sgteam14283 | Colorful Seduction- Part 2

Title: Colorful Seduction
Author: sgteam14283
Rating: PG
A/N: Sorry for the stretch between updates but the end of my-second-to-last semester and personal matters demanded attention. Consider this to be an early-ish Christmas present to

gelbes_gilatier and the rest of you who have been enjoying the story so far. Also I ~~did not borrow a scene from Ever After, see if you can spot it~~ hope you enjoy the chapter!

Evan stared at the room that he was going to be painting and tried to find the best view that showed how richly decorated the room was while keeping the light and flattering Lady Laura. He knew how it was done; paint their daughter in the most beautiful way so they would be able to fetch the highest dowry possible. When he thought about it, it made him feel like he was betraying the very reason why he started painting but then the bills started to pile up and Evan realized that sometimes you needed to put your dreams on hold in order to reach them.

Finding the best vantage point, by the large windows, he started to sketch an outline of the room. When he had arrived Evan had wondered why the Duchess wanted him to start earlier than planned but knew to hold his tongue, experience told him that he’d find out the reason soon enough.

He was almost done with the outline of the background when the footman at the door announced, “Lady Laura.” Standing his eyes were again drawn to her and he found it hard to move them from her. To him there was something about her that told him there was more to her than meets the eye.

Laura could hardly breathe and wanted nothing more than to rip the dress off and put on more comfortable clothes. But, she was going to do this because it made her mother happy and when that happened she put up with the fact that Laura was more of a boy than she would like. Stepping into the room, she noticed that Master Lorne was staring at her and again it made her feel flattered while at the same time a bit nervous. From her experience the ones that stared the most were the ones who liked her and it always ended badly when she didn’t reciprocate.

Slightly clearing her throat, Laura move to the canvas while commenting, “I see you’ve started already.”

Evan snapped out of his staring and turned to face the canvas, “Just started sketching the background my Lady.”

Laura slightly grimaced but chose to say nothing; she wanted to get this sitting over with. Squaring her shoulders she asked, “Where would you like me to sit?”

“Right there please.” Lorne replied as he nodded his head and sat back down after she had reached the spot, then picked up his brush. “That way the light will catch the color of your eyes the best.”

Laura felt her face slightly heat up at the comment, men had been saying that since she had been old enough to know that was flirting but from him...it came across as flattering. Finding that odd, she wondered what else that Master Lorne could say that would sound annoying if it was coming from any one else.

--

“Shouldn’t you be at the manor?”

Laura rolled over and sat up to glance at Peter, who was sitting across from her and working on a drawing of the manor. She had managed to slip out of the house before her mother had commandeered her for another sitting and convinced Peter to go riding with her. Now their horses were picketed next to the trees and the two of them were out in the warm sun, “And? It’s not like he’s actually painting me.”

“But still...won’t your mother care?”

“The only thing that she cares about is if she can snare someone to marry me.” Laura said as she sighed and lay back down in the grass. “If I had my way then I’d tell Master Lorne where he could stick his brushes.”

Peter had glanced up while Laura was talking, saw a figure on horseback coming towards them and shaded his eyes in order to see who it was. Realizing that it was the topic of their conversation he managed to squeak out, “Well here’s your chance.”

Wondering what Peter was talking about, Laura sat up again in time to see Lorne slow his horse down as he neared them. Cursing, she glanced to where her horse was but knew that it was useless to try and get away. Standing she smoothed down her hair and brushed her dress in order to try and make herself somewhat presentable. Despite the constant protesting and moaning, she did care what people thought of her and for some odd reason she especially cared what Evan thought of her.

By now Evan wasn’t all that surprised that Laura had decided to skip their session, he had overheard the Countess and her daughter arguing over why it had to be done in the first place as well as the fact that she had managed to ‘forget’ a number of sessions before this, and as a result was able to finish the background portion of the portrait. Then he had gone riding since he had use of the stables while he was at the manor (one of the many perks of when he stayed with those who hired him, he was able to have access to their stables). He enjoyed being out of the city, the air was cleaner and there were less people about; overall there was a sense of peace that he enjoyed. From time to time while Evan was working he thought about moving out here once he had saved up enough money.

Dismounting, he slightly bowed while saying, “Lovely day for a ride, isn’t it?”

“It is.” Laura replied, cautiously. “I take it that my mother has sent you to fetch me?”

Evan smile a little at the comment, while shaking his head, “I’m afraid not, I came across you and your companion by accident. However I did overhear that she was not pleased with you taking off.”

Laura laughed a little, “What else is new?” Suddenly she wasn’t sure what to say next, something that normally didn’t happen. Scrambling, Laura decided to stick to a safe topic and asked, “Are you enjoying your stay so far?”

“Very much so, I find it very beautiful out here.” Evan replied while settling his eyes on
Laura who looked much at home here. After a few days at the manor he had noticed that she was more relaxed than when he first met her and wondered if she enjoyed it here as much as he did; it did seem that was the case as long as the weather permitted she would try to escape the manor to go riding and spend hours in the sun. “Although I prefer to find what I was commissioned to paint inside instead of always out in the sun.”

“Well if you being dressed like a gilded chair then I’m sure that you’d want to get out into the sun as well.” Laura shot back, feeling her face heat up with anger and annoyance. It was bad enough that she had to suffer through endless sessions with him but she couldn’t even escape him when she deliberately tried to. Turning around sharply, Laura headed towards her horse and was determined to ride as fast as she could away from him.

Evan had made the comment in jest, and was surprised when Laura replied with such anger and passion. “My Lady,” he said letting go of the reigns and starting after her. “I only meant to say that maybe I should paint you outside where you seem more at ease.”

Laura paused, his suggestion catching her attention and she wanted to hear more. “And how do you propose painting it?”

“Out in the garden perhaps, maybe on the terrace or on your horse if you’d prefer.” Evan was thinking fast now, hoping to suggest something that would meet with her approval. “Although I would suggest the garden since that would compliment your dress and complexion; to bring out the rosy hue in your cheeks.” He added the last words hastily, seeing Laura raise a quizzical eyebrow. Evan realized that he was rambling and wondered when that had started; normally he was very succinct and precise in what he said but with Laura it seemed that words seemed to get away from him...

The comment about her ‘hue’ got her attention and Laura found it oddly flattering; that someone other than her mother (who gave it one of her rare compliments) noticed her fair complexion and loved it. She gave his suggestions some thought, which in all honesty sounded better than sitting in the room for endless hours in a pose that she hated. “I suppose you would have to start completely over?”

“Yes Milady. I would have to go back to the city in order to get more supplies; it would be at least another day before I could start painting again.” Lorne replied while smiling a little. Truth be told since the manor was still close enough to London he could make the trip there and back in one day but if he stayed at his loft overnight then he wouldn’t have to rush around and could call on a few friends before getting the supplies.

“And my mother wouldn’t be too happy would she?” Laura asked, a faint smile appearing at the thought of her mother hearing that he wanted to start over.

“I suppose not.” Evan replied, seeing the near-giddy look appear on her face. From his observations it was more than clear that the Countess and her daughter did not get along, despite the fact that Laura tried to appease her mother when it was possible. It wasn’t that fact alone that intrigued him; it was that Laura seemed not to care what others thought of her. She associated with people that were just barely nobility (those of his crowd who had managed to marry well) or were a part of his circle of artists and seemed quite unlike the fragile courtesans he had been commissioned to paint on more than one occasion.

“Good, I shall expect us to begin again when you return.” Laura replied with a playful smile and started towards her horse again.

It took a moment for Evan to realize that Laura had given her approval of the plan and then when he did, felt relieved. While it might have been easy to convince the Countess of his new idea, going to his subject first made the likelihood of her agreeing infinitely more likely.
--

“To Master Evan Lorne for buying us all a round!” Prien Hamilton shouted as he raised his tankard of ale into the air and clapped his free hand on Evan’s shoulder, spilling some of the man’s drink. Cheers and whistles broke out around him over the laughter of the pub before he motioned for silence so he could continue. “And to the Lady Laura for providing us with drinking money, may she continue to be stubborn so Lorne here has more money to spend on his friends!”

The crowd laughed and cheered after Prien has spoken, all taking a drink of their ale. Evan could feel his face burn but knew that Prien meant well; his friend was a playwright and as such had a way with words...most of the time.

After arriving in London Evan was able to get the supplies he needed faster than he anticipated so he was left with extra time in the city to call on his friends. Lorne had found the majority of them at Caroline’s house and she had insisted that he join them as a result he had spent a few hours talking about his progress (or lack of) on the painting. Then Prien had shown up and the idea of going to a pub in order for him to share the wealth had come up; Evan had foolishly agreed.

Knowing that he was going to regret tonight in the morning, but deciding to damn the hangover, Evan called over to the serving girl for another round.

Part 1