“Too many men on one end of the table I think,” Renata said when she looked at their first seating diagram.
“Then you’ll sit next to Busacca across from Arcangelo and we’ll put Carmela next to him. I hope for your sake he’s changed the bandages on his foot and ankle, but the aroma of your cooking will mask its sourness, I hope.”
“Mama!”
“Who should we place next to you?” Renata asked.
“Francoise Valois on my right, the inspector on my left.”
“I’m beginning to see the reason for this dinner, Renata said.
“Connections and work, of course. What else is there?” Serafina asked.
“What about friendship and conviviality, the love of food and wine, the celebration of light?” Renata asked.
“Of course, my sweetness, but we must also make room for conniving. We have to live, don’t we?” She threw this last part out to Rosa who had entered.
“What are you so worried about? Loffredo’s loaded and he’s your husband now. That makes you a countess. Better start acting like one. The French love aristocracy, you know. You need a new wardrobe and you should be frequenting the parks with your nose held high and show a little more of your decollete, especially now that the weather is warm. You cover everything up. Countesses don’t do that. What’s wrong with Giulia, she should be designing daring frocks for you? Instead, you wear a long face and sit inside hunched and fretting. Leave Oltramari behind you and live. And by the way, I’ve just had a letter from Scarpo who watches both our houses and takes care that the guards are properly stationed. All is well.”
“Except for Carlo,” Serafina said. “I feel it.”
Rosa said nothing.
“Then help us plan the meal.”
The madam rubbed her hands together and spoke to Renata. “Create something worthy of Paris in the summer, but of course you will. And no pasta, please. Not a time to show off Sicilian cuisine. You’ve been to Les Halles, haven’t you?”
“Every day. The vendors tip their hats to me now.”
Serafina stopped her reverie and looked at her watch. Two minutes to eight. Time to receive her guests. She walked back and whispered in Loffredo’s ear. “Bet on the first to arrive?”
“I say the Valois family.”
She shook her head. “Giulia, perhaps, or Busacca, but of course never Carmela.”
“Not fair, choose one.”
“Busacca, then.”
He kissed her. “And we bet for what?”
“The usual,” she said.
“Either way, I win.”
The Valois were the first to arrive, followed quickly by Busacca. The butler took their things and showed them to the parlor and there were introductions, hugs and kisses and more commotion when Carmela and Giulia arrived, then Rosa and Tessa.
“The last to arrive are those who travel the least.”
“Who said that?”
“I just did.”
They formed small groups or looked out the window at the view, the bustle of traffic below, in awe of the luminous quality of the summer sky. Valois took Loffredo aside and began a conversation. Serafina watched Loffredo nodding as Valois spoke but was too busy to hear them. Presently Valois laughed and clapped Loffredo on the back and the two men shook hands. She complimented Francoise on her dress, a blue silk in summer weight that matched her eyes. For her part, Francoise admired the view and the furniture.
“You had to kill for this room, eh, Serafina?” Valois said, stroking his lapel.
“Not me, but someone had to.” She introduced Francoise to Carmela and Giulia.
“Giulia is the designer at the House of Grinaldi.”
“Madame, your dress is stunning,” Giulia said. “So light and summery,” she said, hugging Tessa who joined the group and wore a dusky pink of light silk with overskirts of organza. “I don’t think it’s one of ours, but quite lovely and fits you perfectly.”
“And Mama, have you nothing better to wear?” Giulia asked.
“But you made it, Giulia. Now you don’t like your own work?”
“It’s seven years old.”
Serafina shrugged.
Rosa was wearing a new gown of green linen and made room for Busacca.
“Good to see you, Levi. You’ve been up to no good, I can see by your eyes.”
“Why is it that La Grinaldi will not recommend my millinery to her clients?” Busacca asked, a twinkle in his eye despite his arm band.
“Now she does,” Carmela said and Giulia nodded. “We took care of that, Levi, and intend to pay our respects to all the houses of fashion. Time to go back to Palermo. Your wife misses you.”
“I leave a week from yesterday, now that my business is in the competent hands of your family. Vicenzu and Ricci work well together and David is learning to spend in order to make.”
“And Sophie?”
He shook his head. “Not a dinner subject, but she’ll come around. She insists she and her oldest son are innocent of all wrongdoing.”
Serafina, Rosa, and Francoise worked together to change the subject.
“And Tessa?”
“The summer of course but she’s making the conservatory into her studio and hopes to join Academie Julian as soon as she has a portfolio. My girl is happy; I’m happy. We bask in the gaiety of Paris.”
Two servants walked around the room offering hors d’oeuvres while Rosa’s butler, helping out for the evening along with two of her maids, carried trays of champagne flutes.
“Don’t you dare, Toto,” Serafina said as he reached for a glass. Charlus looked up at his mother who shook her head. In a few minutes, he and Toto had become friends.
Loffredo toasted his guests and Valois toasted the successful end to the Gaston case. Neither Serafina nor Busacca joined in. “Not quite yet, I’m afraid, Alphonse.” The conversation paused. Francoise elbowed Valois and Busacca arched a brow.
Serafina introduced Charlus to Toto.
“We’re already friends,” Toto said.
“Charlus goes to Louis Le Grand. Show him the conservatory and the ballroom, and only take one canape at a time, please, and no champagne for you. Ah, here are two flutes with mineral water. Perhaps he can point out his school for you while there’s still light. And take Teo and Maria with you.” She saw Teo’s face flush and Maria toss her curls.
“The sun doesn’t set until 9:58 tonight.” Charlus uncovered his wrist, showing a gold watch with a large face. In the middle was a sun turning into the moon and stars. Serafina looked from Charlus to Toto, who looked from the wrist of his friend to his mother.
“Such a nice watch, Charlus,” Serafina said.
“A gift for my birthday last week.”
“And we didn’t know.”
“See?” he asked, showing the watch to Toto, “we have almost two hours.”
“But how much time, precisely?” Alphonse asked. He and Loffredo had finished their corner conversation and were now looking at Charlu’s wrist.
“One hour and fifty-seven minutes,” Toto said, taking a deviled egg, popping it into his mouth and helping himself to another. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“My mother says you play the piano,” Charlus said to Maria as they walked toward the door.
She nodded.
Teo followed.
Arcangelo stood at the window talking to Giulia, Carmela, and Busacca.
Taking advantage of Busacca’s absence, Valois walked up to Serafina, Francoise, and Loffredo. “One thing puzzles me,” Valois said. “Why was Dr. Tarnier treating Elena and not someone more familiar with her disease?”
“As a courtesy, and because she was with child,” Loffredo said. “He was asked by a friend of Elena, but he told me he recommended that she see Dr. Alfred Fournier, a renowned specialist in the treatment of syphilis. He is professor at the Paris Faculty of Medicine and practices at the l’Hopital de Lourcine on the Rue Pascal, but… Elena had her own mind.” He shrugged.
“Yes, I know his work.” Francoise set her champagne glass down on the tray offered to her by the maid.
They were interrupted by the butler who opened the doors. “Dinner is served, mesdames et messieurs.”