Chapter 17

I awoke to light streaming through the window of my room. I got up and looked out. There was hardly a cloud in the sky and only a few wisps of lingering fog — the beginning of a glorious and beautiful day. I felt good in spite of only a few hours of sleep. I went out to the common room to get to the shower, but Johnny was already there, and Robert was standing with his nose against the bathroom door waiting for it to open. I stood in line.

By 8:40, we were dressed and trooping down the stairs to the drawing room to wait until breakfast was ready. Stanley, immaculately attired as always, came in, wished us good morning, and hoped we had slept well in spite of the lateness of the night before. We answered that we felt just fine. Stanley looked spry and energetic. There was not a hint of tiredness. He reminded us that the parents, accompanied by the von Hofmanstals, would be arriving in the early afternoon, with Malcolm Ault sometime in the night.

Johnny and I had a leisurely breakfast and decided to explore the grounds with Robert. I hoped we might use the walk to discuss what was really on Johnny’s mind. I also wanted to get his take on Stanley’s narrative.

As we walked, admiring the day, I wondered about Stanley taking the time to tell us about Alice. There was no reason he shouldn’t have, but other than as a means to extract our promise, I could discern no concrete motive for doing so. Altruism was not something that came quickly to my mind when I thought of Stanley.

In addition, all thoughts of today’s upcoming arrivals had been forgotten. The dog-lady confrontation would be upon us shortly, and although minor compared to Alice’s tale, and everything else, we needed some sort of a plan, even if it was as simple as keeping Robert the Bruce out of the way during the initial meet-and-greet, while Johnny determined if she was the one. After that, all was up in the air.

Still, the day was gorgeous, and I felt wonderfully alive. The fog had now burned off completely and the south lawn stretched before us. Robert, off the leash, frolicked about, racing this way and that as Johnny and I strolled toward the woods.

“Which would you like to tackle first: the real reason for getting me up here, dog-lady, or Stanley’s tale?” I asked.

“Oh God, you would remind me, but I suppose we must discuss them. Easiest first: dog-lady.”

“Okay, here’s my suggestion: keep Robert the Bruce out of the way, at least until you confirm whether she is the dog-lady or not.”

Johnny grunted.

“There are three scenarios: If she is and she recognizes you, there is no point in continuing to keep him sequestered. If she is and she doesn’t recognize you, you will have to keep him hidden away. Robert will not take kindly to being kept out of sight of you for any length of time, but that will just have to be endured. If she is someone completely different, no problem.”

I felt I had elaborated all the options succinctly. Johnny sighed and looked up at the sky as if seeking guidance.

“I suppose I’ll just have to confront being matchmade, but maybe not.” Johnny stopped as if his request for divine intervention had been answered. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that before? If she recognizes me and Robert, so much the better. In fact, I’m going to tie the damn scarf around his neck. It will be like breaking out a battle ensign and steering directly for the enemy. I like it! No more skirting the issue, and if our meeting all falls apart, I can hardly be blamed. ‘She didn’t like me’ is what I can tell Mother. Brilliant!”

I could tell Johnny had grabbed onto this lifeline with gusto. He looked positively relieved. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

“Of course it is,” said Johnny, thrilled with his decision. “I know in my bones it’s her. You’ll see. Next?”

“You mentioned there might be another reason for inviting me this weekend.”

“Ah yes. I suppose I did mention something along those lines. I hesitate because I have nothing concrete to confirm what I think. With the sun shining and a new day before us, my fears seem unfounded and without substance.”

“Tell me anyway.”

We walked along in silence. Finally, he said, “I’ll put it to you this way — I think we’re in trouble. By we, I mean Dodge Capital, my parents, Rhinebeck, everything. The economic environment has changed, and our little neck of the woods is under pressure. Costs have risen. Competition is fierce. It’s not the same anymore. I feel our days are numbered. The parents feel it, and I know they’re worried. They won’t talk about money — at least not their money, and that bothers me. I need a fresh pair of eyes to confirm my fears or dispose of them. I need to know how bad the situation really is.”

“You think it’s bad and they’re not saying.”

“That’s pretty much how I see it.” He stopped and looked at me. “You were quite the analyst, Percy. You did get one wrong, but overall, we did quite well together.”

“Until we didn’t.”

“Until we didn’t. But one mistake does not negate the validity of the process.”

“The results say otherwise.”

“If the results were as bad as you think, then answer me this: why do I feel so rudderless and without purpose, and why do you feel the same? You know I’m right. Admit it.”

I looked away. “Perhaps.”

Johnny had struck far too close to home. I didn’t want to think about that.

Johnny continued. “I’ve been lost ever since our partnership went into the toilet, if you must know.”

We started walking again. He had more to say. I could tell.

“My trading has been lousy as well. Father will not tolerate much more incompetence in that department. He’s made that quite clear. I’m on thin ice, and I’m worried sick. I’m afraid that my future, along with everything that I know and love, will disappear, and there’ll be nothing left.”

Johnny shook himself.

“You see? I can get positively morbid even on a beautiful day like today. It’s criminal. We’ll go over all that in more detail later. I also thought I’d float the idea of reassessing our prospects together. I don’t wish to discuss it now. I just want you to think about it. What’s next on the list?”

Johnny would often leave what was most on his mind to the very end and then say it in an offhand way to downplay the significance. I sometimes did the same. Knowing him as well as I did, I knew his vision of the future filled him with dread, but I also knew he was a lot tougher than he let on, even if he didn’t think so. He would survive. He always would. He was a Dodge.

I continued. “Next on the list is your thoughts on Alice and Stanley’s narrative, but before we go there, I would like to say that you’re not wrong, okay? Like you, I’m getting by day-by-day, but that’s all. I put one foot in front of the other. That’s the best I can manage. What you suggest has merit, but we should table all that for a later discussion. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“Thoughts on Stanley’s narrative?” I asked.

“That’s a tough one. I think I’m still processing the information from last night, and I’m sure you are too.”

“I am, but you were right about what you said about Alice just before dinner last night. My image of her is now hopelessly shattered. There’s no way I can cement her back together the way she was in my mind, and that saddens me.”

“I thought about that as well and have made a reassessment. Remember that time we managed to get lost in the woods in the middle of winter? Snow started falling so heavily our tracks were wiped out, and we couldn’t see more than few feet in front of us.”

“Our Arctic adventure.”

“Exactly. As darkness fell, the household went into an uproar. The next morning, when we finally returned home, everyone treated us as trauma victims, when in fact we thought our bivouac was great fun and said so. That didn’t go over very well, if you’ll recall. The truth was the parents were the ones traumatized, not us. All I’m saying is don’t assume Aunt Alice had a miserable existence. She had a purpose and a reason to live. You saw her. She enjoyed life to the fullest. You can make a tragedy out of her all you want, but can you recall even one time she looked miserable?”

“No, I can’t.”

“Precisely. So, snap out of it. No more dark thoughts from you, Percy. The day is full of promise.”

“Nicely put.” I said, thinking it over. “You’re right, of course. Stupid of me. You changed my mind.”

“Excellent. She lived her life with gusto, burdened but unbowed, and we should too. I will follow in her footsteps to hell and back. To mark the moment, I’m resolved to do one thing.”

“And what is that?”

“I’m going to check out a few of those books from the secret library, now that we have lending privileges, and see what happens. I’m in the mood for a good demon summoning. We’ll know for sure whether this magic stuff is all hocus-pocus. What do you think of them apples?”

I shook my head and had to smile. “Very brave. Foolhardy, of course, but brave.”

“You think it’s all a crock anyway. Tell me the truth.”

“Well, yes, but …” I knew I was often too grim in my outlook. I needed to get into the spirit of things, and Johnny’s insouciance was infectious. I continued. “The very thought of you and I, by some remote miracle, unleashing a relation to Moloch or Belial on our little family get-together in this house of all places could really create some drama and excitement. I suppose we could always say that Stanley did it, but, no one will believe us. My money’s on Maw, if there’s a showdown. Maw would probably eat it poached for breakfast.”

Johnny laughed. “I’m with you there, but what has come over you? Has Mr. Skeptic turned into Mr. Semi-skeptic?”

“I wouldn’t say that, Johnny, but the day is bright with portent, and as you are well aware, in this place, anything is possible. I feel better, and I might fancy a little experimentation, just to confirm, mind you. In this instance, a negative is as good as a positive.”

I had no idea what I was thinking, but it seemed a good idea at the time. It must have been lack of sleep, my lightened mood, and Johnny’s influence. I have tended to get a little reckless when we’re together.

“We’re on then. Now, where’s that dog?” asked Johnny, looking about. “I bet he’s in the woods. Damn. I have a tennis ball, but that’s not going to do a thing until he sees it. Robert! Robert the Bruce! Get back here this instant!”

Johnny and I headed into the woods. It was darker in here underneath the leaves, and the ground was sloppy from yesterday’s rain.

After several minutes of calling and searching, we spotted Robert, wet and covered in mud, trotting through some shrubs with an ancient tennis ball in his mouth. He was happily chewing away until he was five feet from Johnny, at which point he dropped the ball and looked up expectantly.

“Damn that dog. How does he find them? I know what he’s going to do. He’s just going to snap it up when I get close and run away. I’ll fox him. You watch.”

Johnny pulled out his reserve ball and presented it to Robert, who eyed this new treasure with his beady black eyes. Still watching intently, he lay down on the wet ground and began to gnaw on the one he had. Johnny stepped closer with the ball in his outstretched hand. Robert stood up but continued to chew, his eyes never leaving the proffered ball. Johnny moved closer, but quicker than I would have thought possible, Robert spat out the one in his mouth, leaped, and snatched the ball out of Johnny’s fingers. Johnny roared his displeasure. Robert, his theft complete, spun and bolted for the undergrowth. We could hear him streaking away through the brush as Johnny, screaming like a madman, plunged into the bushes in hot pursuit. I reluctantly followed but soon was bounding after Johnny.

Two hours of excruciating negotiations, mad sprinting lunges, attempted tackles, threats, pleadings, and screamed curses followed before Robert was finally captured and put back on the leash.

Wet, splattered with mud, exhausted, and hoarse from shouting, Johnny and I made our way back to the house. Robert, fresh as ever, strained against the leather. As we made our way around to the front, Johnny summed up our hike by saying, “It’s good to get him out, but he can be so frustrating. He led us on a merry chase, but I got him in the end, so I suppose that’s something.”

I croaked something unintelligible.

“Not to worry. He and I are going to have a talk.”

I was too spent to comment. As we walked past Alice’s wing, I became sufficiently recovered to ask Johnny about the figurine.

“Ah yes. I was wondering about that myself,” said Johnny. “Let’s keep that between ourselves. I’m not sure why, but I have a feeling that’d be best for now.”

I thought for a moment and said somewhat hoarsely, “Strangely, I agree. The less others know, the better. By the way, I’m in need of strong drink and then a nap, in that order, so let’s keep moving.”

“Absolutely.”

We were only a few feet from the door when Robert’s ears perked up as a long black limousine turned left to make its way down the sloping driveway to the roundabout at the front of the house.

“Looks like they’re early,” said Johnny. “Damn.”