Castle Bravo by Karna Small Bodman

Author:Karna Small Bodman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Espionage, thriller
Publisher: Regnery Fiction
Published: 2018-07-05T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

THE WHITE HOUSE

Samantha slipped on her black strap heels and checked her makeup in the West Wing bathroom mirror. Since most White House staffers never had time to go home and change before attending a fancy dinner in town, they brought evening clothes to the office, and tonight she had to bring a very formal gown. It was a full length black sheath with a scoop neck and lace sleeves covering her arms. Can’t wear too much décolletage in this White House. A conservative, understated look was expected. She brushed out her mane of long hair, the color of nutmeg, and pinned it back off her face with a pair of pearl barrettes. She grabbed her evening bag and headed downstairs.

She walked along the colonnade next to the Rose Garden and entered the ground floor of the public rooms. As she walked up the steps to the Cross Hall, she saw that some of the guests had already arrived by way of the North Portico, although the president, first lady, and the guests of honor, the president and first lady of Poland had yet to make their entrance down the grand staircase from the private quarters. The Marine Band, clad in their usual bright red jackets with gold buttons, was playing a George Gershwin tune near the entrance. As she surveyed the scene, she realized that while every single guest in the room had to be positively thrilled to be invited to a White House State dinner, she was here only out of duty and obligation. Staff members didn’t get invited to many of these affairs, but now that she was the assistant to the president for Homeland Security, she was included from time to time. And anyone receiving a White House invitation knew it was more like a summons than an invitation. You attended unless you were in the hospital on life support.

One of the black tie clad waiters passed in front of her with offerings of wine and champagne. She took a glass of Chablis and sauntered into the Red Room. When she got her first White House job, she had been so excited, she’d read an entire book on its history. Now as she mingled with the other guests admiring the Empire furniture and the portrait of Dolly Madison hanging over the fireplace, she remembered that this was the room where Rutherford B. Hayes took the oath of office way back in the 1800’s.

She didn’t see anyone she wanted to talk to in that room, so she strolled next door to the oval Blue Room where they always put the White House Christmas tree because the room had 18 foot ceilings. Now that it was summer, the room served as the traditional place where the president and first lady usually stood for photos. The staff called that the “Grip and Grin” routine. She glanced over at the Hannibal clock on the white marble mantel and saw that it was probably time for the grand entrance so she walked back out to the Cross Hall, and there they were.

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