Time Pirate 3, page 14
“Spoilsport,” Lucas scoffed. “Seb? Mer? Little rum to whet your whistle?”
“Go on, then,” Sebastian said, and he drained his champagne flute and placed it on the tray.
“Yes, I have a feeling I’ll need something stronger than this,” Meredith said, and she set her half-full champagne flute on the tray, too.
“I’ll be back with those soon,” the waiter said, and he scurried away from the awkward family encounter.
Lucas seemed unfazed by the tense situation he’d helped create, and I got the impression he was often the odd one out at family gatherings. He was only related by marriage, and it seemed clear to me that he wasn’t interested in the Giles’ pointed questions and nosy attitudes. In fact, he seemed to take pleasure in ruffling their fancy feathers, and I couldn’t help but like the guy.
“So, how long have you two been married?” I asked as I gestured between Lucas and Julie with my champagne glass.
I figured that since we needed information on the family, we should start asking questions, but Emily was right in that we needed to be subtle about it. I knew Julie and particularly Lucas probably didn’t have any information about Uncle Harold, but if I started with them, then it wouldn’t be suspicious when I asked more questions.
“Fifteen glorious years, isn’t that right, sweetheart?” Lucas said as he slung an arm around Julie’s shoulders.
“That’s right,” Julie said with a tight-lipped smile, and she looked like she wanted to shrug her husband’s arm off, but she resisted the urge. “Joan was a flower girl at our wedding, actually.”
“Is that right?” I grinned at the pretty brunette. “I bet you looked adorable in your little flower girl dress.”
“Of course I did,” Joan replied with a proud smirk.
“I believe there’s a portrait of it in the second drawing room,” a voice said from the doorway.
We all turned to see the patriarch of the family, Joseph, standing at the doorway with his wife, Eleanor. Joan’s grandparents were dressed elegantly, and it was clear they were the distinguished and established hosts of dinner parties. Her grandmother was wearing a long red evening gown and white gloves with a pearl necklace around her neck and matching earrings. And Joseph wore a three-piece suit with a red handkerchief in the front breast pocket to complement his wife’s dress. I had to admit, they were a handsome-looking couple, and it was clear how they commanded the respect of any room they walked into.
The group by the fireplace tittered in greeting as Joseph and Eleanor made their way across the room to join us. I noticed a subtle look cast at Lucas by the elderly couple, and I got the impression he wasn’t their favorite in-law by a mile. I could see why, since Lucas clearly didn’t subscribe to the same sense of decorum as the rest of the Giles family. Well, apart from Joan.
Joseph greeted us all individually, and his eyes lingered a moment too long on Emily again. I decided to keep his attention away from the beautiful blonde woman as much as I could, so I stuck my hand out toward the old man.
“Mr. Giles, thank you so much for inviting us,” I said as he shook my hand. “I know I’ve said this before, but you have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you,” Joseph replied, but he sounded unimpressed with the compliment. He dropped my hand and turned to the group at large. “We’re just waiting for two more guests, and then we can get started.”
“Who else have you dragged to another dinner party?” Meredith asked playfully.
“Albert and Marion, of course,” Joseph said with a smile.
I felt Joan stiffen next to me, and I glanced at her face to see she’d gone pale.
“Sorry, if you don’t mind me asking, are they more members of the family?” Emily asked, since she was unaware of Joan’s reaction to her grandfather’s words.
“Albert is a cousin of mine,” Joseph replied. “He lives out in California, but he’s in town for a conference. It’s rare our paths cross these days, so of course, I had to extend an invitation.”
“Oh, Albert! I look forward to seeing the old geezer,” Sebastian said with a grin.
I caught Joan’s eye again and shot her a curious look, but she discreetly shook her head, so I knew this wasn’t the time to ask what was significant about Albert.
At that moment, three waiters appeared at the doorway, and they pushed a silver cart into the room. They rolled the fancy cart near us, and I could see there was a large punch bowl full of amber liquid, along with an ice bucket, and a bowl of sliced lemons. The waiters quickly set about serving up glasses of the Quoit Club Punch, which they handed to the women first. Joseph and Eleanor also took a glass each, and soon we all had drinks in our hand.
I sipped the punch and raised my eyebrows.
“Wow,” I said with an impressed nod. “This is incredible. I can see why it’s your family’s favorite drink. What’s in it?”
“Rum, cognac, madeira, sugar, and lemon,” Joseph rattled off before he took a big sip and smacked his lips. “Truly heavenly.”
Suddenly, a loud clanging sound filled the house, and Lucas grimaced.
“You know, Joe, with your money, I’d think you’d replace the original doorbell from what? Seventeen-twelve?”
“Don’t be silly, Lucas,” Eleanor sniffed. “The doorbell is from eighteen-thirteen.”
“Silly me,” Lucas replied with an eye roll as he pushed his lemon slice into his glass.
“That must be Albert and Marion,” Joseph said cheerfully. “They’ll be escorted along momentarily.”
Sure enough, another elderly couple appeared at the doorway a few moments later. Albert didn’t look like the Giles brothers. He was at least a head shorter, and his hair was a darker shade of gray and enviously thicker than the Giles brothers’ hair. His face was also less pinched with displeasure. Instead, he had deep laugh lines around his mouth and forehead, and there was a playful sparkle to his eyes that was missing from Joseph and Sebastian’s serious demeanor. His wife Marion also had a youthful appearance, despite being firmly in her sixties at least. Her long white hair was piled on top of her head, and she wore a black frock with a colorful beaded necklace, a far cry from the chic elegance of Eleanor.
Albert walked with a cane, but that didn’t stop him from spreading his arms wide and smiling at the group.
“Fear not, the party has arrived!” the old man cried out.
There were a couple subdued cheers from the family, and I could tell I was going to like this guy, as well. I glanced at Joan again, and I was relieved to see she was smiling at the new guest. So at least I knew there wasn’t all bad blood between them, but I still needed to pull her aside at some point and find out why she froze when his name was mentioned.
Albert and Marion made their way over to us, and there was a round of introductions for the benefit of Emily and me. The waiters supplied Albert and Marion with a punch of their own, and suddenly the party was in full swing. Soft classical music started to play over hidden speakers and more waiters appeared with trays of finger foods. The group split up into subgroups while the booze flowed freely. I got caught in a boring conversation with Sebastian about the tax audits of his third business, and I just had to nod along and agree with whatever he said.
Then I caught Joan out of the corner of my eye slipping out of the dining room, so I excused myself from Sebastian, claiming I had to use the restroom, and I hurried out after Joan.
I found the pretty brunette woman leaning against a wall outside with a hand over her forehead.
“Joan?” I said in a concerned tone.
My girlfriend looked up with a startled expression, but her face relaxed when she saw it was me.
“Hey, babe,” she said with a small smile. “I’m fine. It just got a bit… much.”
“Yeah, I can see how your family can be like that,” I said gently as I joined her side. “We can ditch this if you want. Make some excuse and go cuddle up in the guest house instead.”
“I wish,” Joan scoffed. “But I would literally never hear the end of it. No, it’s fine, I’ll tough it out.”
“Well, I’m here whenever you need me,” I said. “Oh, hey, so, what’s the story with Albert? You seemed surprised he was coming.”
“Very surprised, I haven’t seen him in at least ten years,” Joan explained. Then she took a deep breath, and her brown eyes met mine. “He used to be super close to Uncle Harold.”
“Is that right?” I asked, and my interest was piqued. “Do you think he has any information on his disappearance?”
“I’d be surprised if he didn’t,” Joan said with a sigh.
“Alright, I’ll be sure to pick at that thread.” I grinned, and then I held my hand out to the pretty brunette. “Come on, we should get back in there. I feel bad about leaving Emily on her own.”
“Oh, yeah, especially with the men in my family,” Joan said with a big eye roll. She took my hand, and I pulled her upright before we walked hand in hand back to the dining room.
When we entered the room, everyone was taking their seats, so I sought out Emily, and Joan and I took the seats next to her. As it worked out, Albert and Marion were seated directly across from us.
Joseph sat at the head of the table, and he clinked a knife against his glass. Everyone turned their heads toward the patriarch, and he smiled warmly at his guests. His eyes had a glassy sheen to them, so it looked like the rum punch had gone straight to his head.
“Welcome, welcome, and thank you all for coming,” Joseph declared. “It’s always a special time when old friends meet new friends and long-lost family members come for a visit.”
Joseph shot a pointed look at Joan, who withered under his gaze. To my surprise, Albert seemed to notice the brunette’s discomfort, so he banged his fist on the table.
“Dagnabit, Joe, I told you I’ve been busy for the past ten years,” Albert said jovially.
The table laughed at Albert’s subtle redirect, and I felt an immense gratitude to the old man who seemed to be looking out for Joan. I caught myself kinda hoping he didn’t know anything about Uncle Harold, because I was starting to like this guy, and I didn’t want to have to dislike him.
“At least you’re here now,” Joseph said as waiters started to swarm the dining room with covered plates, and he had to raise his voice over the din. “Alright, alright, it’s time to eat now. Remember, all the vegetables you enjoy tonight were grown right here on the Giles estate.”
“We know, trust us,” Lucas muttered from his seat next to Marion.
A waiter appeared at my elbow and placed a dish in front of me as he uncovered it. There was a round of oohs and aahs from the table, and I had to admit, the starting course looked amazing.
“Lobster thermidor en croûte,” Joseph announced. “Bon appétit.”
I picked up the outermost knife and fork and sliced into the tender, pastry wrapped lobster. The creamy sauce was balanced with spicy mustard and crunchy cabbage, and the lobster flaked away in my mouth as I bit down. It was easily one of the most delicious things I’d ever eaten.
Emily moaned softly as she tasted the pastry, and even Joan looked begrudgingly impressed with the first course. It was a small portion, so the whole table finished it pretty quickly, and it wasn’t long before the empty plates were being whisked away and we were offered limoncello as a palate cleanser.
“Joan, my dear,” Albert said after he drained his limoncello. “It’s been too long, far too long. Tell me everything, dear. You’re so grown up now, isn’t she, Marion?”
“So grown,” Marion agreed. “You look just like your mother. How is she?”
“Thank you,” Joan said with a warm smile. “She’s doing good, living her best life down in Florida.”
“Yes, that’s all very fine and well, dear, but I want to know about you,” Albert insisted. “The last time I saw you, you’d just won a horse riding competition. Are you still involved with your horses?”
“Not as much these days,” Joan admitted. “I moved to Washington, and it’s kinda hard to keep a horse in downtown DC.”
“I could see that,” Albert agreed with a nod. “What business do you have in DC?”
“I work as a researcher,” Joan explained as the waiters swarmed with another covered plate.
“A researcher? How brilliant!” Albert clapped his hands together. “You always did like your books, what a perfect career path for you.”
The waiter set a small bowl down in front of me, and I could smell the rich broth as soon as he uncovered it.
“Minestrone,” Joseph announced from the head of the table. “Enjoy.”
I sampled the soup, which was delicious, before I turned my attention back to the conversation between Joan and Albert. I figured now was the time to start gently prying.
“So, you two were close when you were a kid?” I asked Joan as I gestured between the pair with my spoon.
“Joan was always my favorite mini Giles,” Albert said warmly. “And I’d promised my cousin many moons ago that I’d keep an eye out for her.”
“Oh,” I replied with a frown. “Mr. Giles asked you to keep an eye out for Joan?”
“Joseph?” Albert guffawed. “Heavens, no. My other cousin. Although I suppose you wouldn’t know Rosemary, would you?”
I felt Joan tense up again next to me, but I couldn’t let this opening pass me by.
“Ah, I’ve heard a lot about her, but no, I haven’t met her, I’m afraid.” I shook my head sadly. “I’d love to, of course.”
“Yes, well…” Albert lowered his voice and leaned across the table. “Maybe don’t make those wishes too well known around here.”
“That’s right,” I said with a nod. “I understand the situation is, um, delicate.”
“The situation may be delicate, but old Rosemary is anything but,” Albert said with another hearty laugh. “Do you keep in touch with her, Joan?”
“As much as I can,” Joan said with a tight-lipped smile.
“Excellent, good to hear,” Albert said before he took a noisy slurp of his minestrone.
“Do you still speak to her?” I asked casually. “Rosemary, I mean.”
“Not in years,” Marion said with a sad sigh. “We tried, of course, for many years. But she wasn’t having it.”
“Guilty by association.” Albert shrugged, and then the old man eyed me curiously. “You ask a lot of questions. Are you a researcher, too?”
“More or less,” I said with a lopsided grin. “Joan has told me some about her family history, and I find it fascinating. Such an esteemed family, a huge fixture on the Richmond scene.”
“Yes, but I think you’ll find, my dear boy,” Albert said as he reached for his punch. “If you were to survey all the closets that belong to the esteemed families of the Richmond scene, you’d find a lot of skeletons.”
“Good thing I’m a bone expert,” I said as I raised my own punch.
Albert guffawed at my joke and then pointed to me as he addressed Joan.
“I like him, he’s a good one,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
“I like him, too,” Joan said as she laid a hand on my elbow.
The waiters served up the main course, roasted lamb shanks with mint sauce and scalloped potatoes, and more booze all around. I continued to chat with Albert and Marion while Joan and Emily got sucked into a conversation with Lucas. Once the main course plates were cleared, we were served a selection of desserts and even more alcohol. I was enjoying some of the booze, but not as much as the others, because I still had questions to ask.
And now that everyone was feeling the alcohol, I knew it was time to ask some more.
Everyone stood up and started milling around again, and I ended up one on one with Sebastian again. I could tell by his unfocused expression that he’d consumed enough punch to answer my prying questions, but I still approached casually.
“So, I was talking to Albert earlier,” I began.
“Good man, he is,” Sebastian said as he swayed gently on his feet.
“He sure is,” I agreed. “He was telling me about Rosemary. She must be your sister, is that right?”
“She is, though if you ask her, she might give you a different answer,” Sebastian scoffed. “Did Albert tell you she was our father’s favorite?”
“No,” I replied in a surprised tone. “What makes you say that?”
“That girl could get away with murder, I tell you.” Sebastian shook his head as his face became clouded with rage. “I’ll never forgive her for destroying my tiny chair collection.”
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked as my eyebrows shot up my forehead.
“My tiny chair collection!” Sebastian bellowed, which caused a few of the other guests to glance our way. “That little brat destroyed it. Every single chair.”
“Now, when you say tiny chair…” I began.
“I mean a chair, about yay big,” Sebastian answered, and he lifted his hand and positioned his fingers about three or four inches apart. “Tiny chairs. I had dozens of them! And I came home from polo practice one day to their shattered remains all over my bedroom floor.”
The elderly man suddenly looked like he was about to cry, and his wife Meredith rushed to his side. She reassured him in a quiet voice before she turned a withering glare in my direction.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she snapped. “Dragging up painful memories from the past.”
“I’m sorry,” I said as I raised my hands innocently. “I had no idea there was any sort of tiny chair drama.”
“Not you and those chairs again,” Albert said as he joined the group with Joan and Emily in tow.
“You don’t understand!” Sebastian shouted, and the punch almost spilled from his glass as he shook with anger. “Every single one. Destroyed.”
“Yes, but hadn’t you let Rosemary’s horse out of its stable the week prior?” Albert pointed out.
“That’s not the point!” Sebastian roared.
“You cannot blame Rosemary for her reaction,” Albert continued. “One could argue that releasing her horse was significantly more dangerous than breaking a couple of chairs.”
“Destroying,” Sebastian emphasized. “And they were tiny chairs. You don’t understand.”
