Page 87 of A Winter By the Sea
She walked over and saw a chalk drawing of the duchess, and another of her infant daughter. There was also a detailed watercolor of the duchess’s salon.
She pointed to it. “This is excellent! We were just in there and it’s a perfect likeness.”
Clearly understanding the gist of her praise, Mr. Eckardt smiled and gestured to a chair, indicating for her to be seated. Knowing he could not politely return to his stool until she sat, Emily complied.
He sat and continued sketching as he and Mr. Thomson spoke in German for several minutes longer.
Emily began to wonder if they would be missed downstairs. She didn’t want Sarah to worry, nor tongues to wag.
She tentatively rose. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Herr Eckardt. Now I had better return to the party.”
“Yes, of course,” Mr. Thomson agreed. He said something to the artist, who held up an index finger, asking for a moment. He added a few lines to his sketch and then stood, handing James a small rectangle of paper.
He glanced at it, and if the candlelight didn’t lie, his face reddened.
“What is it?” Emily asked, curiosity piqued.
After a moment’s hesitation, he showed her.
It was a sketch of Emily herself. Head and shoulders. Quickly done but definitely her, and rather flattering.
“Goodness. That was fast.” She looked from it to the artist. “Is it for me?”
Apparently understanding her question, he shook his head and pointed to James. In heavily accented English, he said, “Fur him.”
She glanced at James’s embarrassed expression, and her own face heated at the implication.
Sarah had somehow managed to lose track of Emily in the crowd. Hoping to find her, she made her way slowly toward the adjoining room, nodding to a few other acquaintances as she went.
In the dining room, she saw a banquet laid out beautifully on a long table lit by four tall silver candlesticks and decorated with hothouse flowers and towers of fruit—Mr. During’s work, she supposed.
Sarah thought she might sample a few dishes and try to guess which Mr. Bernardi had prepared so she could compliment him later. At the moment, however, there was a line to reach the food, so she decided to wait. She felt mildly self-conscious standing there alone. A waiter offered her tea or sherry, and she accepted a cup of tea, glad for something to busy herself with while she waited.
She glimpsed Mr. Bernardi in the background, slipping in through a door to surreptitiously survey the trays of food and then slipping out again, probably into the larder or pantry. He was dressed not in kitchen whites but in butler black to allow him to serve at the event.
He returned a few minutes later, holding a silver tray mounded with something. He nodded to one of the waiters, indicating he should remove a nearly empty tray to make room for the full one.
Sarah made her way over to him as he settled the heaping platter in its place.
Sidling close she whispered, “How is it going?”
He whipped his dark head toward her in surprise. “Ah, Miss Sarah. All is going well and quickly. West Country people eat a great deal, it seems. Although they don’t seem to be fond ofles cuisses de grenouillesorles oursins. Perhaps they don’t know what they are.” He gestured toward two of the dishes.
She cast a dubious glance at the first. Whatever it was looked like long, skinny ... legs? The second dish contained spiky half circles with orangey innards like preserved peaches. “What are they?” she asked.
“Frog legs and sea urchins.”
“You must be joking.”
“No. Why?”
Sarah blinked. “Never mind. I am sure everything is delicious. It all looks wonderful.”
“Thank you, though I cannot take the credit. We all did our part. Oh! You must try these while you are here.” For a moment she feared he would expect her to try a frog leg and was relieved when he indicated the platter of puff pastry cases, their hollow centers filled with something that looked like a thick stew.
Taking up a small plate and serving fork, he scooped one onto it and handed it to her, announcing, “Vol-au-vent.”
She took a tentative bite. The flaky pastry shattered into crumbs and melted in her mouth. The savory filling was deliciously flavorful.
