Emme and Tristan drew apart quickly. She smoothed the bow in her hair; he put his free hand in his pocket.
Lexy Harrington was standing in the doorway, a showbiz smile suppressing her rage. She shook her empty flute accusingly, as if Emme had failed her.
‘More champagne?’ she suggested, saccharine with a bite.
Emme flushed red.
‘Right on it…’ she said, as she picked up the tray and gave Tristan the briefest of looks as she went on her way. Lexy put her empty glass down on Emme’s tray as she passed her. ‘I’ll bring it over to you,’ Emme said, her deferential tone just about overriding her annoyance.
Back in the kitchen Cat was plating up beef sirloin teriyaki and duck hoisin rolls onto slates while Tiago looked concerned.
‘As the English say, she’s hammered,’ he said, almost apologetically.
‘Who’s hammered?’ Emme asked, as she placed the tray of empties next to Lydia, who was stacking dirty glasses in the glasswasher.
Cat shook her head. She did not have time for this.
Tiago looked at Emme. ‘Anastasia Steinherr, she’s hammered. Avoid her with the drinks, she looksmuito bêbada.She needs water.’
‘Got that,’ Emme said.
Cat tried to ignore the feeling of impending catastrophe and focus on her work.
‘OK, Asian round is ready,vamos! Then we move on to desserts.’ Cat clapped her hands twice.
‘Yes boss!’ Emme and Tiago chimed, stifling a laugh, but Emme’s heart was still racing from having seen Tristan.
Mika Kivvi walked into the kitchen, eyes like pinpricks.
‘Hey man, can I just get a bag of chips?’ he asked Tiago.
‘No Mika!’ Cat snapped, and he retreated into the pantry.
Emme and Tiago headed out with the next slate platters, Emme only just remembering that Lexy Harrington was waiting for her champagne.
Fuck her,she thought.
Lumi exited an upstairs bathroom, where she’d been to reapply her make-up, when she saw Walter waiting for her on a landing, leaning against a balustrade.
‘Walter!’ she gasped, then put on her hostess smile. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
‘I can’t wait any longer, I have to be with you.’
Lumi looked up and down the landing, and then over the balustrade at the party beyond the empty entrance below.
‘I’m with my family,’ she said, nervously. ‘Stella’s room is just along there…’ she motioned down the hall as he clasped her hand. ‘We have to keep things between us.’
‘I know but –’
‘Is Kiki not coming?’
Walter looked taken aback and realised it was the first time anyone had mentioned Kiki in the two hours since he’d arrived at the party. Perhaps their marriage– perhaps this Eden Roque business– could be swept under the carpet.
‘No, no…’ he said, looking a little weary. ‘It’s over, my marriage is over. When will you walk away from yours?’
‘Ah, there you are!’ Viktor said, looking up, and slightly irritated. What was Walter Steinherr doing upstairs in his home anyway? ‘I’m about to say a few words.’
Lumi blushed.
