"And this," Aunt Rowena declared, pointing a gloved finger at a painting of a stern-looking man with a large nose, "is the third Duke. He was very fond of hunting, and unfortunately, not very fond of bathing."
Ines walked beside Rowena down the long, echoing hallway of the east wing. The walls were lined with heavy oil paintings in gold frames. The eyes of past Andersons seemed to follow them as they walked.
"And this one," Rowena continued, moving to the next canvas, "is the fourth Duke. He lost a fortune on a horse race and had to sell the family diamonds. We do not speak of him often."
Ines smiled politely. Aunt Rowena was an excellent tour guide. She didn't just give names and dates; she gave the gossip. She made the dead ancestors feel like living, breathing people with bad habits.
They stopped at the end of the hall.
