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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

A nna could not believe the day she’d had.

Although it had been tiring at some point, the excursion had proved to be more enjoyable than anything else, and she felt thankful that she had gotten to experience it.

She had always wondered what it would be like to go on such an outing with her friends and husband, and in one afternoon, her dreams had come true. The sights were truly splendid, but even more so because she shared every moment with Julian.

Whatever doubts about him that might have tried to surface had long since lost the war to her immense trust in him. He had accommodated her, fussed over her, and protected her at every point earlier in the day.

When she had complained quietly about her feet starting to ache, Julian had offered to carry her on his back. She had turned him down immediately, asking only that they find a place to sit, but the warmth of his hand in hers had eased some of her discomfort greatly.

Anna was happy that she had gotten to go out, but more than anything else, she was thankful that she had gotten to spend even more time with her husband on such a wonderful occasion.

“When will you let me see it?” Julian inquired, lowering his gaze to the small, wrapped parcel she was holding in her arms.

Anna tightened her hold over it, nervously shifting her gaze.

“When we get home.” She replied quickly.

The parcel contained the canvas the painter had given her at the fair, which had the portrait she had painted of her husband on it. Lysander had taken one look at it after she put the paintbrush down and burst into a fit of hysterical laughter.

“My goodness, duchess,” he wheezed. “I a-am thankful he loves you so. Otherwise, this might have posed a danger to your marriage.”

She knew she had no art skills whatsoever, but she still wanted to try. It had turned out… slightly questionable, and now she worried that she might upset her husband – who had already established that he did not like getting his portrait done.

When they arrived home, she quickly told him,

“Thank you. I had a lovely time. But I am quite tired and I really would like to have a bath before –”

“Can I see it first?”

Anna went still for a moment, then she raised her gaze to his face. Julian stood before her, patiently waiting for her answer.

“It’s… It’s not very good.” She confessed reluctantly.

“I do not mind. You made it, and I would like to see it.” He replied simply.

It was hard to deny him anything when he spoke to her so sweetly. With a sigh, Anna handed it over to him, wincing as he ripped up the brown paper that was used to cover it.

For a moment, he just stared down at the masterpiece.

“I-I’ve never painted before. And I just wanted to try, but I had no idea that I would be so horrendous at it –” she tried to explain quickly, wondering if she should fall to her knees and beg his forgiveness.

“You certainly have a talent, my dear,” Julian commented, clearing his throat. “Perhaps just not in human portraits.”

“You don’t hate it?” she asked quietly and nervously.

Julian frowned at her, reaching out to wrap an arm around her comfortingly as he led the way to their room.

“Absolutely not, my sweet. Never. In fact, I’m going to hang this up in my study.”

“What? No! Why would you do that?”

“Why not? You made it, and I would like to prove to you that I value your work!” Julian enforced sternly.

His words made Anna’s heart quake, and she blushed, pressing even closer to his side.

“Thank you. I love you.”

Julian smiled down at her, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead.

“I love you too, my darling.”

Moments later, he added,

“It’ll look great in my study. I can use it to threaten my associates and Seth whenever they don’t do their jobs properly by saying, ‘I’ll have you turned into whatever that is on that portrait over there, if you keep this up. ’”

Anna scoffed and pushed him away. “You are ridiculous.”

Julian winked at her. “You wouldn’t love me any other way.”