Who are you dear stranger?
I hear about you all day long,
Why do I feel I have known you all along?
---
Even in this joy to be back home to his wife, it did not escape him that Frank was acting strange since the morning. He wondered what could have brought this frenzy? "Does it have to do with Lydia?"
But he scarcely dwelled upon it more than a few minutes when the door and one of the staff came out. She was surprised to see the men at the door. She let out a cry which surprised the two women in the kitchen - "What is it Mia?"
Frank immediately raised his index finger to his lips and showed her a wide eye of caution. The poor girl squealed – "Nothing! Madam."
Frank nodded approvingly. The two women went back to their merry conversation. Oliver looked at Frank quizzingly. "I'll explain later." Frank whispered. "For now, just go in an entertain your guest. Tell Sara to make me a feast. Tell her that her culinary skills are at test tonight."
Oliver nodded and Frank made way for his brother. Then, thinking something he whispered – "Don't tell them I am here."
Oliver raised his eyebrow and Frank repeated his promise - "I'll explain later."
Oliver wiggled his index finger at his brother saying, "You better! Young man you are acting suspicious."
Frank nodded, "I know; you'll know all in good time; I promise."
Oliver shook his head trying to shrug off his suspicion, "I will think about it another time."- he thought. He found Sara cheerfully making preparations for the proposed dinner. She had recovered from her initial disappointment and was happily working on table setting plan. She had already set the menu with careful consideration to everyone's palate.
Lydia had already begun her work on the dessert and the two cousins worked in all gaiety: chirping and giggling all along. Frank stood by the kitchen door to enjoy their lively repartee before breaking the wonderful news to his wife.
She was almost ecstatic; "Is he truly staying over and not rushing back to his wife?"
Oliver nodded and added - "He has asked you – no - challenged you to prepare him a feast."
"Really?" Sara was amused. "What did he say?"
Oliver wrapped his wife in his arms and said – "H e… s a y s …" he planted a kiss on her forehead.
Sara warned him by indicating towards Lydia. "Oh! she doesn't mind, do you?" he asked Lydia.
Lydia turned around smilingly. Sara sighed, "Frank! What did he say?"
"He said that your culinary skills are at test tonight."
Sara disregarded the challenge. Her heart was already weaving charming scenes - "Oh! how wonderful!" she clapped her hands, "What a delightful party we'll have. There'll be music and dance and such gaiety! I am sure he has never experienced anything like this before."
Frank dominated the conversation in the Tulliver household for the rest of the day. The menu was revised again to suit his palate; the chocolate mousse was replaced with Kiwi and strawberry tarts and a chocolate truffle cake with a dash of cinnamon.
"Frank's favorite, of course!" – Oliver explained to Lydia. "If I did not know her better, I would be quite jealous of her love for my brother." He sighed, "But I guess, his own merits and his long absence have earned him this rapturous frenzy." He pinched Sara's nose.
"If it was not for the nature of his business, we'd all have been together like one big happy family!" –Sara sighed and tapped at his hands.
Oliver released his wife and he said --"You owe your present happiness to his job, my dear. Let us be content in what we have – he is all yours tonight; make the most of it."
"What line of business is he in?" – Lydia enquired. She was touched by such warmth of affection from both Oliver and Sara. Her curiosity was piqued for this man.
"Oh! Frank has a great business of buying out the dying factories, reviving them and then selling them off at greater price." replied the proud sister-in-law. "He has saved and restructured so many companies. He is a genius!"
"Hmm!"
Oliver saw Lydia lapse into her characteristic silence with furrowed brows. He smiled because he realized that her sharp intellect had seen through the façade which his wife had missed. "You are thoughtful," – he said, "About what?"
"No…nothing important."
"You think there is something wrong, don't you?"
Lydia looked up almost apologetically, "Pardon my saying this, I am not an authority on business practices…"
"Go on…" Oliver encouraged her knowing well that Frank was listening. "Let him be criticized for once." He thought.
"Well, it looks like it involves a lot of risk. I mean, he may understand the technicalities of the business, but labour management is hardly a cakewalk. Doesn't it mean downsizing labour… firing people… setting unreasonable working standards or may be changes in the internal structure of the company? The workers may not accept the changes and may revolt at some of these decisions." – she argued.
"Frank is quite skillful in this sort of business." - was Sara's quick defense. "Besides, he is a smart man…very sensible in his policies. He has never had any trouble before."
"But past experiences are hardly an indicator of future events." -- Lydia pursued. "People are not same world over; different communities have different sensibilities and once these sentiments are violated it is very difficult to prevent an outbreak."
Oliver saw wisdom in her words. He knew how ruthlessly stringent Frank could become when his profits were at stake and how little he valued personal camaraderie between employees and the owner. He had never allowed himself to be personally involved in his projects. Though it had served his brother well in the past, he only hoped it would fare him well in future too.
The Tulliver couple gladly talked of Frank all day. Lydia was, thus, introduced to Frank's glorified past: his many conquests, his chivalry, his benevolence and many other facets of his envious personality.
But where was the man himself?