The house was enormous with acres of windows and who knows how many floors. There were staircases in the oddest places, both inside and outdoors. Floors of wide-planked cedar were covered by wall-to-wall people and an occasional chair.

He was heading for her through the crowd that peeled away like artichoke leaves at his approach.

He handed her a glass of champagne, took her other hand in his, brought it up to his lips in a suave European kiss.