The Portrait of a Rebellious Lady Bonus Scene

Two Years Later

Mattia watched his wife with great admiration as she spun Alessandra in the air from the top of the deck. Their daughter, just over a year old, giggled at her mother with joy and delight, and would begin to wail the moment Georgette stopped.

Alessandra had her mother's stunning green eyes, but set behind the backdrop of her father's colouring and his thick, dark brown hair. People always commented on her adorableness, even from birth. There was ample evidence that she would grow to become a wonder of beauty.

Life was good for the Cancio family, although it was always twisting and turning one way and then the next. The years had been kind to Mattia and his wife, for which he was extremely grateful.

While he was still painting the majority of the time, Mattia had begun to take an interest in the affairs of his father and was learning about the duties that would one day befall him.

It seemed as though he would be able to stay true to his plans and dreams and be an artist for a living, but at the same time, he would be able to honour his legacy and family, from his parents to his wife and child... as well as those that the future might bring them.

"She certainly loves that," he laughed, watching another bout of spinning with his daughter laughing musically.

"That is because she knows that her mama spent a good portion of her life feeling this way. Spun about in the air with no control and nothing to do but laugh about it," Georgette remarked.

Mattia laughed. He had seen his wife experience a great many changes as well. She had settled into life in Italy quite successfully. Now a natural with the language, as fluent as one could possibly be in the time she had lived there, Georgette sounded like any other Italian wife when she called after him.

She had taken an interest to observe and learn the tastes and preparational procedures of the Italian food, although it was hardly needed as they had a full-time chef. But she wanted to be as much a part of his culture as possible, absorbing every bit of information that would assist her in this aspiration.

He wondered at times if she had lost a part of her English identity. Georgette had immersed herself in the Italian way of life so fully, that sometimes she scarcely seemed a foreigner. Her old habits, her culture, her language, all of it had shifted and only shifted back when given an opportunity to engage with others of her nation.

Mattia was always pleased when a client from England would come to have his portrait painted and would bring his wife and family for theirs as well. It gave Georgette a wonderful opportunity to interact with her countrymen again.

She seemed more than content to be a part of his world but, ultimately, their little trips to England were primarily for her to stay in touch with her own identity and family.

Alessandra had done remarkably well on this first voyage of hers, considering that the waves had been rather ruthless when they had initially expected a calm sea. If his daughter could handle voyages that well, Mattia would love to bring her to England as often as possible, for her to grow up having a connection to her mother's roots.

He could not wait for Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield to see their granddaughter again, as it had been nearly eight months since they last had seen her and she had grown significantly since then.

Likewise, his wife's sisters and their own growing families had not been afforded another opportunity to visit them in Italy since the wedding. This would be the first time that they would all meet Alessandra - save for the Duke of Sandon, who had come to Italy once on business and had spent a good deal of time with them.

"It will not be long now," Mattia said, coming up close to his wife who was now holding Alessandra close. The child's wide eyes, with the same thick eyelashes of her father, were closed now.

"Yes, indeed. We shall reach the port soon. Are you ready? We have a brief enough journey to the Earl's estate today, but next week, when we go to Cambridge? Honestly, I do not look forward to that carriage ride with her," Georgette acknowledged.

Mattia nodded. Unlike her delightful mood during the voyage, their daughter showed absolutely no fondness for overly long trips in the coach.

"She will be fine. We will be sure to stop regularly, as often as we must, to ensure that she is well. Your sister would never forgive us if we came all this way to England by sea and yet could not take a short trip on dry land to see her," Mattia reminded his wife who laughed at the thought.

"True enough, I suppose," she said.

"Now, I have an appointment with the Duke of Marksdale on Thursday, but otherwise, I have managed to keep this week fairly open to your family. But next week, my dear, I am afraid that Cambridge has seen me fill up three whole days. Will your sister and her husband be understanding?" he asked.

"Of course. They understand that it is the work required of you. There shall be no ill will against you for simply doing your own job. My brother-in-law quite admires hard work, in case you had not noticed," she told him.

"Yes, I suppose he does," Mattia replied.

The ship sounded a loud horn and they could see that England was close in sight. Georgette shifted the position of Alessandra and squinted against the daylight, looking out over the water and to the islands ahead.

Mattia thought she must be very glad to see the shores of her homeland again. It was always good when they visited, even if it was not so often as they should like.

But things were good and there was peace, so Mattia didn't mind the rest not being quite what they might have ideally pictured in their minds. He had never been one to complain — save for his duties when he was younger — and thought he ought not to begin now.

Within half an hour, they had arrived in the port and were unloading their belongings. Soon, they were greeted by the Earl and Countess of Dulshire.

"Sister, I have missed you so much!" Delia exclaimed.

Georgette threw her arms around her sister and the two embraced tightly, having missed one another a great deal in the time that had passed.

"And where is my beautiful niece?" Delia asked eagerly.

Mattia handed the baby to his wife.

"This is Alessandra!" Georgette exclaimed. "Alessandra, darling, this is your Aunt Delia."

The Countess' face lit up with joy at seeing the beautiful child, and she couldn't help asking to hold her. Alessandra effortlessly became the centre of everyone's attention during the ride, and even forgot her distaste for carriages due to Delia's merciful distractions.

When they reached the estate of the Earl and Countess, their children came out as well to greet the new baby. Grace, the Earl's daughter from his first marriage, was turning into quite the young lady. The twins, Jacob and Markus, raised a ruckus anywhere they went. And Anya, their youngest, was a lovely child of three years old, with the same, unforgettable green eyes of all three Caulfield sisters.

Mattia was happy to watch the family happily reuniting, the cousins all meeting each other. His wife needed this time with her family just as he often needed time with his.

His mother was stronger and healthier than ever. His father was beginning to show signs of his age but was still doing quite well.

All things considered, he and his wife had quite the remarkable family at their side. Despite everything, all of the challenges, all of the drama and confusion, they had finally found peace.

As Mattia gazed at his wife, as he watched her with their daughter, he knew that nothing could ever be as incredible as this.

"Join us in the parlour," Delia urged with barely contained excitement.

Mattia and Georgette followed. When they entered the room, a shocking sight revealed itself before them: the Duke and Duchess of Sandon, along with their children, stood before them, smiling at their surprise.

Tears filled Georgette's eyes, and her arms spread open to receive an equally emotional Thea.

"I missed you!" the Duchess of Sandon wept as they embraced, and Delia joined them as well. The three of them made a sight equal parts amusing and moving – so much so, that even Mattia had to secretly catch a stray tear.

Some time later, they all made their way to dinner. Before the first course was brought out, the Duke of Sandon stood up from his seat and lightly tapped a knife against his glass.

"A toast! To us all. To the former Caulfield women and their families. Despite everything we have come through, despite the challenges, the hardships, and the difficulties, we have moved forward. We have grown together. And the future is only going to bring more happiness and prosperity to us all."

His smiling gaze encompassed them all.

"Yes, this is to all my friends. May our lives continue to progress and may we all remain true to our past, present, and future," he concluded.

"Hear, hear!" came the joyful reply as Thea, the Earl and Delia, Mattia and Georgette, all raised their glasses and drank to seal that wish with good fortune.

Later that evening, Mattia and Georgette, with a sleeping Alessandra in her mother's arms, stood on a balcony, overlooking the gardens behind the estate.

The silence was peaceful and comforting, but Mattia didn't regret breaking it to quietly say, "There is one thing I have not yet done, my love, in all our time together. Something I have wanted to do since the moment I saw you."

"Oh? And what is that?" Georgette asked with interest.

"I still have never painted you," he replied.

Georgette looked at him in surprise, only then realising that, indeed, he had never painted her portrait after all. "You are right. I always wanted you to. How strange that we always seem to forget it," she mused.

"Yes, it is strange," he agreed.

"Why do you think, with both of us wanting it, we have never done it so far?" she asked him.

Mattia thought for a moment.

"I suppose I know why," he said confidently.

"Do tell," she prompted, leaning on his shoulder. Strands of her brown hair caressed his neck.

"Art is a way of expressing beauty and, if possible, capturing it at its most perfect," he began.

"And?" she questioned further.

"And we have a wonderful, beautiful life. I think it cannot be captured. I think it will always pale in comparison. And if there is no hope for the canvas, I think it is best that I appreciate the real thing," Mattia said, kissing the top of her head.

Georgette lifted her face and they looked at each other. Mattia observed her pink cheeks, her full mouth, and those green eyes.

He leaned in and kissed her lips, forsaking the plan of ever painting her portrait.

This was not the sort of beauty that could ever be captured by a mortal man's hand.

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