Tanya showered quickly, then dressed with care. She removed her metal cross and replaced it with a locket which had belonged to her mother. She pressed the locket between her fingers, caressed it with a nervous touch-the smooth feel of it a comfort.
Kevin waited for her on the patio.
"Tanya! I'm so glad you were able to return. I was just telling Jeff and Eleanore I wasn't certain if you would make it." Kevin beamed as he drew her onto the patio and toward a serious looking man in his forties.
"Tanya, this is my good friend and general manager, Jeff Moore. Jeff, this is Tanya Howard, my artistic advisor." Jeff nodded. "And this is Jeff's wife, Eleanore," Kevin said, turning her toward a sophisticated blond in a stunning white cotton dress with big black buttons decorating the front. The woman nodded without a smile.
"Would you like a drink?" Kevin asked.
Tanya nodded, her mouth dry. "Yes, a soft drink, please."
"Not old enough to drink yet, dear?" Eleanore asked with a slight smirk.
"I prefer a soft drink," Tanya replied, smiling in return.
"Kevin said you wouldn't stay for dinner. Important engagement?" Jeff asked.
"You might say that," Tanya said, and cleared her throat.
"What brought you here?" Eleanore asked, with one raised eyebrow.
"I believe Tanya came here for the peace and quiet, Eleanore. She escaped the noise and confusion…and curious questions…for the beauty and inspiration she's found here." Kevin smiled and handed Tanya a soft drink.
"That's true. The Tyrrhenian Sea can be spectacular." Jeff nodded again, reminding Tanya of the small dolls some people placed in the back windows of their cars. She grinned at the thought.
Tobia rubbed against Tanya's ankles, winding around and between her legs. She bent and lifted him into her arms.
"We were admiring Kevin's portrait. How long does a work of that sort take you, Tanya?" Jeff asked.
"It really depends on the subject. I have to capture those features which are unique to the person." Tanya buried her face in Tobia's soft fur for a moment and listened to his purr. "It takes time, from a few weeks to a few months."
The phone rang. Kevin moved to answer it while watching Tanya.
"Where did you study, Tanya?" Eleanore asked. She ran her fingertips along the rim of her glass; her long nails gleamed silvery white in the sunlight.
"Um…MacKenzie Academy, Ontario." Tanya shifted nervously and tried to swallow her paranoia. Just questions, she told herself. Nothing to be afraid of, they're just being friendly. She glanced at Eleanore. Friendly, she told herself again.