroness then turned her attention to Elias. "And you dearest should stay with us until you are finished." She chuckled to herself. "Imagine when I tell Agatha that we have the most sort after painter in residence."
Two weeks later
"Again please," Elias said and looked up from his canvas.
Wendy smiled and made Starlight stand up on her hind legs.
The horse neighed as she looked down at Elias with a smile. His brown eyes grew big at the sight, and he furiously sketched away.
As soon as Starlight's hooves hit the grass, she set off.
Wendy enjoyed the feeling of the wind passing by as she steered the horse around the gardens in a furious temper.
As they stopped and back in front of Elias, she patted the horse's neck. It was clearly furious at having to stand still and being asked to go up on its hind legs every few moments so Elias could see.
"Marvelous," Elias said.
"Miss, perhaps you would like some refreshments, Mr. Angelico?" A maid asked as a stable boy stepped forward to take the horse's reins.
"Yes, please bring it to the terrace," Wendy said.
"Mine as well," Elias said and nodded towards the maid.
"You are truly a sight to behold, my muse." He said as he walked towards the horse and reached out a hand to help her down.
Wendy smiled and took it, and left Starlight with the stable boy as they went over to drink their refreshments.
Elias was always nice to spend time with. He was very particular about everything in his paintings. From the way the sunlight shined on Wendy to the background and the clothes she wore. He had been utterly delighted at Wendy's old hunting clothes she had brought from home and had insisted on her wearing them for the painting.
She understood why many of the young women in high society were interested in him. Elias had a boyish charm about him. He always looked at Wendy with big brown eyes glowing with fascination and interest. He seemed to just drift off from a conversation and stared at the way the sunlight fell on statues or plants in the garden with dreamy eyes. And they could talk for hours about his traveling.
He had spent most of his life traveling along with his father and mother. All around Europe. His mother was an English woman and that was why he spoke perfect English, but he had learned to turn on the charm and his accent, because he had been taught that it was as much that, as his skill that brought food to the table.
"I'm afraid we are going to have to wait to continue, Starlight needs a break," Wendy said and sipped on the cup of tea.
"No need to worry, my muse." Elias smiled from across the table. "I can remember every detail perfectly."
"Every detail?" Wendy questioned as she took another sip of her tea.
"Down to how the sunshine fell on your lovely red curls and your mesmerizing smile." He said and reached over the table to tug a loose curl behind her ear.
Wendy smiled. Her cheeks felt hard, but she couldn't tell whether that was from riding Starlight or the compliment.
"You know, I really enjoyed my time with you Elias." She said and put down the teacup. "It can feel very lonely when there's no one else to talk to about this."
"I understand," Elias said and put two sugars in his tea before he stirred it, so the spoon clanked against the cup. "I am sure they do not mean any harm, but they have very little understanding for us living in a very foreign world. Everything is so grand and polished, and they have no idea that it can be so restricting, and the other world might be considered better in some way."
Wendy sighed. "Yes, I had completely forgotten how much I enjoyed listening to travelers' stories before you came along."
"And I have completely forgotten how charming common people could be. My dear, sometimes the ladies invite me for tea and they just stare and giggle at me like I'm an animal." Elias seemed disturbed at the thought.
Then he reached his hand across the table to Wendy. "But you woke me from the stupor of having to smile while painting young ladies who giggle at my way of speaking. You inspired me, my muse. There is an otherworldly aura about you like you are standing with one foot in a dream. And I want to capture that."
Wendy smiled and let her hand glide into his.
"Do you think they will let us go into the forest and paint?" Elias asked and suddenly got up from the table. "Could you imagine? Think of what would happen if the fairies came to us while we were out there?"
Wendy tried to hide a laugh as he excitedly spun around, mumbling half English, half Italian about fairies and colors.
"I can ask. I'm sure the Baroness would be happy. She adores many of your paintings and wishes to keep them all." She smiled.
Elias sighed. "That woman reminds me of my Nona back in Italy - Always so sweet and caring."
Wendy's face fell for a moment. "Do you ever miss it … Italy?"
Elias looked up at her with concern. "I only remember small parts of it from my childhood. I have never been back after I split with my father and mother a few years ago to travel on my own." He shook his head.
"Do you not miss your family?" Wendy asked.
Elias smiled at her. "Sometimes I do when I am reminded of them. But I love the freedom of traveling. Besides, my father had a saying: All roads lead to Rome, so we will always meet again."
Wendy just felt more heavy-hearted.
"But you miss yours," Elias said, and Wendy had a strong urge to wrap her arms around him and sob.
Instead, she kept her eyes firmly on the terrace stones. "It is not just them. I miss sitting in the inn and drinking hot tea and listening to the stories of the guests. I miss being able to speak and act like I want, and I miss being with Eric all the time."
"Oh, my dear, Lady Muse." Elias' voice was like a melody, as he gently took hold of her chin and guided her face upwards. "Your tears are far too precious, there is no need to cry. You will see your family again and you will be able to talk with them again like you used to. Your lover may have left you for a time, but he will come back. This world will see your kind soul and beauty - and it will not stand in your way."
Wendy smiled and held back her tears. "You were quite poetic, Mr. Painter."
"I would be anything to see you smile, my lovely fairy muse." Elias smiled back with confidence and charm.
That's it for today. I hope you guys like it.
I hope to have the next chapter out by Sunday, but we will see.
