Douglas had set up a studio in the cottage he rented in the front parlor due to all the windows giving so much light and it was big enough to set up various projects.  He had finally gone ahead and brought in his secretary, a maid, and a cook to take care of the house and his needs so he could focus on painting.  He had spent longer than he had expected there in Whitby, but there were so many places that he just felt he must paint.  He was taking contracts for portraits as well.  Though he wasn't spending all his time doing those.

The cottage is large, and furnished when it was rented.  The parlor though of course was emptied of everything but a few chairs, and lots of canvases in various states of work with stools nearby, a table near the windows with his supplies not organized in a way to look very neat, but he knew where everything was.  The rest of the house was furnished with common items but not fancy.  The cottage was owned by someone about the middle-class station and the place looked like it.

The butler opened the door.  "How may I help you, sir?"