He didn't know whether to read in that statement about the teacher more than was said. And then Douglas mentioned traveling with the military. Soldiers! Tristan's mind started adding up pieces of information, jumping to conclusions probably too willingly and unwisely.

And then another thought crossed his mind. "Ah!" He set his cup down before having sipped from it. "Douglas Gordon! Your name was indeed familiar, and I know little about contemporary art. You've done sketches for the newspapers, have you not?" Unpleasant sketches they had been, not for the hand, but for what they portrayed.