“Mom.”
She looked directly at him.
“I am speaking.”
He stopped.
Eleanor’s voice stayed calm.
“Three weeks ago, several major wedding payments could not be completed.”
Camille turned toward Andrew.
He looked as confused as she did.
Eleanor continued.
“The venue balance.”
“Catering.”
“Transportation.”
“Part of tomorrow’s production contract.”
“And hotel guarantees.”
She looked toward Marcus.
“The person who paid those bills so this wedding would not be canceled is sitting there.”
Every face turned.
Marcus closed his eyes.
Camille stared at her father.
Eleanor raised her glass toward him.
“Marcus Brooks.”
No one moved.
No applause.
Good.
Eleanor had feared applause.
She did not want to turn the man into a performance.
Camille whispered:
“Dad?”
Marcus looked at her.
Richard pushed his chair backward.
“This is completely inappropriate.”
Eleanor turned.
“No.”
Her voice sharpened for the first time.
“What was inappropriate was standing in front of Marcus and accepting gratitude for money he spent.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“I did not say I personally paid every bill.”
“You said you were hosting the weekend.”
“We are.”
“With what?”
Victoria looked down.
Several guests suddenly became fascinated by table linens.
Eleanor continued.
“You promised this family transparency.”
Richard stared.
“This is not the time.”
“That sentence is how we got here.”
Marcus stood.
Now everyone looked at him.
He did not raise his voice.
“Mrs. Whitmore.”
“Eleanor.”
“Eleanor.”
His expression was controlled, but the anger beneath it was obvious.
“I asked you not to do this.”
Camille looked from one to the other.
“You knew?”
Marcus’s face changed.
“Yes.”
Her eyes widened.
“How much?”
He hesitated.
Camille stood too.
“Dad.”
“Sixty-eight thousand four hundred dollars.”
No one breathed.
Andrew looked toward his father.
“You couldn't pay the wedding bills?”
Richard’s voice became defensive.
“That is not what happened.”
Eleanor stared at him.
“Then explain what happened.”
“Not here.”
Andrew laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
“Apparently everybody but us already knows.”
“No.”
Victoria spoke quickly.
“I didn't know the number.”
Richard turned toward her.
“Victoria.”
She looked at him.
“What?”
“I knew there were cash-flow issues.”
“I did not know Marcus paid sixty-eight thousand dollars.”
Camille stared at her father.
“You paid sixty-eight thousand dollars and didn't tell me?”
Marcus looked toward the guests.
“Not here.”
Camille’s eyes filled.
“That's what everybody keeps saying.”
Eleanor regretted the speech then.
Not the truth.
The method.
She had told herself she was correcting Richard publicly because his claim had been public.
That was partly true.
The other part was anger.
Anger enjoyed audiences.
Eleanor lowered her glass.