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THEARTISTISTHEBROADCASTER. With their paintings they broadcast events, thoughts and attitudes. They can paint a truly beautiful person as a freak, a murderer as a martyr. In their paintings you can see the eternally young self, places that no longer exist. It's all there, forever on the canvas. An artist can portray you with a happy smile, but in reality you've long forgotten that feeling. Why do people commission their portraits? To hang proudly in the living room or to capture your beloved self? Perhaps. As for Harold, he appreciates art, and so the Shelby family stand in the small room for the second hour, posing for the artist.
- Dad, I'm hungry," Andrew whimpered.
Annie and the girls sat in a chair. Poor Katie had already fallen asleep several times and almost fell out of her seat. John and his sons stood behind them with their heads proudly raised. Annie glanced at her husband out of the corner of her eye and realised he was feeling out of place. She raised her hand and signalled for a break.
- Lottie, would you be a dear and tell them to set the table on the terrace," the girl nodded and took the children and left the hall.
John finally exhaled. They were here for the second day and he still hadn't adapted. When Annie showed him the bath this morning he was surprised and stayed there long enough to get a good look at everything and tell his family when he got home. After waking up the servants come and help them get dressed, which is very uncomfortable and unfamiliar for just John. But he hangs on. For the sake of the children, who definitely love it here. The little ones are looked after, clean clothes and fed all the time. It's full of expensive toys and clean air. Perhaps sometime in the future, John will buy a big house outside the city with lots of territory and take the family there. For now, he's hanging on for Annie, who has been forced to leave her familiar life for him, a thug. He wants to show her that he cherishes her and greatly appreciates that she has agreed to live with him and other people's children in completely unfamiliar circumstances. Perhaps not for long, but John will let her enjoy this time.
- What did Grandpa say?
Anne quietly crept up to her husband and stood behind him. She didn't like that John had become withdrawn and a little distant since arriving in London. Of course she didn't know him well enough to draw such conclusions, but certainly after talking to the Duke, John was acting differently. Annie knows what her grandfather can be like, and given the kind of relationship she has with her husband, it's possible that a loving relative has told Shelby a lot. Ever since this morning, John's been somewhere in his own world. And now he had this pensive look in his eyes.
- Let's go get something to eat," he put his arm around her shoulders and led her toward the exit, still not answering her question.
Katie didn't wait for her parents and fell asleep, thankfully she was carried to the nursery in time. The other children also pecked their noses during the meal, so it was decided to continue the picture tomorrow, which made the little ones unspeakably happy and upset John, for they hadn't planned to be here that long. But there was nothing to be done, it was good for Shelby to have new acquaintances now, so they would have to adjust and be patient.
