Mrs. S and I decide to meet again after I return from Europe, having agreed that it's for the best to take the trip as soon as possible. Meanwhile, and while I'm abroad and not under the Websters' thumb, it will be easier to maintain regular contact, which she insists on, using the same line we keep for emergencies during our regular missions. Normally she would be against it, giving us relative independence, but not this time. I'm going in blind, not knowing what to expect not what I'll find out. I'm supposed to report to her on every development and this way both of us will feel safer.
Our immediate concern lies with Sarah and Felix though. They won't like that I'll be leaving, that's for sure. And they'll like it even less, when they ask me where I'm going and what the objective is, and I provide them with no answers. But it's better this way. If I lie they'll grow suspicious, and won't stop until they get to the bottom of it. So, instead, I'm to refer them to Mrs. S, she'll cover for me and try to keep them in line.
Yes, they're gonna hate it, but they know better than to go against her command. Or so we hope.
It's dusk when I return to the Estate, even if it's barely past five. Delphine's old SUV is absent and the cottage is empty. Both my partners are still working and I take these last moments of quiet to relax, knowing that once they return I'll be bombarded with questions that I cannot answer.
As a preventative measure, predicting Sarah and Felix's rage and trying to appease them by anticipation, I start on dinner. While I rarely use this ability, and not to sound too pretentious, my cooking is fucking divine. I pull all tricks out of my hat; they'll be treated with an elaborate meal. Hopefully they'll eat so much that, by the end of the dinner, they'll be too lazy to get into an argument.
Meanwhile, my brain works as quickly as my hands chopping onions, as I try to make sense of the new information I have on Delphine. From the beginning, it rubbed me the wrong way, this new version of her. She wouldn't turn into someone like her mother, especially when the young girl wasn't shy about judging so harshly. But, even so, I still don't know what it means. On one hand, I'm sort of proud that I was right about Delphine, about her hiding something - in a way, ever since I've met her, she always did. But on the other hand, it leaves me restless.
If she's not what she appears, then what is she? What's her angle? What is she doing hanging out with people like the Websters, people she doesn't even trust, or even marry one of them. With what purpose?
This new information has left me with more questions than answers and instead of increasing my trust in her, it's only made my suspicions grow. Which side is she on? If she has a side at all.
Felix and Sarah get home at the same time, but only the later joins me in the kitchen. She trots inside, immediately peeking under the lid of the pan with simmering sauce.
"How did it go?" Sarah asks, leaning against the cupboard with her eyes steady on me.
I don't stop what I'm doing. "Fine."
"Did she give you a hard time about Frenchie?"
"No, actually!" I reply pointedly. "In fact she agreed with me and says I should nourish our relationship, try to get as much information from her as I can."
"You're joking?!"
This time I stop to look at her, the stunned expression too good to miss out. "Nope!"
Sarah recovers fast though and simply shrugs. "To be honest, I agree with that," she says, picking a piece of chopped carrot and crunching it with her teeth. "My only issue with that plan if that I'm worried it'll get personal… which, obviously, it will."
"You don't know that, Sarah!" I sound annoyed, I know that, but I'm seriously disliking her lack of confidence in me.
"I do, actually!" The states firmly. "The way you look at her…"
"What about it?" My interjection comes too quickly, my temperament slipping.
""You eye-bang her," Sarah says matter-of-factually. "Every. Single. Time." She punctuates every word with a move of the finger.
"I do not!" And now it sounds like whining, which is never, ever a good sign.
"Oh, please! A blind person could see it." My partner shakes her head. "And if Mrs. S was here to see it she wouldn't be so supportive of this line of thinking, but fine, fine." she raises both her hands in surrender. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."
"Good! Cause I've decided that the best course of action is to attend that fucking engagement party," I inform her, returning to my cooking.
"Oh great!" She raises her voice. "You know what? I take it back… I absolutely know this will spiral out of control."
"Thanks!" I say with irony.
"Just… Felix better not know about this," she throws on her way out, her tone much lower. "if he does, he'll lose his shit."
We're halfway through dinner and they seem satisfied enough with the meal when I decide to inform them of my impending trip. As predicted, both of them start to raise their voices with the news, annoyed that they'll get stuck in here, while I get to travel in luxury.
"I'll be working. I can't exactly say no to Daniel, he's our boss, after all," I defend, keeping my voice calm. "Besides, I've gone through this with Mrs. S and she said if you had any problems with it to take it up with her."
Both of them scowl, but at the mention of our leader their hostility dissipates.
"How happy was she to know about your boinking the future daughter-in-law?" Felix aims his anger in a different direction.
"We're not…"
"Cosima knows she has to stay away from Delphine. Right?" Sarah cuts me off and gives me a look that tells me I better agree with her or she'll cut my head off.
"Yes!" I nod vigorously, playing into her hand. "Not that I was doing anything wrong," I add nonetheless, "but Mrs. S has made it clear."
Felix gives me a cocky smile, convinced that his little backstabbing payed off and I let it go. He's not entirely wrong, especially in light of the new and disturbing information I now have on Delphine. Even if I still believe that the events so far have been completely under my control. Sure, I may have been smitten by the gorgeous blonde, but not once have I lost perspective. I haven't divulged anything that I shouldn't have or that would compromise our covers.
So what if I've lusted after Delphine? Is not like her fiancé is suspicious of anything out of the ordinary. Quite the contrary, in fact; he's been encouraging me to get closer to Delphine. It just so happens that his intentions and mine aren't exactly the same: he wants her to forge a relationship with someone he trusts, preferably keeping her away from his brother and I want… well, I want information, of course. And what better way to get it than getting closer to his stupidly hot fiancée, right?
If nothing else, my meeting with Mrs. S had the effect of calming Felix down. No longer continuously breathing down my neck about Delphine, peace reigns amongst us. For the first time since we've arrived, the mood between the three of us is easy, conversation falls in the common topics - at least for us.
Sarah has gotten her hands on the location of the new cameras and tells us that the installation will take place in the next two days, so everything is operational in time for the party. She has also obtained the names of the guests and the list is littered with the illustrious of politics, from both sides of the aisle, and businessmen from every area, from investment bankers to the oil industry.
This will be no family affair. The Websters are a small family, all of them living on the Estate. From Delphine's side no name comes up and I tell my companions that, as far as I'm aware, only her mother is alive, and lives in France.
"It might be a good opportunity for you to get a better feel of the Websters and the circle they move in," Sarah says to me, apparently having made peace with my attending the party.
"What do you mean?" Felix looks confused, his stare moves between the two of us.
"Cosima was invited," Sarah replies immediately in a firm voice, leaving no room for Felix's protests. "She's gonna take that chance to mingle and gather some information."
"If she can take her eyes off Delphine," he murmurs.
I roll my eyes, but once again ignore his personal note. "I should do a quick search on them, see if there's anything in common amongst the guests."
"Other than wanting to kiss the ass of a rich fuck?" Sarah says, shrugging.
"Yeah, maybe some similar investments or interests," I respond. "Something must be bringing these people together other than money."
"You're making more out of this than you should," Felix interjects with a doubtful look. "Money is money, Cosima. It's power and influence!"
"Maybe…" I say thoughtfully. "But it might worth a look."
"Sure," Felix waves his hand. "You're the one who has all the time in the world. You get to travel, attend fancy parties while we work like slaves."
I snort and he pouts. "What's gonna be your job at the party, anyway?" I ask.
"I'll be working at the door and coordinate the security team," is Sarah's answer. "Felix will be part of the team and work the floor."
"Oh the joy!" He says over dramatically, throwing both his hands in the air. "While Cosima will be enjoying the expensive wine and hors d'oeuvres."
"Life is so unfair to you, Fee," I tease him lightly and he gives me the middle finger.
Monday I schedule a meeting with Daniel, during which I inform him of my reconsideration about attending the party. He seems pleased with my change of heart and his mood improves when I tell him of my plan to leave for Poland the day after that.
"This is great news, Cosima!" He says cheerfully from his chair on the opposite side of the desk.
"Yes, my flight leaves early for to Zurich, and from there to Warsaw," I explain. "I should arrive early afternoon."
"Great! Lets find out what Mr. Baczkowski is all about," Daniel says. "Do you know where to start?"
I cross my legs and sit back on the chair. I didn't expect to take so long with Daniel, but I suppose it's reasonable that he asks about my plans. Fortunately, I'm prepared for this, having already started to think about what I'll do once I get there.
"I'm going to try to set some meetings with previous business partners," I tell him. "But I doubt I'll get much from them. It has been my experience that the more the spotlight is on you, the more careful you'll get." I watch as his eyes land on me more intensely than before, his wide smile falters for a brief instant.
"Our best bet will be to look at the beginning of his career," I continue, ignoring the alarms going off inside my head. "That's where we're more likely to find some dirt: on his way up. Once at the top, he'd be more mindful of his steps." I stop and shake my head, putting on a smile and trying to relieve the tension. "If the rumours are true, of course. For all we know, he could be squeaky clean and that's what we want, right?"
"Right!" He nods, the uncertainty still showing in his eyes. "But we must be sure!" Daniel insists.
"And we will," I assure him. "If there's anything on him, I'll find it."
At least I sound more certain than what I feel. Truth is, I don't have much to go on, just a few names taken from the newspaper clips Daniel himself provided me with. But I need to start somewhere and this seems as good a plan as any. Once there, I'll try to track the Polish businessman's steps, hopefully get his first attempts at breaking into the world. What I said to Daniel is exactly what I think: Mariusz Baczkowski's illegal activities would've been more obvious in his early years. My only problem with this plan is how am I gonna get this information. But that's a problem to solve once I'm there. It's a flawed plan, but it's a plan nonetheless.
Besides, I'm counting on Mrs. S to give me some more information. By her reaction to the name I can easily conclude he's no stranger to her. Perhaps together we can gather enough information to satisfy Daniel's inquiry, while at the same time shed some light onto our own situation.
The days leading to the party don't feel quite tight. Apart from the construction crew still working on the garage, the Estate sees a number of strangers coming and going. Two men come to install the new CCTV system, driving around the entire property in a golf cart, a ladder on the rooftop and place the high-tech, wireless, water resistant cameras atop old, high trees. A catering company has started to work on the preparation for the big event, and supply vans are a constant, entering and exiting the main gate.
Sarah and Felix are always busy, coordinating efforts to make sure everything goes without a hitch during the reception of the influential figures, while the Websters remain ignorant that the type of people they're working so hard to keep out have already been invited to work on the Estate's security. Not only that; they continue to be completely oblivious that the biggest threat could come from none other than the fiancée for whom they're throwing the party.
I watch everything from the living room's window, sitting on the couch, the personal computer that I brought with me on my legs, but the quick search I do on the names in the guest list doesn't raise any red flags. At the same time, I make the last preparations for the trip abroad; reserving the plane ticket, a suite at Hotel Rialto - no need to be cheap when someone else is paying, especially when I don't know how long I'll be staying - feeling restless about using my real identity. At least the Irish nationality Mrs. S fabricated to me years ago will grant me free pass in Europe and I don't need to worry about visas. No one has bothered to question an Irish with Niehaus for last name. Gotta love globalization.
One thing that I can't help but notice is Delphine's absence. The blonde doesn't seem to want anything to do with the organization of her own engagement party. She has come over briefly one afternoon, but left quickly and, as far as I've seen, remains notably absent during the preparation for the celebration.
My decision about attending the engagement had changed the moment I left Mrs. S, and that's when I took to buy myself a dress. The guests have already arrived and I suspect the party is in full swing when I eye myself in the mirror, the earthly pattern dress, full of dark yellows and light browns hug my figure tightly up to the mid thigh and showing a generous but respectable cleavage. Fortunately my hair doesn't require much maintenance when I need to put it up, still, I take a while to twist them to form a perfect circle on the back of my head. The black high heels match the thick stockings that will help with the cold, raising me a few inches. One last look in the mirror, adjusting the glasses and I'm ready to go.
The front door is open, Sarah and a big, black fellow of the security team stand at the front, both of them fully dressed in black and with earpieces. She checks something on the tablet she's holding without saying anything, her eyes hardly leave my figure.
"Eyes on the prize, Cos," she whispers at me, low enough for the man on the other side of the door doesn't hear.
"How are things?" I ask her loud, ignoring her remark.
"This has to be the most boring party ever thrown," she answers and this time the man hears it, snickering at he comment.
The great hall is well lit. A bar has been placed in front of the kitchen door and the big dining room doors are wide open. The large table has disappeared to make room for the party attendants to move around unrestricted. Waiters in tuxedos wander around the guests with silver trays of finger food and drinks. The library door is closed, probably locked, and the stairwell that leads to the upper levels is blocked by the typical velvet rope. Next to it, a string quartet that no one pays attention to, plays.
What immediately stands out is the gender separation. Men in groups with other men and women form several circles, talking amongst themselves while sipping white wine. The weirdest sensation that I'm back in high school comes to me and I chuckle to myself, shaking my head as I go to the bar. The bartender makes a big deal out of preparing me the sparkling water that I order and places it in front of me with a grand gesture. I turn around and face the hall, in the corner of my eye I spot Felix, sharply dressed with impeccably styled hair. He gives me a pointed stare and I just give him a subtly thumbs up. He can be an asshole sometimes, but he knows how to look good.
"Is this the saddest party you've ever seen, or what?"
At my side, Will leans against the bar countertop, the glass in his hands filled to the brim with an amber liquid and a single ice cube.
"I really don't think people are supposed to enjoy these sort of events," I say looking at him with an easy smile on my lips.
"Right! It's all about the bride and groom." He nods and laughs, his red rimmed eyes assure me he's not completely sober. "Or just the groom, in this case. I doubt Delphine knows anyone around here."
"She knows you," I say meekly.
"And you!" Will aims a finger my way. "I've noticed you two have become quite close."
I struggle to maintain the eye contact. "Your brother's afraid she's getting bored," I offer as an explanation, my voice rises a couple of octaves but hopefully he doesn't realize it over the sound of the guests and his intoxicated mind.
"No shit!" The youngest Webster doesn't show any signs of reading my hesitation. "My brother has gotta be the most boring person on Earth. To this day I have no idea how he could've convinced someone like Delphine to marry him."
I raise an amused brow. "Well… there's gotta be something, right?"
"You know… usually my first guess would be money," Will says without pause, his tongue well lubricated, and his mind more unguarded than I initially thought. "But I tried my luck with her before Daniel came into play and she was… extremely unresponsive."
"You met her first?" I ask, suddenly very interested in the casual conversation.
"We knew each other back when we were kids," he continues to talk. "And I ran into her back in New York, started to talk… you know, for old times sake." He winks suggestively. "But there was never anything other than the occasional coffee, just hanging out. Then, one day, Daniel tags along and… swear to God… they just hit it off right away."
"So, in a way, you introduced them." I try to coax more out of him.
"Yeah! And did my dear brother ever thank me for introducing him to what has to be the hottest woman he has ever laid eyes in?" He asks rhetorically. "Hell no! Fucking bastard!" He finishes with a laugh and a liberal swing of his glass.
"It wasn't meant to be, Will." I sympathetically pat his shoulder and motivate another fit of laughter from him.
"It's probably better this way," he continues in a joking manner. "I'd never made an honest woman out of her. Isn't that right, big brother?"
I turn around to find Daniel standing behind me, dressed in an elegant gray suit, traditional white shirt and deep blue tie, the forced smile on his lips doesn't meet his eyes.
"Yes, quite right!" Daniel answers, before he looks at me and his expression softens. "Glad you could make it, Cosima."
"Sure…" I reply vaguely, my attention elsewhere.
Delphine is but a few steps behind and everything falls to the background when I lay my eyes on her. Breathtaking in the dress we chose, her lean figure moves with natural ease, every delicious curve of her body on subtle display and claiming attention. Her blonde curls exquisitely pulled up, the light make-up allows the vision of her natural beauty, the lustful lips in ruby-red. Delicate, but toned shoulders sway with her steps, the cleavage of the dress a feast for the eyes. My body tenses irrationally, the hand holding the glass grips tightly and I can't keep my eyes from admiring her figure.
"Cosima," she says in a low voice, a brow raises when my eyes finally reach hers.
She's not pleased, that much is obvious. Her bright beautiful eyes narrow just scarcely, her jaw set to restrain her emotions. The quiet fury doesn't make her any less appealing.
"I suppose congratulations are in order," I say, feeling more delighted than I should.
"Thank you!" She answers abruptly enough for my smirk to grow wider.
"Do you have a date yet?" I ask casually, my discomfort swallowed down with a sip of the sparkling water.
"No, not yet," Daniel answers looking at the blonde with hopeful eyes. "We can't seem to agree on it. But Delphine is keen on having a late spring wedding."
The last word feels like a punch to the stomach, which I take with little to no reaction, at least externally. Inside, my guts twist, sickening bile rises to my mouth and it's so fucking stupid. Of course there's a wedding, the sooner I get that inside my head the better, but I foolishly thought I could hear it and remain indifferent. Except, until now, it has all been in the realm of hypotheticals, hearing the word aloud is a strong blow. Anger and the now familiar misplaced jealousy grows in my chest when I see Daniel's arm circle the lithe waist of the gorgeous woman, pulling at her subtly. I conceal my emotions, bringing the glass to my lips again, but my eyes insist on scanning for Delphine's reaction, her glare discreetly in my direction, but her body language shows signs of discomfort, her hips, ever-so-slightly, distance themselves from her fiancé.
I look away, for no other reason than the fact that I can't take the sight anymore, even if I suspect there's something more to Delphine's connection to this family, even if this is all a front, it feels too real to me at this moment. The urge to pull Delphine away builds inside me and I need to avert my eyes before I do something even more stupid than leer at her in front of her nearsighted husband-to-be.
The door for the library opens and from inside comes out a man in his late-sixties early-seventies, holding the door is the eldest Webster. He doesn't say a word, but nods his head in out direction.
"If you'll excuse me," Daniel says quickly, his hand thankfully slipping from the blonde's waist. "Duty calls."
"That's my brother for you," Will says while the three of us watch Daniel shut the door to the library. "Not even his own engagement party stops him from working."
Meanwhile, my eyes go the old man who walked out and joined a group of equally old man, taking a glass of champagne as a waiter passes by him.
"Some things can't wait," I prompt, trying to extract more information from the talkative Will.
He only shrugs though and gives no more insight into their lives. Seems like I've exhausted this source of information for the day.
"No, my brother is just an ass!" Will says, searching his pockets until he finds an sloppily rolled joint and tucks it between his lips, smiling widely, before he heads towards the door.
I raise a brow and look at Delphine. "A glimpse into your future," I offer with a bite. "Maybe you should've chosen Will, at least he knows how to party."
"What are you doing here?" Delphine whispers harshly, completely ignoring my jab, her angry expression getting too close for comfort.
"I'm here to celebrate your engagement," I answer casually, moving both my arms to take in the entire room. "Your fiancé invited me."
"You said you wouldn't come!" Her voice remains tense, but she backs away, her eyes scanning the room to see if our exchange is attracting any unwanted attention.
"I changed my mind," I continue in a calm voice. "People do that all the time, right?"
Delphine takes a deep breath, apparently trying to calm herself and a sudden surge of pride grows inside me. It feels good not to be the one who's left frustrated with our conversations, for once she's the one grasping for control.
"We're not kids anymore, Cosima." When Delphine speaks again she sounds more serene, there's a certain affection in her voice that catches me by surprise. "Our actions have serious consequences."
"They always have!" And now is me who's struggling not to raise my voice.
"Not like this!" She points out quickly.
"What are you doing with him?" I ask abruptly, the bite in my tone returns. "And don't tell me you're madly in love with that nitwit!"
Delphine looks stunned for a while, her eyes wide open until she catches herself and looks around us once more. "You don't know what you're talking about!" She says fast, with fiery anger in her stare.
I blink a few times, just enough to miss her leave and cross the door into the kitchen.
"Shit!" I whisper to myself, hesitating, briefly not knowing what to do.
As I walk after her, I catch a glimpse of Felix, shaking his head and giving me one of his ugly looks. I should think about the consequences of what I'm doing or how it's so much more important to stay and try to gather some much needed information out of the guests. But even if my mind could think of something other than Delphine, there was no way I would be successful. No one who could introduce me to strangers is even in the room, and I'm sure to raise some eyebrows if I start eavesdropping on conversations.
In the kitchen everyone is too busy to pay attention to the small woman barging in and, after a quick look around, exiting through the backdoor. The night is cold, but windless, the sky dark, covered in low clouds and the only illumination is the one provided by the small lamps scattered along the lawn of the backyard. The rest of the property is in complete darkness. I shiver, bracing my arms around my torso and start to walk.
I turn the corner of the building and find Delphine smoking, leaning against the wall with her head turned up to the sky.
"I'm not sure, but I think it's in bad taste to abandon your own engagement party," I say, getting closer.
Delphine doesn't move from her place, she doesn't even turn her eyes to me and she doesn't seem all that surprise that I've come after her.
"We couldn't exactly stay inside now, could we?" She says in controlled anger, the smoke she expels mingles with her breath.
And now I'm sure she expected me to follow her. "Yeah… God forbid if everyone finds out you actually have a personality to go with that sublime body," I comment carelessly, hugging myself. "Fuck, it's cold!"
"Then go back inside!" She gives one last hit on the cigarette and throws it to the ground.
I step on it, but that's as much as I move. I'm seemingly unable to leave her, even as we stay stubbornly quiet, minutes pass by us unnoticed, our breaths fog our sight and we stay still.
"I wish you hadn't come."
Delphine's voice is little more than a whisper. I look at her and see her leaning her head against the wall, her chin up but eyes closed as she takes a deep breath.
"Why?" I ask equally low. "Would it make it easier for you to carry on with this?"
"You don't…" she stops and shakes her head slowly, releasing a frustrated sigh. "This is bigger than you could possibly understand."
A weak wind rises and I shiver again, but instead of making me leave, I remain still, my eyes refusing to leave hers. "What have you gotten yourself into, Delphine?"
Finally she looks back at me, frowning, and moves a little closer, turning to her side, her shoulder leaning against the wall still while she brings a hand to my face, her cold knuckles brush my cheek and I remain unmoving, mesmerized by the change in her expression. Not even in the moment of the most turmoil could I deny the tenderness of the gesture, the quietness painting her features, the resolute veil she covers herself in falling to reveal an unexpected vulnerability.
"This is not how I pictured us meeting again," Delphine says haphazardly.
I'm speechless, watching her bite her lower lip, feeling the hand curve around my neck as her thumb rolls over my lips and I know I'm lost.
I would've made the first move if Delphine hadn't. Her lips drop to mine, soft and tentative at first and I don't think the hesitation is born of self-doubt, but rather from fear that I'd reject her. But I don't. I couldn't even if a million years had passed. I pull her to me with my hands going to her waist and she cradles my face with a strong grasp.
Delphine's kisses feel different from what I remember. More determined, more passionate, more eager. Her hunger is undeniable. There is a powerful craving behind her touch, and the way she moves to pin me against the wall, presses her body into mine has my head spinning. I tug her to me, my hands roam the smooth, cool skin of her back, my fingers slipping under the low cutout of her dress and she follows my lead. Her hands leave my face, press along my sides and pull my hips forward before her own push against me and trap me between her body and the wall again. Her tongue enters my mouth briefly, teasingly, but pulls out to run along my lips and I groan. My own tongue sinks into her mouth, not nearly as elegantly as hers, but equally effective. Her grip tightens, and her fingers dig into my flesh desperately, moving lower to pull me by my backside.
My guts twist, the pressure between my legs rises, and I moan when her hands yank at me firmly, bringing me to the tips of my toes, and the only balance I have is sustained by her body pressed against mine. Delphine's mouth drops to my neck, but her kisses lose none of the intensity and I snake one of my hands between our bodies, spreading my fingers to feel as much of her as possible. Finding a supple breast, feeling her moan against my sink, I shiver once more, but this time pleasure is the culprit.
In a sudden motion, Delphine grabs both of my arms to hold my wrists above my head, and I lose the feel of her lips. She rests her forehead on my shoulder, her deep breaths warming the skin of my collarbone, and she shakes her head from side to side.
"This is a mistake," I barely hear her say. "You shouldn't have come."
And just like that she walks away without another word, without so much as a glance over her shoulder. Delphine walks quickly, turning the corner and out of my sight.