So, I promised Cosima I would and hung up just as my phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Elena: Guest bedroom is made up. Left a key with the receptionist, please let yourself in.
I sighed, and was about to put my phone away when another text came in.
The Frenchman: Please don’t worry about tonight. And, more importantly, please think of me during your ‘date’.
I grinned, shook my head and tucked my phone in my bag just as I reached the long line leading into Prune.
Ulrich Wick was an incredibly nice guy.
He was also incredibly dull.
“I tried to explain how important the discrepancies were to the overall dynamic of the company’s infrastructure,” he continued, “but of course, it was beyond comprehension for someone with such a pea sized intellect.”
“Of course,” I murmured, looking down at the salad he had ordered for me without my consent. Prune had so many delicious things on the menu that I had felt robbed when I arrived to see him already seated, our orders in place. I had spent the last twenty minutes watching him daintily consume a plate of spaghetti alla carbonara and it was torture.
Not to mention the endless conversation about corporate accounting.
“You wouldn’t know either though, I suppose, being a painter.” He smiled at me, and the worst thing was that it was a pretty smile, a truly kind one despite his patronizing words.
“Oh, excuse me for a moment but I believe that is Willa Percy coming this way.” Ulrich pushed ungracefully out of his chair, exhibiting more passion in the single movement then in our entire hour-long brunch. I couldn’t understand his enthusiasm, I had met Willa Percy and she was not passion inducing.
“Mrs. Percy, it is lovely to see you again,” Ulrich gushed, reaching out with both hands.
Willa’s eyes weren’t on my date though. Her stare pinned me in place so that she could get a really good look at every inch of me, finding fault with my freckled skin, overdramatic curves and harlot red hair.
But instead of burning shame, of comparing myself to my flawless sisters, I thought about Sinclair, the only person in the Percy family I cared about. I thought about the map his hands, lips, and body had drawn over my skin in the last twenty-four hours and suddenly, Willa’s scrutiny didn’t matter anymore.
Ulrich was still talking and Willa was indulging him with miniscule facial ticks, but eventually he noticed the tension and petered off.
“Giselle,” Willa began, her voice cool as silk wrapping around my throat. “You will wait with me while they bring my car around.”
It wasn’t a question and normally, I would have protested but Ulrich looked ready to swoon at the privilege I was being bestowed and I didn’t have the heart to tell him that Willa Percy was a self-serving heartless bitch, so I grabbed my purse and followed her outside.
She didn’t speak for a moment, opting to fix her lipstick in the mirror of a Chanel compact instead. Her elegance was absolute, from the tips of her pale pink painted nails to the bottoms of her low-heeled cream pumps and I felt worse than bohemian next to her. I wondered if she had ever known poverty, how she would have judged my perfect older sister or me if she had witnessed the desperation of our childhood.
“You think I don’t like you,” she began, in a cool voice like poured cream, “and you are mostly correct. It is obvious that you lack elevated social graces, a sense of fashion and the common sense not to get involved with a taken man, let alone a man pledged to your very sibling.”
A thin smile punctured her cheek, cutting off my protest before I could even open my mouth.
“I know my son very well, Miss Moore, and it does not escape my notice that he seems to be very much in lust with you. You do not need to protest, because I do not blame either of you. My son is quite simply an incredible man and you have your,” she hesitated and gestured vaguely to my body, “obvious charms. So, I do not blame you for your initial bad judgment but I am encouraging you as civilly as possible to cease and desist.”
My lips twisted into something like a sneer but she only laughed softly. “Abandon your pride and think for a moment. If you love my son, as I’m certain you think that you do, then you know that Elena is the best choice for him. Her elegance, intelligence and stature are perfectly suited to Daniel’s pursuits. You know, one day he wants to run for office, just like his father.”
My insecurity vibrated as Willa hammered her point home. I didn’t want to listen to her but it was hard to ignore the truth of her statement especially when she spoke so calmly, so rationally. It was tricky to argue against a lack of passion.
“Daniel had a rough beginning and I for one, believe that he deserves happiness now. You may believe that you are the one to bring him that happiness, but you’re mistaken.” Her eyes swept over me dismissively. “You do not have what it takes to stand by my son.”
A beige town car rolled up to the curb and a handsomely dressed young man with skin like roasted coffee beans came around to open the door for the Governor’s wife.
“Go back inside, enjoy the rest of your meal with Mr. Wick, then go home and call my son. End it. I’m asking nicely, my dear, but the Lord knows I have other ways at my disposal.”
I stood silently, stupidly, while she slid into the car, closed the door and opened the window so that she could stare at me as they pulled into traffic. I stayed there for a long moment after she was gone, my eyes closed and my senses open to the riotous noises of a New York City afternoon. The cacophony calmed the turmoil churning through me and when I opened my eyes again, I started off down the street towards my next destination with renewed confidence.
Despite my earlier determination to see him, I was nervous giving my name to the receptionist. The young ginger haired man smiled warmly at me and complimented me on my choice of dress but his recognition of my discomfort only heightened my nervousness. If it was that obvious, I wondered, was it possible the entire office knew about our secret affair?
I was being paranoid obviously, but not without reason. Sebastian and Cosima already suspected and I wouldn’t have been surprised at all if they had figured it all out for themselves. It seemed almost ridiculous that anyone could remain oblivious to the sultry, heavy air between Sinclair and I when were together but the mind was a powerful thing. It was easy to believe what you wanted to believe.