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Chapter Twelve
Entering the dining room, Helen pretended her focus was on its opulence instead of on the man whose arm she held. Nicholas escorted her to a seat at the table, across from his.
While lavish, the dining room’s ambiance was dignified and warm. Bucolic landscape paintings hung on Wedgwood-blue walls, and candles glowed in heavy silver candelabras on the table and the chandeliers above. Echoing the scale of the drawing room, it featured airy ceilings and a fireplace whose hearth was tall enough for Helen to stand in.
Helen and Elijah sat next to each other, across from Nicholas and Pen.
As Sirena took in everyone from her place at the head of the table, her eyes sparkled. “It won’t compare to a feast in a Chinese palace, but tonight you’ll taste our family’s favorites—from England and beyond!”
Helen smiled and Elijah spoke. “We look forward to it. I understand you’re from Greece? Will Greek delights be on the menu?”
Vassilis signaled for wine to be poured into the awaiting goblets. “Greek and Turkish foods. We arekonstantinoupolítes—Greeks from Constantinople. Though our families left Greece centuries ago, we retained our religion and language, even as the city changed, becoming Muslim and speaking Turkish.”
“What brought you to England, of all places?” asked Elijah.
“We left in perilous times,” Nicholas answered. “During Greece’s fight for independence from the Ottomans. The revolution started in 1821, and there were massacres across the empire and on both sides. In our city, most of the Greek quarter was slaughtered or taken into slavery.”
Sirena shook her head sadly, her eyes unfocused as she stared at her goblet being filled.
Helen glanced at Nicholas, who was listening with a serious expression. He had to have come to England as a very young boy, and she realized how frightening that must have been.
Vassilis lifted his hands. “Apologies. Enough of that for now. We escaped thirty years ago and found safety in England. For many years, it was too dangerous to return. More recently, I have traveled back. Many of my imports come from there.”
Pen lifted her chin pertly. “I shall visit one day. Adrian and Papa have gone together, and Nicholas, too! I see your look, Mama. I know you won’t return, not ever, but I should like to!” Catching Elijah’s grin at her enthusiasm, she smiled back. “And you, Captain Miller? In all your worldly adventures, have you been to Turkey?”
He glanced at Helen before answering, his face somber. “I have.”
“Oh?” Vassilis peered at him approvingly. “For trade? What products? Silks to compete with the Chinese?”
Color staining his cheeks, Elijah looked at his goblet. Until the first toast, the wine remained off limits. “Opium. I made opium runs from Turkey to China.”
Nicholas said nothing, but Helen saw him register this noteworthy information.Does he consider us hypocrites?She swallowed and looked away.
Pen’s eyes widened with excitement. “You were asmuggler?”
Elijah shifted in his chair. “It’s with shame that I admit it, but yes.”
“I apologize for interrupting,” Sirena said smoothly. “But it’s time for a toast. I’m so happy to have guests to include in this celebration. Forgive my boasting, but our first toast tonight is for our family patriarch, Vassilis.”
The man scoffed even as his chest puffed out.
Looking from Helen to Elijah, Pen explained. “Papa visited Buckingham Palace to call on Prince Albert! His Royal Highness requested that Papa serve on a Royal Commission!”
Sirena toasted. “To Vassilis!” Everyone else followed suit before drinking their red wine.
Helen carefully set her goblet down on the crisp, white linen. “Congratulations! What sort of commission is it?”
Beaming, Vassilis looked around the table. “To organize the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations!” He punctuated the announcement with a fist on the table, making the silver jump.
Elijah raised an eyebrow. “Exhibition on industry, you say?”
“Indeed. The prince himself is president of the commission and the exhibition’s greatest promoter. He wants to celebrate the best of industrial technology and design from everywhere!”
Nicholas smiled. “From everywhere…but especially Britain?”
His father grinned. “We’ll display to the world the finest examples of machinery and the products they manufacture. Much of that is British. Prince Albert is like me—not born here, but proud of what our adopted homeland has achieved.”
“British or not, Helen wouldlovethat! She’s quite interested in trade and—”
