Lord Preston's Secret Tutor (47 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 34
Swish. Swish.
Jacqueline and Benjamin turned their heads at the same time. Windsor, propping his chin with one hand, scrutinized their drawings alternately like an art connoisseur examining masterpieces.
His gaze shifted to Benjamin’s drawing.
“So it’s a battle between the god of the sky and the god of the sea, I see. You’ve captured well the weapon held by the sea god.”
“Oh, thank you, Uncle.”
Benjamin lowered his eyes shyly. Receiving praise from Windsor was quite rare.
The boy, unsure how to respond, merely fidgeted with his fingers. Windsor added calmly,
“But even though a battle is raging between two gods, the sea appears far too calm. With that level of divine power, physically house-sized waves should be surging.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
Benjamin looked up at him with sparkling eyes. When it came to matters of the sea, Windsor could never be wrong—he was the Devil of the Black Fleet, after all.
“…….”
Windsor’s gaze now moved to Jacqueline’s drawing. He studied it longer than he had Benjamin’s, then faintly furrowed his brow.
“Setting aside that the figure holding lightning is clearly the sky god—what on earth are those flies buzzing around him?”
At that, Jacqueline’s brow crumpled in irritation, her voice turning petulant.
“Flies? That’s the god of abundance, born from his thigh!”
“Hmm.”
Windsor turned back toward Benjamin.
“I’d arranged for a skilled painter to tutor you, but it seems you won’t need one after all.”
“Well, Uncle… what you saw before wasn’t actually a dog with five legs—it was a horse.”
“Is that so?”
At the boy’s words, Windsor cast a questioning look toward Jacqueline. She nodded sullenly.
“Yes.”
“Would you perhaps need a painter yourself, then? If you’d like to take drawing lessons in Benjamin’s stead…”
“No, thank you!”
Jacqueline cut him off sharply, glaring at him with narrowed eyes. Windsor had no idea why her mood had shifted so suddenly.
Didn’t she enjoy drawing?
He vaguely recalled her once mentioning an interest in art. His memory couldn’t possibly be mistaken.
He examined her drawing carefully. The god of abundance, supposedly born from the sky god’s thigh, still looked like nothing more than a trivial fly.
Liking something didn’t necessarily mean one had talent for it. Despite her claimed passion, her skill was quite poor.
Shouldn’t she then want to improve? So why was she angry?
Jacqueline, glaring sideways at him, tilted her chin slightly and challenged,
“Then why don’t you, Lord Preston, try drawing something yourself? There’s a vast difference between talking about it and actually doing it. That’s precisely why practical exercises matter.”
Benjamin nodded vigorously at this. Until trying it himself, the boy had never imagined his own skill might surpass Jacqueline’s.
He then glanced furtively at her, as if worried she might have somehow sensed his earlier thought.
Phew.
While Benjamin sighed in relief, Jacqueline forcibly placed a brush into Windsor’s hand. Windsor, frowning faintly, looked down at his own fingers.
Jacqueline haughtily jerked her chin, urging him to start. Her voice carried a smug tone.
“It’s not as easy as it sounds. Since you’re a complete beginner, why not lightly sketch something simple—like a leaf? Or maybe a cloud. That alone would show you just how difficult it is to transfer the image in your mind onto canvas.”
Benjamin watched Windsor eagerly. Windsor strode decisively toward the wall.
After briefly gauging the brush, he leisurely dipped it into paint. Soon, the neat tip touched the wall.
There was no hesitation in Windsor’s strokes—almost as if he were scribbling carelessly. Unlike Jacqueline, he wasn’t lost in deep concentration, nor, like Benjamin, was he overly absorbed.
“…….”
Yet wherever his brush touched, lush grapevines sprang to life. The green leaves held glistening dewdrops, and the ripe grapes looked ready to burst at any moment.
The vines climbing the wall brimmed with such vitality they seemed poised to reach the heavens.
“Wow!”
An exclamation burst from between Benjamin’s teeth. The boy stomped his feet excitedly, momentarily forgetting that such behavior was unbecoming of the future Marquess of Preston.
The Devil of the Black Fleet was even skilled at painting. The boy felt genuinely proud of his uncle’s perfection.
And someday, he too wished to become a man as flawless as his uncle.
“That’s amazing, Uncle! They look like real grapes! Ah—since the god of abundance is also the god of wine, that’s why you drew grapes!”
“……Hmm.”
Jacqueline stared fixedly at his artwork, wordless. She wanted to find fault, but there was none to be found.
He was clearly skilled enough to rival even a novice painter. Jacqueline said flatly,
“It’s a realist style, I see. Well, not a bad skill level, I suppose. But my work is primarily in Fauvism, so the two styles can’t truly be compared on the same plane.”
“Is that so?”
“The realist style may be waning these days, but still…”
Jacqueline averted her gaze awkwardly and murmured under her breath, a hint of reluctant admiration mixed into her sullen tone.
“You must have inherited your mother’s artistic talent.”
Windsor merely blinked once, then stepped back. Against the childish scribble, his realistic grapevine background stood out in striking contrast.
Glancing briefly at Benjamin’s drawing, he replied casually,
“Perhaps it’s your father’s talent instead.”
“……Talent.”
Jacqueline repeated the word, pouting her lips.
Talent could be cruel—bestowed like a gift upon those who didn’t yearn for it, while denied to those who desperately needed it.
Clack.
Windsor set down the brush. Then, glancing down at his hand, he noticed green paint staining his knuckles.
He rummaged absently through his pockets for a clean handkerchief—but found nothing. Apparently, something non-essential to survival had once again been left behind somewhere today.
It wasn’t the first time he’d misplaced gloves, a cane, or even spectacles. He’d never considered it worth worrying over.
Just as Windsor turned to leave nonchalantly, a handkerchief suddenly appeared before his eyes. He slowly raised his head to see Jacqueline wearing an irritable expression.
“Isn’t this what you’re looking for? You must’ve left your handkerchief behind somewhere again.”
Benjamin’s eyes widened in shock. The idea that his perfect uncle had forgotten his handkerchief was utterly unbelievable.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Windsor accepted the handkerchief she offered. He didn’t understand why Jacqueline’s eyes had sharpened so; he simply submitted himself to the approaching storm.
He slowly wiped his hands. The pale pink handkerchief carried a faint scent of roses. The clean fabric was now deeply stained with green paint.
“…….”
Windsor stuffed the soiled handkerchief into his pocket. Jacqueline had already turned her back to him, engrossed once more in her artwork.
—Did you really think I’d do something like that with no thought at all, just for my own amusement?
He recalled words she’d once spoken—surely on the very day she first drew on the wallpaper.
Benjamin stood awkwardly in place, while Jacqueline remained absorbed in her drawing.
To any observer, Jacqueline was clearly the one enjoying herself more, while Benjamin merely played along with her. Windsor gave the boy a slight nod when their eyes met.
“Your afternoon lesson is basic arithmetic, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Uncle.”
That was all. Windsor turned and walked out of the room. After a few steps, he suddenly stopped, turned back, and spoke.
Benjamin was still staring at him intently.
“It was admirable of you to keep the secret and protect the lady’s honor, even though you were wrongly accused for a drawing you didn’t make.”
“Thank you, Uncle!”
The boy replied with obvious excitement. His flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes fully revealed the joy he felt.
Only after Windsor had left the room did Jacqueline finally set down her brush and roll her eyes.
Wrongly accused… a lady’s honor…
“Just what exactly is wrong with my drawing? Are you implying it tarnishes a lady’s honor?”
Muttered complaints she’d held back in front of Windsor now slipped out. She then turned to the boy and declared firmly,
“Benjamin, I’ll say this once again—Lord Preston’s drawing and mine simply can’t be compared on equal terms. It’s merely a difference in artistic style, that’s all.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset.”
“We don’t have much time left. Let’s hurry and finish up.”
“Yes, Miss Somerset.”
Windsor, walking down the corridor with unusually sharp hearing, let out a quiet chuckle. Then, suddenly, he clenched his fist—somewhere, a faint scent of roses seemed to linger.
Summer was arriving at Preston Manor.
***
Benjamin glanced nervously at the clock. The boy tilted his head, watching the hour and minute hands pointing exactly to 2 p.m.
“Miss Somerset.”
“Go ahead, Benjamin.”
Jacqueline sat comfortably on the parlor sofa, leisurely reading an illustrated newspaper. Benjamin asked cautiously,
“It’s already 2 p.m., our agreed time, yet I don’t hear the carriage arriving. Maybe she forgot about our meeting today?”
Jacqueline let out a light laugh. Benjamin, still puzzled, glanced at the clock again.
The minute hand had already ticked past one mark—it was now 2:01.
“Benjamin.”
Jacqueline called the boy’s name gently. Benjamin, who had been anxiously checking the clock, finally turned to look at her.
He tilted his head slightly, still confused as to why she was laughing.
Sometimes, moments like this made him seem strikingly similar to the reserved Windsor—this small, adorable child.
They say children are mirrors of adults—and apparently, that really was the case. Perhaps Benjamin would grow up to be just as stoic as Lord Preston? That would be rather disappointing.
Jacqueline leaned toward the boy and whispered kindly,
“It’s perfectly normal for nobles to be late to appointments. They might arrive anywhere from ten minutes to an hour or two behind schedule. They worry that arriving precisely on time might make them appear as if they have nothing better to do.”
“But that’s terribly inefficient.”
“Ahaha.”
Jacqueline couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She remembered hearing those exact words from Windsor once—perhaps the boy had overheard them too, just in passing.
And quietly stored them away in his mind.
“Why? Why are you laughing, Miss Somerset?”
Benjamin tilted his head again, pressing her for an answer. Jacqueline lightly brushed her eyes and stood up.
“Oh, nothing, Benjamin. But it seems the carriage has arrived after all. Olivia doesn’t seem to be quite that inefficient a friend.”
“……Yes.”
Benjamin adjusted his bowtie and firmly flattened his slightly tousled hair. It seemed he was quite nervous—after all, it was his first time having a friend visit.
Footsteps approached down the hallway. Benjamin straightened his back and lifted his chin. A knock came, and the door opened.
“Miss Olivia Riley has arrived.”
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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MANGA DISCUSSION
3 Comments
Chapter Comments (68)
I’m glad that Jacqueline has a true friend. Even when everyone left and act differently towards her now,Samantha stay true to her
…kids adventure to the garden hunting all sorts of garden creatures😁😁😁
Hehe She coudn’t help but mezmerize Windsor’s beauty… 😌
Inline Comments (1242)
Samantha hadn’t changed. Only Jacqueline had.
Personally, that realisation is the most frightening thing in any friendship. That’s exactly what makes you want to back off even more…
“No, I understand, Jackie. I’d have done the same. You never need to apologize t
It’s good when you have a reliable friend. I hope Samantha will remain that way.
Then she pressed it against her chest. Before Jacqueline could react, Olivia bea
Hahahaha Olivia is something. She’s not an ordinary lady hahaha
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Jane
aaww, His first playmate. I believe Jacqueline once said that Olivia came from a family of influence. We will never know, it might help them in the future
Ashiel_26
Awwwwwww~ So cute Benjamin,. I feel like they might develop feelings soon after with Olivia😆 when they grow up
TehShy
The Devil of the Black Fleet being an art critique😆😆😆
…first playdate with a friend 🙂🙂🙂