Chapter Forty-Nine
‘How COULD she!’ Vivian sobbed in a rage, as she stormed along the hallway of the Steinherr mansion, followed by her father and brother.
Nanny Iris hurried down the stairs to see if the children were back. Walter looked up at her. ‘Prepare their bath, they will be back any minute. Kristaps, you had better prepare an ice pack for Dimitri’s hand.’
The butler looked confused, but nodded and raced to the kitchen.
‘Is everything OK, sir?’ asked a maid as she came out of the kitchens.
‘No!’ Walter bellowed, and continued down after Vivian, who went into the plush lounging room, only because it was the furthest away from the front door, and slumped onto a daybed under a window. Night had already fallen on Kristalldorf, and the room was cosily lit.
Vivian threw her face onto the plump cushions and sobbed.
Lysander sat next to her and rubbed her back.
‘The humiliation!’ she sobbed. ‘She was screwing Tristan! The slut!’
Walter didn’t want to think of either of his daughters screwing anyone, so he retreated to the living room, its fireplace already lit, and fixed himself a drink.
He looked up at the portrait of his first wife and his family.
He wanted to ask Anna Maria how the hell he was going to fix the mess between their daughters, but he heard the front door open again, and wondered if it were Anastasia.
He was furious with her. For making a scene more than what she had done behind her sister and her husband’s backs.
He walked into the ample hallway, its floor tiled black and white.
‘Dimitri …’ he said sharply. Walter was furious with him too. Honestly! The first time he had gone to the Kivvi’s Christingle and his son-in-law – his attorney – had started a brawl.
The children stood around their father, their faces pale in shock.
Dimitri’s thin hair, or what remained of it, was dishevelled and he had a swollen bloody fist.
‘Go upstairs and find Nanny Iris,’ Dimitri said, tepidly. The children went running up the mansion stairs, passing Kiki as she came down.
‘What the hell are you playing at, brawling in public like that? With that man?’ Walter scolded, towering over Dimitri, who looked like he might vomit.
Walter saw Kiki at the curve in the stairs, wearing a pink chiffon peignoir and fluffy mules and stopped.
‘Are you still here?’ he snapped.
Kiki observed Dimitri’s swollen fist and dishevelled combover and gave a coquettish smile.
‘Jeez, I thought I was in trouble.’