— It could use a bit more room in the chest, Isobel remarks, her tone tight.
Her gaze drops to my breasts, and I wonder if she thinks I’m pregnant… Without warning, the memory of my hands on Callum’s groin flashes through my mind, and I feel my cheeks heat instantly. It suddenly feels like a thousand degrees in this room.
— We’re working on that, Lady McGregor, Madame Gordon replies. I need to concentrate to finish these delicate adjustments…
— Of course, Maggie agrees, sitting beside Keira. Go on, Madame Gordon. We’ll be as silent as fish.
The silence that follows is anything but comfortable. I can feel Isobel’s gaze scanning every inch of my figure, probably cataloging flaws to criticize later. Maggie, meanwhile, watches me with a mix of curiosity and satisfaction that reminds me of a scientist observing a promising experiment.
— So, Jane, Maggie says suddenly, breaking the silence. How are you finding our family home so far?
— It’s breathtaking, I answer honestly.
Literally, considering this dress is crushing my lungs and I’ve been holding my breath for fifteen minutes…
— I’ve never seen anything like it.
— I imagine Hollywood must be quite different, Isobel remarks, a trace of condescension in her voice. All that modernity, that glitz, that superficiality…
— Mother, Keira cuts in, I think your disdain for popular culture is showing a little too much.
— It wasn’t disdain, Isobel defends herself. Simply an observation.
— A disdainful observation, Keira mutters into her glass.
I decide to step in before things escalate.
— Actually, Hollywood can be superficial, that’s true. But Los Angeles also has incredible cultural richness. Amazingmuseums, a vibrant art scene, historic neighborhoods… It’s like any other major city.
— You surprise me, Jane, Maggie comments. I didn’t picture you as a museum enthusiast.
— Because I’m an actress? I ask with a faint smile. Or because I’m American?
— Both, I suppose, she replies with disarming honesty. My prejudices do get the better of me sometimes.
— Mine too, I admit. I expected Scotland to be nothing but mist, sheep, and men in kilts playing bagpipes.
Keira bursts out laughing.
— And? Isn’t it?
— It is, completely. But it’s also so much more.
Maggie nods approvingly.
— Well said, my dear. Tell me about your family. Your mother will be at the wedding, I believe?
— Yes, she arrives tomorrow. Saying she’s excited would be an understatement.
— And there’s truly no chance your father will honor us with his presence? Isobel asks.
The question catches me off guard, and I feel my shoulders stiffen. Madame Gordon makes a disapproving noise as my movement disrupts her careful work.
— None at all, I answer shortly.
— Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Maggie says, with a sincerity that surprises me. Family relationships can be complicated.
— That’s a polite way of saying disastrous, I admit with a forced laugh.
