At her question, he understood her hesitancy, since she had his other book. Taking the opportunity to gauge her reaction, he phrased his response carefully. “I have no doubt that one who respects the written word so much, would not allow anything untoward befall one of my volumes.”
Her cheeks flushed.
It was all the confirmation he needed. She most definitely had his book.
“Your Grace.” Her father took the proffered book with a bow. “I will take the utmost care of it.”
Joanna took the opportunity to walk to the other side of her father and link her arm with his. “Your Grace, thank you for allowing my father to enjoy your library.”
He gave a slight bow. “Thank you for the lessons in the waltz.”
She pulled her father to get him to move toward the door. “Be sure to practice. The ball is less than two weeks away.” She didn’t look at him, a telling sign.
He leaned his hips back against the desk and watched the unlikely pair. As she came to the open doors, she finally looked back at him over her shoulder. “Good bye, Your Grace.”
“I shall send a missive on the subject we discussed.”
She gave him a brief smile then ushered her father to the front doors.
He listened as she helped her father, who had already started talking about what he’d read, obviously having forgotten he’d wanted to contemplate it first. When the front doors closed, he moved to the sideboard and poured himself a drink. It had been a very revealing afternoon…in many ways.
*
Joanna half listenedto Amelia’s narration of both the positives and the negatives of the new Paris panorama as they ambled in a long lazy circle around the building. That Amelia actually had anything positive to say was a nice change.
Though she enjoyed experiencing each new panorama set up in the round building built for that purpose, it was more her mother’s favorite London site. Because the owner had the Paris panoramic view painted on the larger lower floor, meant he was already at work on another slightly smaller view upstairs. But she wasn’t looking at the views. She was looking for someone in particular. She had so much she wished to discuss.
“Joanna, what are you looking at?”
Amelia’s change in tone caught her attention immediately. “Nothing.”
“Nothing or everything.” Amelia brought them to a stop, allowing their mother, Mariel, and Teddy to continue on without them. The circular building meant it wouldn’t be hard to find them if they decided to leave.
She chuckled. “You know me too well. I’m watching the people who are entering the exhibit.”
Amelia looked to her right where the long dark tunnel that opened upon the large circular room revealed a continuous line of people coming to see the newest panorama. “And is there someone in particular you are looking for?”
If she told the truth, it would start Amelia’s mind in the wrong direction, so she chose a near truth. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m watching for Lady Elsbeth’s entrance. I know that Teddy told her we would be here this afternoon, and he is very much looking forward to seeing her again.” And she hoped James Huntington was with them so she could share her good news.
Amelia’s brows lowered. “Teddy has completely focused upon that young woman, hasn’t he?”
The tone with which her sister asked the question gave her pause. “Yes. Why? Do you see a problem?”
Amelia shrugged delicately. “Nothing specific. There is just something about those two together. When I see them next to each other, to me they just don’t aesthetically pair well.”
“Aesthetically?” She stared at her sister. “What does how they look together have to do with how they feel about each other?”
“It doesn’t. It’s just how I look at things.” She lifted her chin to a young couple not far away. “Now they look well together.” She gestured to another couple the age of their parents. “They look well together, too.”
She found the whole concept intriguing. Looking about, she searched for a pair that she would think wouldn’t be right together. “What about the couple standing before the view of Notre Dame?”
Amelia turned her head to find the people. “The tall slender man and full bosomed woman?”
“Yes.”
“Definitely aesthetically pleasing. See how they complement each other? What one lacks, the other fills in. And the couple next to them are also aesthetically perfect but for different reasons. They are so alike as to be one.” Amelia smiled, fully enjoying the search for perfect couples.
It reminded her of Plato’s split-apart theory.Love is born into every human being; it calls back the halves of our original nature together; it tries to make one out of two and heal the wound of human nature. Could Amelia’s artistic eye be in accordance with the soul’s search for its other half, or were Aristotle’s views of beauty in opposition to Plato’s views on love? It was a question she wished to discuss. If James were around, she’d seek him out, but he wasn’t. It was disappointing.
