Chapter 11
After dinner, Veronica went back to her room to continue studying. Meg knocked softly on the door and entreated her to join the party in the game-room. The gentlemen were down at the beach, but the other ladies welcomed the Mars sisters with many professions of pleasure. Veronica was pleased that Lilly was on good behavior, extending the warm camaraderie she had always given Veronica to Meg, and even Louisa had never been so agreeable. The Kane sisters' powers of conversation were considerable, describing entertainment with accuracy, relating an anecdote with humor, and laughing with spirit.
But when the gentlemen entered, the Mars sisters were no longer the best entertainment. Miss Kane's eyes were instantly turned towards Mr. Echolls, and she had something to say to him before he had advanced many steps. Mr. Casablancas headed straight to the mini-bar ignoring his wife's halfhearted attempt to capture his attention. Mr. Kane, however, was full of joy and attention towards Meg. He brought her near the fire place, saying the ocean breeze was too chilly. He then sat down by her, and talked scarcely to anyone else. Veronica, settled with her school books in the opposite corner, saw it all with great delight.
Mr. Casablancas reminded his sister-in-law of the card-table, wanting to win some of his money back—but in vain. However, Lilly had obtained private intelligence that Mr. Echolls did not wish for cards. She assured him that no one intended to play, and the silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her. Mr. Casablancas, with a disgruntle sigh at the general lameness of the party, fixed himself another drink and fired up Halo on the Xbox. Mr. Echolls took up a book; Miss Kane a fashion magazine; and Mrs. Casablancas, principally occupied in playing with her bracelets and rings, joined now and then in her brother's conversation with Miss Mars.
Miss Kane's attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr. Echolls's progress through his book. Lily was frustrated that Logan seemed to be so disengaged from the group, and she sought to win him to any conversation; he merely answered her question, and read on. At length, she wondered if it was a mistake not to engage Dick at the poker table. She gave a great yawn and said, "How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! Surrounded by friends, all engaged in quiet amusements."
Lilly started to feel some real irritation when no one made any reply. She yawned again, threw aside her magazine, and looked round the room in search of trouble. She was half determined to call the driver to take her back down to El Andarrios; when, hearing her brother mentioning a party to Miss Mars, she turned suddenly towards him and said,
"By the bye, Duncan, are you really serious about hosting a party at Netherfield Point? I would advise you, before you send out invitations, to consult the wishes of the present party; I think there are some among us that would find a party a punishment rather than a pleasure."
"If you mean Echolls," cried her brother, "he may go to bed, before it begins, though I know he is less a misanthrope than he is want to appear—but as for the party, it is quite a settled thing, I just have to decide upon a theme for the caterer."
"I should like parties infinitely better," she replied, "if there were more strangers about. It always seems to be the same old re-heated group of faces, rehashing the same tired themes. Nothing new, nothing exciting."
"Lilly what you mean to say, is you love an audience that is new to your tricks and will pay you the attention you want. Of course, you do want it to be the right type of audience, at once both properly scandalized, and yet mixed with enough impressionables that will follow your lead, so not any old party will do."
Miss Kane, frown, sometimes the Donut was too insightful, therefore she made no answer. She stood and stretched and proceeded to walk about the room. No one in the party paid her any attention. Mr. Echolls was still inflexibly studious, ignoring her and the Mars sisters.
In the pressing boredom that the lack of drama brought, she resolved on one effort more; and turning to Veronica, said, "Ronnie, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. It is very refreshing after sitting so long."
Veronica was startled from her studies, but agreed to it immediately, she had been sitting to long in one position. Mr. Echolls looked up. He was acutely aware of Veronica's movement, and as much as he tried to ignore her, he unconsciously closed his book.
Lilly was quick to notice that Logan was now engaged, and she sought to amuse herself. He was invited to join them, but he declined, observing that he could imagine but two motives for their deciding to walk up and down the room together, with either of which motives his joining them would interfere. At that he leaned back in his chair with a small smirk, and picked up his forgotten scotch for a drink.
"What could he mean, Veronica? I do think he is making fun of us." Lilly put on a mock pout and narrowed her eyes.
Veronica laughed, "Depend upon it, he means to be severe, and our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it."
Miss Kane, however, was not about to allow Veronica and Logan to continue this game of ignoring each other. Ever since they had returned from the club, the chemistry between them had changed, and Lilly was determined to smoke out a reason, at least until they were back in Neptune and she other things to occupy her time. Therefore she persevered in requiring an explanation of his two motives.
"I have no objection to explaining them," said Logan, taking another drink. "You either have decided to walk together because you are in each other's confidence, and have secrets to exchange, or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking;—if the first, I should be completely in your way;—and if the second, I can admire you much better from here." With the last comment, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"Logan!" cried Miss Kane. "If I were to put on a show for your benefit, be sure you would have no doubts. Veronica, how shall we punish him for such a suggestion?"
Veronica looked thoughtfully at Mr. Echolls, her blonde head tilting to the side. "Tease him—laugh at him. Intimate as you are, you must know how it is to be done."
"Ronnie, do you know nothing of my serious friend? He is of good temper and fine character. No, no, I feel he may defy us there and provide us very poor sport." Lilly smiled to herself, wondering how thick she could lay this on without laughing herself.
"Mr. Echolls is not to be laughed at?" Veronica asked, with a slight roll of her eyes, for after his display of a few nights ago, she was not quite she of the good temper part of Lilly's evaluation. "That is an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintance. I dearly love a laugh."
"Lilly," said he, "is setting me up for a fall. If watching the Daily Show has taught me nothing, the best of men may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke."
"True enough," replied Veronica, "there are comics whose livelihood depends upon such wit, and others, less talented, who still seek to ridicule what is wise or good. Man's inconsistencies, follies, nonsense, jibber jabber and the like, do divert me, and I laugh at them whenever I can. But these things, I suppose, are precisely what you are without."
"That is not possible for any one. But after a rather notorious childhood, it has been the study of my life to avoid indiscretions which expose a person to ridicule." Logan's features had shifted as he talked into an unreadable mask.
Veronica sensed his mood was turning, and thought to bring in back to a lighter note, "Indiscretions such as vanity and pride."
"Vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride, where there is a real superiority of mind, is no weakness."
Veronica turned away to keep from laughing.
Lilly, despite setting the scheme in motion was now feeling a bit left out, "Your examination of Mr. Echolls is over, what is the result?"
"Why you both have convinced me that Mr. Echolls has no defect. He owns it himself without disguise." Veronica's one was droll and her smirk mocking.
"No" frowned Echolls, "I have made no such pretension. I have faults enough, but I do not believe they are of understanding. My temper, I dare not vouch for, some might say it is unyielding or resentful. My good opinion once lost is lost forever."
Veronica frowned slightly at this, thinking perhaps it is part of why he came to her rescue the other night. And then she frown again, that she was thinking of that night, that kiss, when she had resolved to put it completely out of her mind. "Implacable resentment is a shade in a character. But you have chosen your fault well, for I understand the Old Testament eye for an eye thing, and I really cannot laugh at it; you are safe from me."
Logan grinned sardonically, "I believe, in every person there a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."
Veronica matched her grin, "And your defect is a propensity to hate everybody."
"And yours," Logan replied with a smile, "is wilfully to misunderstand them."
Miss Kane, now tired of a conversation in which she had no share. "Louisa, fire up the Dance Dance Revolution! We should have a dance off before we go home."
Her sister made not the smallest objection, and the game was fired up. Echolls, was not sorry for the distraction. He began to feel the danger of paying Veronica too much attention.
The party soon after retired for the evening, with the exception of Miss Kane. As lights in the casita were slowing winking out, Lilly emerged from her room in black leather pants and a velvet bustier. The driver opened the door to the car, and she slid into the back seat. Before they were out of the driveway, she was on her cell phone. "Hello lover, I am on the way down, don't get started without me…"