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The smile returned

“Oh, yes, Mr Perlmutter’s friends St Julien is a lovelya bit flustered The Dobbs Foundation rented a patio tent for a jazz concert tonight, and there’s a problem with the sound system”

The Trouts stepped into a high-ceilinged vestibule and followed Rachael along a long hallway The parquet floor had been buffed to a mirror finish She stopped in front of side-by-side oil paintings The bearded ray eyes looked out over an eagle nose The woman in the other portrait wore a dark velvet dress, with a sie hazel eyes looked out with a steady gaze There was a slight smile on her thin lips, as if amused by a secret joke

“These are randparents Captain Horatio and Hepsa Dobbs,” Rachael said

Hepsa and Rachael shared the same carrot-colored hair

“The rese,” Paul said

“I’ift of her red hair, but I would have preferred less of a proboscis froo around”

Rachael Dobbs gave the Trouts a tour of thethe family members in the portraits that covered every wall The men ide-brimmed, Quaker-style hats, the women demure caps

She pointed to a display case that held a battered top hat

“That was the captain’s lucky chapeau He wore it on every whaling expedition”

They went out onto a broad deck overlooking a forarden bordered with rosebushes She seated the Trouts at an ulasses of iced tea

“Thank you for the tour,” Gamay said “It’s a beautiful house”

“The captain and his wifeardens that reflected their status in the community No may I help you? St Julien said on the phone that you were interested in one of the captain’s logbooks”

“We received a query froist who asked us about an epide fleet in 1848,” Gabooks from that time to see if we can find any mention of the event”

Rachael raised an eyebrow