There was a bit of a foreboding lack of conversation while only the sound of old silver on fine bone china seemed to pierce the thick atmosphere.
Heads were bowed down over the plates, while the butler stepped forward at regular intervals to fill the crystal glasses, which did seem to empty spectacularly fast that evening. No one seemed to want to make eye contact with anyone…
The older man, just released from hospital, cleared his throat, while sucking away at some orange juice, using a straw. Every so often his shoulders would start to shake and at one stage he started to cough as if choking on his mushy peas. He seemed to be crying. Or maybe he wasn't, but he did have to wipe tears from his eyes. He was clearly struggling to hold it together.
The younger of the two elderly gentlemen looked up with some concern, but when the old man seemed to be OK he returned his attention to the Beef Wellington and quickly took a gulp, of his French red wine to hide the sudden smile on his lips.
A slight glance and eye contact between father and son led to more shaking shoulders and some coughing and more clearing of throats and more red wine and orange juice, while the younger one with the large ears' wife elbowed him urgently albeit with a slight grimace and lip biting, which could also have been a smile.
The two much younger men seemed not to want look up and they seemed terrified of what the possible consequences might be, should they relent to the urge.
The oldest man's wife looked up with clear irritation and tapped her fork on her plate to show discontent. There was a strict thin line where her mouth should have been and an angry scowl above her eyes.
The diamond studded tiara on her grey hair seemed to move slightly backwards when she looked up, which made the old man grab his glass of orange juice more vigorously than before and he took several long dramatic gulps, while trying not to look at his wife.
The one much younger man had his wife of little more than a year next to him and below the table she was pinching his thigh, while whispering a warning through her clenched teeth to her husband not to dare look up or cause a scene. This made the man grab his wine glass as well and swallowing much too fast he started to cough as well. Shoulders shaking, while the rest of him looked like it wanted to explode. Tears were now pouring down his cheeks too.
The old woman put down her cutlery with all the grace she could muster and excused herself in a surprisingly calm voice, but those who were gathered in that dining room could hear the thunder and lightning behind it.
As the butler closed the door behind her and her daughter-in-law, who quickly followed her while lightning bolts. shot from her eyes, hit her husband and father-in-law. The two elderly men had to be assisted and supported by the staff to not fall from their chairs, while the waves of laughter burst from them like a wall of water from a broken dam.
The older one of the two younger men couldn't keep it in either even though his beautiful new wife looked at him with murder in her stare, while she got up and walked to the door.
The last thing she noticed before leaving the room was the increasing hysteria in the voices of the three men and the two elderly ones slapping their knees and the table, while screaming over and over: "He was only protecting her…!!!" before exploding in a new fit of hysterical laughter.
The youngest man with the flaming head of hair blushed scarlet flames into his neck and all over his face. Not daring to look up....
Heads were bowed down over the plates, while the butler stepped forward at regular intervals to fill the crystal glasses, which did seem to empty spectacularly fast that evening. No one seemed to want to make eye contact with anyone…
The older man, just released from hospital, cleared his throat, while sucking away at some orange juice, using a straw. Every so often his shoulders would start to shake and at one stage he started to cough as if choking on his mushy peas. He seemed to be crying. Or maybe he wasn't, but he did have to wipe tears from his eyes. He was clearly struggling to hold it together.
The younger of the two elderly gentlemen looked up with some concern, but when the old man seemed to be OK he returned his attention to the Beef Wellington and quickly took a gulp, of his French red wine to hide the sudden smile on his lips.
A slight glance and eye contact between father and son led to more shaking shoulders and some coughing and more clearing of throats and more red wine and orange juice, while the younger one with the large ears' wife elbowed him urgently albeit with a slight grimace and lip biting, which could also have been a smile.
The two much younger men seemed not to want look up and they seemed terrified of what the possible consequences might be, should they relent to the urge.
The oldest man's wife looked up with clear irritation and tapped her fork on her plate to show discontent. There was a strict thin line where her mouth should have been and an angry scowl above her eyes.
The diamond studded tiara on her grey hair seemed to move slightly backwards when she looked up, which made the old man grab his glass of orange juice more vigorously than before and he took several long dramatic gulps, while trying not to look at his wife.
The one much younger man had his wife of little more than a year next to him and below the table she was pinching his thigh, while whispering a warning through her clenched teeth to her husband not to dare look up or cause a scene. This made the man grab his wine glass as well and swallowing much too fast he started to cough as well. Shoulders shaking, while the rest of him looked like it wanted to explode. Tears were now pouring down his cheeks too.
The old woman put down her cutlery with all the grace she could muster and excused herself in a surprisingly calm voice, but those who were gathered in that dining room could hear the thunder and lightning behind it.
As the butler closed the door behind her and her daughter-in-law, who quickly followed her while lightning bolts. shot from her eyes, hit her husband and father-in-law. The two elderly men had to be assisted and supported by the staff to not fall from their chairs, while the waves of laughter burst from them like a wall of water from a broken dam.
The older one of the two younger men couldn't keep it in either even though his beautiful new wife looked at him with murder in her stare, while she got up and walked to the door.
The last thing she noticed before leaving the room was the increasing hysteria in the voices of the three men and the two elderly ones slapping their knees and the table, while screaming over and over: "He was only protecting her…!!!" before exploding in a new fit of hysterical laughter.
The youngest man with the flaming head of hair blushed scarlet flames into his neck and all over his face. Not daring to look up....
