39 - INDEED
Lola appeared majestically. Her gown was the best, and her skin shone brighter than that of anyone in the hall. The stylist had done a great job on her, and she walked right behind her while she entered the hall and made for the table where the Greys sat.
Everyone stood up and showered her rounds of applause, except Mary and her people. She first met with Freya and shared a peck with her before she took a seat between Morgan and Peniel.
“Now, the lady of the moment is seated, both friends and foes can sit and enjoy the breakfast.” Freya sat down.
The guests sat down and the sound of their cutleries and their little chatter filled the hall. A choir of instrumentalists swaggered into the hall and stood by a corner.
“Come on, give us something good,” Freya turned to Lola. “What piece would you like to hear from them?”
“They should give us any famous piece from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart,” Lola said in response.
Mary laughed. She had yet to dig into the French roast on her plate. Everyone around the table turned to her. Of course, to roast the bride-to-be is allowed at the ball, and Mary knew every one of the rules, that was why she honored the invitation.
“Why do you laugh, chihuahua?” Morgan snarled.
“What?” one of Mary’s sisters picked offense. “Aren’t you ashamed of your existence?”
“Do not spoil the fun,” Peniel stepped in, “even the devil was in the court of heaven when the sons of God were summoned.”
Freya laughed. Their words were really ugly, but they all called for nothing but laughter and more ugly words. Lola hated the fact that Mary was at the table, but a part of her was glad she didn’t accept Mary’s bribe when she offered to bribe her and have her drop the case against Lucas.
“I can see someone had been going through pages of the dictionary because she thinks she is in the house of so intelligent whores, but she doesn’t know the two ladies she fears more than her death are mere spoilt bitches with nothing trapped in their skull,” Mary said.
No one said a thing. They were dumbfounded by her audacity, and for the fact that she was right. Peniel and Morgan were known for just the parties and the luxury.
“You talk too much,” Freya said after a while. “Please, we need something from Mozart.”
The instrumentalists delved into the good works of Mozart.
Lola turned to Peniel who was now busy with what she had on her plate.
“This sound is one of the things we regard as classics,” said Lola, “they came from the classical era.”
Peniel smiled and leaned in on her shoulder. “Do not educate me in the presence of that little wench.”
They laughed. No one could tell their reason for the laughter, but it was clear that they had befriended each other, and that was terror to Mary who wanted to turn both parties against the other.
“So, tell me, Lola,” Mary started. “Did you tell them you had an abusive boyfriend who whip your ass so hard you barely seat, and you are still indebted to her because your mother sold you to her?”
Lola smiled a wry smile. “Whoever you heard that from was wrong.”
The hall stopped for a moment. It was as though the guests wanted to take a deep breath and then, continue with the meal. No one expected a brief response from Lola who just got attacked, but it was quick. Auralia broke the silence with a loud lengthened laughter and the rest joined her.
“Did you hear that; Mary isn’t a threat to her!”
Freya smiled. “This is why I said that Lola is every good thing you are not.”
***
Breakfast ended and everyone was ushered out of the hall. There was a huge garden in the backyard, with a big pool that could fit in twice the number of the guests.
“I promised to make your day a nice one,” came Freya’s loud voice. “I made available the things you all will like. Games you could play, insects you could chase, and the pool, but mind you, this is no place for an orgy!”
An unceasing round of laughter erupted, but a few parties were not part of it, the party of Mary, and the party of Lola and her two sisters-in-law, Morgan and Peniel.
They both had their eyes on each other, and they had so far refused to take their eyes off each other.
“I and her uncle still have an unfinished business,” came Lola, “but I will go for him and make sure he rots in jail after I am married to your brother.”
“You don’t need to marry before you get justice,” said Morgan. She was more of the fighter type who wouldn’t wait for natural justice.
“No, I don’t want to hit fast, the man is under police detention,” Lola said. “I will take care of his mess when the time is right.
“If you say so.”
***
“I believe you won’t wait till the ball is over before you tell them she is from a rotten poor family,” Mary’s mother whispered in her ear.
“She has the protection of her new friends, Peniel and Morgan,” Mary said.
“But those witches were your foes when you were Tobi’s wife,” her mother said. “I’m jealous to see her seat at your place, and her sisters-in-law love her so much they will pick a fight for her sake.”
Mary made faces. “Don’t be deceived by their fake affection for one another,” said Mary, “they only want to make a mockery of me by being nice to the novice who doesn’t know what she had gotten herself into.”
Her mother turned away from her.
“There are many men here, many important ones who you can tie the knot with if you are careful enough to choose the right one.” Said Mary’s mother.
“Who do you think I should talk to?” Mary asked.
“Dickon,” her mother gestured at the young man. “I heard Morgan has her eyes on him. You should strike first and bring them sorrow in the daytime.”