"Yes," Daphne said, still sounding very
controlled. My father didn't appear disappointed by
her measured reaction, however. He seemed used to it.
He went on to tell her the other things we had done.
She sipped her coffee from a beautifully hand painted
china cup and listened, her light blue eyes darkening
more and more as his voice rose and fell with
excitement.
"Really, Pierre," she said, "I haven't seen you
this exuberant about anything for years."
"Well, I have good reason to be," he replied. "I hate to be the one to insert a dark thought,
but you realize you haven't spoken to Gisselle yet and
told her your story about Ruby," she said.
He seemed to deflate pounds of excitement
right before my eyes and then he nodded.
"You're right as always, my dear. It's time to
wake the princess and talk to her," he said. He rose
and picked up my picture. "Now where should we
hang this? In the living room?"
"I think it would be better in your office,
Pierre," Daphne said. To me it sounded as though she
wanted it where it would be seen the least.
"Yes. Good idea. That way I can get to look at
it more," he replied. "Well, here I go. Wish me luck,"
he said, smiling at me, and then he went into the
house to talk to Gisselle. Daphne and I gazed at each
other for a moment. Then she put down her coffee
cup.
"Well now, you've made quite a beginning with
your father, it seems," she said.