Chapter 154
However, it made Macy uncomfortable knowing it would be an all-male gathering. She wasn’t exactly accustomed to being around men.
Still, since it was just a painting job, it was something she could handle.
More than that, Macy felt grateful that Marchioness Lingston, who was close to Lady Werfel, entrusted the commission to her, so despite her discomfort, she wanted to do her best.
“However, with a group of people in the painting, the details might not be as sharp as with a personal portrait. Would that be acceptable?”
“Yes, of course! I’ll pay extra for the added figures. Please, I insist. You see, I told my husband that you and I were close and that you’d be willing to do it.”
“Of course, I’ll do it.”
“Thank you so much, Macy!”
Marchioness Lingston threw her arms around Macy in gratitude. Macy was a bit surprised, but she smiled awkwardly.
“Shall we start today?”
“Yes, I’ll grab my painting supplies from the carriage.”
Macy quickly moved her feet in preparation.
* * *
With Marchioness Lingston guiding her, Macy arrived at the gathering place. In the large arcade room, young gentlemen were playing billiards, each with a cigar in their mouths.
“Honey, Macy’s here!”
One of the men, who had been about to take his shot with the cue stick, quickly walked toward them at the sound of Marchioness Lingston’s voice. He was a large and dignified middle-aged gentleman.
“Ah, finally, we meet. I’m Jason Lingston.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Macy Horton.”
“Thanks to my wife, I’m meeting one of the most talked-about people in Laden these days. I can’t tell you how curious I’ve been.”
“Yes, I’m also glad to meet you…”
‘Most talked-about person’ was an ambiguous phrase, and Macy wasn’t sure how to interpret it.
For some reason, it felt like there was a sharp edge to the words, but maybe that was just her imagination. Along with that, the gazes of those around her slowly started to gather.
Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Macy.
“We were in the middle of a game of billiards. How should we proceed?”
“Don’t mind me, just enjoy your game. If you pay too much attention, it will make things awkward and unnatural.”
“I see. Alright, understood. Did you all hear that? Stop watching and get back to your game.”
“We were just waiting for our turn. Go ahead and take your shot.”
Within moments, they returned to focusing on the game. Macy set up her easel and started to unpack the art supplies she brought.
Every time there was a clink of something, a few people would glance over at her, but none of them looked particularly uncomfortable or showed signs of distaste.
‘Guess it was just my imagination. Why would the nobles care about a mere artist?’
Macy calmly continued her sketch, holding the pencil. She positioned the people at the edges—one waiting to chalk his cue, another chatting nearby—and in the center, she drew the first person who caught her eye: Marquis Lingston, playing billiards.
“I have some things to attend to, so I’ll be going now. Keep up the good work, Macy.”
“Yes, Marchioness Lingston.”
After watching for a while, Marchioness Lingston seemed to decide everything was going smoothly and left the room. She wasn’t Macy’s guardian, and Macy was no child, so there was no need for her to stay.
With no one standing nearby, it was easier for Macy to focus. Just as she was about to immerse herself in the pleasant tension of the task, a sound of a door clicking open made her look up.
A man entered the arcade room, dressed in a gray suit, his jacket slung carelessly over his arm. His clothes looked expensive, but his disheveled appearance gave off a lazy impression.
“Who’s this woman?”
He asked as soon as he entered, his eyes on Macy.
“She’s the artist here to paint while observing the gathering. Lance, you’re later than I thought.”
“An artist? A woman?”
He leaned in, inspecting Macy’s face closely.
“Ah, are you the artist from the rumors?”
He snapped his fingers, as though a thought had just occurred to him.
“That’s right. Didn’t I tell you I could see her?”
Marquis Lingston said with a proud smile.
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