The Unspeakable
While the question did take her off guard, Rose quickly recovered her demeanor. She responded by stating that the painting had been appraised on two previous occasions: once, in 1998, and a second time in 2004. Both times, the painting had been estimated at relatively low figures; namely $200 and $250 respectively. As those words escaped Rose’s lips, she examined Meredith’s face with the utmost precision to gauge a reaction. She saw that Meredith’s face burst into a smile, but she caught something important before she smiled: the disbelief in her eyes. Why was Meredith so taken aback?