Grace Takes Off(15)
“A quiet evening will be good enough—”
“Nonsense,” she said, wrapping her hand around my arm and guiding me down the hall. “Tonight, my American friend, we will have fun.”
I had the uncomfortable feeling that Irena’s and my sense of fun were worlds apart.
• • •
DESPITE THE FACT THAT BENNETT AND I HAD made it our business to sample local cuisine at every opportunity on this trip, this night’s dinner was—by far—the most incredible dining experience I had ever encountered. Each course was served to us by gloved butlers, and it was apparent from Nico’s keen, delighted expression that he was eager to impress. He sat at the table’s head, with Bennett to Nico’s right and me next to Bennett. Irena sat across from us, and Cesare next to her. The rest of the long, sixteen-seat table remained empty.
I patted my lips with a napkin as our dinner plates were whisked away. Bennett sat back. “Nico, your chef is to be complimented. Where did you find this master?”
“I hired Antoinette as an assistant, but she quickly proved herself. She runs my kitchen now. Indeed, she believes she runs most of the household.”
“A woman?” Cesare asked. The disbelief in his voice would have been laughable if the implication that a woman being unworthy of such a lofty position wasn’t so offensive.
“You enjoyed your dinner, did you not?” Nico asked.
Cesare hurried to unruffle his host’s feathers. “I am only surprised that you have not mentioned this woman before.”
Lame, but Nico didn’t call him out. Instead, he made a so-so motion with his hands and leaned forward, keeping his voice low. “Our chef is a bit temperamental at times, would you agree, Irena?”
His daughter sent a wary glance toward the kitchen. “If she weren’t so talented, she’d have been sacked long ago.”
“Bennett, my good friend,” Nico said. “Take my advice. Two strong-willed women in one household may buy you many rewards.” He shook his head solemnly even as a smile played at his lips. “But there is much risk, as well.”
Cesare, ever eager to reclaim his standing in the conversation, laughed hard. Too hard.
“Grace has her hands full with her assistant, Frances,” Bennett said. “But after a rocky start, I think they’ve found common ground.”
Frances hadn’t been first in my mind. It was Hillary I more worried about. With an uncomfortable pang, I realized that she would have moved into her new Emberstowne home by now. I wasn’t looking forward to having her as a neighbor.
“Antoinette isn’t so bad, Father.” Irena’s eye roll belied her words. “As long as she remembers her place.”
Butlers set dessert in front of each of us. Even as I lifted my spoon to sample the gelato, I wondered how I’d fit another bite in my too-full stomach.
Irena leaned forward. “Angelo will drive us into town this evening,” she said. “Father prefers that I be accompanied. Florence is full of students and I’ve never had a problem, but it makes him feel better to know that Angelo is watching out for me.”
Oh great. Lovelorn Angelo assigned to accompany us on the town. “Will he stay with us the whole time?”
She laughed as though that was a funny question. “Of course not. How would we enjoy our girl talk if he did? No,” she said with jovial finality, “he stays nearby and keeps an eye on me, but he doesn’t actually join in the conversation.”
“That seems unfair to Angelo.”