The Artist - my new novel

My next novel, coming out under the name of JULIETTE BANKS, is a tale of love and lust between Theo, the rebellious son of a Viscount, who left his privileged background to pursue his chosen career as an artist and Lizzie, who made a bad marriage to Lionel, a man who mistreated her, and who then threw her out when she refused to sell her body on the streets for him. Here is a sample of the first chapter.

*****

Lizzie felt her leg becoming numb from lying in the same position for such a long time. Did she dare move it a tiny bit? Would Mr Harper, the artist, realize that she had moved? She could wait no longer and inched her leg very quietly forward by about two inches.

"Stay still, please. You must stay in the same position for a little longer." She sighed. "My apologies, sir, but my leg has gone quite numb. I really need to stretch it a little." He looked a tad irritated, but acquiesced grudgingly. "Very well. Stand up and stretch if you must. Please do not move far, as I simply must

make use of all the available light and it will soon be twilight."

Lizzie stood up and almost overbalanced as she put her weight on the numb leg. She

reached for her robe. It was strange that she could lie around naked for any number of hours that Mr Harper sketched and painted her, but the moment that she came out of her pose, she felt the need for the decorum of the robe. She could no more stride around the room naked than she could run down the lane in such a state, but the thought of walking around the room in the nude made her flesh shiver and gave her a pleasant feeling in her groin. She tried to rid her mind of such naughty thoughts.

*****

Theodore Harper smiled to himself, although his face retained its usual inscrutable features.

The girl had been lying down, her limbs spread sufficiently that he could catch sight of her lovely little quim, and now she needed to cover herself simply to have a stretch? He had been painting women for many years, and come to know many of them intimately, and he still found them to be a puzzle. Mind you, this young woman was a rare little piece, looking as though butter wouldn't melt in her soft, sensual mouth, and possessing an innocent-looking face, while having the wild, auburn locks, the creamy skin and voluptuous body of a woman who needed to be seduced. No, not seduced, but fucked fast and hard by someone such as himself.

His cock began to twitch and he adjusted himself out of sight of the girl. He tried not to get involved with his models while they were working, but sometimes he found the temptation too much to manage. He was only human, after all. He put his palette and brush down on the small

table next to the easel and stretched his arms. He, too, was a little stiff in more ways than one. Perhaps he should call it a day?

"I think we have done enough for today. Are you able to come again tomorrow?" "Yes, sir. I am free all day. What time shall I come?" "Not too early. I don't like getting out of my bed before ten or eleven o'clock. Come at noon

and I will make us both something to eat before we start." "Thank you, sir. May I get dressed now?" Theodore nodded his assent and the girl went behind the screen to put on her worn, calico

dress and shawl, and down-at-heel boots. She emerged and hesitated a moment. Theodore realized that he hadn't paid her, so put his hand in his pocket and pulled out some coins. The girl had asked him if she could be paid daily and he guessed that she was in urgent need of the money if her appearance was anything to go by. That was why he had offered her a sandwich on her arrival today, and the promise of another one tomorrow. He was sure that she wasn't eating very much and he didn't want to paint a woman whose ribs stood out from her body.

After Lizzie had left, Theodore cleaned his brushes methodically, ready for the next day and musing on his luck in coming across such a lovely young thing. The sight of her had set his cock a dancing, but he must keep himself in check for now, as much as he wished to spread those soft, curvy thighs and discover the delights within.

He put those enticing thoughts to the back of his mind and decided to go to the tavern nearby for some supper and a mug of ale. A local woman called Mrs Jones usually came to cook him some food each day and perform a few other chores, but she was away this week visiting her sister, so he had to fend for himself for a while. He would have a chat with Albert, the landlord, to find out something about his model, Lizzie. There was something about the girl he found intriguing, and he wanted to know more. There was little happening in the district about which Albert was unaware.

***** There were just four men in the tavern when he pushed open the heavy oak door and ducked

under the low beam—something a man of his height of six feet was wise to do. Albert had lit a fire in the hearth against the chill of a late September evening in England, and was standing behind the bar, polishing some mugs.

"Evening, Theo. I expect you will be wanting some supper, with Mrs Jones being away?"

There clearly wasn't much that escaped the attention of the landlord.

"Yes, Albert. What has your good wife got to offer tonight? Perhaps one of her hearty stews?"

Albert's wife was very large and plain, but she was a good cook, which, for the wife of an inn landlord, was a useful skill to have. A man could overlook a plain face if he had a full belly.

"I reckon she has a mutton stew prepared. I'll let her know you are here." Albert disappeared for a moment, reappearing with a smile. "She says that she will be out with a large plate of mutton stew and some fresh baked crusty

bread in ten minutes. What can I get you to drink, Theo? The usual ale?" Theodore nodded his assent and sat down on the high stool in front of the bar. Albert didn't

have any customers vying for his attention and seemed to want to pass the time with the artist, whom he had known a good many years.

"You know a girl named Lizzie Prendergast, Albert?"

He would be very surprised if the landlord did not know such a pretty young thing, even if she did come from a neighbouring village.

Albert gave Theo a sly look. He knew that his friend spent a lot of time painting naked ladies, which caused quite a lot of tutting by the church ladies and other so-called 'respectable' women of the village. Secretly he was quite jealous, but wouldn't dare say anything in front of his wife, Ann, even if she did have a soft spot for Westford's resident artist.

"You painting her?"

"Yes, she started yesterday. Came to me with a sad tale and looking destitute, and you know me, Albert, I'm a sucker for a sob story. Besides that she has a pretty face and a tempting body, and I'm not known for turning away a beautiful woman in distress."

"Got a reputation as a tart, Theo, from gossip I heard last time I was in the market at Chatterton. Seems her husband caught her in the arms of another man, not three months after he had wed her. Apparently the man ran off before he could lay his hands on him, but he threw his wife out there and then, without a penny to her name. Some say she has to beg for her food now after several respectable households turned down her pleading for a job as a maid or suchlike. My missus reckons she will probably be lifting her skirt and dropping her drawers for anyone who will have her. There don't appear to be much sympathy for her around here it seems."

Theo gave a rueful grin.

"Well she is obviously dropping her drawers for me, Albert, but purely for artistic purposes, you understand. I try not to get involved with my models if I can help it. She's quite a sweet little thing though, so bedding her would not be a great hardship."

Their conversation ceased as the landlord's wife came out of the kitchen carrying a large plate of mutton stew and some crusty bread. She beamed at Theo and came over a little coquettish towards the artist, as though she was a young girl again.

"Here you are, Mr Harper, a plate of my delicious mutton stew. I've put some extra pieces of meat on there for my favourite customer, and with some bread fresh from the oven to dip in the gravy."

Theo moved over to a small table nearby, where the woman had placed the plates. He would normally no more flirt with a woman like Mrs Smith than he would kiss a lady with smallpox, but he knew that it was best to flatter a woman who took good care of him in the food department when Mrs Jones was away. He treated her to a few choice compliments which sent her back to the kitchen with her cheeks a little rosier than before. If Albert played his cards right he might get lucky tonight after Theo's sweet-talking. Theo doubted that she received much sweet- talking from her husband, so his words might just have done the trick, and the landlord would not suspect that it was Theo's face that was in her mind as her husband poked the fire down below.

After a hearty supper and another mug of ale, Theo went back to his cottage. There wasn't anyone in the tavern that he particularly wanted to engage in conversation, so he decided on an early night. Before turning in, he took his lantern and stood in front of the painting of the girl, Lizzie. It was still in its very early stages, of course, but already there were the smooth curves of those luscious hips, the mass of hair, yet to be painted the wonderful shade of auburn, the kissable lips, slightly parted, and the pert little nose. He felt a stirring of his cock and wondered where his little model was sleeping tonight.

THE ARTIST comes out on August 8 on Blushing Books (www.blushingbooks.com) and Amazon(www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk)

"Passion" painting of nude woman reproduced courtesy of artist Irena Jablonski (USA)

Clip Art of artist's palette, reproduced courtesy of Cliparts.co <a href="http://cliparts.co">Clip art image by Cliparts.co</a>