Within two weeks, I was back on my feet again. As we walked through the street I had my arm linked with Dante's, a lot of people were exchanging glances with Dante and I as I was now huge news in the art world, as Ophelia was a very famous play from Shakespeare, and the painting was going to be very well known.
We were stopped in the streets a few times as I had questions thrown at me, Dante had taken over and pushed our way through the crowd to Milles house. We walked upstairs and Mille looked surprised but I hugged him. "Are you sure you want to do this again?" He quizzed me.
"Yes" I answered. So I got changed and Dante helped me into the bath, the water was warm and the candles were burning and once I was comfortable Mille commenced his painting. With in a few hours and the painting was finished, so Dante helped me out and then I got changed, I knew Dante had wandering eyes and I knew he was peeking through the changing blinds. Once I was changed we headed down to the tavern and as a sorry for drowning me, John bought the first round of drinks, I shared with Dante as he knew I wasn't exactly a big fan of gin but what ever I left he drank anyway. It was getting late and Mille wanted to take me out for a ride tomorrow, so once I prized a shot of gin from Dante's fingers we headed home.
He collapsed on to the bed and when I felt ready I joined him, the only thing was that Dante didn't seem to be in a cuddling mood, he just pushed my arm off him every time I tried to hug him. In the morning I got up not even leaving a note for him, as soon as I got out the house there sat John astride a great grey Irish hunter mare. "Good morning" He greeted me.
A stable boy led my Friesian out to me so I mounted my horse and we went for a ride, we were out for a good few hours, he couldn't stop apologising to me and he kept telling me he felt guilty, but I kept insisting that it wasn't his fault. We cantered across the Thames bridge and Johns mare could just about keep up with my stallion, I turned around riding with one hand and I noticed that he was smiling and laughing, I halted at the end of the bridge and asked "so when's Ophelia going to be put on exhibition?"
"When Ruskin is going to look at it and let me know his opinion" He answered.
"That sounds good" I replied.
"Did you want to join me for tea?" He inquired.
"Of course" I answered and we then made our way back towards town, and again I decided to race him, and this time he had to hold onto his hat in fear of losing of it. We came to the tea house and we walked in, John holding the door open for me being a gentleman as always, wishing I could say the same for Dante and he asked for a corner table which we were taken over to it, we each had tea before riding back to our homes but before we departed, I thanked John and leant over on my horse and kissed his cheek, and told him that it had been a lovely day, we said goodbye and by the time I got home it was late, a stable boy took my horse but as I walked past the window I noticed the candles were burning which was strange as Dante's usually asleep by now, I unlocked the door and the sight in front of me was heart breaking, Dante lay in our bed with another woman doing things that shall never be repeated, they stopped and he just looked at me, surprised that he had been caught, the woman just looked at me in a smirking manner, knowing exactly what she did.
I was shocked, and I soon closed the door and ran to the stable mounting my horse and galloping off, away from Dante's studio, as I was clearly no longer welcome there, my tears were beginning to rain down on my cheeks, I felt destroyed. I had given myself to him naively not knowing he would do this to me. 'He saved my life for what...To destroy it again?" I asked myself.
I was galloping blind as I had no idea where I was going, the snow was beginning to get heavy again and it stung my eyes as it hit them, I then halted my horse as I was going to be galloping all night so I decided to head to Johns home, I dismounted and knocked on the door. Johns butler answered the door. "I am here to see John" I told him. So he allowed me in and I saw the fire burning in his library so I ran in and saw him reading a book.
"Josephine?" He asked. "What's wrong?" He added.
"Dante... he is courting another... I found them in our bed" I cried.
"Ohl no" John said pulling me into his chest. "Come sit down" He said gesturing to his sofa. So I did and he got me a cup of tea. "Why would he do that?" He inquired.
"Perhaps I no longer please him" I answered.
"I was thinking perhaps you could stay here with me, till you two sorted things out" He offered.
"Ohl thank you" I said hugging him.
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