Evelina froze as a low, familiar voice cut through the silence, shattering her reverie and sending a jolt of surprise through her, pulling her abruptly from her thoughts.
She slowly turned around to meet the Duke’s gaze, only to find a mix of confusion and suspicion clouding his features as his eyes lingered on the hand resting on the artwork.
Her eyes shifted to her hand in embarrassment as well, and she quickly withdrew it, clearing her throat awkwardly to ease the tension.
However, when her gaze returned to his, she was met with only deepening suspicion, and she felt a surge of irritation and indignation overtake her.
With a forced curtsy, she greeted him formally. “Your Grace, I’m done with today’s lesson.”
“Do tell me, Miss Balfour, is touching what does not belong to one a part of the many things you intend to teach my daughter?”
The Duke’s raised eyebrow indicated his disregard for her words. His accusatory tone and insinuation stung, causing a deep blush to spread across Evelina’s cheeks, her frown deepening in response.
The weight of his scrutiny, amplified by those unfeeling, piercing green eyes of his, pressed down upon her, challenging her. However, despite feeling like she could melt under his gaze, she steeled her resolve, refusing to cower.
She stood taller, meeting his eyes with fierce determination as she explained, “I was merely inspecting the artwork, Your Grace. I apologize if I overstepped.”
Her boldness surprised even herself. It had been wrong of her to touch the man’s property, yes. However, she would not let him capitalize on this to besmirch her good name.
He opened his mouth to respond, but she pushed forward before he could. Her brow furrowed as she spoke, “The art is… truly remarkable, unlike anything I’ve seen before.”
The hall was silent, and the Duke’s eyes narrowed, inspecting her closely. Then he advanced towards her, his imposing figure casting a shadow on the dimly lit hallway.
Evelina’s heart raced with an excitement she couldn’t quite fathom as the man got closer. She tried to ignore the emotions stirring within her, her focus now solely on his proximity.
Coming to a halt only a few feet away, the Duke, now standing beside the grand painting as she was, wore a smug smile as he remarked, “Our backgrounds are quite distinct. One wouldn’t expect you to have had the privilege of familiarizing yourself with such intellectually stimulating artwork.”
At his condescending tone, Evelina turned her head to face him directly, his arrogance pushing her anger to its peak.
The audacity of his continuous insults left her seething, a tempest of emotions swirling within her. He clearly thought he was above everyone else. She felt a surge of defiance, a primal urge to challenge his haughty demeanor and cut him down to size.
“It seems you’re mistaken. I certainly wasn’t complimenting your taste in art, Your Grace.”
As he struggled to compose himself, he opened his mouth again, clearly in an attempt to question her intentions.
However, with a regal air, she continued. “Your choice in paintings speaks volumes about your person and character, Your Grace. I merely observed what is evident.”
Evelina knew well she should stop. It was so unlike her to act this way. Yet, she could not. It was an inexplicable feeling—she could not stop herself when with this man.
Gabriel’s demeanor shifted, his gaze once again drawn to the unsettling painting before them, his irritation palpable. Without meeting her eyes, he warned curtly, “Mind your words, Miss Balfour.”
Undeterred by his attempt to assert his authority, she stood her ground, her tone laced with defiance. “I digress, Your Grace, but surely even you must see the harm these paintings inflict on your daughter.”
Her words, a subtle mix of concern and accusation, clearly were not what he had expected at all.
His eyes widened in shock. “Miss Balfour, you speak out of turn, questioning matters that do not concern you.” His voice dripped with derision, his eyes ablaze with suppressed fury.
Evelina held his gaze unwaveringly, her voice cutting through the tense air again. “It’s important I say it. These works bind one to a sort of suffering within these walls, and young Eliza can certainly not be spared from the toxicity.”
“They are mere artworks, Miss Balfour.” He shook his head and scoffed loudly in disbelief. “Only the heavens could explain how you’ve come to the conclusion that these pieces result in ‘suffering’—”
Not giving him a moment to properly arrange his line of defense, Evelina attacked again. “Would you say then that you did not choose them exactly for their unconventional, haunting appearance?”
“I say that what I do, as a duke in his own residence, has nothing to do with a strange, overly bold spinster who happens to come by only for the purpose of offering her services.”
Evelina only scoffed in the face of it all, making him furrow his brow in further anger and shock.
“You’re clearly avoiding the obvious truth, Your Grace. Bringing up my unmarried status will not change the fact that even I, an overly boldchildlessspinster, can understand your daughter’s needs better than you do.”
