Vanessa poured a delicate Chablis into long-stemmed black glasses and placed them alongside the white place mats trimmed with deep red poppies. Off-white ironstone dishes were centered on each mat, and contributed to the cool aura of the room. She turned the dimmer switch on the wall down, lowering the light in her dining room, and flicked an imaginary speck of dust from the glass top of her dining table.
With a critical eye, Vanessa examined the room, the heart of her Toronto apartment. The soft light gave it a warm ambiance. Her white pine table and chairs were complemented by the deep forest green of her carpet, and the small vase of poppies in the center of the table repeated the motif of the place mats.
Cold poached salmon and a huge Caesar salad served in a wooden salad bowl, along with a basket of fresh-baked whole wheat bread and a platter of chilled asparagus spears were on the menu. Suitable, she thought, for the summer heat. Fresh fruit and a wine sorbet would follow. She nodded, satisfied. Her guests would be pleased.
When the knock came at her door, Vanessa tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and hurried to welcome her guests.
"Darling, do you need help with anything?" Eleanore asked as they entered the dining room.
"No, no. Everything's ready," Vanessa said. She served the various dishes quickly, anxious to join her guests.
"Now. I must admit," she said, passing the platter of salmon, "I'm a bit curious about Kevin. I called him last night. When I told him I'd like to see him while he's in town, he seemed a bit reluctant. He made it sound as if his relationship with this Tanya is-serious?"
"Oh, I don't think so, Vanessa. I know Kevin. When he doesn't have a stable relationship, he flits from girl to girl. Most of the time it's nothing," Eleanore said.
"I guess I'm just curious, though. This girl, Tanya. The mansion where she lives was empty for a very long time. Is she the new owner?"
Jeff frowned. "I really don't know. I could ask Kevin when I see him."
"And is she good looking? You said she was very young," Vanessa asked, sipping her wine.
Jeff helped himself to several spears of asparagus. "She's a bit plump, medium height, nice big brown eyes and a disarming smile," he said. He smeared a slice of bread with sweet butter.
"Plump. Really? But Kevin disliked fat women, and he always preferred blonds." Vanessa smiled and patted her own hair.