It was the first time she’d ever heard him apologize for anything—ever. Overcome and bewildered, she could form no response except to place her hand on his and nod that she’d heard what he’d said.
“Speechless, I see.” Chuckling, he rotated his wrist to hold her hand, another gesture she could not remember him doing. “I confess that watching what happened between your cousin and her father earlier this year shook me to my core. What a tragic, criminal waste. We never know how much time we have left, so I don’t want to take it for granted. I don’t want to takeyoufor granted. Tell me, dear. You’re feeling better these days, aren’t you?”
Elsa sniffed back the emotion building in her throat. “I—” She wrestled with how much to tell him and what her motivations were. True, she felt like she’d been declining lately, but Dr. Stanhope clearly disagreed. So all she told her father was “I’m training myself to increase my stamina. It’s all very informal and unofficial, mind you, but if I stretch myself little by little, I must see improvement.”
The corners of his eyes crinkled. “I agree you must.” He had not said he was proud of her for trying, but the expression he wore said almost as much.
Encouraged, she added, “That’s why after dinner tonight, I’m meeting up with friends to amble along the beach.”
He checked his watch. “Yes, dinner. Shall we?” Rising, he offered his arm. “Reeves can bring this box to your apartment later. I’m eager for you to meet our guest. You’ll get along with him fine.”
With a sinking heart, Elsa looped her hand through his elbow. She wasn’t in the mood to meet a man he wanted to pawn her off on. She’d so much rather stay here and talk more with this new version of her father, the one who had just begun to open up.
“Five more minutes,”she wanted to say. An echo of her childhood plea when visiting her parents before her nurse ushered her off to bed. But in this house, punctuality was next to godliness and expectations ruled.
Even at twenty-six years old, Elsa still feared disappointing her father by asking for more of himself than he wanted to give.
Fixing a smile in place, she limped beside him, careful not to lean too much on his arm.
———
“Archer!” Elsa laughed in surprise to see her friend and colleague with her mother in the dining room. “I was expecting a balding widower. What a nice surprise.”
“That’s a bit of a low bar, but I’m glad you’re pleased.” He wasgolden tonight in a beige poplin suit, white teeth dazzling, and blond hair gleaming under the influence of pomade. “Even if I didn’t already know you, I couldn’t have turned down the invitation from so charming a lady as your mother.”
Speaking of charm.
“This was your idea?” Elsa asked her.
Mother smoothed the waist of her dress. “Inspired by you, but yes. You mentioned going out with this young man, and I know his mother. I thought it high time we get to know him.”
“So you see, my dear,” her father added, “the tables have turned. Instead of you meeting a stranger, it is we who have the pleasure of acquainting ourselves with a young man already your friend.”
“How refreshing.” Ten pounds seemed to lift from her shoulders. She agreed to these dinner guests out of respect for her parents but had yet to take any joy from the scrutiny.
Whether Archer was playing the squire or acting on genuine impulse, he pulled out Elsa’s chair for her, and they sat. Father joined Mother on the opposite side, then said grace over the meal they were about to receive.
“I have another surprise for you, but I don’t think you’ll mind.” Mother signaled to the footmen, who served four small bowls of soup to each of the four diners.
Elsa barely held back from wrinkling her nose at what appeared to be a liquid diet of child-size portions. Not much of a feast for company.
“I asked you to help me with planning Lauren’s wedding, but you never quite gave me an answer. No matter.” She waved a dismissive hand, her rings catching the light and casting rainbows. “I realize you’re very busy at present. So I decided that we would taste-test food from the top caterers for our dinner tonight. There’s more to come, so please save room. You have a lot to sample ahead of you.”
“That’s a genius use of time, Mother. But shouldn’t Joe be here?The groom ought to have more say in the matter than us.” Elsa hated to think they were leaving Joe out. Up until last year, her parents had considered him beneath Lauren’s attention, let alone her affections. He was from a hardworking family of Italian-German heritage and made his living as a detective for the New York Police Department. But she thought he’d won them over prior to the engagement.
“Rest assured, we invited Joe.” Father dipped his spoon into a bowl of minestrone. “He planned to come but had to cancel due to a break in a case.”
“And I’m the lucky substitute. Can’t say I’m sorry about that.” Archer grinned.
Elsa tasted a matzo ball soup. Delicious. “Did you offer to postpone the sampling so he could come?”
“Of course.” Mother dabbed a napkin to the corners of her mouth. “But he insisted we carry on with our plans, as he couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to come later, either. He said he trusts our taste, and we’re to bring him a report with our thoughts later. We even offered that his parents come, but they deferred to our judgment, as well. Besides, they have their boarders to feed every night.”
“I hear the Caravellos are excellent cooks. Are there any samples here from them?” Elsa asked.
“Patience, dear. Wait for dessert.”
“Please tell me that means we get tiramisu for the wedding cake!”
