‘Lady in Distress’

Gil Martin hated going on field trips to the Art Museum with his fifth grade class. And he especially hated hearing his teacher, Mrs. Hornsby, ramble on about the artists and all their wonderful paintings. Gil decided he’d had enough. So when the group disappeared down the hallway, he stayed to rest on a bench.

As Mrs. Hornsby’s voice faded into the distance, Gil heard a moan. He looked around, but he was alone in the room. He heard a second moan. It seemed to come from the painting hanging on the wall. Gil moved closer to read the brass plate on the frame:

‘Lady In Distress’ Painted in 1852 by French artist, René Delancy. This Victorian scene shows the gathering of family and friends. They are unaware the lady sitting in the background will soon be very sick.

In the painting, people are standing around a piano in an old-fashioned drawing room. At the far end sits a woman in a lavender-colored dress, her head low and her face pale. A young boy looks on. Gil suddenly heard singing and smelled roses. He felt cold and dizzy. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, everything had changed. He saw crystal chandeliers, windows draped with green velvet curtains and a boy standing near a lady in a white wicker chair. Gil was inside the room in the painting. He thought he was dreaming.

The boy hurried over, his voice low. “My mother needs a doctor, but does not wish to spoil the party.”

Gil glanced at the woman and remembered the words on the brass plate.

“It will distress her if I leave,” continued the boy. “Will you fetch the doctor?”

He led Gil onto the front porch. A white stallion stood at the bottom of the steps. The boy untied the reins and handed them to Gil.

“Go out the gate,” he said, “cross the bridge and follow the road that branches to the left. You’ll find a house with a sign that reads, ‘Dr. Ingalls.’ ” The boy helped Gil into the saddle then smacked the horse’s rump. “God speed,” he cried.

The horse galloped down the driveway and along the moonlit road towards the bridge. After turning left, they came to the sign. Gil explained his errand to the physician who wasted no time. He grabbed his medical bag and they returned together to the house in his carriage.

But as Gil followed the doctor across the porch, an angry voice suddenly boomed in his ear. “Gilbert Martin! Do you have any idea how long we’ve been looking for you?” It was Mrs. Hornsby.

Gil was back in the Art Museum.

“I-I-I stopped to study this painting called ‘Lady in Distress,’ ” he stammered.

“Called what?” snapped Mrs. Hornsby. “If you’d really been studying this portrait you’d have known its proper title. Astonished, Gil turned to read the brass plate:

‘A Celebration.’ Painted in 1852 by French artist, René Delancy. This Victorian scene shows family and friends gathered for a birthday party.The partygoers hold a candle-lit cake in front of the lady in the wicker chair. She smiles up at her son in pride.

“Don’t think this will get you out of a field day report, young man,” Mrs. Hornsby snorted, as she whisked from the room.

Confused, Gil moved closer to the painting. In the boy’s hand was a small book. His index finger pointed to the title: ‘Gilbert Saves The Day.’ ‘This is going to be some field day report, Gil thought with a grin, and followed his class from the room.

Anne Loader McGee is the author of the upcoming children’s novel “The Mystery at Marlatt Manor.” To find out more about the author visit annemcgee.com. Special thanks to Barbara Johnson for her illustration.