Amongst our families, one either went to the Derby itself, watching from a family booth, or attended a barbecue held by someone among our set. Mrs. Jessup had been the queen of these, but since she was now essentially penniless and living in a nursing home, the crown was ripe to be passed. It was my intent to wear that crown.
We were to have our party that day. I’m not sure if I earned the crown, but it certainly wasn’t forgettable.
***
I stood on the patio at seven in the morning of Derby Day, surveying the work that had been done so far. The morning’s mist had not yet burned off as I looked out over three enormous white tents, each of which could seat a hundred guests comfortably. They were set side by side and before them were another hundred or so tables with umbrellas. Off to one side was yet another tent, outlined by dozens of cookers that were already steaming pork, beef, ham and chicken. I had engaged two caterers; one for the main foods and another for the desserts, drinks and hors d’ oeuvres. Their staff was hard at work, setting up serving dishes and refrigerated tables for the food that needed to remain cool. There was a bar where rows of liquor bottles sparkled in the rising sun and white-coated bartenders were polishing glassware using starched linen towels.
We had fountains brought in for the occasion, each one with a statue of a Triple Crown winner at its center. Yard upon yard of outdoor carpeting had been laid for the ladies who insisted on wearing heels to the event.
My stomach was turning upside down with nervousness. Worth was relaxed and munching toast, smiling at me. “Why did you take this on if it was going to make you so nervous?” he asked with a grin.
“Never mind,” I said, wrinkling my nose at him. “I just want it all to be perfect. At least the weather is doing its part.”
“So far, but the forecast is calling for storms about race time.”
“Hush — don’t make me worse!”
I went into the nursery and played a bit with Ford. He was learning to sit up and even crawl a bit, pulling himself across the carpet as he reached for a colorful toy. He was an instant relaxation; his baby’s scent filling my nostrils with a familiar comfort.
There was a commotion downstairs and I realized that the driver had arrived with Mrs. Jessup. She’d agreed to spend the day with us, bringing her years of party hostess experience with her. She was also the keeper of the list — both guests and the right people to hire to keep things running smoothly. I had hired a party planner and she was to interface with Mrs. Jessup for royal approval.
Indeed, Mrs. Jessup had once hosted a Derby party that was attended by British royalty. She loved to share stories of their advance team who had come to approve recipes, survey the property for security and approve the guest list. While it was a great honor to have them, their presence required strict adherence to a great many rules, including the size of the crowds who could be on hand. This tended to make them almost too much work, but at least you maintained bragging rights for having pulled it off.
I’d chosen a white linen peasant dress and my white hat was banded in navy. It was simple and yet elegant; appropriate for a hostess who should not outshine her guests. I wore white sandals with low heels that allowed Worth to positively tower over me. Ford was going to remain in the nursery for the day, guarded by Betsy’s sister as nursemaid. He was too small to be exposed to so many people.
Worth was quite dashing in a white suit and shirt without a tie. I knew as the heat set in, he would end up dropping the jacket and rolling up the sleeves but as long as he made an effort at the beginning, that’s all that mattered to me.
Guests began to arrive close to noon. The blues band I’d hired was playing and the fountains were shooting water fifteen feet high. The overall atmosphere was quite festive. I had ninety inch televisions set up at various vantage points so no one would miss a single race. The tables were filled with platters of barbecued meats, salads, finger foods, pastries and hot dishes like beans, pastas and, of course, burgoo.
The weather was perfect and we had attendants parking car after car, their occupants spilling out on to the green grass with looks of anticipation on their faces. Dad arrived about one o’clock and after a quick stop in the nursery to cuddle Ford, he held a mint julep and wandered among the guests renewing old friendships. I realized then that he’d been isolated for a long time and it probably felt very good to see old friends. Worth’s mother came not long after and Dad began to escort her around. Between the two of them, there really wasn’t a stranger there.
I was showing some friends the arena, which was almost completed. I was very proud of my efforts. Just as we exited back into the sunlight, I saw him. Linc. I looked around for Worth and found him in the center of a cluster of his friends from college. I waved my finger slightly and he excused himself. “Linc is here!” I whispered furiously.
“I know.” His voice was exceedingly calm, a smile plastered on his face.
My stomach sank. “You invited him?”
He nodded at someone, lifting his glass in a silent toast. “Of course.”
I wanted to hit him. “Why? He’ll start trouble.”
Leaning in to kiss my forehead, he said, “Sweetheart, you need to trust me on this, okay? Go ahead and ignore him if you like, but enjoy your guests.”
Worth turned with a wink and entered a new group of friends and I soon heard his laughter. I couldn’t believe my ears. How could he be so cavalier about the man who threatened us now being in the midst of the very people he wanted us to influence?
I looked up and saw Dad watching me. He gave me a mysterious smile, patient and yet approving. I was completely confused and had no idea how to react. I moved among the crowd, applauding as guests cashed in winning tickets at the conclusion of each race. I monitored the food, urging the caterers to keep the serving dishes well-filled and heated or cooled appropriately to keep them healthy. I had to say, their food was delicious and I would use them time and time again.
As guests asked, I showed them the arena and the barns. There were quite a few who committed to bringing their animals to board with me. That was my winning ticket.
It was drawing close to the main race and I looked for Worth, wanting to share it with him. I spotted him talking to a woman and the closer I got, I realized I didn’t know her. She was all legs and very close to Worth’s height. Her long black hair looked like a Thoroughbred’s coat as it shone in the bright sunshine. She was wearing sunglasses but had a patrician bone structure to her face. I could tell she was very comfortable with herself. Worth seemed highly entertained. I felt green at the sight. I arrived at his side and smiled, welcoming an introduction.