Portrait of a Scandal
“With deft sure fingers, he portrayed that eager curiosity and trusting friendliness which had so disarmed him.
‘Oh,’ the child said when he handed her the finished sketch. ‘Do I really look like that?’ ‘Indeed you do, sweet pea,’ said Miss Dalby, shooting him a look of gratitude over the top of the sheet of paper.
She was many things, but she wasn’t stupid. She could see he’d restrained his anger with her so as not to hurt the child.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Frenchman... reaching for his purse. He held up his hand to stall him.
‘You do not need to pay me for this picture,’ he said. Then turning to the little girl, because he was damned if he was going to let either of the adults know that he would rather starve than take another penny of the man’s money, he said, ‘It is my pleasure to have such a pretty subject to draw.’ The girl blushed and hung her head to study her portrait.MoreLess
‘Oh,’ the child said when he handed her the finished sketch. ‘Do I really look like that?’ ‘Indeed you do, sweet pea,’ said Miss Dalby, shooting him a look of gratitude over the top of the sheet of paper.
She was many things, but she wasn’t stupid. She could see he’d restrained his anger with her so as not to hurt the child.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the Frenchman... reaching for his purse. He held up his hand to stall him.
‘You do not need to pay me for this picture,’ he said. Then turning to the little girl, because he was damned if he was going to let either of the adults know that he would rather starve than take another penny of the man’s money, he said, ‘It is my pleasure to have such a pretty subject to draw.’ The girl blushed and hung her head to study her portrait.MoreLess
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