Chapter 130
Cordelias eâticket had already been scanned on her phone.
The security guard addressed Lorna with a nod. âYouâre good to go in, maâam.â
Lornaâs eyes widened in disbelief. She even glanced at Cordeliaâs phone incredulously and questioned, âIs this ticket for ?â
The guard nodded affirmatively. âYes, please enter and donât hold up the .â
Lorna, still in shock, followed Cordelia past the barriers, finally catching on. She turned back with a grin to Rachel who was still outside, âOh, Lia got us six tickets. We couldâve taken you in with us, but since youâve got your own, looks like you donât need us! Weâll head on in then, catch ya later!â
With those words, spiked with a hint of sarcasm, Lorna took Cordelia by the hand and they walked deeper into the venue. After greeting Mrs. Brown and exchanging pleasantries, they joined the crowd.
Outside, Rachel paced anxiously. Though she hailed from an affluent family, her interests lay solely in piano, to her, watercolor painting seemed like a tedious pastime, unworthy of her attention. But she didnât want Lorna to connect with Mrs. Brown so easily after all, those were her personal contacts!
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However, after stewing for a moment, Rachel calmed down. Mrs. Brown was notoriously snobbish and difficult to please. Lorna, the bookworm, would surely fail to impress her, and there was no way she could handle the social graces expected of a lady.
Rachel even mused that Mrs. Brown might find Lorna dull!
Inside the art exhibit.
Mrs. Brown browsed the paintings with a critical eye, glancing at Lorna dismissively. She had heard from Rachel that Lorna was just a commoner who had married into the nouveau riche Delaney family a lineage that the old money crowd didnât respect.
She had only waited out of politeness, her upbringing preventing her from being outright rude.
After exchanging a few perfunctory words, Mrs. Brown excused herself to view the paintings alone. But after taking a few steps, she overheard Cordeliaâs voice, âMom, is this also a watercolor painting?â
Mrs. Brown couldnât help but curl her lip. They came to an art exhibit, yet couldnât distinguish between watercolor and oil paintings.
As she pondered this, she heard Lorna begin to explain, âThis is a piece by a famous artist. His profound understanding of the spirit of the art infuses his oil paintings with the of painting. This piece, filled with longing for his homeland, embodies various life sentiments; itâs ethereal and light, yet also conveys an unspeakable gravity.â
Cordelia looked at the painting, tilting her head, and sighed silently.
She couldnât see the lightness or the ethereality, much less the unspeakable gravity. To her, the painting just seemed abstract.
Noticing Cordeliaâs confusion, Lorna sighed to herself.
She had taught Cordelia watercolor painting for three days and found her learning ability astonishing. Cordelia could grasp the technical aspects of painting instantly, but her paintings lacked emotion- they were just trees and flowers without sentiment.
That morning, Lorna had confided to Mathilda, âLia could technically teach painting after just three days. She can replicate any work with no difference from the original, but her own paintings lack feeling: theyâre empty. She could be a great craftsman but never a renowned artist.â
Mathilda had comforted her, saying, âPainting is just a hobby for Lia, donât be too hard on her. Itâs not where her main focus lies.â
All Lorna could do was nod, though she couldnât help feel that someone as intelligent as Cordelia was of more , she took it upon herself to do more than teach painting techniques she also shared the emotions and ideas she saw in the art.
This artist is renowned for his depictions of cows. His works are filled with the sounds of nature, with a profound and powerful use of ink
Lornaâs voice was pleasant to listen to Raised in a scholarly family, she had an inherent and elegance seemed to calm the soul.
Mrs. Brown found herself unwittingly following along, drawn by Lornaâs commentary. She loved art but knew little about it, as there had been too many things to when she was younger. She wasnât as wellâversed as Loma, who had specialized in the subject.
There was a saying âOneâs inner developing naturally exudes literary grace,â which Mrs. Brown had always found abstract. But now, following Lorna, she felt transported to an ancient, cultured world.
Rachel had described Sandersonâs wife as a simple woman, prone to tears and out of her depth in high society. But to Mrs. Brown, Lorna seemed quite formidable.
People are often drawn to those with deep knowledge, and Lornaâs humble demeanor, without a hint of showiness, only added to her appeal. As Lorna shared her insightful views on each painting, Mrs. Brownâs admiration grew.
Without realizing it, she joined their discussion.
Cordelia was listening intently when her phone buzzed. She checked it and saw a message from the Painter, âHave you arrived?â
Cordelia replied, âAt the exhibit now.â
Painter, âWhich painting?â
Cordelia looked up and texted back, âThe âWater Bamboo Residence.â
Painter, âGood.â
As Cordelia pondered the meaning of that âgood,â wondering if the Painter was coming to meet them, Fanny patrolled the venue with her staff, ready to address any issues that arose.
When she spotted Lorna and her group, Fannyâs face tightened. She thought for a moment, then gestured to a staff member and whispered something.
The group moved through the exhibit slowly, Lorna was in the midst of explaining a paintingâs meaning, the sparse brushwork and dry ink invoke a desolate and serene ambiance, with a style thatâs detached and transcendentâ¦â
Mrs. Brown nodded in agreement, caught up in the description:
Cordelia, however, cocked her head, struggling to see the desolation in the artwork.
Suddenly, a voice cut through the chatter, âExcuse me, the gallery is a bit crowded at the moment. Would you mind stepping out?â
The trio turned in unison to see a staffer standing by, exuding an assertive demeanor.
Mrs. Brown furrowed her brow first, âWeâre guests here, just like everyone else. Weâve got our tickets. Why we leave?â
Before the staffer could reply, Fanny approached with a smile, âThis is an international art exhibit, primarily for our guests from abroad. Itâs getting too packed and itâs affecting the viewing experience. How about Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Delaney step out for now? Once the exhibit is over, Iâll send you personal invitation and you can come back and have a private viewing, how does that sound?â
With Fanny in, Lorna immediately understood that this was a jab at her
USPICI 120
Fanny pressed on, âThis is an industry event, and Iâm sure none of us want to make a scene, right?â
Lornaâs face turned a steely shade of vexation, but what could she do when the exhibit was Fannyâs territory
Mrs. Brown, with a dark expression, could only look to Lorna for guidance, âShall we leave then?â
Lorna nodded in agreement.
Fannyâs face broke into a smug triumph. So what if Lorna was top of her class in college? She was still being pushed around by Fanny now.
As the group prepared to leave, a sudden unfamiliar voice rang out, âWhatâs going on here?â
Chapter 131