December 22nd

The Annual Family Portrait

The nobility were reknowned for their traditions and their vanities throughout the centuries, and this was no exception for the Creighton Ward family.

Each and every year, Lord Hugh commissioned an artist to paint their portraits, to hang in the mansion or the gallery, whichever one they were patron of - and there were a few.

Last year, however, was a disaster.

He'd commissioned this progressive artisan, who bragged about being ahead of his time. He spend months on the commission. Constantly fobbing them off by saying that it wasn't ready just yet.

Until Parker was sent in to 'give 'im a few reminders'.

The portrait was hurriedly finished and kept under wraps until the unveiling. With the press and public all present, Lord Hugh tugged the satin cover back …

…. to reveal a rather tasteless and vulgarly stylized caricature of himself and his daughter. It was a Salvador Dali/Jackson Pollock style monstrosity. The artist complained and claimed that he had been pressurized into completing the work too early.

It ended up as firewood, such was the humiliation it had brought upon the Creighton Wards.

This year however, Penny had heard about an upcoming artist, whose work was classical but with a little hint of style. She whispered in her father's ear and suggested this person.

"He's not a professional by any mile. He only paints in his spare time. I've seen some of his works and he is really good. Obviously, he's a very busy man, and it might take several sittings and a few months. But I have faith in him. He did say that he needed a challenge."

And so it was, for this years' family portrait, Lord Hugh Creighton Ward, and his daughter, the Lady Penelope Creighton Ward. Would be sitting getting their portraits painted by none other than …

Virgil Grissom Tracy.