The Painter's Amour

His First Love

"You know you're in love the moment you can touch the stars without reaching." – Melisa M. Hamling

9. His First Love (Dante)

The sound of people's shoes walking on the asphalt of the street and the noise of horses stomping as they rode by was making the town sound so busy in the late afternoon. The cold gust of wind blew against my thick clothing and encased my body in a chilling embrace.

"I'll have a spice and a flour, please?" Julian stated to the food merchant.

The public marketplace near the Town Square appeared just as I imagined it to be. The roadsides were both occupied by market stalls in different shades of grey which sheltered assorted produce of merchandises, such as food and clothes. Merchants were flaunting their goods to all people who passed by, hoping to gain interest from the rich although the young newspaper boy nearby was doing better than them just by shouting the day's news since a lot of gossip mongers seemed to be fascinated so easily.

Why was a noble like me doing here in the first place? I asked myself. Well, on contrite, I did promise Julian that I'll be accountable after being such a difficult lover to him. But I wouldn't be shopping with him in a less slummy part of the town because it was such a commoner's place, however I decided against my pride and prejudices about it. More so, looking to my side, I was met with the sight of the man whom my dear mother appointed to servitude, though I knew it was about keeping a close eye on my personal affairs.

Lucas Radford. The man's name alone was already my bitterness.

I pressed my lips in a tight line as I saw him looking at Julian, who was busy buying ingredients for his family dinner which I guessed was something of unrefined for my taste. Nevertheless, I would be dishonest if I said that I didn't like the kind of look Lucas was giving to him. Jealousy was just a quintessence among my other feelings right now and the mere reason behind it was anything still surprisingly unknown to me. Lucas caught me looking at him quite unkindly and with a smirk he said, "I wonder greatly why a noble is attending in the middle of a humble public market. But if it's unpleasant to your liking, young sir, then I'll be all happy to take good care of him on your behalf."

It was like he was challenging me to some game I was unsure of, still I made no step to back off. "You are so haughty and I compliment you not," I replied, mirroring the smirk he had.

Chuckling, he turned away and looked at Julian again, "So I'm always told."

This was one of the things that I started to dislike about him, he was so arrogant for a servant and for some reason I was losing to him because I knew that he already knew what was going on between Julian and I. He could tell anyone any time he wanted and I feared it deeply. For I was bound to uphold my family's eminence and intended to be married to the only daughter of a peer so I could inherit the title after he renounced it. To become a Marquess was my purpose in life and it would promise my paintings more fame than anything else. I will never lose it over something little as an affair.

"I don't fear my mother's trust on you," I made it clear to him as I glared daggers his way. "Oh please, I heard all too many lies and yours the most pitiful I consider. If you really don't fear, then do tell how do you want me to say it to her later?" he countered, his words making me frown.

However, I said nothing else in defeat.

Our tension was immediately interrupted by Julian who was now done buying the ingredients. He held a full wicker shopping basket in his hand as he came to me. I wanted to look anything but defeated in front of him, hence I hid a grin when a thought came into me. Without saying a word, I took the basket from his hold before shoving it to my footman.