Part 26 (1/2)
He batted his lashes. Jordan wondered how he had managed the false eyelashes without so much as a hint of glue showing.
”You're gorgeous,” Jordan told him.
”Grazie, grazie,” Raphael demurred. ”And you, ladies! You're lovely.”
”Thank you,” Cindy said.
”Everyone here is spectacular,” Jordan said. ”Well, few are anywhere near as spectacular as you,” she teased. ”Raphael, have you seen Tiff Henley yet?”
”No, I have not seen her-not that I know of any way. But if you had seen me and I hadn't spoken to you, would you know that you had seen me?”
”Good point,” Cindy said.
”She'll be along,” Raphael said, and frowned. ”Were you to meet her here?”
”No, no, but she had invited us to a c.o.c.ktail party before the ball, and when we got there, she wasn't home.”
Raphael waved a hand in the air, indicating that Tiff could be flighty. ”She probably forgot that she invited you.”
Trumpets sounded again.
”Ah! There we are,” Raphael said. ”That is the announcement that we are to go up the stairs and take our places. Ladies?”
”You two go ahead,” Cindy said. ”I'm going to find my husband.”
Raphael linked arms with Jordan, smiling at her. ”The fantasy costume is just right! You are sparkling and glorious, like a mythical siren.”
”Thanks. But, you totally outdo me.”
He laughed with pleasure. ”We shall be the most beautiful, together. I made sure that I am seated at your table. Anna Maria wanted to put you, Jared and Cindy with all his business people, but I could not do that to you.”
”Thanks.”
”I'm much more fun.”
”I believe you.”
”And I can dance. All the men will be trying to cut in on both of us. Depending on how cute they are, we'll let them cut in.”
”Absolutely. Who else is at our table?”
”Lynn-she helped me convince Anna Maria that you could not be left with the chairman of the dental a.s.sociation's travel planner, or the agent for the American bankers group. His wife is ... well, she would be like sitting with a battles.h.i.+p, you know? She is gray and solid. I've yet to see her smile. In fact, I think she came as Brunhilda.”
”She could be a very nice lady.”
He arched a brow with a secret smile. ”I can still give up my place at the table.”
”Never mind. Who else is with us?”
”There are ten at each table. At ours, Jared and Cindy, Lynn and I, a cookbook author and her husband, an English artist and his wife, and my friend, the policeman, Roberto Capo. You do like him, yes?”
She liked Roberto Capo just fine. He hadn't seemed to think that she was crazy.
And she could ask him about the head that had been found in a ca.n.a.l.
”What about Tiff?”
”Oh, she was seated with other friends long ago. But we'll look for her later, if that will make you happy.”
”And Ragnor?”
”He speaks so many languages so well-he has been seated with a mix of German and Scandinavian couples. In the north,” he explained, ”most people do speak English. Where else can you go but Sweden to speak Swedish, eh? Still, Anna Maria tries very hard to see that everyone will have dinner companions with whom they can talk.”
”Where will she be sitting?”
”Anna Maria does not sit-she flits!” Raphael explained. He rolled his eyes. ”She is the hostess, and so she moves about all night, and makes sure that everyone enjoys the ball- of course, she is a slave driver until we get here. But she asks nothing that she doesn't give. She is wonderful.”
”Beyond a doubt,” Jordan agreed.
At the top of the stairs, they were greeted by hosts dressed as Swiss Guards. They were led into one of the large ballrooms off the foyer. More buffet tables were filled with all manner of delicacies. At the end of the room, on a dais, a group played chamber music.
”Here we are!” Raphael said, indicating their table. Roberto Capo and two other couples were already seated. The men stood as Raphael made introductions. The English artist was Peter Smith; his wife was Sherry.
The American author of cookbooks was Mary Winston; her husband was Fred. They were both round and cheery, as if they truly enjoyed Mary's recipes. Jordan didn't remember her name; she hoped that if she had ever reviewed one of the woman's books, her words had been kind.
”And of course, Roberto,” Raphael ended his introductions with a flourish.
”Of course, how are you?” Jordan asked.
”Delighted to see you,” he said.
”Il piacere e mio,” she told him, glad that, ”the pleasure is mine” was one phrase she knew in Italian quite well.
He smiled; she took the seat next to his.
Lynn arrived then, as a matador, complete with dark mustache, red cape, and bull- slaying sword.
”Plastic, I'm afraid!” she explained, when it seemed her sword might pierce Mary Winston's Martha Was.h.i.+ngton skirts. Jared and Cindy arrived, and the introductions went around the table again. Jordan admired Anna Maria's social talents as she saw how quickly and easily they all fell into conversation. At times, she thought, Roberto Capo wasn't quite following everything that was said, but Raphael paused now and then to make a quick explanation in Italian. Waiters arrived to fill their winegla.s.ses and they all trooped to the buffet table. ”My name was Astrella before I married,” Mary Winston told Jordan as they stood in the line. ”I do adore Italian food. My next book is on Tuscan cuisine. Perhaps you'd review it for your newspapers?”
”I'd be delighted.”
”My publis.h.i.+ng house is small,” Mary said with a sigh, ”and your reviews are so popular in syndication, they've not dared send you anything yet. Thank you.”
”Thank you. I didn't know I was so popular.”
”Oh, have you tried this dish yet? In English, it's cuttlefish-”
”Thanks. I have tried it,” Jordan said. ”I think I'll have the swordfish.”
As conversations took off at dinner, Jordan was grateful to be next to Roberto Capo.