Imagining Us

Ch. 34- To the Slaughter

Esi stared in amazement as Luke led her through the foyer. No doubt that the house was previously built. She could see the history scattered as she walked—from the wooden ceiling beams down to the Egyptian rug that ran along the length of the corridor that they walked. However, there were some modern fixtures overhead. By some miracle, they didn;t clash, and she could see the care and personal touches placed into the choices.

"London," Luke tugged her arm. "I'll give you a tour later...Dinner is about to start." She hadn't realized that he was trying to get her attention.

"Sorry...I was just taking in the interior design."

"Ah...my mom did it," he told her. "My father surprised her with this house and gave her free reign."

"It's lovely...I can just imagine the rest of it."

They entered into a parlor, the west wall made completely of glass windows and a door looking onto a patio surrounded by a garden that she didn't doubt was beautiful in the daytime.

There were seats and a table—a small fireplace was lit to warm the room. On the mantle above the fireplace was a sculpture flanked by plants.

"This is a waiting room," Luke gestured around the room. "Our guests sit here before they are ushered in to dinner, but because you've been dawdling—he grinned down at her—you don't get to enjoy the ambience."

"I did not dawdle," she retorted.

"Seriously though, it really was supposed to be the two of us tonight, but the master of the house decided to show hospitality," he said sarcastically.

Luke led her through the parlor and to the entrance of the dining room. They stood adjacent to the entrance—the panel wall shielding them from those in the room.

His response was interrupted by the sound of platters accompanied by the French ramblings of a woman. The woman was mumbling about the lack of help that the man gave.

Esi heard a man, whose voice sounded distinctly like Mr. Turner's grumble about the woman being an ungrateful wench.

Luke palmed his forehead. "They are always at it...sometimes I wonder if they're secretly in love with each other or something."

A throat cleared and the bickering ceased.

"Must I remind you two that we're having a guest for dinner?" A posh British accent spoke. "Delphine? Teddy?"

"No sir," they mumbled.

"Let's not scare her off before she realizes how dysfunctional we are." She felt when Luke tensed next to her—a reaction to the man's words.

"Have any of you heard from the other one?" the man asked.

Whatever they responded, Esi couldn't hear. Luke, however, knew the answer because she felt when his body tensed at the question. Or maybe that was in response to the fact that he knew any talk of Porte would make her uncomfortable.

"We should probably head in before we are summoned," he said as he gently removed her arm from his.

"After you,'' Luke gestured to the doorway.

Not him sending her to the slaughter first.

"Don't worry...I'm right behind you."

She took a deep breath and entered the room.

Esi froze as she looked at the occupants, and the only name that flew through her mind was Porte Danvers.

A/N

A bit of a short one today!

Enjoy!