Benedict was brushing his fingers through the paint, running it over the canvas. It was an abstract piece of art, but it kind of looked like a mascarade mask.
Colin knocked on the door before entering the room. "Are you still up?" He asked his older brother. "Ugh. You may wish to bathe before you see Mother in the morning." He scoffed, scrunching his nose in disgust from the foul smell in the room.
"It's magical, Brother," Benedict exclaimed, grabbing the sides of Colin's face when Colin walked up to him. He kissed Colin's cheek, who was confused. "You were right. Ugh, I've allowed my doubts to plague me for too long. The Royal Academy Schools are not the arbiters of taste. The world is!" Benedict said, arm around Colin's shoulders, as he showed Colin his new piece before hugging his brother.
"You are a fatwit." Colin scoffed out a chuckle.
"Benedict."
Eloise walked into the room with a letter. "Something has apparently arrived for you. A letter from London." Eloise said as Benedict quickly grabbed the letter, opening it up and reading it at an unnormally fast pace.
"I have a place." He said, swallowing harshly as he looked between Eloise and Colin. "The Royal Schools have accepted me as a student... Evelina wrote, what they quoted, as "an exceptional reference for my talents and abilities in art."" Benedict said, letting out a chuckle. "I got in!" He yelled in excitement.
"Uh, I thought they were not the arbiters of taste?" Colin asked his brother as Eloise chuckled at his excitement.
"They must see great promise in my work. Oh my!" He continued to exclaim, throwing down the letter, before running to open up one of the windows. "You shall all bear witness to my talents!" Benedict yelled.
Colin sighed, looking at Eloise, who was scratching the back of her head. Colin rushed to grab and stop his brother.
"Shh! It's the middle of the night!" Colin sighed, dragging Benedict back into the room by his shirt, when a dog barked in the distance.
"He will be as insufferable now as you," Eloise smirked at Colin, who walked back over to her.
"Me?"
"If I must hear one more tale of your extraordinary adventures from Greece... Tell me, Brother, if you loved it there so much, why did you ever return home?" Eloise asked as Colin sighed, looking over at Benedict when he thought about Eloise's comment.
"Well... Do you ever hear from her?" Colin asked, causing Eloise to furrow her brows. "Miss Thompson?" He added, being more clear about who he was referring to. "Are you ladies not always writing letters?" He continued to ask as Eloise scoffed at him.
"I'd have thought your travels banished Miss Thompson-- Lady Crane, rather, from your mind completely."
"Funny how distance is no match for memory, is it not?" Colin asked, looking at Benedict's painting.
"She lives not far from here, you know?"
"I am honored to accept... your acceptance." Benedict said to himself, looking out to the night sky, halting Eloise and Colin's conversation.
"You think it will last much longer?" Eloise asked Colin quietly.
"Well, devil if I know." He shrugged, sighing a bit.
*****
"An artist must be free to follow their muse.
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Midnight Rain:
FanfictionHe was the ninth Viscount Bridgerton and also a former "capital R rake." She was the thirteenth surviving child of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland and Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She also happened to be a shelter princess...
