Part 9 (2/2)
”I thought you'd decided not to come,” Brooke said.
”And end up plastered over every dating site known to man?” Claire laughed. ”No, there's just something about living so close that makes me think there's no rush. I'm just down the hall, so I figured I had plenty of time. What are you drinking?”
”It's a shandy.” Brooke held up her empty gla.s.s. ”It's a combination of lager and lemonade.”
”Really?” Claire wrinkled her nose. ”I'm not a big beer drinker.”
”Me, neither, but it's pretty good,” Brooke said. ”Light and tart. I could hardly taste the beer.”
”Sounds . . . interesting.”
They walked to the bar together. James served them with his sweet smile and nod. Raising their gla.s.ses in salute, they drank.
”Ummm, that is good,” Claire said.
”Yeah, you don't want to miss the Cornish pasties or the angels on horseback, either.”
Claire smiled. ”This just gets better and better.” Her gla.s.s empty, she held it out to James for a refill. Without asking she took Brooke's gla.s.s and set it in front of him then accepted a plate of hors d'oeuvres from Isabella.
”'Ave to pace yourself, mum,” Isabella said with a curtsy. ”The drink packs a bigger wollop than ye might think.”
Brooke laughed. ”Thanks for the warning, but it looks like we're both having another one.”
”d.a.m.n straight.” Claire raised her gla.s.s and clinked it against Brooke's. ”Let the mingling begin.”
Edward left them to their own devices, only stepping in to facilitate a conversation or to draw someone on the fringes into the group.
The decibel level was nearing a dull roar when he stepped up in front of the big-screen TV. ”Ladies,” he shouted with a smile. ”We're about to get started. The bar will remain open, but there's no intermission planned, so you might want to take care of refills now.”
Still chattering, women began to make their way to sofas and chairs. Samantha Davis entered, her face aglow, her hair artfully blown-dry, her form-fitting T-s.h.i.+rt tucked into skinny jeans that rode low on her slim hips. She looked so perfect-so not in need of Zachary's services-that some of Brooke's sense of well-being fled. Out of the corner of her eye, Brooke watched her accept the concierge's effusive greeting and a drink from James. Instead of hot appetizers, she took a bag of popcorn from Isabella and began to scan the crowd. When she spotted Brooke and Claire, she smiled and headed their way.
”Hi,” she said, stopping in front of them. ”How are ya'll doing?”
”Good,” Brooke said.
”Better,” Claire said raising her gla.s.s in silent toast.
Samantha took a first tip of her drink. ”Wow. I see what you mean.”
Claire smiled. ”If I hadn't seen James mix this, I would have sworn there was no alcohol in it.” She took another long sip. ”I don't know why I haven't had one of these before. It's pure genius.”
”Genius,” Samantha agreed, also taking a sip. ”Where are we sitting?”
Brooke looked at her in surprise as Claire nodded toward the front of the room. ”It looks like 'our' sofa is free,” she said, leading the way.
Without discussion they sank into the sofa. Brooke sat in the far corner and tried not to look as if she were hiding in it. Samantha settled in the center with a contented sigh. Crossing one long leg over the other, she took a delicate sip of her drink then set it on the c.o.c.ktail table. Claire plopped down in the other corner, careful not to spill a drop of her drink. Brooke snuck a peek at Samantha from beneath her lashes, then flushed in embarra.s.sment when she thought about Samantha witnessing Zachary's put-downs and the way he'd tried to fawn all over her.
”I wasn't sure you'd be back,” Brooke said tentatively.
”Me, neither.” A funny look pa.s.sed over Samantha Davis's face. ”But I'm glad to be here. How about you?” She studied Brooke carefully. Was she searching for a warning sign of tears to come?
”Yes, I'm glad to be here,” Brooke said. ”Ava and Natalie are with Zachary. He's decided that he prefers Sunday nights to full weekends.”
Samantha considered her. ”That's good though, right? That they're with him and you can come here?”
”Yes,” Brooke said, realizing that this was true. ”It's almost weird to have an activity of my own. I've kind of forgotten what that feels like.”
”I know what you mean,” Samantha said.
Certain the other woman had to be joking, Brooke studied her more closely, but saw no hint of humor in the earnest green eyes.
Claire raised her gla.s.s. ”Let's hear it for somewhere to go and something to do.” She took a long pull on her drink. Brooke and Samantha joined her.
”Now then, ladies,” Edward Parker said, clapping his hands to snag their attention. ”We have plenty of seats so please go ahead and claim one. Drink and snacks are headed around.” Isabella, serving plate in hand, performed a curtsy. James bowed, holding the beer and lemonade aloft. They began to circulate.
The chatter died down as Edward spread his arms wide. ”It's a pleasure to have you all here tonight for episode two of Downton Abbey. Please let your friends and neighbors know that they're welcome and that I can loan them the episodes missed if they want to be caught up when they arrive.” He gave them a stern look. ”And no peeking ahead. No secret screenings. Remember, we're in this together.”
There were murmurs and laughter. Beside her, Claire held her gla.s.s out for another refill, then drank eagerly. Brooke felt a kind of rosy glow surround her. Or maybe it was rising from the shandies within her? She took another sip and decided it didn't matter where the feeling had originated as long as it continued.
She felt a tingle of antic.i.p.ation as the lights went down and the room fell silent. Claire and Samantha leaned forward, their eyes fixed on the screen. The opening strains of music began. Downton Abbey appeared on the screen, solid and ma.s.sive against the blue English sky. And Brooke was sucked into another world. One in which a middle-cla.s.s lawyer meets the privileged world he must reluctantly join, a privileged young woman rebels against duty and expectation, and a less privileged woman dreams of something better.
WHEN THE EPISODE ENDED, THEY APPLAUDED ALL the way through the closing credits.
”Now then, ladies,” Edward Parker said as the credits came to a close. ”We have trifle for 'afters.' Which you may have with tea or another shandy.”
Only two people opted for tea. James poured fresh drinks for the rest of them while Isabella pa.s.sed out small bowls of trifle. Claire swayed slightly but remained propped upright in the corner of the sofa. Brooke had lost count of how many shandies the woman had had.
”I'm curious about your favorite characters this week,” Edward said. ”Anyone?”
”I like Bates and Anna,” Callan said.
”And I wish Daisy would pay attention to poor William instead of Thomas,” her twin added.
”Maggie Smith still rocks!” Anna, the nurse from Emory, offered. ”She's so droll.”
”Any favorite lines?” Edward asked, egging them on.
”When Lady Mary says to Matthew, 'Oh, I wouldn't want to push in,' after she hears him talking about how he knows the Granthams are going to try to push one of the daughters on him,” Mimi Davenport said. ”Especially after we see how taken he is with her.”
”I like the dowager countess's line-'what is a weekend'?” Samantha said. ”It's such a telling remark.”
There were more shouted lines and laughter. They chatted animatedly amongst themselves, no one seeming in any hurry to leave even though it was close to eleven p.m. on a Sunday night.
”I wish we could have a Downton Abbey marathon,” Brooke said to Samantha. ”Just sit down and watch one episode after another.”
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