by Jerry Bruce
* * *
Months passed before Veronica finally got around to introducing Richard to her family. They had been inseparable since that first meeting. The only time they were apart was while Richard was working. He spent all of his free time with Veronica, even if it meant renting a truck and picking up and delivering used furniture to needy families, and other such labors, all in the name of charity. Word spread of Richard and Veronica’s budding relationship. He was building his own reputation among the “in crowd,” even though he had never been introduced or attended any of their socials. He was the mysterious stranger, and of course, rumors about an impending marriage were bound to surface. It was this kind of talk that made Marion, Veronica’s mother, insist that she bring Richard to the family estate in upstate New York for a weekend visit. Without such prodding, Veronica might have dragged out the meeting even longer. Richard was definitely looking forward to the visit and was beginning to wonder if she was stalling because she felt he would be considered “unsuitable,” or worse yet, that she was unsure of where their relationship was headed. She repeatedly told him that her parents were going to fall in love with him, instantly, just as she did. That didn’t stop him from feeling torn between unease over the impending scrutiny and the realization that Veronica was serious about their relationship.
* * *
In the intervening months, Richard had come to the attention of his superiors through his efforts to bring in new clients. He managed to lure several large investors away from the bigger firms and into Radliff. More than that though, he was making more money for his clients than any other manager in the firm. Jonathan Radliff heard so many good things about Richard that he made a note to schedule a meeting to get to know this budding star. In the meantime, Jonathan personally saw that Richard received a well-deserved promotion, at a considerable increase in salary. This good fortune meant that Richard now felt comfortable with the idea of asking Veronica to marry him. He had no intention of asking her until he first met her family. He needed to know where he stood.
As they drove up to the estate, Veronica was trying to build up the courage to finally tell Richard about her father. Richard had lowered the top of his BMW to take in the sun and clean air, but she was oblivious to the pleasurable drive. Her mind was racing too much to notice the leaves gently blowing across the roadway or the way the sun broke through the treetops, periodically bathing the road surface in alternate shades of shadow and sunshine.
All the time Richard had known her, Veronica had been using her mother’s maiden name, fearing that her real name might scare him away. She had to do something; in a short time he would be shaking hands with her father and calling him Mr. Stoneham! Then she would have even more explaining to do.
She braced herself as if preparing for a crash, then taking a deep breath she blurted out, “I’m not who you think I am.”
“What? What are you talking about?” Richard responded casually without taking his eyes off the road.
“I have been misleading you all this time, my name is not Stoneham. That’s my mother’s maiden name.”
That got Richard’s attention. “Why would you do that? I thought there weren’t any secrets between us.” More confusion than anger was in his voice, and as he looked at her, the car started to slightly slow, the loss of concentration resulting in a mild lifting of the throttle.
“I needed to make sure that it was me and not my name that you were interested in. I realized almost immediately that was the case, but I still needed to keep up the guise for other reasons.”
“What reasons can justify you lying to me?” Now there was a slight sharpness to his tone.
“My father is Jonathan Radliff.” She just blurted it out, as if to take his mind off the lie and onto something else.
That brought such a long silence that Veronica had to say something else before she exploded. “I thought that you might feel differently about me, I mean, you were doing so well at the company, that I thought you might think I was intervening on your behalf.”
“Were you?”
“No, not once did I ever mention you to my father or anyone else who could help you with your career. Everything you have you earned on your own. You have to believe that, Richard. I was so afraid that you wouldn’t want to keep seeing me because of who I am.” Her face left no doubt how concerned she was that he would react negatively to her sudden disclosure.
Richard slowed the car and pulled off to the side coming to rest on the shoulder under the shade of a large maple tree, “This is an interesting development. I guess you leave me no alternative.”
His voice sounded so ominous that Veronica was fighting back tears. She couldn’t believe that it was going to end this way. Why had she been so stupid to think she could just drop the truth on him like this, and get away unscathed?
“I suppose I’m really going to have to go out of my way to impress your father, otherwise he will never give me permission to marry you.”
Veronica couldn’t believe what she just heard; the sadness faded and her heart started pounding with joy. She had to regroup and think this over. After a brief pause she decided she couldn’t let him get away with having caused her such anguish. She made a feeble attempt at feigned anger, “Oh really now. And just when were you planning to inform me that I was going to marry you?”
“Hey, don’t give me that attitude, I’m the guy that was lied to, remember? I’m the one who should be mad. In fact, your father is going to have to beg me to take you off his hands!”
“Don’t count on it, mister.”
With that they embraced, kissing each other long and hard. Finally Richard pulled back on the highway.
“So where’s my ring, fella?”
“First things, first. I haven’t approved of your family yet!”
* * *
Richard commented on each estate that they passed. He had never seen such opulence. He would have settled for any of the guest’s houses, each was about four times the size of his apartment. He definitely wasn’t prepared when Veronica asked him to turn onto a narrow lane that led up to an estate that was more impressive than the all others put together.
“You said you were wealthy, you didn’t say you were WEALTHY. Are we still in New York? That looks like a European castle!”
“Actually, it’s English, circa 1600, or something like that. Father had it shipped over, stone by stone. Good thing it’s summer, in the winter the cold draughts chill you to the bone. The twenty fireplaces and new heating system just can’t keep up with the demand.”
“Twenty? You guys must burn a forest every winter.”
“They’ve been converted to gas.”
“Of course, how silly of me!”
As they drove halfway around the semi circular driveway and came to a stop at the main entrance, Veronica leaned over, gave Richard a peck on the cheek and proceeded to honk the car’s horn in one long, loud blast.
“I’m not one to stand on ceremony. But wouldn’t it be more appropriate to just knock on the door?”
“This way the butler has time to get to the door!”
* * *
The entry hall was spectacular. Richard’s eyes feasted on lustrous marble flooring partially covered by an enormous, round Oriental carpet done in blues and greens of seemingly endless tones. The clarity of the colors led Richard to believe it was woven with the finest silk. In the middle of the carpeted area, a round table served as a pedestal for what Richard was certain must surely be the largest floral arrangement he had ever seen. Portraits of each family member adorned the walls and welcomed the visitor. Richard immediately recognized Jonathan’s, having been in the audience of many of Jonathan’s company addresses. Opposing staircases flowed gracefully upward in smooth arcs, drawing one’s attention to an exquisite chandelier adorned with hundreds of crystal prisms that split the sun’s rays as they filtered light from the domed skylight. The entryway wasn’t dark and oppressive, as one might assume. Instead it was light and airy, maki
ng guests feel welcome.
The long corridors leading off to the left and right stunned Richard.
As if reading his mind, Veronica offered, “Each corridor is about fifty yards long. There are all manner of rooms off each one. I don’t know if I’ve even been in them all! Dining, smoking, sitting, reception rooms are to the left. On the right are game, tea, cocktail rooms, the library and offices. Just remember to tip your friendly tour guide!”
Richard was expecting a formal setting for his introduction to the family; instead the butler led them to the back patio, where Veronica’s parents, her sisters, their spouses and children were casually engaged in conversation. Everyone was dressed in shorts, shirts and sandals. He felt out of place in his Armani slacks, Ferragamo shoes and Ralph Lauren silk shirt.
“Now I see why she told me to pack shorts,” he whispered to Veronica.
“Ronnie, we thought you would never get here. Now we can fire up the grill and get this show on the road. The kids are starving. What can I get you two to drink? You have to be parched after the drive.” Jonathan was always happy to see his eldest daughter. He saw her less than her siblings. He doted over his three girls, but Veronica was always special to him. It must have been her independent nature that appealed to him. She in turn felt closer to him than to her mother. In fact, only he was permitted to call her “Ronnie.”
“I’ll fix us up, Dad. In the meantime let me introduce you to Richard Sinclair.”
Jonathan offered his hand. “Richard Sinclair? Not the Richard Sinclair from my firm, by any chance?” His face had a welcoming look that put Richard at ease and his raised eyebrows showed surprise at the mention of Richard's name.
“Yes sir.” Richard was amazed that Jonathan Radliff would recognize his name.
“This is quite a coincidence. I’ve been meaning to meet with you. I’ve heard great things about you. We’ll talk business some other time though, right now we party. And it’s Jonathan, not ‘Sir.’ Where is that girl with your drink? I have to do everything around here. Hey everybody, introduce yourselves to Richard while I get the food started.”
Radliff’s portrait, which hung in the conference room at the corporate office, gave the impression that Jonathan was a stodgy, old grump. Richard wasn’t prepared to see the man behind the image in such an informal setting. He couldn’t help but laugh, to himself he hoped, when Jonathan donned a barbecue apron with the expression KISS THE COOK OR STARVE emblazoned upon it. He could never have envisioned a jovial grandparent with knobby knees. This must be normal for him, as Richard noted that his legs were tanned, not pale. He must spend a lot of time outdoors. Who could blame him, the gardens were outstanding and the pool looked inviting. If it weren’t for this castle looming over his head, you could almost call him average.
One by one, Richard met the family, until finally Veronica’s mother was the only one left. After the introductions, she offered Richard her arm and led him away from the ruckus and toward the gardens.
“You must be overwhelmed by all this. I don’t mean the estate; I’m referring to having to meet the entire family all at once. We can be an intimidating lot at first, especially my sons-in-law. I’m sure they were all ready to have you investigated, until they heard that you work for Jonathan. I’m sure that ruined their day! Don’t get me wrong, I love them to death, but sometimes they are such snobs. By the way, you will call me Marion.” Her face was soft and kind and her smile was just as sweet as Veronica’s. She looked much too young to be a grandmother. Richard could picture her being the belle of the ball when she was Veronica's age. She was an older version of Veronica and just as attractive.
“It is a lot to absorb all at once,” replied Richard. “And you’re wrong about the estate, it is overwhelming!”
“I think you will find that we are just normal people. My husband and I have always tried to separate our family lives from our public lives. We both grew up in stifling environments and we didn’t want that for our children. As a result, we have some fairly well-adjusted children.
“Veronica has kept you a big secret. I’ve learned more about you through the gossips in my social circle than from her. I suspect that most, if not all, of it is sheer rubbish, considering some of my sources. I won’t bother you with what I have heard; I prefer to see for myself. I think that if Veronica has brought you here, you must be very special. And just so you know where you stand, if she says you walk on water, then you walk on water in my eyes also.” She punctuated that with a beaming smile. That same smile that Richard loved about Veronica, he now loved about her mother.
“I hardly think she would say that about me. But thank you for the sentiment. I so very much want you and Jonathan to approve of me.”
“Oh? Does this mean I should start thinking about getting our garden in shape for a wedding?”
“Well, let’s just say that I have approached Veronica with the idea and she didn’t run away screaming. In fact, it’s my intention to ask Jonathan for his blessing.”
“I can assure you, if I know my husband as well as I think I do, he has already made up his mind. He has seen the gleam in Veronica’s eyes just as I have. But you must still humbly ask him for her hand. After all, we have to let him feel he is in charge every now and then. Now let’s get back so the rest of the family can grill you along with the steaks, shall we?” There was that captivating smile again.
As they walked back, Marion filled Richard in on the family tradition. “We insisted that our other daughters get married here in the garden, late spring or early summer is best. And I have to insist that you and Veronica do likewise. Before you judge me unfairly, let me explain. Every little girl grows up on tales of princesses having lavish weddings at their castles. So, Jonathan and I brought this castle over and had it assembled stone by stone, and had these lavish gardens landscaped for our princesses. While a bride may say she wants something simple and unpretentious, deep down inside, she dreams of this. We are fortunate to be able to make our daughters’ dreams come true. I’m certain that if you should ever have a daughter, you will want the same for her. I hope you understand.”
“I do understand and I think it’s wonderful. But outside of a few coworkers and my family, I couldn’t begin to fill this garden with guests.”
“Don’t worry about a shortage of guests, that won’t be a problem.
“By the way, I forgot to mention that we are Catholic and insist our children marry within the church. Would that pose a problem?”
“No, not at all. I was raised Catholic, although I have to admit that I haven’t been regularly attending mass for the last few years.”
* * *
“So what have you two been up to, Marion? Have you been giving Richard the third degree?”
“No, Jonathan, she has been a most gracious hostess. Marion was merely giving me the grand tour of the gardens. I haven’t seen this much greenery since my days growing up in Napa Valley.”
“Napa? I love that area. Try to get there as often as possible. Unfortunately, I’m not permitted to enjoy as much of the grape as I would like, damned blood sugar problem. Do your parents live there?”
“Yes they do, in fact my brother and sister have never left, either. They followed the lead of my parents and started up small businesses of their own.”
“Now that you have been to the “big city,” who do you think made the wiser choice?” Jonathan was very interested in Richard's answer. He was long past the point of being able to turn to a simpler life, but it wasn't too late for Richard.
“Well, since I never would have met Veronica, had I stayed there; I would have to say that I made the best choice.”
“You’d better say that, or you are in deep trouble, mister” Veronica chimed in as she handed him a gin and tonic.
“Okay, everybody, soup’s on. Have a seat Richard and enjoy, you and I have a lot to talk about later.” The warmth of Jonathan’s tone was encouraging.
After lunch, while the rest of the family engaged in some sp
irited volleyball, Jonathan took Richard on a tour of the house. While cold and gray on the outside, the inside was altogether different. Every room was decorated in warm tones, the accessories reflecting a thoughtful labor of love. There were priceless works of art everywhere, all tastefully integrated with each room’s furnishings. Unlike so many other privileged owners, the Radliffs believed that masterpieces were best shown when displayed as components of their environment, not the focal points. Richard liked the effect. He felt comfortable in every room, instead of being in awe of the opulence. But what really attracted his attention was the library. He had never seen so many rare first editions in one place.
“My mother and father would go crazy in here. They would have to pinch pennies for a long time to get their hands on some of these.”
“They appreciate good books, I take it.”
“They turned a love affair with literature into a hobby, and then a business. They have a bookstore in Yountville. They don’t get much demand for first editions. Occasionally, one of the wealthier vintners will commission them to purchase a volume on his or her behalf.”
“I’ll keep that in mind; perhaps we will have the opportunity to do business. I always enjoy discussing fine literature with knowledgeable people. Most of my suppliers are unaware of the content of the treasures they gather. It’s just a business with them, and art should never be relegated to strictly business, it needs to be appreciated and admired.”
“Have a seat, Richard, and let’s chat.”
Richard sat in a high backed leather armchair that faced Jonathan’s ornate desk at a slight angle. Jonathan, instead of sitting behind the desk, sat in a matching chair next to Richard.
“I was talking to Ronnie while you and Marion were in the garden. She said that you’ve discussed marriage. She is really in love with you; anybody can see that, even me. Ronnie told me about keeping her identity a secret from you. I’m curious what you would have done had you known who she was at the beginning.”