A Chapter at Eventide

The grand mahogany clock on the mantel had long since struck time to retire, yet Lady Eleanor lingered in the quiet solitude of the library, determined to steal just one more chapter before eventide surrendered entirely to the depths of slumber. Seated on a comfortable cushioned chair, she toasted her bare feet before a roaring hearth, the firelight dancing playfully across the pale muslin of her bedgown. Above her, beeswax tapers flickered brightly from ornate, gilded wall sconces, casting a warm, honeyed glow over the heavy, leather-bound romance in her hands. As she carefully turned the thick page, the soft, papery rustle mingled with the snapping of the embers, enveloping her in a perfect, solitary tranquillity while the vast sleeping manor was swallowed by the dark.

Original available for purchase:

42 x 60 CM oil on stretched canvas. £375