“I don’t need to bore you with any extra particulars that you just’ve already heard,” Patrick mentioned. “I’ll simply say that I don’t have a lot respect for Aleksander. I’ve {many professional} rivals, a few of whom usually trounce me after we compete over a chunk of art work or a coveted worker, even a trip rental. Simply final week, Ruben undercut one in every of my investments and made a boatload at my expense. However I don’t begrudge him for it as a result of that’s the way in which of the enterprise world. Aleksander is completely different as a result of he isn’t an sincere man. He wins, however he does so by means of dishonest and underhanded conduct.”

“That’s the impression I acquired out of your dialog with him,” Emma confirmed.

“Anyway. I’m sorry to unload that each one on you. I’ve simply been annoyed with Aleksander for a very long time, and there’s hardly ever anybody I can inform about this sort of factor.”

“I’m glad you are feeling like you’ll be able to inform me.” Emma realized that her hand was nonetheless on Patrick’s arm. As a substitute of taking it away, she gave his bicep a delicate squeeze that she hoped confirmed her solidarity. Patrick smiled down at her.

“Thanks. Now, sufficient of this. Let’s take a look at some work.”

“I can’t wait.”

They started a leisurely circuit of the room, stopping in entrance of every portray they handed to debate it. As Emma had seen when she’d first arrived, a lot of the work have been portraits. A big quantity featured kids, stunning girls, or regal males, however a number of included animals, households, or bigger teams.

“I like this one,” Patrick mentioned. “The shading is unimaginable.”

“I like how the artist performs with mild,” Emma agreed. She gestured to at least one nook of the portray, which was enveloped in shadows. “See, the sunshine from the window ought to illuminate this nook, but it surely doesn’t. It seems like a secret.”

“What do you suppose she’s hiding?” Patrick nodded on the girl within the portrait. She was smiling, however her eyes have been severe and her head was barely angled, as if she was taking a look at one thing within the distance past the painter.

“Maybe she’s nervous about how her previous will have an effect on her future,” Emma urged. “See, the darkish nook is behind her, however she’s trying forward. It may present some form of contemplation of time.”

“I believe you could be proper. There’s additionally a clock motif in a number of locations.”

“And the portray at the back of this portray reveals a number of completely different seasons in a single piece — that additionally factors to the passing of time.”

“What do you suppose?” Patrick requested. “Shall I place a bid?”

“On behalf of your organization or to your private assortment?” Emma requested.

“I’m right here tonight as a private collector,” Patrick informed her. “My artwork workers will select a number of good work as potential investments, so I solely have to search for myself.”

“Then I believe you need to select a unique portray.” Emma bit her lip. “This girl seems to be… unhappy. Reflective. I believe you want one thing extra uplifting.”

“I’m not so positive. I are likely to drift in the direction of reflective work. I believe that’s why I get pleasure from landscapes a lot.”

“I consider that. It’s precisely why I believe you want one thing completely different. Simply because one thing’s comfortable doesn’t imply it could possibly’t be deep and attention-grabbing.”

“Okay, I’m listening. Present me what you suppose I ought to bid on.”

“All proper.” Emma swept her gaze across the room. She landed on and dismissed a sequence of work earlier than selecting one within the far right-hand nook. “I’ve one thing in thoughts. Comply with me.”

Patrick let her lead him to the portray and stopped in entrance of it. The piece confirmed two younger women. They have been wearing Victorian garb, though Emma estimated that the portray had been achieved later, throughout the final hundred years or so. The youngsters have been holding arms, their skirts flying round them as if they have been spinning, and their heads have been thrown again in laughter. Behind them was a backyard crammed with flowers and timber.

“This one,” Emma mentioned decisively.

“It’s good,” Patrick started, his tone hedging. “However isn’t it a bit of… girly?”

Emma snorted. “Girly?”

“Yeah. I imply, the women, the clothes, the flowers…” Patrick waved his hand to embody the whole lot of the portray.

“I suppose I see what you imply. However girly isn’t a nasty factor. That is to your private assortment, proper? So, it solely issues in the event you get pleasure from it. I doubt many others will even see it.”

“I suppose…”

“Now take a look at the portray and inform me what you are feeling,” Emma instructed.

“I really feel like I’m at school once more with a command like that,” Patrick joked. However he did as Emma requested and appeared carefully on the portray. “It feels girly.”

Supply: www.seynovel.com