The Façade of Quad in Nimrod ✓ | Satire, family drama, dark society

XVIII

Lady Margarita Sorientto should have been downstairs to greet Valerie when she came, but the Lady was too busy in the parlor entertaining the guests and reuniting with her three sisters, her two brothers, and all the little nieces and nephews. Fernando's maid took Valerie into the drawing room, brought her some tea and some sandwiches and left her there.

Valerie didn't want to tear up when people in the other room could come barging in any moment. She didn't know why she was being so ignored. What she didn't know, however, was that none of the guests or the hosts realized she needed looking after at all. They all assumed a sixteen-year-old, well-enough educated girl, engaged to Fernando, could very well fend for herself.

And, she tried her very best to do exactly that, but the moment her sandwiches were gone, and she had finished her tea, Valerie did not know what to do with herself. No one had taught her the etiquette of a house party. There were many she should have been weary of, but she just didn't know as her mother never took her out to house parties at friends' houses to practice for the real world.

Shoved in the real world all of a sudden, Valerie felt ignored and hopeless. She just sat on the sofa with her legs crossed and held the teacup pretending to still be drinking it. Her heart was already crushed because Fernando didn't come to take her to Glavisland.

"Where is he?" she said in a quiet voice so no one could hear her. Then, there was a knock on the door. Lightning suddenly flashed and thunder cracked, making her jump. She almost dropped her teacup but saved it just in time although a drop of tea fell out onto the beige carpet leaving a mark.

"Oh, my." Valerie was just about to get up to look for some maid or butler when,

"Valerie!"

Her blood ran cold and she turned in horror to see her father had arrived. Her mother stood stiffly behind and was smiling in her direction, but only because Lady Margarita and Camiel had come into the parlor just then. Otherwise, Georgina would have not given her daughter any attention.

"Mr. Sorientto," Mordecai bellowed and Camiel's face crinkled into a smile.

"Ah, Mr. Quad, such a sudden downpour, did you arrive okay? Yes?" He shook Mordecai's hand.

"You have brought your lovely wife, Georgina!" Camiel said almost in singsong making those in the room smile.

"Why, Mr. Sorientto!" Georgina laughed as Camiel kissed her hand. Valerie looked on in frustration. Surely her parents took notice of her and everyone else had come into the room, but none seemed to acknowledge her presence.

In truth, they did notice her and some of the younger to-be cousins did want to approach her, but Valerie had an unconscious scowl on her face making her unapproachable. They were a little bit afraid of her and she didn't realize she was making the situation worse herself.

"Splendid, almost everyone is here!" Camiel bellowed. "We just need to get the boys, eh, Mr. Quad!"

Mordecai gave a stiff nod. Valerie didn't know what he planned to do about things if Camiel ever asked about Henry. "It's been too long, Mr. Sorientto," he said in a calm tone, "I have forgotten who is who and my, my have they grown!" He smiled at the young children who hid behind their parents' legs shyly.

Camiel gestured to them to come out and began to introduce the children and his wife's siblings. Valerie had not noticed when but Lady Margarita had disappeared to somewhere—something Valerie wanted to very much do right now.

Soon, tea was served, and Valerie was still sitting on the sofa having not moved from that place. Again, she felt ignored. No one was paying her any mind and they didn't seem to care that she was slowly spiraling down into loneliness and sadness. She wanted Fernando here right now and she was feeling very angry with him. Didn't he care about her at all?