Iridian

13. SHADOWS

.memory (fragment #12)

The extremities of the house were festooned with colourful lights and garden lamps illuminating a well-manicured lawn. Children romped near a pool on the terrace, under the watchful eye of servants while the adults mingled, clothed elegantly in evening wear, wineglasses in hand. I felt glaringly underdressed for the occasion in the simple black silk blouse and grey slacks. But then, Paige and Llewellyn weren't in evening wear either. Llewellyn had just thrown on a blazer over his open-necked shirt when most of the men on the terrace were in tuxedoes.

"What was the dress code, dear?" Paige raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Oh. I forgot. It said 'formal'," Llewellyn replied sheepishly to her measuring gaze. "I don't suppose we can back out now. Here comes Norman."

"My Lord Tamerlane, and her ladyship! So good of you to come," the cheerful man with iron-grey hair said as we stepped out of the car, his eyes twinkling.

"I'm afraid we're a little underdressed for your party Norman," Paige apologized.

"Oh, pish posh! That part was just for fun. Adele's idea. She insisted on having more 'elegance' this year instead of the usual riff raff in their musty cardigans drinking out the bottom of her cellar. I don't see how squeezing myself into that tight old tux will make me anymore elegant... so you're in good company," he chortled, indicating his dun brown sweater and plaid trousers.

"She didn't ban you from the buffet table did she?" Llewellyn laughed.

"She tried.  My dear wife does try to get in between me and food.  It didn't work, of course. The advantages of being the host is that you absolutely have to mingle, and mingling can be done anywhere, even near the buffet table."

He turned to me then. "And this must be his lordship's mysterious cousin whom I've heard so much about," he said, not even bothering to hide his curiosity.

"Hardly mysterious, Mayor Haverly," I smiled. I liked this self-depreciating gentleman. "And I hope whatever you've heard is good. Arden. Pleased to meet you," I extended my hand. He took it but instead of shaking it, he bowed over it and kissed it lightly.

"The pleasure is mine," he replied. "And it's just Norman. Only the three of you then?" He cast about obviously to see if Dante was around.

"Just us," Llewellyn replied. "Dante sends his regards. He had a prior engagement."

I turned away so Norman wouldn't see my face. Prior engagement indeed—with his pillows that is, but he obviously needed the rest so none of us begrudged him that.

Norman sighed.

"Just as well. Lillian's started early on the champagne and making the rounds on the boys. I certainly wouldn't want her embarrassing Dante. Her behaviour's a little deplorable right now, but what's a father to do. She's too old to listen to what I say and the divorce has made her a little less sensible. She falls in love with a new man every other day, like a girl just out of school."

I gathered that Lillian was the lady Dante had been avoiding. I was startled by Norman's blunt assessment of his daughter, though I also noted that none of it was said with malice. It was a simple honest statement.

"It's come to that?" Paige said with a commiserating look on her face.

"My dear Lady Paige, if you spent more time with us townsfolk instead of staying cooped up in that hidden house of yours, you would know about it. Everyone knows about it. It's a little embarrassing but no one's actually come up to me and laughed in my face."