Start->Chapter 5->Episode 2 To Gervais
Guerilla Glitter
I expected to be woken in a flurry of calls, my phone white hot with people bursting with scandals, with gossip, schadenfreude and malice dripping off the tongues of glitterati and onlooker alike. The Dubois Affair however left the town quiet, peaceful, as it seemed to be bathed in the quiet afterglow of a good time.
As usual I was mistaken, it was not that the town was not buzzing with gossip it was just everyone was waiting for someone else to start the trickle which would then become a flow and soon a torrent of both information and misinformation would rage across the wires with lightning speed. My first call was from Coco who described to me the ballroom that Caspar had desperately tried to prevent from occurring. In a voice scarcely able to contain her laughter she told me the entire place was done in every virulent colour, and shiny fabric one could imagine. Ladonna had never left hot pink and satin far behind her and the place was copiously decked out in both and she had managed as only Ladonna could, to find flowers that clashed with the fabric so everything had a sense of being grabbed from something else. She added it was hard to move around as the compound was filled with so much staff running about arranging drinks, food, limos or there so Ladonna could scowl at them.
She thought she saw every piece of jewelry everyone owned with all the women trying to outdo each other but Ladonna as usual ensured she was the centre of attention by wearing an eight inch high tiara that Coco felt just had to be wired on her head. She said combined with the ten inch wig, Ladonna appeared to be wearing a lambskin skewered with diamonds. The sheer decadent opulence of everything had everyone stunned and it was a shame none of it was stylish, it was clear that Liselle has not put her elegant self into one bit of this affair and Gervais was probably enjoying the decadence far too much to bother.
The night started out relatively slowly with all the glitterati trickling in with the first bit of gossip being the arrival of Liselle and Jago, this was their first public display together and Liselle was using it to full advantage. Coco said Liselle was easily the most beautiful woman there, she was born royalty, with her shining grace and glowing eyes. Just as the buzz of her entrance had died down Gervais decides to make his own, how like him to stir up more trouble and he enters with an elegant Taryn on his arm for whatever else you might say about her Taryn did understand elegance Their arrival served to polarize the room with those afraid to insult Jago on one side, those afraid to insult Taryn on the other with both sides afraid to insult Gervais. Gervais according to Coco enjoyed himself immensely, circling unwary matrons while planting the paranoid fear of social rejection in their minds.
The infamous Bianca Sangu arrived with chiseled hubby in tow, causing a thrill of excitement through the ladies as ever since he made himself known all the ladies were longing to get to know him better. The only one who made any headway was Chantal Sedero who of course was welcomed by Bianca because she had hosted her event and she seemed relieved that Chantal was occupying her husband. Tony and Astrid kept a low profile attempting to appear oblivious to Chantal and her flirtation with Mr. Sangu. I wondered why they had gone but like everyone else they must have given into their curiosity.
Zizi must have restrained herself as there was no news of Gervais suddenly collapsing and had there been I doubt I would have told anyone of her comments. I have no sympathy for him and his machinations and any news of his sudden demise would have only been welcome news.
Ladonna bellowing and working the room managed kept the antagonists under control and to her credit or fear of Dubois fury they refrained from open warfare. Gervais tended to Taryn and she kept a hawk’s gaze upon Liselle who kept a besotted Jago close by. Osric flitted like an uneasy butterfly between Gervais and Jago while Zizi ignored her mother, Tony, her father and Taryn, in seemed like she had an entire room to ignore but she pointed out if there were going to be fireworks she wanted a ringside seat which made me envy her spirit!
Coco was pleased that Elyce left her and Royce alone concentrating instead on tormenting Bianca by draping herself over Caspar at every possible moment. Caspar was the eternal gentleman and pretended he didn’t mind being a Dubois ornament while remaining attentive while Lynx playing the same game with Simon only got a stiff uncomfortable response to her fondling, I guess Simon was using her as much as she was using him. Coco said that Simon and Lynx were the gossip of the evening with Gervais looking rather smug when they entered, no doubt he has arranged this little pairing to throw Lynx in my face but as Coco put it Lynx only managed to get the men I was finished with-- not the men I wanted. Although this was little comfort I knew she meant well but it didn’t take my concern away for Lynx would do to Simon whatever Gervais told her to and Simon it looks like doesn’t care what she does. I was in no position to say or do a thing and could only stand back and wait for the crash.
