Spellbound by Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin

Author:Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin [Martin, Gail Z.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Falstaff Books
Published: 2022-12-28T16:00:00+00:00

4

We took Sarah’s Duesenberg into Shadyside for our lunch invitation at the Philips house.

“Nice digs,” West joked as we pulled up in front of the gray and white mansion that took up most of a city block.

Sarah shrugged. “I suspect it’s been in the family for a while. The company was founded by the current owners’ fathers. I guess it’s a lucrative business.”

A servant came to park the car, registering surprise when he realized that Sarah had been behind the wheel and not a hired driver. She was clearly enjoying the novelty of Steven having a few days off.

“Mrs. Harrison, Mr. West, Mr. Mack. You’re expected and precisely on time,” a butler said, welcoming us into the home’s grand foyer. “Right this way, please.”

We followed him into a large dining room, set for five. The door opened at the far end, and two well-dressed older gentlemen entered.

I guessed their age to be mid-sixties, but both wore the years well. One man’s hair still had dark flecks among the silver, while the other had gone completely white.

“Welcome,” the darker-haired man greeted us. “Thank you for coming. I’m Glenn Philips—”

“And I’m Curtis Willard,” his companion added.

“Please—sit down,” Philips said. “I promise that my reason for inviting you here is worth your time, but before we get down to business, let’s enjoy some lighter conversation over good food.”

We chose our seats, and servants brought beverages and the first course of deviled eggs and oysters Rockefeller. Philips and Willard kept the conversation going, inquiring about our lines of business and recent travel, swapping stories with Sarah about familiar places and common acquaintances, and giving us a quick “tour” of the notable artwork and antiques in the room.

An olive platter, mixed nuts, and leek soup came next, along with a champagne cocktail.

West traded stories of his exploits with our hosts, who had quite a few adventures of their own to share. And while I felt sure that all of them gave carefully edited versions, the tales still made for a lively discussion.

I hung back, listening to the others talk—analyzing—as the main course of sugar-glazed ham, puff potatoes, and peas was served. Conversation came to a halt as we ate, and I couldn’t imagine how our host remained so slim if he dined like this every day.

“I’ve arranged to have dessert served in the parlor,” Philips said when the dishes were cleared. “We can be more comfortable and talk at our leisure.”

We followed the two men through a doorway into a well-appointed sitting room with couches and armchairs arranged around a large fireplace with an ornately carved wooden mantel. The temperatures hadn’t dropped enough for a fire to be lit, but they would soon.

Once we were seated, the butler came with a tray of cakes, coffee, and glasses of port. After such a feast, I hoped I wouldn’t struggle to stay awake, but I fully intended to enjoy the moment.

“Archie Dunning speaks well of you,” Philips said with a moue like he had revealed a great secret.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.