Broken Angel

by Nona Mae King

  “Top!”

  Robert looked up in time to find Damon standing and gesturing to a couple just entering the restaurant. “Damon, gads, you’re making a scene,” he protested, vaguely noticing Rachel’s intense scrutiny of his own profile.

  Damon’s twinkling storm-blue eyes focused on Robert once the lady and gentleman’s attention had been gathered and their approach secured. “It’s Christopher Lake, though we always called him Top—don’t ask. He is that artist with the gallery here in Richmond that I told you about last Christmas? We went to school together two years. Then he went to London for three, displaying his art at some museum.”

  Damon returned to his seat, leaning across the table toward Robert and Rachel in an air of secrecy. “The poor sod’s been married two years already, and him being only just twenty-four! He should’ve waited at least another five before putting that yoke on, what with the raves his art gets. But no.” Damon lounged back into the chair, shaking his head with an air pity. “Always was a romantic, poor sod. You should’ve seen the sketches he did of a certain lady he never confessed knowing.”

  Before Robert could protest, the pair had arrived at their table and Damon, Robert, and Rachel stood while Damon began introductions.

  Christopher ‘Top’ Lake presented as a well-balanced man, kind even. His smile wasn’t full or forced. Instead, it looked to be small but true, fitting nicely with the even and firm grip of his handshake - to both himself and Rachel, much to her satisfaction. The welcome and interest in Christopher’s hazel eyes was noticed, as well.

  The fact that Christopher stood a little taller than he himself wasn’t lost on Robert, but his attitude didn’t make it seem as if he towered. All in all, Robert appreciated the gentleman’s reserved persona. It stood a direct contrast to himself and Damon, and Robert had a tendency of enjoying contrasts more than avoiding them, due mostly to the fact that one could learn so much from them. Also, Rachel seemed to show a certain level of intrigue toward Christopher, which had Robert making a note to invite the couple to a dinner or luncheon before they left Charlottesville.

  One free of Damon’s obnoxious humor.

  Carla Lake stood at least eight inches shorter than her husband, yet her blonde curls, bright green eyes, eager and genuine smile in addition to her slender form and graceful elegance didn’t allow her to be at all minimized in stature. As Rachel, her beauty was heightened by the intelligence in her eyes and in her tone as she inquired after his family, aware of the Trent’s by name and reputation.

  It was during that conversation that Robert noticed Carla did more of the initiation of conversation than her husband, who seemed content to listen. Robert could tell Rachel noticed, just as he could tell she was intrigued at the possible reason for it. Christopher didn’t seem a brow-beaten husband, and Carla definitely didn’t give the impression of aggression - as Rachel did herself. It only seemed as if Christopher was content to be in the background rather than the foreground. How many men has she met of this humility, Lord? Certainly not myself. He smirked.

  “We’re just finishing coffee, Top,” Damon informed as he motioned to the table. “Sit down with us and tell these two all the excitement with the Gallery.”

  Christopher accepted the offer with a small and yet truthful smile. Then he seated Carla at the head of the small table and sat to her right, Carla watching him with an adoring smile of extreme love and affection. Robert found it to be an intriguing thought to have a woman look at him in such a way. A thought he couldn’t usher away even with the comparison of Rachel and Carla’s temperaments.

  “We’re actually planning a display this evening,” Christopher informed in a somewhat reserved tone.

  Robert shifted his focus from Christopher to Rachel and then back, one side of his lips twitching upward as Rachel continued to scrutinize the artist.

  Damon chuckled. “A display, is it? You should have Rob, here, come. Maybe he’ll take some of Ted’s culture-forsaken sculptures off your hands?”

  The small smile returned, brightening the expression in the man’s eyes even more when Carla softly laughed. When Robert moved his focus to a sidelong scrutiny of Rachel, she regarded the pair with a slightly arched eyebrow.

  “They’ve improved since school, Damon,” Christopher said, sending Carla an amused smile.

  “Yes, well, you never thought they were as horrible as they really were in the first place. You wonder why he’s got an ego the size of New York?”

  Christopher chuckled and Carla laughed again, which twitched the lips of Rachel to watch the couple together. Robert also noticed she had freed her fan and did her best to hide her scrutiny behind its colorful landscape.

  “Damon,” Robert spoke up, drawing the couple’s attention as well as his friend’s, “the only reason you recognize an ego is because you have yourself one to match.”

  “Here, here. Why do I seem to be the butt of everyone’s jokes?”

  “Your reactions are priceless, old man,” Robert chuckled. “You make an easy target.”

  “No more than you, old man, or did you forget--”

  “I try not to forget,” Robert interrupted with a meaningful look toward his friend. “I only pick and choose where I remember and who I relate it to.”

  “What’s the fun in that?”

  They all laughed, Damon smirking as he leaned back in his chair and began absently tapping his finger on the table-top. “So, are we invited to the display?” he continued. “Rob here’s going to need a bit of fun after the expected brow-beating from dear old dad this morning.”

  Robert’s lips twitched. “I never was one partial to the understanding of art, Damon. You know that.” He cast Rachel a sidelong glance to catch her inquisitive expression. “I’m more of a verse man, myself.”

  Her lips lifted in a soft smirk, and she didn’t look away.

  Focusing again on Christopher and Carla, he said, “But if the invitation is of your own free will and not Damon’s brooding and self-infliction, by all means I accept. I’m sure Dearest One would enjoy the excursion, as well as the opportunity to watch me being instructed.” His lips twitched again. “I’m an arrogant yob, you see, and Dearest One has the most… ingenious plots of making me see that while not making me feel bad about the truth of it.”

  Christopher chuckled, giving a shake of his head as he sent a glance to Rachel. The artist’s attention then immediately focused on his wife before returning. The artist lifted an eyebrow. Robert agreed. The two were uncannily similar in beauty and appearance. They could have been sisters.

  “Of course you must come,” Carla said, her lilting voice as lovely as her persona. “Teddy was only just complaining that Damon never visits since passing the Bar.”

  Christopher focused an amused expression on Damon. “He’s certain you’ve become a snob.”

  “His legs aren’t broken,” Damon reminded. “He knows very well I’ve been busy with the practice, what with Father and Mother gallivanting all over the Continent. All he had to do was hop into a carriage and come over. Or even drop me a note. It would have been all the excuse I needed to get out of the office.”

  “Poor Damon,” Carla soothed, an actual expression of compassion drooping her lips. “I’ll do better at inviting you for tea or lunches at the Gallery. I know Teddy and Chris would love to have you.” Carla made a graceful motion of extending her hand toward Damon, eyes alight with an idea. “I’ve been meaning to have an attorney brought on, even simply as a consultant. Would you be interested in discussing the particulars at the display this evening? Though I don’t wish for you to feel obligated to accept. I know how busy you must be with your family practice.”

  Damon rubbed at the back of his neck while sending Robert a ‘Help!’. Robert only smirked. “Well, I’m honored you would think of me, but I’m afraid I’ve barely time to know which way is East.” He immediately motioned to Robert, expression in his storm-blue eyes seemingly saying ‘Ha!’ as he said “But Robert here passed the Bar with a hig
her average than myself, and he’s yet to start his own practice. Maybe he’s more available to add you to his client list? Certainly the children can’t take all that much of your time.”

  Touché. Robert focused on Carla, smirk softening to a genuine smile. “Discussing specifics of business and law for an art gallery would be a pleasure. As a matter of fact, Rachel has recently taken up the duty of organizing my own practice. I’m certain she and I would love to broaden the scope of my specialty.”

  Damon made a face and crossed his arms.

  “Oh?” Carla acknowledged, shifting her attention to Rachel. “Would consultation for copyrights and whatnot be within reason for you?”

  “I would hesitate to say without further discussion with Robert on the current focus,” Rachel admitted. “A focus on applications for state guardianship and filings for independence is liable to be enough of an introduction, especially considering that the practice would not be limited to national residents. However, I would be willing to discuss it further with you this evening at the Display.”

  Christopher’s eyebrow twitched upward, encouraging a slightly wider smirk from Robert as he watched the conversation between intelligent fiancée and intelligent wife. Thoroughly enjoying himself, of course.

  Carla smiled, the expression enhancing not only her intelligence, but her delicate bone structure and genuine kindness of persona. “That would be wonderful.” She looked to her husband. “Will you warn Teddy we’ll be having a business meeting? That way he will know he needs to be more focused on host than mischief-maker.”

  Damon laughed. “This I’ve got to see. Count me in.”

  Christopher simply nodded.

  Then Carla again focused on Rachel. “The Display is due to start at seven, but you’re welcome to come before. Chris and I will be helping Teddy finalize certain things most of the afternoon. Will you come?”

  “I will do my best,” Rachel acknowledged.

  “Wonderful. I would very much enjoy your opinion on the focus of our art display before the Gallery opens. So often I believe we get set in our own ways of doing things that we lose touch with the freshness artists crave.” Her cheeks flushed with her blossoming smile. “Does that sound odd?”

  “Not at all.” Rachel’s graceful motion encompassed them all. “I believe we have all fallen victim to settling for the ‘status quo’ at some point in a professional or personal goal. To find a refreshing point-of-view is often what one needs in order to discover motivation.”

  Robert nibbled on the end of his pipe as he regarded the trio, noticing a glimmer of interest in not only Christopher and Carla’s expressions, but Rachel’s as well. Had school also begun to lose its shine and glimmer of potential toward the end? A lack of luster after all the experiences?

  The interest which sparked in Christopher’s gaze even caused a slight forward lean. “I have considered the possibility of introducing a peer review or discussion once per month,” he confessed.

  Carla’s emerald eyes sparkled as she nodded, her rose lips blossoming into a smile as her focus continued to be solely on her husband. “I still agree we should display a sign-up form at the event this evening. So many will see the benefit, Chris. I just know they will.”

  “They would be fools to not,” Rachel observed, sparing a glance toward Robert as he continued his silent regard of her growing interest in this possible project. A smile tickled her lips for a brief moment. “To avail themselves of constructive criticism with no cost to themselves? Youth is said to be wasted on the young, yet if you are able to help these artists harness that youth for an improvement of their ability, I say bravo and well done. Guide them to yearn for a perfection so often lost. Mentor and teach them to be a better generation, yes?”

  Pride swelled as Robert clearly saw how Christopher and Carla both appreciated and respected Rachel’s insight. Even Damon appeared more moved than annoyed, as his gaze burned with interest in the subject matter.

  Christopher leaned forward, his gaze holding Rachel’s with little to no hesitation. “I have often thought we should offer a wider variety of classes and events at the gallery. Perhaps even take on a promising artist each year to sponsor?”

  “Excellent,” Rachel agreed, nodding. “Should you take as great care with their selection as I know you must with the care of your displays, the action of sponsorship will broaden your Gallery’s reach and enhance the vision you yourself have for its role in the community.” Her fan snapped closed, drawing the attentions of all at the table. “One caution I voice: be deliberate in your choices and actions. Art is subjective and free-form, but business should be more purposeful in action and reaction. I urge you to keep this forever in mind as you plan.”

  Christopher nodded, though his wife showed silent inspiration as she gazed at Rachel with vibrant respect and awe. Robert smirked as he acknowledged the shift of gratification that he could be associated with someone so… brilliant.

  Damon hid a yawn. “I beg of you; can we not speak of a subject more interesting than that of business?”

  Robert scoffed. “Corset and bustle trends don’t gather our attention as they do yours, Damon.”

  Laughter rippled around the table, inviting more conversation on varying topics that did not encompass art or business.

  Too soon, however, Carla gave Christopher’s sleeve a tug. “We had better go, Chris.” He nodded, standing as she did the same. “It was wonderful to meet you. I wish we could stay longer, but we’ve a brunch meeting with a prospective artist we would like to sponsor. A rather timid individual, we’re afraid he might bolt if we’re surrounded by much more than ourselves.”

  The trio stood, Robert extending a hand to Carla and then Christopher respectively. “Of course, of course. Thank you for being so patient with Damon’s insistence of attendance.” His friend protested, but Robert continued. “I’ll be sure to vocalize your invitation to my father so that he knows I have a previous engagement that cannot be missed.” He smirked. “I think your Display might have become my salvation.”

  Carla brightly smiled. “I certainly hope so, for I love to see new faces at the Gallery. Especially those who I believe can offer a… unique perspective on the art there.”

  “Heh,” Damon chuckled. “‘Unique’. Yeah. That’s a diplomatic way of putting it.”

  Robert laughed and gave his friend’s arm a hefty shove. “As if you know the difference between oil and mud?”

  Christopher shook each of their hands, giving only a nod and small smile to each before offering a polite “Good morning” and then leading his wife away.

  As the trio sat, Robert noticed Rachel’s continuing scrutiny of the couple as they walked deeper within the restaurant, concentrating on the expressions on their faces as they began an internal conversation of some interest to the artist and his wife. Robert had come to classify the couple’s relationship as more than a simple marriage of feeling. There was clearly a deeper foundation of friendship between the two; one that had blossomed to an affection and devotion.

  Has she seen many relationships such as that one, Lord? Is that why You arranged this little meeting? So that she could observe a marriage full of comfort and comradery? So that she could see the happiness they share while being independent to their personality? Robert’s smile softened, and he gave in to an urge to momentarily touch her back. The light stroke drew her focus, her fan closing and lowering to her lap as she met his eyes with a calmly curious and intrigued expression within her emerald eyes.

  Robert only continued to offer her a soft smile, which caused a slight flush before she returned the expression with her own unique version. “While I hate to be the bearer of bad new,” Robert confessed, “I’m afraid we should continue on toward our own appointment. The longer we dawdle, the more I’m certain Father won’t be persuaded to allow my escape this evening.”

  “Pity that,” Damon said as the trio stood. He fell into step beside Robert as he escorted Rachel from the restaurant. “Finishing my duty of
escorting you to the Cave will mean I’ve to hurry back to the office.”

  Robert chuckled. “Only until this evening, Damon, then you’ve the duty of escorting myself and Dearest One to the gallery, as I’ve no idea where it could be.”

  “But I’ve no one to bring as partner,” Damon protested. “I can’t go stag. Teddy would use it against me until my death bed. Even then!”

  “Damon,” Robert protested, “I find it hard to believe you’ve no one in your memory on good enough standing to escort to the party.” Though he knew full well Damon did his best to manipulate the situation into Rachel offering to approach Maggie.

  “The ladies in my acquaintance would shudder at the thought of attending an art exhibit.”

  Robert laughed. “Gads, Damon! Have out with the question rather than beating around the bush!”

  “Question? What question?”

  A sidelong glance toward Rachel revealed a smirk behind her fan. “The question to Rachel on whether or not she will invite Maggie as your partner. Don’t be daft.”

  Damon looked positively taken aback. “Force myself upon a charming creature such as Miss Margaret Kelley?”

  Robert chose to ignore him, turning instead to Rachel. “Rachel, do put the poor sod out of his misery and press Maggie to come. I believe she would thoroughly enjoy herself.”

  “But would your friend? I’m afraid Maggie has herself a bit of an honest streak in her that is liable to put him on his ear.”

  “Do tell.” Robert focused on Damon. “You hear that, old man? She’s bound to call you on your less-than-glorious habits. Still wish the pairing?”

  Damon smirked. “Who says I haven’t been taking on the habits just to be called on them?”