"You're smiling you must've seen Dave again," Margo told her daughter with a slight smile as soon as Bea arrived home after finishing her classes.
"I did," Beatrix said. "He asked me to dinner at the Cobalt Club."
"I already know you said yes," Margo said.
"Of course I did!" Beatrix said. "I was actually kind of surprised that he asked me to dinner considering we've only met twice, and the first time was for a couple of minutes. I just thought that we might have to meet a few more times before he asked. I mean really, we barely know each other."
"He must really like you then," Jeffrey said coming in to the living room. "I can't say I blame him for that as I think you're gorgeous, even though you're my sister. He would want to invite you to dinner before somebody else asked."
What Jeffrey said was true, as not only was Beatrix tall for a woman, she had long curly brown hair and beautiful blue/green eyes that she had inherited from her father. Eyes that could melt your heart or have a fierce dark power in them to where you feared for your life. Of course, the only time she let that part of herself loose was in her duties as a Shadow.
"I would never accept a dinner invitation from anybody else," Beatrix protested.
"But he doesn't know that," Margo told her daughter calmly. "From his point of view he would want to hurry and ask you out before somebody else scoops you up. Just because you're not dating anyone right now doesn't mean you wouldn't be in another week or two."
Beatrix nodded at this because it was true.
"He did mention that I could have been betrothed to someone else," Beatrix said.
"Well, it is something a lot a high society families do for their children," Margo said "I'm sure this David Rossi knows that. He probably thought that you might not be free to date anyone and would've been relieved when you said yes to a date with him."
"I hope you enjoy yourself on your date, sis," Jeffrey said kissing her cheek.
"Oh, I plan to, brother," Beatrix said. "I had better start getting ready."
"It's only 4 o'clock," Jeffrey said looking at his watch.
"So?" Beatrix said.
"It takes a while to get ready for a date, Jeffrey, especially for somewhere as fancy as the Cobalt Club," Margo told her son. "I know you don't want to know all the details."
"No," Jeff said hurriedly leaving the room.
"Well, he certainly fled like a scalded cat," Beatrix laughed, her mother joining her.
"He should have known better than to make a comment," Margo said feeling no sympathy for her youngest son.
"He probably should have, but on the other hand I didn't really date much until I met Dave. Sure, I dated boys my age back when I was 16 and 17, but nobody since. He's never known me to dress up fancy for a date before," Beatrix said. "The boys I dated before couldn't have afforded to take me somewhere like the Cobalt Club."
Margo nodded at her daughter's observation. Most young men didn't hang out in places like the Cobalt Club, whether or not they had the money, as it was mostly for the elite. The older crowd.
"You go and get ready sweetie and let me know how your date went," Margo told her daughter.
"I'm sure it'll go fine," Beatrix said.
"Still, I want the details when you get back home," Margo said. "We might not want to share those details with your father however."
"Probably not," Beatrix giggled.
Her father was very overprotective of his daughter in particular and she couldn't really blame him for that. If there was anyone who knew about the evil in the hearts of men it was Lamont Cranston, because he had fought plenty of evil over the years as the Shadow. There were a lot of guys out there that would try to take advantage of her and if they did so they would find her father coming for them.
It didn't matter that her father was over 60, he was still a strong, vital man and had only retired from being the Shadow in the last couple of years after he was sure that Wesley could handle the responsibilities the role entailed. It wouldn't matter that she could take care of herself and erase whoever tried of them never having met and also teach that man a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.
Mother and daughter chatted for a few minutes before Beatrix went to get ready for her date. A date she was definitely looking forward to.
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~
"You look gorgeous," Dave complimented Beatrix.
What Dave said was very true as Beatrix wore a blue evening gown with sequence. It was elegant and tasteful and as Dave had already commented Beatrix looked spectacular. Beatrix's hair was done on the top of her head, only a few dark tendrils escaping to hang in front of her ears. Beatrix was also taller then most women at 6 feet, as she had gotten her father's height not her mother's. This made her a little taller then her date for the night who was probably 5'11' or so. She had already known that she was much taller than most women, but to be taller than a man while not unusual wasn't as common.
"Thank you," Beatrix blushed very prettily.
"Shall we go, my lady?" Dave said offering Beatrix his arm.
"Yes," Beatrix said taking Dave's offered arm.
Lamont watched from one of the windows at the front of the house remaining unseen as he of these of the pair.
"Spying on your daughter and her date?" Margo asked mock scolding, as she came up behind her husband. Margo's tone was slightly disapproving.
"I just wanted to see this David Rossi for myself," Lamont denied.
"She'll introduce us after her date," Margo scolded Lamont.
"I know," Lamont sighed. "I know my little girl can protect herself, but forgive the father part of me for worrying. There're a lot of men out there that would try to take advantage of her."
"Our little girl can protect yourself, as you just pointed out. You made sure of that," Margo said and Lamont nodded with a faint sigh.
"I know and with her powers it's unlikely that any man will be able to take advantage of her," Lamont said. "It doesn't seem like all that long ago that she was walking around in patent leather shoes and lacy pinafores."
"Children do grow up and too fast," Margo said.
"Boy, is that the truth," Lamont sighed faintly, leaving the window, because his daughter had long since disappeared. "Suddenly, I feel so old, with Wesley nearly married to Alice, who's an unawakened clairvoyant of all things.
"I'm sure a wedding is in the offering," Margo observed. "It's better to help her through her awakening first."
"Which is very close," Lamont said. "I am glad that Wesley has convinced her to get out of the city for the duration. We nearly lost him because he awakened here in New York."
"I know," Margo said. "Believe me, I remember that time very well. We were better prepared when Jeff awakened."
"And finally Beatrix," Lamont said with a faint smile. "Still, I wish, they could go see the Tulku, but he's still in Tibet. I just hope he's okay what with the Chinese destroying countless temples. I know they believe they have a historic right to Tibet, but I can't help but worry for the Tulku and his students."
"I'm sad to have never have met him," Margo said. "I'll always be grateful to him for training you or we never would've met."
"I'm the first of my family to live past 60 in countless generations at least as far as I can trace both sides of my family back," Lamont said looking pensive. "From what the Tulku gathered from my memories both my parents were likely unawakened projectors, so I would bet that a lot of my ancestors were also unawakened or partially awakened."
"And instead of awakening they had cerebral, strokes, heart attacks and the like," Margo said.
"It does happen and more often than you think," Lamont said. "Very few of those with powers awaken actually. Very few realize that they have this immense power in their heads if they only had control over it."
Lamont and Margo sat side by side in the living room holding each other.
"So do you think that this David Rossi has a similar talent?" Margo finally asked. "Wesley was certainly drawn to Alice because of her talent."
"Our daughter doesn't think so, but since I've never met him I couldn't tell you for sure," Lamont said. "Still, Bea is good at determining if someone has a mental talent without being intrusive, so this David Rossi probably doesn't have anything extra like telepathy or clairvoyance."
Margo had to agree with that as their daughter was very astute, and was good at sensing when somebody had energy in their head's
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~
Beatrix came in just before 11 with a smile on her face.
"So I take it your date went well," Lamont asked his daughter.
"It was great dad," Beatrix said. "He took me for dinner and dancing at the Cobalt Club. We had a great time."
"I'm glad," Lamont said smiling kissing his daughter's cheek. "Your mother and I would really like to meet this David Rossi, so invite him to dinner."
"So long as you promise not to interrogate him," Beatrix told her father mock severely. "One date does not a relationship make."
Lamont looked sheepishly as his daughter knew him a little too well it seemed, but then, so did everybody in his family.
"So you're still sure that he's the one for you?" Lamont asked and Beatrix nodded with a happy smile.
"Yes, I am," Beatrix promised her father. "I felt it in here," Beatrix added tapping her chest where her heart was.
"Alright then," Lamont sighed in resignation. "I promise not to read his mind or interrogate him. If he hurts you however, nothing will protect him from me. You grew up way too fast on me."
"Thank you, daddy," Beatrix said kissing her father's cheek. She knew that was the best she was going to get. "By the way, children do grow up you know," She added with a teasing smirk.
"Yes, I know, but it seems like only yesterday that I was changing your diapers and here you are in your last year of college," Lamont said. "And you're welcome," Lamont said as he gave his daughter hug. "Now I suggest you go tell your mother how your date went. I don't want or need details."
Beatrix nodded happily and went to tell her mother all about her date with the handsome David Rossi.
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~
"It's very nice to meet you officially, Mr Rossi," Lamont offered shaking the other man's hand.
His daughter was right this David Rossi didn't look more than 10 or so years older then her and he was also handsome, dark of hair and eye and a little broader at the shoulders then he was. He also had a beard though many men did, so it wasn't the least unusual. The 60s had popularized beards again. Having facial hair often meant that a man was comfortable with their masculinity and a beard was a visible representation of that manliness.
"It's very nice to meet you as well Mr. Cranston," Dave said shaking Lamont's hand.
"There's no reason to be so formal," Lamont said. "I'm Lamont and my wife is Margo. We are very happy you could join us for dinner."
"Dave," Dave said briefly. "It was my pleasure."
"Come, let's head to the dining room as quite the meal has been prepared," Lamont said. "My daughter and the rest of the family are waiting on us there."
The two men walked side-by-side as Lamont directed Dave towards the dining room.
The dining room was fairly large, but Dave hadn't expected anything less, not in this section of New York. Turtle Bay was mostly for the upper class of New York, though from what he had heard, the Great Depression had been really hard on some of the old guard residents. Some of them had had to declare bankruptcy when they became destitute. The Cranstons were one of the few families that had come through that period in really good shape, much better shape than what he had heard about many others. Had they just been lucky because of smart investors who saw the signs of the stock market about to crash? Or was there some other cause for it?
The table could seat nearly 10 very comfortably and more leaves could be added if needed, enlarging the table.
"Dave let me introduce you to the rest of the family, my wife Margo Lane Cranston, my oldest son Wesley James and his fiancée Alice and my youngest son Jeffrey Colin and you know my daughter Beatrix Lane."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Rossi," Margo said rising to her feet to shake the man's hand.
"It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Cranston," Dave said shaking her hand firmly before kissing the back of it.
"Margo will do, because as Lamont will tell you, we're usually not very formal," Margo offered.
"Nice to meet you Mr. Rossi," Wesley said also shaking the man's hand.
"All of you can just call me Dave, I'm not one for formality either, not unless absolutely necessary," Dave said.
With that everybody relaxed and the servants brought in dinner.
"So Dave what are you do for living?" Margo asked.
"I'm a businessman," Dave explained.
"So that's what you were doing at Barnard," Beatrix realized. "Colleges are always looking for funding and plenty of scholarships have been endowed, that have specific instructions on how they can be used."
"I've always believed in education and while I went to college my sister never had that chance. There were no colleges for women where I grew up and my parents didn't want to send her away."
"I think that's perfectly understandable," Wesley said smiling. "There are many dangers in the world and not just from con artists.
"I was indeed discussing with the dean about endowing a scholarship," Dave said.
"I think that's really nice of you," Lamont said impressed. "I too have donated to Barnard and was also on the Board of Directors until a couple of years ago. Margo thought it was way past time I retired."
That wasn't the only thing he retired from, but Lamont wasn't about to mention his duties as the Shadow. He was sure that Dave would find out eventually if he and his daughter got married but for now it was a family secret.
"He's been on the board since he was a young man. I just thought that it was way past time he made room for someone younger," Margo said. "While he's in good health for his age I just thought that with the children grown it was time for him to just relax a little and enjoy his retirement years.
"I had to agree with her," Lamont laughed. "Who wants to spend hours every month or so listening to a bunch of old guys arguing on how to use the funding they receive. It's never decided quickly and can be stressful depending on how heated the arguments become. At my age I don't really need anymore stress."
"When it's a scholarship they can't argue about how to use it, as it has to be used for the purpose it was endowed," Beatrix commented.
"That's one of the reasons I endowed a scholarship," Dave said. "As I knew that the Board of Directors would likely argue how to use the funding. This way they can't argue about it."
"So what kind of scholarship is it?" Alice asked.
"It's too allow two female students a year to attend, those that normally wouldn't be able to afford it or can't get a scholarship whatever the reason that may be. They have to maintain a certain grade point average, but it provides them books and even living expenses, food and such if they don't want to eat in the cafeteria. They don't necessarily have to come from New York and can come from elsewhere."
"Which is why living expenses," Jeffrey said, liking this David Rossi more and more.
"If they want to get a job and can maintain their grades then that's fine, I just figured that this would make it a little easier. Of course, they'll have to live in the dorm if they don't come from this city so can live at home, but the fees are taken care of," Dave said.
Lamont definitely liked what he was hearing.
"So you did all this because of your sister," Lamont offered.
"Jocelyn," Dave supplied. "Named after her grandmother. The old lady was tickled pink when my only sister was named after her. She didn't really expect it, but was still pretty pleased."
"I certainly would be if I had a granddaughter named after me," Margo said. "I considered naming Beatrix something similar to Margo, Margret or Margery perhaps, but wanted her to have her own individuality."
"I was named after the famous children's author Beatrix Potter," Beatrix explained.
"I really loved those stories when I was a little girl," Margo said. "My mother used to read them to me before I went to sleep. Those are some of the happiest memories I have of my mother. It was a well used name back in the 40s when Bea was born."
"So your sister is the baby of the family," Wesley said and Dave nodded.
"So anymore brothers?" Jeffrey asked.
"If you must know I have seven brothers," Dave laughed at the family's looks of astonishment.
"That's a lot," Margo whistled appreciatively. "Your parents must of gotten married really young."
Dave simply shrugged and didn't answer. He wasn't about to tell the Cranstons that his parents were immortal, not yet anyway. Seven brothers and a sister were what he had grown up with, though his parents had had more since.
"They really wanted a little girl," Dave shrugged.
"So did we. It was just luck that Lamont and I got what we wanted on our third try. Of course if we got another boy we wouldn't have tried again. I was getting older and I was over 40 when Beatrix was born."
"We originally decided on two," Lamont explained, "but thought we'd give it one more try and were indeed very lucky to get the girl we both wished for."
This caused Beatrix to blush, even though she had heard her parents tell this story a thousand times
The discussion continued as they all ate the delicious dinner that the cook had prepared.
By the time the evening ended a couple of hours later all the family really liked Dave and hoped that Beatrix's dating him would lead to an eventual marriage.
They couldn't see anything else happening actually with the way that Beatrix had connected with this David Rossi the first time she had laid eyes on him.
~~~Dave and Beatrix~~~