Chapter 22
“You’ll be late for work tomorrow.” Cassie said through a yawn.
“I left a message on Eleanor’s answering machine telling her not to expect me until I meet with Joanne at eleven. I haven’t scheduled any meetings in the morning until mid-September so I can take the time to read through all of the client files and make notes.”
“I forgot to ask. How did the golf game go?”
“I shot 101, which put me fifth of the eight of us. Not bad considering I’ve only played a few times this year and it was an unfamiliar course.”
“I meant from the business side. Will you get to keep them as clients when Charles finally retires?”
“The real test will be when we have the tax planning meetings in the fall but they all seemed like decent people. There was one guy I might have to drop but Charles says he’s gotten greedy in the past couple of years.” Cassie made encouraging noises as she brushed out her hair, so Frank continued. “If I refuse to help Dad cheat the system there’s no way I’d help anyone else cheat, either. Charles feels the same. He said that some of his former clients didn’t understand that.”
Cassie sat down at her vanity and began to put her hair in a loose braid. “Thank you for jumping to conclusions at supper.”
“Sometimes you get lucky,” Frank said modestly.
Cassie tied off her braid and came forward to give him a hug. “No. I mean it. Thank you so much. That horrid man had her trapped in the bathroom when we showed up. I don’t think we’d have gotten anywhere if you hadn’t called Alain. And that awful woman was threatening Carmen with deportation if she changed jobs and was demanding money back from her because her work was so bad. Good thing Trevor knows something about immigration law and Carmen had her passport and visa locked in Josefina’s car.”
“What do you mean she was threatening Carmen?”
“Oh, she used some awful language, calling Carmen a whore and a lazy slut who wasn’t worth any of the money they paid her and worse that I’m not going to repeat. She said it was Carmen’s fault that her brother was hitting on her, dressing like a hooker, even though it was her husband who insisted that Carmen dress like that when they had guests.”
Frank looked down into his wife’s face. “I didn’t know you spoke Spanish.”
Cassie shrugged. “I speak lots of languages. It’s what happens when a building full of immigrant widows care for you after school.”
“So it was more than just cooking lessons?”
“Yep. Mrs. Bountoulous and her mother taught me Greek so Parayiayia could talk to me. I would have been four or five, I guess, when they started teaching me, just before Dad left us the first time. They used to babysit me when Granny couldn’t. There weren’t any other kids in the building so I had, like, six or seven grandmothers. Mrs. Robertson taught me French and etiquette, Mrs. Soares taught me Portuguese and deportment and when Mrs. Hosseini started to take her turn I learned basic Arabic and Farsi although she didn’t teach me any cooking because she had Parkinson’s and couldn’t demonstrate anything. But she let me use her piano. Mrs. Lepinsky taught me Polish and how to embroider. Mrs. Rodriguez took over Mrs. Hosseini’s apartment when she had to move to assisted care. Abuela is from the Dominican Republic and we used to dance together. I’m told I have a weird accent when I speak Spanish.” Cassie yawned.
“You must have been a very serious kid.”
Cassie yawned again. “I suppose I was. Other than gym class most of the other kids my age weren’t interested in the things I was. Recess was difficult sometimes, especially in Grade 8. There aren’t many blonde kids in the Kensington Market area. It was weird to be in Norway and not stand out. Anyway, I’m glad we rescued Carmen from that awful family.”
“I’ll make sure Carmen gets all of her back pay.”
“And if you don’t get reimbursed?”
“Then her former employers may find it very difficult to get approval to hire another au pair.” He got a satisfied smile. “They might still find it difficult if Carmen reports on the working conditions. Alain is going to try to convince Carmen to file a complaint.”
“Thank you for everything tonight, Frank.” Cassie reached over and brought Frank’s face close for a long kiss that threatened to engage their passions before she cut it off. She shook her head then rested it on Frank’s shoulder as frustrated tears began to well up. “Still too scary, Frank. I’m really sorry.”
Frank held himself very still while he wrestled with his impulse to drag her back into his arms. Then he sighed and said, “Apology accepted.” He steered her towards the bed. “On the other hand, I’m encouraged.”
Cassie crawled under the covers. “Oh?”
“You wouldn’t have initiated a kiss unless you were starting to trust that I’m going to keep you around.”
Cassie said, through another big yawn, “I suppose you’re right.” Then she rolled onto her side and was asleep before Frank crawled into his side.
He quietly observed his wife’s peaceful sleeping form for a while then sent up a prayer of thanks for his good fortune in finding Cassie and a petition for even more patience before turning out the light and pulling up the covers.
———
Frank stood near the windows overlooking Major’s Hill Park admiring his lovely wife as she chatted with animation to a twenty-something woman with Mediterranean features and wavy black hair. There was a pleased smile on both their faces as Cassie took her leave and searched the crowd for her husband.
Frank waved and Cassie’s face brightened with a beaming smile. Frank returned the smile as he watched her glide gracefully towards him. He made a mental note to let her know that her dark green cocktail dress was very flattering. He greeted her with a brief kiss as she took her place beside him.
Cassie took in Frank’s very fit form in the tuxedo and felt a wave of possessiveness that startled her. She adopted a smug smile as she took note of the envious looks that many of the women were casting her way.
She slipped her arm into Frank’s and spoke softly so that only he could hear. “I’m so glad we were able to practice being together in public before we got here, especially those arts functions with your mother.”
Frank gave her a fond smile to mask his confusion. “Why does that matter?”
“Because this is where we live and these are the people we will be dealing with for at least the next ten years.” Frank felt hope and satisfaction at her reference to the future. She gave his arm a squeeze. “It gets easier to pretend this is normal each time we’re in public.”
Now Frank was confused. “But this is normal.”
Cassie gave him an affectionate bump with her hip. “It is for us and for our real friends but you still get the ‘dirty old man’ look from too many people.”
“Ah.” Frank scanned the hall without being too obvious about it. “I see what you mean. But you’re getting leered at by actual dirty old men.”
“I thought it would be more annoying but as long as they don’t stand too close to me and keep their hands to themselves I can handle it. But I’m not the only one. Meghan still gets a lot of that kind of attention and so does the Greek ambassador’s daughter. She told me she didn’t expect that here.”
“So that’s who you were talking with.”
“Yes. Marina invited us to tea when we have time. It was nice to be able to practice my Greek again.”
“Speaking of which, have you spoken with your extra grandmothers recently?”
Cassie looked mortified. “No. I haven’t. Gord wouldn’t let me keep in touch and I got out of the habit. I should have thought of it the day we got married.”
“I’d like to meet them.”
“And I’m certain they would love to meet you.” Cassie bounced a little. “I’ll call tomorrow. Maybe we can visit soon.”
Frank said, “I’d love to meet them. And there are lots of fun things to do in Toronto.”
Henry Menzies sauntered over to them. “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. E
llis.” He stationed himself next to Frank. “Ah, to be newlyweds and have an excuse to stay close to each other.”
“You could stay close to Anne.”
“But I can also use the excuse of a long marriage to avoid my wife’s annoying relations.” He raised his glass in a toast towards his wife who returned it with a long-suffering smile. “Her cousin Diana and I do not get along because my company profits from evil by making oil rigs and military equipment. We do just fine for about twenty minutes, until politics or the environment is mentioned. I’ve agreed to disagree with her but she hasn’t shown me the same courtesy yet.” Henry shrugged. “So how are you holding up, Cassie?”
“There are some interesting people here tonight. Meghan introduced me to some of them, including other young women who are new to this level of society. So far I haven’t noticed that I’ve been treated any differently, except by the single men because I’m married and they aren’t.”
Frank added, “I, on the other hand, being one of ‘those’ Ellises, have gotten any number of ‘what does he see in her?’ looks.”
Henry smiled. “Other than her intelligence, poise, charm and youthful good looks? Hey, I’d marry her for her cooking, if she was available.” Cassie started to glare but recognized that Henry was teasing them. “
Frank patted Cassie’s hand. “We were just talking about visiting with her Granny’s neighbours who helped to raise her. I only found out recently that they not only taught her to cook but they also taught her their languages. Cassie speaks, what, eight languages?”
Cassie shrugged and mentally counted them off. “I speak six fluently and can get by in another four. And I picked up a Norwegian for beginners package this summer. Granny’s neighbours agreed to look after me on some sort of rotation while she was managing the neighbourhood thrift store. I spent more time with them than I did with Granny, until she got sick enough that she had to stay home.”
Henry gave her a look of sympathy and moved to her side to ask if she’d found a school to attend. Frank took another tiny sip of the unexpectedly good house wine and scanned the crowd to see a familiar face breezing towards him.
Frank went on alert and felt Cassie stiffen in response to his tension. He prepared for an incident as a woman in a slinky dress who appeared to be in her thirties gave him air kisses and a brief hug. In an overly familiar voice, she said, “Frank, darling. How wonderful to see you. Are you visiting Ottawa for long?”
Frank returned Cecilia’s predatory smile with a polite one and said, “Actually, I’ve just moved here and bought into a small accounting practice.” Then he turned to Cassie and said, “Cassie, love, I’d like you to meet Cecilia, Baroness von Hatzbach. Lady Cecilia, this is my wife, Cassandra.”
Cassie assumed her most polite public face and said, “Pleased to meet you.”
Cecilia let a look of shocked envy cross her face briefly before donning her own mask of politeness. “Charmed.” Then, deliberately ignoring Cassie, she turned to Frank and said, in a tone that implied he’d committed a social gaffe, “So why wasn’t I invited to the wedding?”
Frank returned her smile in a way that implied she was out of line. “It was a very small wedding with only a few friends present.” He let the implication that Cecilia wasn’t one of his friends hang in the air.
Tony Leonidas came over to join them. He gave Cassie a leering once-over and said, “So, Frank, this must be the young lady that your father was telling me about last week when we met at a Canadian Club lunch in Toronto.”
Frank tightened his control at Cassie’s reassuring touch. “Tony. Good to see you out tonight. Have you met my wife Cassandra?” He asked this knowing full well that Tony hadn’t.
“No. I haven’t had the pleasure.” Tony offered a hand to a hesitant Cassie then held on too long for a polite greeting.
“Cassie, this is Tony Leonidas. He was the person I reported to at the Menzies head office when I was working for Alawen.”
Cassie was very glad that she’d been able to practice her social masks in Halifax. “Pleased to meet you,” she said, in a tone that approximated sincerity.
Henry, mildly disgusted with Tony’s leering, asked, in a pointed tone, “Where’s your lovely wife this evening, Tony?”
Tony looked past Cassie to see Henry’s disapproving face and assumed a more guarded expression. “She offered to take care of the grandchildren so Cecilia could attend.”
“That was kind of her.”
Cecilia said, “She’s such a doting grandmother. I hope that your mother will be as involved with your children, Frank.”
Frank said, “Mother has been a great help with Bonnie’s three. But we’ll have to wait a while to find out for ourselves.”
“And what about your mother, Cassandra? Will she be able to help?”
Cassie allowed a brief flash of sadness cross her face. “I doubt that she will. Her health is not the best.”
Cecilia gave an insincere look of sympathy and said, “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope she gets better soon.”
Cassie allowed her focus to draw inward and said a heartfelt, “So do I.”
Frank put Cassie’s hand on his arm and said, “Cassie, I just spotted Charles and Ginette chatting with the Speaker of the House. I don’t think you’ve met Ginette yet or James. We should go say hello.”
“Yes we should.” Then with a polite nod, they walked away.
When they were far enough away, Frank asked, “Are you okay?”
Cassie replied in a low voice, “I think so. I don’t have any of the Baroness’s makeup under my fingernails so at least that part was a success.”
Frank replied, in a quiet aside, “And I don’t have any of Tony’s teeth sticking out of my hand, so I’d have to say we were both successful.” They looked at each other and began to laugh away their tension. Charles looked up and made to welcome them.