Arc Over Time by Jen Silver

Author:Jen Silver [Silver, Jen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Project Research

Ellie glanced around the gallery, appreciating the light and the space that helped to show off her work to great effect. The timing of the exhibition couldn’t be better. As Helen, the gallery owner, had put it, “the increased footfall through the town for the Tour de France, it will be magnifique, cherie!” Helen had lived in Yorkshire for twenty years and was married to an Englishman but at times she could sound very French. And the preparations for the Tour de France stage coming through Hebden Bridge had intensified her nationalistic fervour as well as her accent.

There was nothing more she could do. All the pictures, bar one, were in place, the tables set up for drinks and canapés. The paint was barely dry on the final canvas and she still wasn’t sure she wanted to display it at the open evening. Robin had suggested she keep it in reserve and put it up when one of the others had sold, and it was an idea she was seriously considering.

The concept for the painting had come to her after Kathryn’s visit and Den’s blurted revelation that Queen Cartimandua had lived out her days at Starling Hill with her female lover. The press would undoubtedly sensationalise the news. The Queen of the Brigantes tribe, the Sappho of the North. They would love it. Ellie, as an historian, knew that the tribal customs of the time embraced sexual relations between women as no less natural than with men. Sex with men was necessary for procreation but it didn’t mean a woman had to stay with a man for life. Women in Britain enjoyed a more equal status than women in Rome. This changed over time as the Roman way of life took hold and the introduction of Christianity certainly finished off any freedoms women had previously enjoyed.

Taking one last look round, she found Helen counting glasses in the back room. “I’ll be back in a while. Just going to the flat to get changed.”

Helen nodded and carried on counting.

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