Christmas in Gracechurch Street by Leenie Brown

Author:Leenie Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leenie B Books

Chapter 10

“Do you like it, Cousin Lizzy?” Nora held her paint-laden brush in the air and peered down at the paper on which she had been painting.

“It is very colourful,” Elizabeth said cautiously.

There were bits of red here and green there, but Elizabeth could not discern beyond a shadow of a doubt what each patch of paint represented.

“What is it a painting of?”

She took the brush from Nora’s hand and placed it on the tray with the other brushes. Aunt Gardiner was a tremendously good painter, and she insisted upon her children becoming familiar with the activity at an early age, and Uncle Gardiner made certain there was always a good stock of supplies at hand.

“Can you not tell?” Nora asked in surprise.

“What does your mother say about such things?” Mary asked.

“Each person sees paintings in his or her own way,” Martin chirped. “You must give it a title if you wish for others to understand what you were trying to show them.”

“He is correct,” Mary agreed. “While I think your painting looks a great deal like a roaring fire, Lizzy might think it is a bowl made ready for Snapdragons.”

“Ooh, I want to play Snapdragons,” Martin said.

“Mama said you could not.” Nora looked at her older brother and pursed her lips in a contained smirk.

The two of them had been at odds for most of the morning.

“I can still want to play it,” Martin grumbled.

“Indeed, you can,” Mary inserted with a pleading look to Elizabeth.

“What is the title of your painting, Nora?” Elizabeth asked.

“I do not know,” Nora answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

“Tell me what you see in the painting,” Elizabeth encouraged, “and Mary and I will help you with a title.”

“That is Papa’s chair where he always reads to us.” Nora pointed to a blob of red on the left side of the painting. “That is the carpet where we sit unless it is our turn to sit on Papa’s lap.” This time she pointed to a patch of green that had been dotted with blue and yellow. “This is the window with snow outside, and this is the warm fire.” She indicated each item.

“That sounds very cozy,” Elizabeth said.

“And very much like things you love,” Mary added.

Nora nodded. “I do. Very much.”

“Elizabeth, Mary, we have callers.” Aunt Gardiner stood at the door to the dining room where the children had been allowed to set up their art studio.

“Do we?” Mary asked eagerly. “Is it Mr. Pointon?” she whispered.

Mary had come home yesterday from their drive and shared in great detail, at least twice, all she knew about Mr. Pointon, which was more than Elizabeth had known. Apparently, Miss Darcy was more willing to share information about a handsome young gentleman than her older brother was. Uncle Gardiner had assured Mary, upon each recitation, that should Mr. Hodgkiss and Mr. Pointon present themselves to him at his warehouse, he would be certain to grant them his permission to call on Mary and Elizabeth, and so, Mary was eagerly awaiting her first call from a gentleman.

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