Danaë
Danae:
I detested the thought of sitting down at a table with my mom and stepfather.
But I did get perverse pleasure from the way her face would look when she saw I'd brought a guest. Dinner was to be at eight o’clock.
They liked to eat later—drinks at seven thirty.
I was expected to be there for the drinks.
Heath and I had spoken about it. We agreed that she’d be told who he was. However, we weren’t planning to mention that I was pregnant. It was something I felt she didn’t deserve to know. He promised to back me up.
Even though it was to be a family dinner, as Mom had called it on the phone, there was no way to get away with jeans or other comfy clothes.
In that house, it was full dress for dinner.
Men wore full suits, and the ladies wore dresses.
Slacks were a big no-no. Think of what it was like from the nineteen twenties to the nineteen fifties.
They acted like they were from an era long dead.
The estate sat among other gated estates. Outside their gate, there had always been a small building, like the kind at Griff and Hadley’s house. It wasn’t always manned. This time it was. The guy there scrutinized me closely when I gave my name. I’d never seen him before.
“Ms. Seong, you’re the only one on the list to be admitted this evening per the instructions given by Mrs. Masters,” he informed me.
“That may be what she told you, but I brought a guest. Either she lets us both attend, or I’m going home. She’s got three minutes to decide,” I told him waspishly.
He stepped into the small hut and had his phone up to his ear. I couldn’t make out what he said, but there was a lot of head nodding and lips moving, with a few glances sent our way. He put the phone down ten seconds from the three-minute mark.
“You may proceed. Park in the designated area to the right of the house,” he instructed in a monotone.
We didn’t bother replying. The gate swung inward, and we were off.
The house was lit up like a Christmas tree.
As much as I hated the place, I had to admit it was beautiful, and the lawn, along with the architecture and other adornments, made it seem so welcoming.
Talk about a letdown when one was inside with its inhabitants.
Heath parked where instructed. He turned to me after he shut off the car. We were in mine tonight.
“Ready?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s go corner the bitch of the east,” I quipped.
In no time, we were ringing the doorbell. I half hoped we’d be told no one was at home—no such luck. The door swung open, revealing the butler, Arthur.
He had been there when I was a kid. The only thing different was that he had a few more wrinkles. His hair was still that impossible black. I knew he dyed it. The man was in his mid-seventies. He gave us barely a bow. I saw the disapproval in his eyes. He’d never approved of Haris or me.
“Ms. Seong, good evening. It’s a pleasure to see you here again. If you and your…guest follow me, I’ll take you to the salon. Mr. and Mrs. Masters are there having a pre-dinner drink.”
He waved us inside. As we passed him, I caught his perusal of both of us, but especially Heath.
Arthur’s lips twitched, but that was all.
The heavy door closed behind us like a rock sealing up a tomb.
We followed him even though I knew my way to the salon.
Artur was dressed in a formal uniform, like an old-fashioned English butler.
I wondered if he’d ever had his ass in a pair of jeans. Knowing him, probably not.
There was the murmur of voices coming from the room we were headed toward. Heath held my arm tucked over his. He gave my hand a gentle squeeze. Arthur paused in the entryway, then he cleared his throat. All talking died away.
“Ms. Seong and her guest have arrived,” he proclaimed.
“Thank you, Arthur,” my stepfather’s voice said.
Arthur stepped aside, allowing us to enter. When we did, my gaze shifted to the settees and the chairs surrounding a low table. They were exactly where I knew they would be. I scanned them as they scanned us. Show time.