Chapter 9: Dinner and A Show
We sat at a large dining room table. There were only three place settings. Aj and I sat across from each other while Gregory sat at the head of the table. An older looking man came to the table and began filling our glasses with red wine. I was so nervous I took a large gulp immediately and Aj's eyes were wide, and she shook her head. She knew that if I got too drunk, I could lose control and we don't know what could happen. I hadn't been drunk since our wedding night. I only had a glass of wine or maybe two at dinner, but nonetheless alcohol calmed and relaxed me.
"Well ladies, I shall break this very awkward silence. Again, welcome. I trust the drive was, well, who am I kidding? The drive is mostly boring. I know I make it quite often. Anyway. Thank you for joining me for dinner. I think after dinner will be the best time for a chat. So, let's enjoy the delicious food Lydia has prepared and then we can move into the drawing room." He took a sip of his wine with the smirk never really leaving his face.
A couple servants came out of what I had assumed was the kitchen and served us our meal. It was quite delicious even though I didn't eat much of it. Aj seemed to devour her entire plate. She dealt with stress quite differently than I did, though I wasn't so sure she was even nervous. She seemed so calm and collected this entire time, which wasn't out of her character, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was all a guise to make me feel safe.
We finished our meal and entered another room that had a fireplace in the middle. There was a white sofa, a matching love seat and chair. Aj and I sat down on the loveseat which was closest to the fireplace. Gregory stood leaning against the mantle. He pulled out a pipe and lit it, throwing the match into the flames. Taking a few puffs, he closed his eyes as if he was deep in thought or enjoying the tobacco, maybe both.
"Ah, Henry" he opened his eyes at the sound of the same older gentleman coming in with a tray that held a crystal decanter something much stronger than wine. "Please enjoy some of my personal whiskey. I own a distillery down south. This is some of the finest American whiskey you'll ever taste. Although no distiller here could ever hold up to the whiskey I've tasted in Scotland, some ages ago. I do enjoy my alcohol, probably more than I should. As you may have noticed I rather enjoy collecting art, also. I'm an artist myself. Though most of my artwork doesn't have my name on it, I do love a good mystery, don't you? I have dabbled in a lot of different things over the years."
I took the glass that was offered but before I could take a sip, Aj took it from me slowly and set it down on the small coffee table in front of us. It was probably a good idea as the wine was making me lightheaded.
"I see, you're not much of a drinker, Violet? Your mother wasn't either." he said.
Immediate suspicion grew across my face, and I was getting sick of the parlor tricks. "How do you know my mother?" I said sounding angrier than I wanted and immediately regretted it. Aj put her arm around my shoulder to comfort me.
It startled Gregory and the smirk had finally left his face. He moved slowly from the mantle to the chair across from us and sat down. He puffed on his pipe a little bit more and a cloud of smoke emerged from his mouth as he spoke.
"Violet, please. I do apologize for that. I see I have been a little too excessive with the secrecy. I think it's time I explained myself. I've known your family all my life. And trust me when I say, it's been a very, very long one."
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