Heart's Content

Part Thirty-Four

{'Still Life with Crab, Shrimps, and Lobster' by Clara Peeters from Wikimedia Commons}

For all the times that Lisette and Genevieve were able to slip away and remain either unfound or unbothered, there were more times when Nadine sent someone to seek them out and inform them that their presence was required for whatever trivial undertaking she thought they should be attending. Most times, Genevieve and Lisette became nothing more than observers, watching and listening with little interest in whatever activity Nadine and Sola were committed to and speaking softly between each other on little that actually involved the task in which they were supposed to be assisting. For Lisette, the only reasons she could think her mother could have for insisting that she and Genevieve participate, were simply to annoy or inconvenience her because through observation it appeared that she was enjoying herself thoroughly and didn't really care at all if Genevieve or Lisette had any input to offer.

It was likely that Nadine didn't believe she had very many chances left to oversee the preparations for such an event as a wedding. Lisette's own wedding would be such a simple affair that the same preparations would not be necessary so after Sabien and Genevieve were married she would possibly only have the weddings of her grandchildren to look forward to. Lisette had drawn these conclusions on her own and might not have faulted Nadine for how she possibly felt if it weren't for the fact that she became increasingly irritated from watching how pushy her mother was and how she effortlessly took control of the situation with little regard for Sola. Aunt and niece were so alike in that they had such patience and understanding and were so gentle in their behaviors. Lisette wasn't certain if Sola took into consideration how Nadine might feel but she wouldn't be surprised if she did, she seemed so much more aware of the way others felt and how Nadine was entirely oblivious just made it so difficult to witness and added to the reasons why she in particular, hated being told she needed to help with wedding arrangements.

A good portion of the day they had been left to themselves even so far as being allowed their morning tea in solitude. Sabien had been away at work more and more often as he was instructed thoroughly on what would be expected of him once their father had returned to Alémaire and would no longer be overseeing primary functions of the business in Seldoné, virtually leaving the whole enterprise to his son. It was nice that Sabien wasn't around, even though Lisette was deeply affected by the fact that she wouldn't daily see her brother as she had for her entire life, but it did leave her time alone with Genevieve which she would sorely miss once she had returned to the city. She would have been sad for Genevieve as well if not for the fact that she knew she would still have Sola once she was gone, that made their parting hurt a little less for both of them even in the face of knowing that they would hardly get to see each other in the future.

As an educated lady, Lisette counted painting as a talent in her repertoire even though it wasn't one that she attended to regularly since she preferred auditory arts to visual arts. The eastern facing gallery that she and Genevieve had chosen as a near daily hideaway was abundant with gentle morning light on days when the weather was fair and the gentle shimmer of Genevieve's hair had inspired her even though she was certain she would never be able to capture on canvas the same beauty Genevieve displayed in reality. As much as she hated acknowledging it, Lisette knew that there would be few times in the future for her to see Genevieve and even if their relationship couldn't carry on, it would break her heart to not be able to see her when she pleased and with this thought in mind, she made the decision to utilize her underused artistic abilities and construct a portrait of her beloved.

At first Genevieve had been hesitant to sit for the painting. She had only ever had her portrait made at the whim of her father when she was a child and those sittings had been so tedious and plentiful that it became something she abhorred. All of the paintings of her as a child had been destroyed in the fire that consumed her parent's home and afterwards only a single painting existed of her as a child which was painted while she was still sleeping after she had arrived at Mai-Falais and it wasn't exactly true to reality. Sola and Marques hadn't been certain of her survival and were greatly grieved by the thought of losing her even though they had only just met her. They wanted something of her to prove that she had existed and hired a painter to capture her likeness devoid of all the injuries she had suffered. The portrait hung in the main parlour between the likenesses of Sola and Marques and was one of their prized possessions. Over the years they had desired to replace the painting with one more suitable to Genevieve's likeness, but she had declined and gave her reasons. Of course they respected her decision and were simply happy that they had the single portrait of her, an image which gave Genevieve mixed feelings, all at once their love for her delighted her, while the image of something that would never be again taunted her.