The Art Behind a Murder

Chapter One - The Girl with the Paintbrush

Victorian London - 1888

I brushed a stray strand of my golden, curly hair away from my face as I studied the blank canvas. I looked over to the young man who was sitting in a lounging chair a little way from me.

"Oh, do stay still, Benjamin. You ruin my train of thought when you're shifting around like that."

I tapped my paintbrush on my lips and tilted my head. Painting someone can be so hard sometimes. The lighting has to be just right and their  expression has to be an accurate portrayal of their personality.

Benjamin's face was etched with a grin, and his eyes lit up with a charm to them. He was the youngest of a family with four sons and two daughters, so that influenced him to be very extroverted. I had known him for so many years, ever since I was a little girl - he was like a brother to me.

"How can I do so, Amélie? This attire is simply loathsome! It is so tight and uncomfortable..." He fidgeted once more and then remained still, ready for me to paint him.

"At least you will look like a proper gentleman in the portrait..." I muttered under my breath. I dipped the long brush into some of the oil paints, and began to blend them to get the right skin tone. He had straight blonde hair and a tanned, clear complexion. I bit my lip, and started to dab on the colours.

"So Amélie...  Since you are nearly one in twenty, when will you consider matrimony?" Benjamin's grin widened and his gaze became intense.

"Please, Benjamin, do not move!"

"Sorry... But will you answer my question, please?"

I rolled my eyes and continued to paint.

"You know full well that I'm not considering that at the moment. Why do you have to bring this up when I'm trying to concentrate?" I squinted and zoned out the disapproving comments that Benjamin gave me. Luckily, I managed to concentrate and create an accurate work of art. After three hours of work, it was done. We stepped back and admired the portrait.

"Very well done indeed, Amélie." He patted my back roughly, sending me flying forwards.

It captured everything - it was perfect. Benjamin's siblings wandered into the room, and praised me for my brilliant work. I blushed at such praise, for they say that pride is one of the seven deadly sins - and my reputation to be an honorable maiden cannot be tainted at the start of my career.

Benjamin and his family slowly filtered out the room, and left me to reflect on the portrait of Benjamin. I sat up, and brushed some dust off my dress and petticoat. I wandered over to a looking glass, and tucked my hair back into its messy bun. My usually porcelain skin was flushed and rosy from the hard work. I smiled at my reflection for a moment, but then turned away whilst remembering that vanity was a sin also. Opening up my schedule, I took at look at my next client I had to paint.

Lady Anastasia Pelletier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR'S NOTE

As a reader, I feel like there aren't enough LGBTQ+ books out there that have a thrilling plot that doesn't focus entirely on their sexuality. This book will mainly focus on the mysterious story line of an artist who is given an ability that she could use for either good or evil. The relationship in it happens to be between two women. I wanted to include this naturally, and not have her sexuality as the main plot line, so if you're here looking for some heated, lesbian-orientated romance, I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you. It's just your average book that features a lesbian couple instead of straight :')

This is obvoiusly a work in progress, but I just wanted to put that out there because all I ever wanted was a book with a lesbian couple that didn't over-sexualize them or make it the main plot.

I also want to put out there that it was not my intention to insult or offend anybody reading this. I am part of the LGBTQ+ community, and if I portrayed lesbians in a way that upsets anyone I am deeply sorry, that was not my intention. I will also not tolerate any homophobic comments whatsoever, so please don't be evil and leave one - we're just people, so calm down lol.