Chapter 002

~PREVIOUSLY~

My father and I had traveled from England to Normandy. Not so far from Paris, for an artwork commissioned by the Baron.

He is to marry, and he wants a miniature painting of himself for his fiancee, the Princess. And when that will be done, if the results are pleasing, we are to visit the lady and paint one for her.

But there's a problem! the Baron had Warned my father to paint the miniature himself, meanwhile, My father, Mr Kendal Collison, Who is at stage one eye cancer, had to take me along with him because this time he could not see clearly anymore.

It's the opportunity of a lifetime to explore my painting habit.

The journey would have been tiring but for the fact that I was so excited by everything I saw. I had never been out of the country before, and I was eager to miss nothing.

"Kate, welcome, I am delighted to receive you on behalf of my cousin, the Baron, he regrets he is unable to see you tonight, he will be here tomorrow:" Said the young man in the house as he bowed low and taking my hand kissed it.

I caught my breath. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, he was of medium height with light-brown hair and eyes; he was elegantly dressed, and his dinner jacket was of a rather more elaborate cut than I was accustomed to seeing at home.

"You must be hungry? Would you care to come for dinner immediately?" he asked.

He then informed us that his name is 'Bernard,' a distant cousin to the Baron. The Baron was the head of the family.

"The Baron Has heard of your fame," he explained.

"As you have been told, he is about to marry, and the miniature is to be a gift for his bride-elect."

"Our miniatures are well known throughout the continent," my father mentioned.

I was deeply moved to see my father's excitement at praise, and it was particularly poignant now that his powers were fading. I felt a great surge of tenderness towards him.

"The Baron is a specialist of art, he enjoys beauty in any form, he has seen a great deal of your work and has a very high opinion of it! It was for that reason that he selected you to do the miniature rather than one of our countrymen," Bertrand replied.

Bernard talked enthusiastically about the castle and the treasures it contained.

"The Baron is a collector," he explained. "He inherited many beautiful things, and he has added to them. It will be my pleasure to show you some rare pieces here."

We talked about desultory on one or two topics, the journey we had had, the countryside compared with that at home and so on. Until finally, he said; "you must be exhausted. Let me have you executed to your rooms. I hope you will then have a good night and in the morning you will feel refreshed."

"Ready to meet the Baron," I added.

He smiled, and his smile was warm and friendly. I felt a glow of pleasure.

I like him, he has certainly put us at ease, and I liked him more for that.

~~~~~~~~~

I was awakened by a gentle tapping at the door.

It was one of the maids bringing me a cup that consisted of coffee, a roll of crusty bread with butter

"I will bring you hot water in ten minutes, Mademoiselle," she told me.

I sat up in bed and drank the coffee, which was delicious. I was hungry enough to enjoy the rolls.

When I washed and dressed, I went to my father's room. He had been awakened already and had enjoyed his coffee and rolls, and was now ready.

Bertrand was already waiting for us in what I called the anteroom with the painted ceiling.

"Good morning," he said, smiling most agreeable, I trust you have slept comfortably."

We assured him that we had, and we're most grateful for all the concern for our well-being that was shown to us.

He spread his hands. It was nothing, he told us. "Now you wish to see the sunshine room. Would you follow me?"

We were delighted when we saw it.

"It had been built by one of the Barons who had an artist working in the castle permanently. Do you think it will suit you?" asked Bertrand.

"It's perfect," I told him, and my father agreed with me.

"So often one is expected to paint in rooms which are quite inadequate," he said, " this will be just what we need."

"Perhaps you would like to arrange what has to be arranged. Bring up the tools of your trade, as they say."

I looked at my father.

"let us do that. Shall we start the portrait as soon as the Baron arrives?" I asked.

My father hesitated, "I like to talk a while with my subject first to get to know him!"

"I am sure the Baron will understand that. Well, let us prepare," I said to my father.

"Do you think you can find your way back to your rooms?" asked Bertrand

"We had learned. I shall note the landmarks as we pass through," I said with a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~

On my way back to my room, I felt completely lost,

I heard footsteps and turning sharply saw Bertrand coming towards me.

"Ah," he said, surprised. "Have you finished your preparations?"

He was looking at me steadily, and I noticed that his handsome appearance had not diminished with daylight.

"There is not much to do until the subject arrives" I replied.

"Of course not." He sat down beside me. "well, now you have seen the castle, what do you think about it?"

"Grand, massive, impressive. Overpowering. I can't think of any more adjectives. To think of one man owning all this. . . It's rather staggering," I said.

"Not for the Baron. He was brought up to it. He's a scion of his forefathers. Wait until you meet him, then you'll understand."

"is he like you?"

Bertrand seemed very amused. "I think you would have to look very hard to find a resemblance."

"if he were like you, I should feel very relieved."

He put his hand over mine suddenly. "That is a very nice compliment," he said.

"It's not a compliment. It's a statement of fact."

He smiled at me a little sadly, "No, you will find him very different."

The Baron is not only one of the wealthiest men in the country, he is also the most influential. And the princess? She came from an old French family with royal connections. The family managed to survive the revolution. The Baron will always survive, so this is the marriage of two noble families, one was wealthy, the other not so rich but royal.

The princess is connected with the royal families of France and Austria. She will be most suitable for the Baron.

Then I found myself telling him about life at Collison House, the vicarage family, my mother's romantic marriage and the happiness she and my father had shared, of her death, of our luck of having my cousin Evie, who had now married her missionary and left the cozy predictability of our English village for the perils of darkest Africa.

"But she left us Clare, who also has a great passion for painting," I added.

He sprang up and held out his hands. I gave him mine and he helped me up.

He stood for a while holding my hands. It was only for a few seconds, but it seemed longer. I thought how still everything was, the quiet water of the moat, the tall massive walls around us, and I felt myself tingling with excitement.

I flushed a little and withdrew my hands.

He was smiling at me, and I thought, I was talking too much. I hardly know this man. What was it about him that won my confidence? That infinite kindness that I had sensed in him from the moment we met, that air of worldliness which probably was nothing more than a mode of dress and behavior.

He invited confidences and I seemed to have given him far too many, I thought I will be telling him about my father's encroaching blindness next.

"Will you be busy this afternoon?" he asked.

"We shall not be busy until the Baron returns," I replied.

He touched my arm lightly. "I am glad you came," he said earnestly. "It's very interesting going to know you."

Little quivers of excitement continued to come to me. I thought, what a lovely morning it was here in the sunshine, close to the strong walls of the castle, and this interesting and most handsome young man looking at me with very thinly veiled admiration.

"Do you ride?" he asked.