Anna didn't go outside to greet whoever had arrived. If it had been him, she would have known soon enough, because the house was getting noisier as the men talked and laughed loudly.
A few minutes passed and Anna found the silence strange. Determined to find out what was going on, she left the kitchen with dinner ready, with only the green onions to throw on top, and went into the living room. But there was no one there. She heard Kate's voice coming from the study and headed there. She wasn't surprised to see that Sarah was with her. He stopped at the doorway and watched them in silence until they noticed him. Kate smiled arrogantly and offered her a cognac, raising her glass.
"What are you doing here, Kate?" Anna asked, ignoring the mute invitation to join her.
"You slept with Adam and yet he still hasn't told you about our plans?" She asked feigning indignation.
"What does he have to tell me that justifies you being here without him?"
"I didn't want you to know from me, but I think it's wrong for him to leave you in the dark about his decisions..." She said in suspense. "Now we're going to live here too."
"Are we?" Anna said calmly, but deep down she began to feel afraid.
"Yes. Sarah and I have just moved in. Isn't that wonderful? By the way, you and the other maids can collect our things and take them to our rooms. Mine is next to yours. And Sarah will take Allister's old room."
"I thought Adam had already told you and Sarah that you were welcome to stay in this house. I don't understand why you're making an event of it."
"Ah, the men! They change their minds so quickly, don't they?" Kate said, getting up and pouring herself some more cognac. "I don't like being hasty, but I can't let him think I'm not important. And there's still you for the nights when I'm unwell. Lucky me, don't you think?"
"Well, I hope he and you won't be too upset by my presence between you... We'll serve dinner as soon as he arrives."
"What's different tonight?" Kate asked, treating Anna like a maid.
"You're a lucky woman. I've cooked Haggis and cock-a-leekie, I hope you'll approve."
Sarah turned to Anna with her eyes shining. It was Anna's mother's favorite dish. Why had she chosen it? She knew she couldn't remember something like that... Or did she?
"What's that?" Kate asked with a look of disgust.
"That's our dinner. If you don't like it, you can go to the kitchen and make something that will satisfy you." Anna said with a fake smile and was about to leave, when something crossed her mind and she turned around once more. "As for packing your things, don't wait for that, or you'll have no pajamas to go to bed in." Anna said amusedly and left.
Anna arrived in the kitchen and asked Jenna to tell all the servants not to obey Kate's orders. It wasn't to help her with anything. The proposal she heard she'd made to Adam must have been very good indeed. She had a bad feeling about it. She was already putting her hand to her belly, as if she could protect the one who had become the most precious and important being in her life, when she remembered that someone might notice her gesture and suspect that she was pregnant.
...
Adam arrived three hours after these events, and went straight to the shower. Meanwhile, Anna rushed to the kitchen, heated up dinner and carefully set the table. The maids were dismissed and hurried to get ready and bring their families.
Anna stayed and welcomed the waiters she had hired to serve the guests and instructed them on how to serve. The guests arrived. Anna felt herself being watched as she took Adam and Genevieve's place at the table, and turning around, her eyes met Caricatura's. He lifted his beer bottle to the table.
He raised the bottle of beer in his hand as a toast to her and looked away. She knew he didn't hate her as much as he did when he first met her, but he still kept his distance. Anna took a deep breath and went into the kitchen. She looked at the absurd amount of food she had made, and wondered how she had done it in just one day, with the help of just two cooks and Jenna. She was feeling the fatigue generated by her pregnancy. She felt the child moving inside her.
She asked him to be quiet, and when she came back from the kitchen with Adam's favorite drink, she saw Kate and Sarah sitting at the table she had prepared for Adam, in her and Genevieve's place. She didn't complain. She went back to the kitchen and got two more plates and cutlery. She placed them in front of her and then took another seat next to Genevieve's chair. She didn't want to talk to any of those women, and she hated having to listen to their insinuations about her peculiar taste in food. Kate made it clear that she liked salad and rice with French fries and steak. She thought Anna would spoil Adam's exquisite palate with her creations and inventions. Anna didn't respond to any of her provocations, finding it strange that Sarah didn't agree with Kate, but kept a thoughtful silence. Anna was almost certain that the meal reminded Sarah of something, but she knew the uselessness of questioning her about anything.
Adam arrived and smiled at Anna with that twinkle in his eye that melted her heart. He sat down and Anna hurried to serve him. Then the other women served themselves too.
"Kate, change places with Anna." He ordered without changing his mind.
Kate glared at Anna with hatred, but obeyed.
"Genevieve?" Anna asked.
"She's at the house sorting out some things for me." Adam said and looked down at his plate. "But... What is this thing?" Adam asked with clear disgust in his voice.
"The name is cock-a-leekie. I don't know why I thought of it, but I know it's very tasty. Don't judge before you've tasted it. Please." Anna said disappointed by his reaction, and by the happiness that Adam's reaction brought to Kate's eyes.
"I also find it very... Strange to eat this for dinner." Kate said debauchedly and took the spoon and tried it.
Anna expected the worst, but Kate looked at Adam in surprise.