11-25-2020, 02:34 AM
The weather was pleasant and Douglas had arranged to visit with one of the locals about the history of the ruins he had been painting at the library. It had, however, also gotten spread around that he spent time there and some had been familiar with who he was. So, as he visited at a small table over in a corner looking at books opened around between the two men, various people, mostly females trying to be seen or just to see him. Douglas had learned to ignore it much to the wandering female annoyance.
One or two had been brave enough to stop at the table and pause expecting a polite greeting from the artist. Some had been brave enough to pause at the table and made a greeting for the local man. He was in his late 60s and part of the upper social population of Whitby. He too saw what the ploys were for what they were. He had found it amusing, and did introduce the Earl to the first few, but after that, he merely greeted politely and went on with the conversation with Douglas. They had been there about two hours and were still enjoying the visit as Douglas asked questions about the history of the ruins and various other buildings and areas of the town.
Some ladies were chatting outside the library after their failing attempts at engaging the Douglas in conversation. One lady was the mother of two young eligible daughters and the other had a daughter between the age of the other two. "I've been able to visit one of his shows in London. I've heard that even one of the royals has asked him to do a portrait of the couple. But I have heard he is quite crude in his behavior."
"From what we saw here, I would say so. But he is Scottish, they are barbarians. But with the right wife, he could be taught to behave properly, I would think. Just think of it, an Earl in the family? It would be quite an accomplishment."
"And he is easy on the eyes." The other woman responded. "But he would want the wife to live with him back in Scotland. So far away and so rough living there."
"With the right wife pulling him in the right way, perhaps he could be talked into living in London?"
"He doesn't seem to be one that could be persuaded to what he is not happy about doing."
A younger woman, the eldest of the woman with two daughters, steps in to join in the conversation. Her eyes with the look of someone that could be determined and was known to push people into her way. "Mama, you know all it would take is making sure he adores me and I'll have it all seen to as it should."
The woman with one daughter gave the other girl a look, and obviously was thinking of how to make sure it was her own daughter that met the Earl and had the first chance at the man's heart. "I think it is time we had a party at our house. We can't have an Earl in town and think we are as backward as the backwood highlands of Scotland."
The other ladies nodded. The woman with the single daughter was the richer of the group there, and having her take the cost of it was not a problem to them. The mothers both figuring they could arrange their daughters meet the Earl and capture his heart.
Inside the library, the men were about to finish their conversation. Douglas was making notes as the other man was pointing to a drawing in one of the books.
One or two had been brave enough to stop at the table and pause expecting a polite greeting from the artist. Some had been brave enough to pause at the table and made a greeting for the local man. He was in his late 60s and part of the upper social population of Whitby. He too saw what the ploys were for what they were. He had found it amusing, and did introduce the Earl to the first few, but after that, he merely greeted politely and went on with the conversation with Douglas. They had been there about two hours and were still enjoying the visit as Douglas asked questions about the history of the ruins and various other buildings and areas of the town.
Some ladies were chatting outside the library after their failing attempts at engaging the Douglas in conversation. One lady was the mother of two young eligible daughters and the other had a daughter between the age of the other two. "I've been able to visit one of his shows in London. I've heard that even one of the royals has asked him to do a portrait of the couple. But I have heard he is quite crude in his behavior."
"From what we saw here, I would say so. But he is Scottish, they are barbarians. But with the right wife, he could be taught to behave properly, I would think. Just think of it, an Earl in the family? It would be quite an accomplishment."
"And he is easy on the eyes." The other woman responded. "But he would want the wife to live with him back in Scotland. So far away and so rough living there."
"With the right wife pulling him in the right way, perhaps he could be talked into living in London?"
"He doesn't seem to be one that could be persuaded to what he is not happy about doing."
A younger woman, the eldest of the woman with two daughters, steps in to join in the conversation. Her eyes with the look of someone that could be determined and was known to push people into her way. "Mama, you know all it would take is making sure he adores me and I'll have it all seen to as it should."
The woman with one daughter gave the other girl a look, and obviously was thinking of how to make sure it was her own daughter that met the Earl and had the first chance at the man's heart. "I think it is time we had a party at our house. We can't have an Earl in town and think we are as backward as the backwood highlands of Scotland."
The other ladies nodded. The woman with the single daughter was the richer of the group there, and having her take the cost of it was not a problem to them. The mothers both figuring they could arrange their daughters meet the Earl and capture his heart.
Inside the library, the men were about to finish their conversation. Douglas was making notes as the other man was pointing to a drawing in one of the books.
