Chapter 9
Veronica spent the rest of her night in her room. She was pleased that before she went to sleep she finished the reading for her classes next week, and could spend the rest of the weekend indulging in the promised raptures Lilly had laid out for them. While the group at a late breakfast, the gentleman having gone surfing a dawn, and the ladies having slept in, Meg's cell phone chirped. Looking down at the message, she imparted to her sister, that their mother desired to Skype, to see for herself what progress was being made, Meg having passed the night under the same roof with Mr. Kane.
Mr. Kane was entreated upon therefore for use of a computer, as the cell service was sporadic at best, and the girls knew it was best to appease their mother so they could enjoy the rest of the weekend in peace. Duncan led them to the upstairs office, the only closed room on the top floor and flicked the lights on. Unlike the rest of the casita which was decorated tastefully, but obviously for vacationing pleasure, the office was cold, with steel and glass furniture and slick modern lines. Mr. Kane noticed the girls' startled reaction, and explained, "This is my father's office when he comes down, so it's the one room in the house my mother was not allowed to decorate."
Logging into the computer, Mr. Kane set Meg in front of the screen and found excuses to lean over her as he typed in the password. Thus when Mrs. Mars face popped onto the screen, she saw the smiling faces of Meg and Mr. Kane. Being satisfied on seeing her so cozy with Mr. Kane she had no wish of her returning immediately.
The rest of the group anxious to get on with the day, made their way into the office while the Mars sisters were still on the call.
Mrs. Mars now addressed herself to Mr. Kane, "My daughters are so fortunate to trespass on your kindness. I do hope you are all enjoying yourselves."
"How could they not enjoy themselves when they are with us?" said Miss Kane, with blithe confidence, "both Miss Mars will be having for more fun when we are able to leave the house and move onto the shopping portion of the day."
Mrs. Mars was profuse in her appreciation of the young people's plan, and did not notice that they were ready to be done with the call.
"I am sure," she added, "if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of my daughters. Mr. Kane, I do not know a place in Neptune that is equal to Netherfield Point. I heard you only took a short lease, I do hope you will not think of quitting it in a hurry."
"Whatever I do is done in a hurry," replied Mr. Kane; "and therefore if I should resolve to quit Neptune, I should probably be off in five minutes. However, I quite enjoy it there, and have no plans to leave it at the moment."
"Ha," cried Veronica, "I could have told her as much myself."
"You think I am so easily figured?" he laughed, turning towards her and forgetting Mrs. Mars' face on the computer.
"I understand you perfectly." Veronica smirked. Lilly had been plying her with "Donut" stories for weeks, and it was not hard to see that Duncan liked to keep a respectable air, but was truly content to be a member of the idle rich.
"To be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful." Mr. Kane lamented, "Perhaps your sister will sooth my ego, and allow me to be mysterious."
Meg blushed a most charming shade of pink, but said nothing. Veronica therefore continued, "It does not necessarily follow that a deep, passionate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours. For example, one might get tired of feeling herself the object of dark gazes."
Mr. Echolls frowned and moved slightly closer, knowing this was a jab aimed at him, and was contemplating how best to join suit.
"Ronnie," cried her mother, bringing all their attention back to the computer screen, "remember where you are, do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home."
"I did not know," continued Kane, quite ignoring Mrs. Mars' outburst, "that you studied people's character with such keen observation."
"Ah yes, in my copious spare time, when not reading about the atrocities that people parade through the court system, I find solace in studying others, who have not yet spiraled so out of control. Mysterious characters are the most amusing."
"Small towns," said Echolls, "lend themselves to a confined and unvarying society, you must have but few subjects for such a study."
Veronica's smirk deepened and her eyes sparkled, "But small towns provide less cover for the drama and scandal that there is something new to be observed in the petty jealousies of life on a daily basis."
Mrs. Mars, was offended that the group was now completely ignoring her. Of course her morning vodka didn't help either, so she cried out from the computer, "I assure you there is quite as much society in Neptune as one would find in LA or New York."
Everybody was surprised, for they had quite forgotten Skype was still connected, and had been lost in conversation; and Echolls, after looking at the screen for a moment, turned silently away joining Mr. Casablancas by the door. Mrs. Mars, who fancied she had gained a complete victory over him, and was now wondering why she hadn't been invited along to chaperone this vacation, continued her triumph.
"I cannot see that New York has any great advantage over Neptune for my part, except shopping and or maybe Broadway. Neptune is a vast deal pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Kane?"
"When I am in Neptune," he replied, "I never wish to leave it; and when I am in the city it is pretty much the same. I can be equally happy in either. As indeed, I am happy here in Mexico."
"That is because you have the right disposition. A credit to your father, I am sure," peering through the screen, with a look, that could almost be described as lecherous.
Veronica blushed for her mother. "You misunderstood Mr. Echolls. He only meant that there were not such a variety of people to be met with in Neptune as in New York, which you must acknowledge to be true."
"Certainly, my dear," Mrs. Mars was now starting to slur her words, and drift into her own conversation, "but we dine with four and twenty families."
Nothing but concern for the Mars daughters could enable Mr. Kane to keep his countenance. Lilly was less concerned, and rolled her eyes at the rest of the room. Meg's charming blush from earlier had now deepened to a dark sad of red and she looked like she was trying to melt into the desk chair. Veronica, for the sake of saying something that might turn her mother's thoughts, now asked her if Mac had been at stopped at the house and dropped off a hard drive for her.
"Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sam MacKenzie is. He has always something to say to everybody..." she trailed off, muttering something about good breeding and people who refused to have a conversation.
"Mac seems a very pleasant young woman," said Mr. Kane, trying with Veronica to salvage the conversation and put Meg back at ease. Mrs. Mars would have none of that, and she continued on.
"You must own she is very plain." (At this Mr. Casablancas looked as if he might finally contribute to the conversation, but he instead looked down at his feet miserably instead.) "Of course, she did have some boy write verses on her, back in high school. Who was that boy who liked Cindy…? Veronica, do help me remember."
"Some things are best left forgotten, for in verse so ended affection," said Veronica impatiently. "I wonder who first discovered how well poetry served to drive away love!"
"I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love," said Echolls, his dark gaze once again locked on Veronica.
"Bacon is the food of love. Poetry can only nourish a fine, stout, healthy love. But if it be only lust or a passing inclination, I am convinced that one sonnet will obliterate it."
Logan only smiled, and the pause which ensued made Veronica tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again, or that Mr. Echolls should continue to look at her in such a way. She longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say that would not embarrass her more. After a short silence Mrs. Mars again called attention to herself and repeated her thanks to Mr. Kane for his kindness to her daughters. Mr. Kane was pleasant in his answer, and it soon seemed the interlude was at an end. When before the connection was cut, Madison appeared on the screen.
Madison was a slender, buxom girl of fifteen, with a fine complexion and high spirits; she was her mother's obvious favorite. She had a natural self-consequence, which the attentions of the officers, to whom her uncle's good dinners and her own easy manners recommended her, had increased into assurance, beyond that of a typical high school girl. She therefore reminded Mr. Kane of his promise of throwing a party at Netherfield Point.
"I am perfectly ready, when we return from vacation. You may name the day. But we cannot do a thing until we return to town." On this, Mr. Kane was at ease, for he had experience with wilful sisters who liked nothing better than a party.
Madison declared herself satisfied and Mrs. Mars finally terminated the transmission. The party, to everyone's obvious relief, found themselves piling into two SUVs and heading inland for shopping and lunch.
Miss Kane was in the vehicle with Logan and Louisa, where she found with her sister that she could not contain her mirth over Mrs. Mars. Mr. Echolls, was familiar with the sting of an alcoholic parent though and could not be prevailed on to join in their censure.