Pearls before SWINE

Lady Graystone was simply following a family tradition – one that meant they would never forget her

- Steve Burford

So what finally made you change your mind about having your portrait painted, Lady Graystone?’

Her Ladyship gave a small laugh. ‘Oh, come now, Sally. It seems a little silly still to be calling me Lady Graystone. Call me Vanessa. Or…’ she added, feeling a little daring, ‘Ness, if you like.’

Lady Vanessa knew that Sally wouldn’t dream of being so familiar. She also knew that the artist didn’t really care about why she had finally dropped her long-held opposition to having her picture painted. It was just another of Sally’s tactics to keep her sitter from becoming bored or fidgety.

But Sally needn’t have worried. Lady Vanessa was quite comfortable reclining on the chaise longue as the artist painted her. Her Ladyship had found the whole process so liberating and interesting that there had never been the least danger of her becoming bored.

Besides, today was the final sitting, and very soon now, she would see the finished portrait. Even so, it would have been rude not to answer Sally’s question, and one thing Lady Vanessa’s mother had always insisted on was never to be rude.

‘Well, for centuries now, every member of the family has left behind exactly one portrait of him or herself in the Graystone Hall gallery.’

Sally nodded as she added another brushstroke to the canvas.

Lady Vanessa continued… ‘It’s believed that terrible misfortune will strike the family if any of us fails to do this.’

Bemused, Sally paused, paintbrush hovering over her palette.

‘You may well look sceptical, my dear,’ Lady Vanessa said, seeing Sally’s expression.

‘But back in the 17th century, Lord Sebastian Graystone refused to have his picture painted and, in 1612, on the very day he died, the entire west wing of the house collapsed.’