“This might give us something!” the other man admitted. “We have to go through it!”
Well, the other men all knew what they would be doing the rest of today.
Research.
Reading.
And whatever Ian and Gabby wanted.
Because if they were playing investigator, so were Gryphen and Finn.
“What’s that?” Graham asked, pointing past D’Artangnan toward something that was covered against the wall.
When the big man lifted the very old cloth, it almost fell apart in his fingers. It was dry-rotted, and definitely old, but underneath it, they found some paintings.
Surprise.
Surprise.
The castle was full of them in the storage room. Someone definitely liked their art.
“Let’s see,” Michael said.
Gently, he lifted the first one and as he did, Graham shined his light on it. In the very old oil painting, there were four people.
Two men, a young girl, and a little baby.
On the bottom was a gold plate, and on it, there were the names of the people.
And no surprise, it was the owner of the castle, and the people he called family in it.
Because of the people, they knew it was after Duncan and Ciarán got back from doing battle.
Together, they tried to read the names, but it was in a language half of them couldn’t understand.
“What does it say?” Gabby asked, and both Graham and Finn knew.
Graham translated it.
‘Lord Granndach, his man-at-arms, his second wife, and his heir.’
Ian touched the painting with his fingers to brush away some of the dirt and debris that had fallen on it over the years, as it was hidden in this corridor.
“This had to be the official family portrait. Tony said that back then, they got them done yearly in order to mark the time. Duncan had money, so this would be nothing to him cost-wise.”
The six of them huddled around the oil painting, checking it out.
“So that’s what they looked like,” Gryphen said. “Catherine was pretty,” he admitted. “But she was definitely a child. Her eyes are spooky,” he stated.
That they were.
They were the palest blue, and set off against her skin and dark curly hair.
“Well, at least we get to see Ceit’s sister. She can’t be more than thirteen here. This has to be right after Catherine was taken in by Duncan,” Ian admitted. “I’ve seen Ceit’s ghost, and she looks similar. Then again, Ceit was translucent, so she was difficult to make out…”
Gabby agreed.
“If I was looking at this painting, not knowing what I know now, I’d be angry with Duncan for marrying a child. She’s no older than thirteen.”
