Victoria tripped on her heels and was about to fall flat on Italian marble when two strong hands cupped her shoulders out of nowhere and saved her from the fall.
Luke was holding her with a concerned smile.
Their eyes met for the first time in the evening. Victoria's blues reflected Luke's greens.
For Victoria, it was as if time itself was moving slowly; however, soon she realised that their eyes were gazing at each other for an uncomfortably long time.
Luke was still holding Victoria's shoulder with his robust, sizable hands.
Victoria's cheeks turned a lighter shade of red as she shrugged Luke off rudely, breaking eye contact in an instant, and sternly walked off without looking back.
Victoria was unable to notice a slice of sweet grin on Luke's face as she left.
After dinner, the patriarchs of both families were enjoying their mellowing Havanas in Victor's library, his second most prized possession.
Patricia, Martha, and Valentina were enjoying the world-renowned pianist Sir Thomas Doyle in the main hall, playing his heart out, his acclaimed compositions on a 'Grand White Steinway'.
Amidst all this, Victoria was nowhere to be seen; Luke's searching eyes were giving him away, although no one noticed.
Luke noticed the big glass door that opened outside into the lawn was half shut, and a strip of moonlight was trickling in from outside.
He decided to listen to his gut and started towards the lawn.
Although a light shower tormented the city all day, the night was clean, especially the sky. The Great Donatelli mansion was perched on one of the big hills like a crown, some kilometers outside the main city. Here at Donatelli residence, on a clear night sky, the whole of our Milky Way and its cosmic intricacies can be witnessed in high definition with the naked eye, it is true especially on a full moon night like today.
A waft of grassy cool summer breeze caressed Luke's face as he walked past the beautiful arboretum of the Donatelli lawns.
As he edged inwards following the beautiful moonlight, Luke saw a large birch tree; he saw numerous moonflowers twinkling in the moonlight, matching the sky; he saw the birch tree standing in the moon's shade, and he saw Victoria standing underneath that birch, overlooking the tiny, flickering city lights seen on the horizon.
There she is...Luke made silent steps towards the birch.
Victoria was contemplating the next steps ahead; she was dissecting her father's words again and again.
If it's true what Father said, then who in their right mind would pick a fight with both the Donatelli and the Baldwin at the same time? This whole thing smells of something very rotten...
Victoria was about to leave when she smelled woody cedar and warm cardamom just like the YSL perfume her father wears. She loved the smell of this perfume.
When she was young, she used to wear her father's sweaty, worn suits for hours; in Victoria's mind, a man should smell like that.
Are the Baldwinds gone?... Victoria turned around swiftly; she had a lot of questions to ask him.
She saw Luke standing outside the birch's shade, beaming in the moonlight, his hair gently swaying in the breeze.
Victoria was caught off guard.
She paused for a moment and then spoke, "What are you doing here?"
"Enjoying the night, the garden is really nice," Luke said.
"Is that all you have to say?" Victoria felt a slight irritation.
"Well, you have a wonderful family, very kind and hospitable", Luke maintained his formal demeanor.
"Uh huh?" Victoria, highly irritated now.
"Listen, kid, I don't know what my father is thinking, but let me be very clear, I don't trust you or any of the Baldwins, Period."
Victoria is breathing angrily.
"I don't have any proof...But I know I will find some soon enough, and that will be the end of you Baldwins. Uncle Vinny..." Victoria is tearing up.
Luke cut in abruptly, "Listen, let me clear the air here once and for all, me or anyone from my family had nothing to do with Mr. Vincent's death."
"I give my word."
"The same way we trusted your father's word after my brothers were murdered in Elton Square."
Luke's cold reply surprised Victoria.
"I was angry, both my elder brothers were massacred so badly, we had to collect their pieces off the street."
"I was ready to burn this world, starting with the Donatellis."
"But it was Vinny who assured the Baldwins and your father, and he swore on his name that the Donatellis were not involved."
"And after investigating, I found out your uncle and your father were telling the truth. Your father knows the truth. Ask him, we had nothing to do with Vinny's death."
Luke spoke at a stretch.
This whole incident was new to Victoria; she looked confused.
Uncle Vinny and Father spoke to the Baldwins after the Elton incident; they never told me...
And why is he addressing Uncle so informally...
"You must be confused."
"I believe your father didn't even tell you why we were invited here tonight." Luke was smiling faintly,
which annoyed Victoria even more...so this was not a meeting;
Father had invited them himself.
What is going on???... Victoria was developing a headache.
"I don't know about all that, but I do know the Baldwins cannot be trusted, and especially you."
"I have heard all sorts of rumours about you and how you manipulate young women with your money and boyish charms and make them do unsaid things," Victoria smiled sarcastically.
Suddenly, Luke moved to Victoria; she couldn't anticipate his move.
Victoria was about to pull out her gun when Luke caught her hand and moved his face close to Victoria's, as close as two faces can be without touching.
Victoria's eyes at once drifted to the lips of Luke Baldwin, full and balanced; she saw those lips moving suddenly.
"A woman who can be bought with money is not worth having, and I cannot do anything about my charm, it's beyond my control".
Victoria's eyes were closing; she could feel his breadth on her face, and then in the next moment, Luke was gone like the cool summer breeze. She could see him walking past the moonflowers now, gracefully in the moonlight.
How did he get there so fast?... Victoria stood in her place under the moon's shade for a while.