Chapter 341: Ancestral Ties
An experienced traveler, David Grey had easily settled into his hotel room, but his comfort seemed to vanish as he emerged from the hotel onto the busy New York street.
He’d only been He’d only been in the city for a day, but already felt as though someone had been following him. While he suspected the feeling was only his imagination, the realization didn’t prevent the lump in his stomach from shifting uncomfortably as he looked about.
Traffic was moving at a crawl as David crossed – which made him wonder, as he had many times before, how anyone in New York ever got anywhere. Meanwhile, he continued to look around intently, as if expecting to see Allesandro’s thugs, Pryor and Franklin, at any moment.
Breathing hard, he ducked into a small antique shop, and turned to make sure he wasn’t being followed.
“May I help you, sir?” a man’s voice asked.
“Oh, no,” David replied, startled. “I’m just browsing.”
“Of course,” the man replied. “I’ll be right here if you need assistance.”
David looked around casually until he was surprised by a familiar face staring back at him from the far wall. An exact copy of a larger painting that had hung at Buckton Hall for many years, he recognized it instantly.
“This painting,” he said, calling out to the clerk as he took a closer look. “Where did you come by it, if I may ask?”
“Well, it’s an interesting story, actually,” the older man replied. “A young man brought it in about six months ago looking to sell it, and left it here on consignment. He said it was a portrait of one of his ancestors, but was unable to identify him other than providing the surname Grey. I’ve done a great deal of research, but so far have been unable to identify the subject of the painting. I do know it is Oceanic in origin, and I’m fairly sure it’s Torenthian, but other than that, I’m unsure.”
“Not Torenthian, I’m afraid,” David said. “Westonian. This is Lord Alfred Grey, the Seventh Earl of Buckland.”
“Really?” Wright said. “May I ask how you are so certain, Mr. …?”
“Grey,” David replied, extending a hand. “David Grey.”
“Oh!” Wright said, shaking David’s hand vigorously. “I’m Ian Wright, the owner of this shop. So you’re a relative?”
“He was my great-great-grandfather, the Seventh Earl of Buckland.”
“That’s remarkable!” Wright said. “So the young man who brought it in would be …?”
“I have no idea,” David said. “I was hoping you could tell me.”
“Well, I’m not sure I can do that, Mr. Grey,” Wright said. “But I can certainly pass your information on to him so he can contact you if he so chooses.”
“I suppose that will have to suffice, then,” David replied.
“Let me get a pen and paper,” Wright said, scurrying back to the counter as David turned back to the portrait.
“Fascinating,” he muttered. “How did you get here, old man?”
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Continent of Oceana | History of Weston | History of Corwyn | History of Torenth | History of Allycia
