Checked out without even saying good-bye. No note, nothing.” He twirled the olive on a toothpick around in his glass.
“I’m so sorry, Freddie,” Callie said. “I didn’t know.”
“Depressed people are not always aware of what they do,” Rogar said.
Freddie suddenly smiled. “It would seem that
“Then walk away from them,” Rogar said.
“When my father kicked the bucket, he left me a considerable fortune, since he was between wives at the moment. The only thing he didn’t bother to teach me was how exactly to live.” He waved his arm. “This is all I know.”
The waiter took their drink orders. Callie had a feeling she knew why Freddie had opened up—he was drinking double martinis, and she doubted that had been his first. She and Rogar ordered wine.
Ms. Crane walked to the center of the dance floor. She wore a poofy-pink dress that sparkled almost as much as the chandeliers, and like deer that had been caught in headlights, everyone shifted their attention to her.
Her hair was almost as poofy as her dress. All that might not have been so bad, but her bony shoulders were bare, her rouge too dark, and it looked as though she wore false eyelashes. She reminded Callie of a scarecrow coming off a week of hard drugs.
“That’s enough to give everyone nightmares for a few weeks,” Freddie murmured.
Callie snorted, then quickly covered it with a cough.
“Is she ill?” Rogar asked.
Freddie shook his head. “No, that’s how she usually dresses for these things. She just has more money than everyone else, so no one has the nerve to say anything to her face.”
One of the waiters handed Ms. Crane a microphone. She tapped it once, the sound bouncing off the walls, followed by a loud screech. The waiter hurried to turn it down, then handed it back.
“It works,” she said, stating the obvious. “Before we get started tonight, I want to let everyone know that we have royalty with us tonight.” She beamed like a lighthouse on a foggy night. “Prince Rogar Valkyir. Please give him a warm welcome. We’re so happy to have him join us.” She waved her arm toward him.
Callie felt as if she might as well have faded into the wallpaper. Why was she even here? She didn’t even like these people. Sure, she was wearing fancy clothes and expensive jewels, but she was still the same Callie.
Rogar stood, bowed slightly, then held his hand out for Callie. She really wished he hadn’t done that, but she smiled and stood.
“Oh, yes, forgive me. And his fiancée is also with him,” Ms. Crane said nervously.
They sat back down as their drinks arrived. Freddie took a long swallow of his. “Notice how they accidentally leave us unimportant hangers on out of the mix? Ah, yes, they are taught from birth how to let the undesirables stand on the fringes of their circle.” He grinned and winked at her. “While we just sit back and enjoy their antics. Great sport, really.”
Callie laughed. She couldn’t help it. Freddie had a good sense of humor.
“I’m sorry,” Freddie spoke to Rogar. “You obviously have wealth, and prestige, and here I am putting down the bluebloods. I apologize.”
“We don’t have class distinction where I’m from,” Rogar said.
“But you’re a prince. I find that hard to believe.”
He shrugged. “Everyone works toward the common good of all the people. We’re a simple…country.”
“It sounds like paradise.”
Rogar’s gaze fell on Callie. “It is.”
As warmth crawled up her cheeks, she quickly took a drink of her wine.
“Enjoy your meal, because as soon as it’s over,” Ms. Crane spoke into the microphone, “—we’ll start the auction. I expect to raise a lot of money for the local zoo.”
Zoo? Callie perked up. Okay, maybe this wouldn’t be a total loss. She liked the idea the money raised tonight would actually go for something good. Not that they would stick around long.
Their food was brought out. Since it was catered, they didn’t have a choice, but it tasted a lot better than the food they’d been eating. She wasn’t much of a cook, and Rogar had already shown his talents in the kitchen, which she’d just as soon he not repeat.
Rogar and Freddie talked during the three courses, and she mostly listened.
“So, you have a lot of brothers and sisters?” Freddie asked.
Rogar grimaced as though it pained him to talk about them. “More than I like to think about.”
She cocked an eyebrow.
“I have two brothers and three sisters. They’re all very stubborn,” Rogar said.
“Oh, much like you then,” she said with wide-eyed innocence.
“I think you’re making a joke at my expense,” Rogar said.
Had she offended him? Nope, there was that twinkle in his eye again. “And I did it very well, too,” she said. She started laughing. Rogar and Freddie joined in.
Callie reached for her wineglass, glancing around the room as she did. Constance was looking straight at her, venom spitting from her eyes, but she quickly glanced away when their gazes locked. After tonight, Callie had better watch her back. Not that she planned on associating with these people again.
As the waiters cleared the tables, Ms. Crane made her way back to the center of the dance floor. One of the staff wheeled out a cart that was covered with a pretty blue silk scarf.
Callie leaned closer to Rogar. “We can sneak away any time,” she whispered.
“I’d like to see what happens.”
“All they’ll do is bid on stuff that is brought out, the highest bidder wins the item, then the money will be donated to the local zoo.”
“It sounds interesting.”
Did it really matter if they stayed a bit longer? “Okay, then we’ll hang around for a while.”
Ms. Crane removed the scarf to reveal a vase. “First up we have a lovely china vase donated by the Burberrys.”
As Ms. Crane continued to extol the quality of such a fine vase, Freddie leaned over. “Everyone cleans out their attic for this event. It’s a good way to get rid of junk they don’t want anymore,” he whispered, then shrugged. “But it is for a good cause.” He raised his paddle. “One thousand.”
Ms. Crane beamed. “Going once, twice, sold to Freddie Danbury!”
“Well, I’ve done my duty for the night.”
Several more pieces were sold. Then another item was brought out. Ms. Crane whisked off the scarf. Callie sat straighter in her chair, drawing in a breath. It was a beautiful tawny statue of a jaguar, and it looked just like Sheba.
The bidding started. How much did she have in her savings?
“We have one thousand, one thousand five, are there any more bids? Going once.” Ms. Crane looked around the room. “Going twice.”
It was a shame. She would’ve really liked to have the jaguar. Her savings account was practically nil. Besides, she’d promised herself that she would never touch it for any reason, even if it meant eating tuna every day until she got her next paycheck.
But it was a really beautiful piece. She sighed, wishing for once in her life that the fairy tale was real.
Rogar raised his paddle. “One million dollars.”
Chapter 24
There was a collective gasp from the crowd. Callie’s head whipped around, her mouth
