‘I’m so glad you like it.’ Giles handed him his drink. ‘It’s by Daniel Hoffman. He did it five years ago when he came to paint the backcloth we’d commissioned for the theatre. You can see that tomorrow when Jonathan Mercer gives his lecture in the theatre. We were lucky to get him so early in his career. He was already making a name for himself in theatrical design, but portrait painting was a new venture. He’s become very sought after now. Lots of people up here wanted him to work for them after he’d done Izzy. He’s done a fantastic portrait of a rather oddball neighbour of ours called Lord Dunbarnock, who’s our most important patron. He presented the theatre with a second backcloth and Daniel Hoffman had already caricatured him, along with various other people including ourselves, on the first, but the serious portrait is brilliant because it acknowledges all Neil Dunbarnock’s undoubted eccentricities but manages to convey the deeply kind and cultivated person he is too. Apart from the fact that he’s got Isobel to the life, it’s a delightful picture, isn’t it?’

‘It certainly is. I’ve admired Hoffman’s witty stage designs for Glyndebourne, but I went to an exhibition of his about three years ago in London and discovered what a notable portrait painter he is too.’ Christopher studied the big oval portrait with appreciation. It showed Isobel in informal pose sitting on the front steps of Glendrochatt. Flapper was curled up at her feet, an open book and a cup of coffee were on the step beside her and she wore the alert, amused expression, head slightly on one side, which was so typical of her when she was listening to anyone. Five small roundels spaced round the edge showed her in other poses including one in full evening dress with a tartan sash knotted on one shoulder. ‘Has he painted anyone else in your family?’ Christopher asked.

‘He painted Isobel’s sister Lorna for the exhibition you went to,’ said Giles. ‘It was called Woman in Black. It’s very striking – you may remember it.’

‘I remember it very well – it was quite remarkable. It dominated the whole room. Do you own that too?’

‘No,’ said Giles. ‘No I don’t. I asked him to paint Izzy – but Lorna’s picture was nothing to do with me.’ Something about the way he spoke made Christopher think there must be a story attached to the painting.