you all this week to thank you personally.”
The stag has returned to the candelabra where he melts back into the filigree base and is still. I avert my gaze. Concentrate, Beth. You’re not going mad. You’re not going mad.
“Did anyone else see that? ” I ask the room.
Sebastian is pulling me down onto the chair. He looks frosty, his eyes molten. The room is silent. “Elizabeth. Darling. Drink some water.”
“I don’t need water, ” I hiss. “I told you not to make me stand up and do a speech.”
“You’re drunk and you’re embarrassing me, ” he rebukes in a low growl.
Polite chatter resumes and the following courses are served without further embarrassment on my part.
Ten o’clock strikes on the grandfather clock in the hall, and we are all instructed to re-mask, then ushered through to the morning room, which has been cleared of furniture and a wooden dance floor laid. The room looks magnificent, the tiger lilies displayed in all their glory in tall vases on pedestals. Swathes of fabric in gold, burnt orange, red and black drape from the ceiling forming an exotic marquee over the dance floor itself.
Our guests, replete and slightly drunk and resplendent in their masks and finery, appear to have few inhibitions and in no time the dance floor is shaking with the moves of the dancers and vibrating with the beat of the live band.
Sebastian is being decidedly cool toward me since I apparently humiliated him at dinner. I decide he is being most disingenuous. It is after all my birthday and he provided the champagne and wine, knowing that it goes straight to my head.
“What a fabulous party, ” Ruth gushes excitedly. “So many interesting people and I think I’ve got a couple of leads for the business. Terry and Barbara someone are looking for a senior manager. I’ve given my business card. Then I was talking to a pompous man called Paul, who said his investment company needs some personnel so he has my card too. It’s all good, Beth.”
It’s difficult to concentrate on what Ruth is saying because the room keeps shrinking most disconcertingly. I don’t recall it being this small. Perhaps because of the tented dance floor it appears reduced, but that doesn’t explain why I can physically see the walls moving inward. I grasp Ruth’s arm, alarmed at the speed with which the room shrinks.
“Do you see that? ” I ask her, my eyes wide with fear.
“See what? Beth, what’s the matter? ” She sounds fearful, so she must see it too.
“The room. It’s closing in on us. Something weird is going on here. Fuck, we’ve got to get out. Get everyone out before we’re all crushed. ” My eyes dart from wall to ceiling to floor, to the people dancing who don’t seem to care.
“Beth! Listen to me. The room is not shrinking. Do you hear me? ” She’s shaking me. Why does everyone shake me, like I’m nuts or something? Shaking me will not make the room stop shrinking.
The people in masks are looking at me. Staring. Weird grotesque masks made of snakes and blood and amidst them all is Sebastian. He’s dancing with Scarlett, holding her close, his lips whispering against her ear, oblivious to the danger which is befalling us all. What’s he whispering to her? How much he loves her? Fuck them both; let them be crushed!
“Beth, stop it! You’re scaring me. What’s happened to you? Is it grief? Oh shit, where’s Sebastian?”
She’s looking around for him but he’s right there on the dance floor. Oh, he’s gone. I catch a glimpse of Scarlett’s black dress in the hallway. I need to follow her. Need to catch them together, confront them. Pulling free of Ruth, I make haste after Scarlett. I feel guilty leaving Ruth in danger but she’s a big girl, she can take care of herself. Ruth tries to stop me but I break away, and the masks watch me run.
The swish of black satin vanishes through the door to Sebastian’s study making it apparent that he’s taking her to the chamber. They’re
The stag has returned to the candelabra where he melts back into the filigree base and is still. I avert my gaze. Concentrate, Beth. You’re not going mad. You’re not going mad.
“Did anyone else see that? ” I ask the room.
Sebastian is pulling me down onto the chair. He looks frosty, his eyes molten. The room is silent. “Elizabeth. Darling. Drink some water.”
“I don’t need water, ” I hiss. “I told you not to make me stand up and do a speech.”
“You’re drunk and you’re embarrassing me, ” he rebukes in a low growl.
Polite chatter resumes and the following courses are served without further embarrassment on my part.
Ten o’clock strikes on the grandfather clock in the hall, and we are all instructed to re-mask, then ushered through to the morning room, which has been cleared of furniture and a wooden dance floor laid. The room looks magnificent, the tiger lilies displayed in all their glory in tall vases on pedestals. Swathes of fabric in gold, burnt orange, red and black drape from the ceiling forming an exotic marquee over the dance floor itself.
Our guests, replete and slightly drunk and resplendent in their masks and finery, appear to have few inhibitions and in no time the dance floor is shaking with the moves of the dancers and vibrating with the beat of the live band.
Sebastian is being decidedly cool toward me since I apparently humiliated him at dinner. I decide he is being most disingenuous. It is after all my birthday and he provided the champagne and wine, knowing that it goes straight to my head.
“What a fabulous party, ” Ruth gushes excitedly. “So many interesting people and I think I’ve got a couple of leads for the business. Terry and Barbara someone are looking for a senior manager. I’ve given my business card. Then I was talking to a pompous man called Paul, who said his investment company needs some personnel so he has my card too. It’s all good, Beth.”
It’s difficult to concentrate on what Ruth is saying because the room keeps shrinking most disconcertingly. I don’t recall it being this small. Perhaps because of the tented dance floor it appears reduced, but that doesn’t explain why I can physically see the walls moving inward. I grasp Ruth’s arm, alarmed at the speed with which the room shrinks.
“Do you see that? ” I ask her, my eyes wide with fear.
“See what? Beth, what’s the matter? ” She sounds fearful, so she must see it too.
“The room. It’s closing in on us. Something weird is going on here. Fuck, we’ve got to get out. Get everyone out before we’re all crushed. ” My eyes dart from wall to ceiling to floor, to the people dancing who don’t seem to care.
“Beth! Listen to me. The room is not shrinking. Do you hear me? ” She’s shaking me. Why does everyone shake me, like I’m nuts or something? Shaking me will not make the room stop shrinking.
The people in masks are looking at me. Staring. Weird grotesque masks made of snakes and blood and amidst them all is Sebastian. He’s dancing with Scarlett, holding her close, his lips whispering against her ear, oblivious to the danger which is befalling us all. What’s he whispering to her? How much he loves her? Fuck them both; let them be crushed!
“Beth, stop it! You’re scaring me. What’s happened to you? Is it grief? Oh shit, where’s Sebastian?”
She’s looking around for him but he’s right there on the dance floor. Oh, he’s gone. I catch a glimpse of Scarlett’s black dress in the hallway. I need to follow her. Need to catch them together, confront them. Pulling free of Ruth, I make haste after Scarlett. I feel guilty leaving Ruth in danger but she’s a big girl, she can take care of herself. Ruth tries to stop me but I break away, and the masks watch me run.
The swish of black satin vanishes through the door to Sebastian’s study making it apparent that he’s taking her to the chamber. They’re
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