THE DRAWING ROOM

(Above): The Drawing Room in the Larkin mansion.

The drawing room in the Larkin mansion has warmly paneled walls and French doors that open to the rose garden, which overlook a terrace and a cobbled walk. Beside the large Jacobean fireplace is an oak sideboard and several settees, love seats and divans, all designed with an antique rose pattern. Polished tables are draped with the same lace cloth covering the sideboard, and lamps have smoked glass with roses traced on each shade.

(Above): Another view of the Drawing Room.

The Drawing Room in the mansion is somewhat of a focal point for the Larkin family. It is where they gather for tea every afternoon, and where they have drinks before dinner each night. It is also where they spend Christmas morning and other holidays, a place they can gather and connect like any other family.

The walls in the drawing room contain portraits in gold frames with nameplates underneath them. Most of the artwork was painted by Colm Sullivan. Descriptions from The Keeper's Journal:

Tom Cimarelli walked over to look at the most prominent portrait in the room, which hung over the large Jacobean fireplace. It was in a gold frame, with a small nameplate directly underneath it. There was a light fixture attached to the bottom of the frame, which dimly illuminated the name of the figure in the portrait, as well as the picture itself. Tom read the inscription with interest: JOHN KEVIN LARKIN, 1889. Bedroom suite at Larkin House, painted by CMS.

 

Tom looked at the picture closely. The lifelike features of the founder of Larkin City were astounding. He was standing in front of the fireplace in his bedroom, now Tom's guest room, posing in a dark dress suit with tails. He had dark hair with long sideburns and striking azure eyes. He also appeared extraordinarily tall. Tom could see Kevin and Liam in their ancestor's face. John had a cleft in his chin, just like Liam, and he was largely built, like Kevin. Tom moved on to the next gold-framed picture, which hung on the wall to the left of the fireplace.

 

The portrait was of a young woman. Tom recognized the lighthouse in the background as the girl posed on a large rock. She was wearing a long dress and holding a riding crop in her hand. Tom's eyes went to the nameplate: MARY MARGARET LARKIN, 1880. In front of the Banshee Point Lighthouse, late summer. Molly painted by CMS.

 

"So this is Molly," Tom thought as he looked at the face in the picture. She was beautiful. Dark hair, pale skin, and onyx black eyes, as depicted by the artist. He stepped closer to the portrait. Molly was small in stature, with slender hands. She had a smooth face, with large-sized eyes and a full-lipped mouth. Tom knew he was looking for any likeness to Shannon, and he found it in the lips, the eyes and the hair. But Molly Larkin was not a replica of Shannon - she had a dark beauty all of her own. Her nose was larger than Shannon's, wider and with slightly flaring nostrils. Molly almost looked exotic in a way, apart from her pale skin.

 

Tom went to the next picture, hanging a few feet from Molly's. The portrait was of an older woman. The nameplate read: ANNE MARY LARKIN, 1881. By the French doors leading to the rose garden. Painted by CMS. Anne Larkin did not look very happy; in fact she had a stern expression on her face, as if she were perturbed about something. She was dressed very formally, her hair completely hidden by a cap that was common to the era. Her arms were crossed in front of her, hands clasped together. She was not a beautiful woman, but she not unattractive, either. She had an old world look to her, a reserve, like she belonged in the drawing room of a royal palace.

 

Excerpt from The Keeper's Journal ©2012 Deidre Dalton. All rights reserved.

"The Keeper's Journal" may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission. "The Keeper's Journal" is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Please Note: The pictures displayed above are actually 1) Ashford Castle in County Galway, Ireland; and 2) Dorchester House in London, England and remain their copyright.

Images referenced to the Collective Obsessions Saga provided inspiration to the author's imagination but remain fictional in context.