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Emily and Nanny Grey exchanged nods and smiles as the two highest-ranking women in the household after Mrs. Flitwick, who held pride of place. Torie left them to have a comfortable gossip while she joined the artists.

Monsieur Langlois had turned from the easels to greet her. He was dressed without any pretensions to fashion. So much for her prediction about silk breeches. His cravat was no more than a carelessly tied length of cloth; his shirt had no frills; Torie couldn’t smell any perfume, though she had to admit that Oddie’s ability to produce over two hundred pellets a day—as counted by Florence—overpowered other scents in the nursery.

“Lady Kelbourne, it is a pleasure to meet you,” Langlois said, bowing.

She curtsied. “How kind of you to join us, Monsieur Langlois. I am much looking forward to your instruction.”

“Come look,” Florence called from the window.

Torie tottered across the room, irritated by the darling shoes that matched her gown. The heels kept tipping her forward; a lady foolish enough to alight at Smithfield Market in these shoes would be stuck in the mire until rescued.

The Frenchman caught up with her at Florence’s easel. “The children have put the cart before the horse, trying to paint a rabbit before they are capable of forming a circle,” he explained with impeccable English. “We shall begin with charcoal and progress from there. They must develop an eye.”

“An excellent plan,” Torie said.

Valentine was intently drawing circle after circle before rubbing them out with a piece of toweling.

“I can’t get them right,” he growled, sounding suddenly like his uncle. “They are all lopsided.”

“It may take quite a while,” Torie said consolingly, stepping over to look at his efforts. “I expect you’re already better, and if you practice every day, you’ll surely achieve a circle.”

“I gave up,” Florence said, pointing to her easel. “Instead I drew a ghost traipsing through a churchyard after midnight. Do you know traipse, Torie?”

“I do,” Torie said. “What are those black streaks?”

“Branches being wrenched from the trunks of trees by the howling of the wind. I’m going to do another one with a girl like me exorcizing a ghost.”

“How will she do that?” Torie asked.

“She’ll firmly instruct him to go away,” Florence said.

Just then, Oddie emerged from behind the sofa. In the last week, he had shown himself to be a friendly sort who liked to be part of the family.

“Come here, Oddie!” Florence called.

He obediently hopped in her direction while Monsieur Langlois jumped back with an expression that resembled a startled hare. “Sacre bleu!” he hissed under his breath. He shot Torie an apologetic look. “In France, such creatures live in hedgerows and never in a house.”

Valentine looked up from drawing yet another lopsided circle. “Oddie is a member of the family.”

Oddie halted to expel several pellets.

“Master Valentine, it’s your turn to clean up after the rabbit,” Nanny Grey said placidly from the side of the room. “Please don’t forget to use soap when you wash your hands.”

Monsieur Langlois cleared his throat. “Perhaps you could tell me something of your technique, Lady Kelbourne?”

“My technique?” Torie had been distracted, reminding herself to thank Flitwick for finding such an excellent nanny.

“Your painting technique. Though perhaps you too are beginning in the art? Do share with me your goals for my tutorship, my lady. Would you like to create watercolor landscapes? I do not know the fashionable art of painting on glass, but I am certain we could work it out if you would like to follow the newest fashion.”

Florence giggled, but Torie met her eyes and shook her head.

“I should like to know more of your practice,” she said, leading him over to the sofa.

Which was where they were when the viscount came home.

Chapter 32

Dominic had spent the morning going over the tedious details of a new bill to regulate the import of cotton from Portugal. Luncheon in the Lords dining room had been irritating in the extreme; one of his peers droned on about the price of wheat until Dominic forwent the third course and returned to chambers.