After she chose the seat with the best view, Sean reseated himself too. "This gingerbread is delicious," he said.
"I'll tell Juliana." She turned to Lord Lincolnshire. He was covered to the waist with a heavy blanket, making her wonder what might be concealed underneath. His hands looked a little puffy, and he'd taken only a tiny bite of the cake. "How are you feeling today, my lord?"
"Better than one might expect, thanks to my nephew." He smiled at Sean, apparently waiting to catch his breath before continuing. "I've been thinking, nephew"—pause—"that I'd like to meet your wife."
Sean exchanged a panicked look with Corinna. "I left my wife in the countryside, Uncle, as I told you. She prefers the quiet life."
Lord Lincolnshire looked disappointed but seemed to accept the state of affairs, since his response was, "Very well." But then he added, "As I was saying when Lady Corinna arrived—"
"Shall I continue reading?" Sean interrupted.
"Not now, nephew. We have a lovely…young lady visiting. And as I…was saying—"
"Would you care for another sweet, Uncle?"
"I haven't finished this one." Pause. "I've been—"
"Have you need of another pillow?"
"No." The poor man was already leaning against at least five of them. "I've—"
"Are you certain—"
"Will you let the man speak?" Corinna cut in. In the awkward silence that followed, she tore her gaze from one of the Rembrandts and turned to the earl. "What did you want to say, Lord Lincolnshire?"
"I wanted to say…that I've been thinking I'd like Sean…to paint a portrait of me. One last portrait…before I depart this fine world."
Sean glared at her. Apparently he'd realized this was coming. But how was she supposed to have known?
"I don't think he can do that, Lord Lincolnshire," she said carefully. "Mr. Hamilton paints only landscapes."
"Surely he can paint…one portrait."
Sean shook his head. "I've never painted a portrait."
Truer words were never spoken, Corinna thought.
"You're a skilled artist, nephew. One of the very best…in the land." Lord Lincolnshire gasped and waited a moment—a moment during which Corinna wracked her brain for a way to help Sean, as she'd promised. "Surely—"
"May I paint you, Lord Lincolnshire?" she interrupted. "Please? I'd be honored if you'd allow me. I've been dying to paint a portrait to submit to the Royal Academy for the Summer Exhibition. If it turns out well, perhaps it will be selected. A subject of your stature could absolutely make my career."
"Me?" Lord Lincolnshire wheezed. "In the Summer Exhibition?"
"Possibly," she reiterated. "None of my portraits have turned out stellar so far, since I haven't had any anatomy lessons. But lately I've been sketching the Elgin Marbles for practice, and I shall try my best—"
"I'm certain," Lord Lincolnshire interrupted, "it will turn out brilliant." He smiled at her as though she'd brought the sun. "But my days are…numbered. Tomorrow being Sunday, I'm hoping…my dear nephew…will take me to church. May we begin Monday?"
"I think we should start now." Her painting was due to the Royal Academy a scant sixteen days hence, and she hoped to show it at Lady A's reception five days before that. "If you've some paper, I can begin sketching you immediately."
"Excellent." Lord Lincolnshire lifted a silver bell from a table beside him. "I shall have a footman…fetch paper…posthaste."
While he rang the bell, Corinna glanced rather triumphantly to Sean.
His expression took her aback. A page from Children of the Abbey flashed into her mind, where Amanda had looked at Lord Mortimer and thought seducing sweetness dwelt in his smile.
A matching sweetness seemed to melt in Corinna's middle, making her remember she wanted another kiss.
In fact, she'd planned to let Sean kiss her again just as soon as he stopped pretending he wasn't John Hamilton, hadn't she? But instead, he'd convinced her he'd been telling the truth. That was equivalent, wasn't it? Either way, the truth had come out Thursday, and today was Saturday, which meant they'd had two whole days of truthfulness between them…and still she hadn't been kissed.
Actually, she suddenly realized, he hadn't even tried. Whatever could that mean? He couldn't have meant it when he said he'd never kiss her again, could he?
Holy Hannah, she hoped not.
A footman handed her a pencil and some paper. She blinked and looked back to Lord Lincolnshire. "What would you like to be doing?"
"Doing?"
"In your portrait. I don't care for portraits where the subject simply stands there and stares at the viewer. I'd prefer for you to be doing something."
"Well, I cannot…simply stand there…in any case." With a faint but good-natured smile, Lord Lincolnshire gestured to his covered legs. "I shall…have to be sitting." His expression turned contemplative. "I've always…enjoyed a good book. Perhaps I can be…reading a book."
While she'd been hoping for something a bit more active, she decided that would have to do. If the man had always loved to read, it was suitable, after all. Thinking Sean had pleased the earl by reading aloud, she glanced back to him.
He was still smiling at her with seducing sweetness.
Oh, very well, maybe it wasn't seducing sweetness; maybe it was only gratitude that she'd saved him from having to paint Lord Lincolnshire. But either way, he was smiling. He was happy with her.
She'd get him to kiss her one way or another.
She returned his smile. "Would you care to read while I sketch, Mr. Hamilton?"
He nodded and opened the book.
Letting his melodic voice wash over her, she settled back and put pencil to paper. And even though Sean wasn't reading a romantic novel, she kept smiling as she listened and sketched.
EIGHTEEN
"THANK YOU," Sean said simply as he walked Corinna toward the door later. "You saved my skin by offering to paint him."
"I told you that you could count on me. May I look in here?" she asked, indicating another drawing room. Lincolnshire House seemed to have a surplus of drawing rooms. "I'd like to see if there are any more Rembrandts."
"I can't think why not." He walked in with her. "What color is this room?"
"Mostly green. The walls are
