Рита Браун: Out Of Hounds

Extending her hand, she said, “Thank you for coming tonight, I’m Kathleen Sixt Dunbar. If you have any questions, I am happy to try to answer. If you have any questions regarding genealogy, do ask Aunt Daniella, the lady in the aqua dress holding court by the fireplace.”

Elise smiled, extending her hand. “Elise Sabatini.”

“I’m with her. Please call me Gigi, an old nickname.” He, too, held out his hand. “We’re new to the area, just now getting out, as our construction is almost complete.”

“Welcome. Having driven by Showoff Stables…a delightful play on showjumping, by the way…the show ring, I should say. I can see how much you’ve accomplished. When I saw your sign I burst out laughing and thought, ‘I must meet them.’ Beautiful proportions, beautiful colors. Everything laid out for the benefit of the horses.”

Elise glowed. “Thank you. Gigi and I tormented ourselves over every detail. Well, I tormented him.”

She was quite a bit younger than Gigi. He grinned. “She’s the rider. I resisted some things but when I saw how practical her ideas would be, I stopped complaining. Always marry a woman smarter than yourself.”

Kathleen laughed. “Well said. Come along. Allow me to introduce you to Daniella Laprade. She admits to being ninety-four. I don’t know, but Aunt Dan looks maybe seventy, if that.”

As the couple approached, Aunt Daniella looked from wife to husband and back again. Yes, she had the picture, then she beheld the smile on Kathleen’s face, which brightened her own.

After the introductions, Kathleen inclined her head. “Aunt Dan, I leave the Sabatinis in your capable hands. Who better to make them feel at home but you? They have built a gorgeous, gorgeous stable.”

As Kathleen walked away she already heard Elise’s laughter. God Bless Aunt Dan.

Sister came over. “You’ve outdone yourself. I thought the store lovely but this makes it almost exotic, warmer, really, and the furniture bathed in soft light, fabulous gilded mirrors, make me want to buy every one.”

“Please do.” Kathleen laughed at her.

Gray walked up. “Honey, did you see the old weather vane?”

“Yes.” Sister nodded, focusing on Kathleen. “Wherever did you find that?”

“I called all of Harry’s older clients and as luck would have it, one of them was…the word now is downsizing …and she wanted to sell things from the barn, the weather vane, mmm, late 1700s, up to maybe 1820. The simplicity of it makes me lean toward the first part of the nineteenth century, that breakover from Georgian to Federal. Well, we had Federal in the eighteenth but it was very simple, became what we now know, still simple yet with artful touches later. Oh, forgive me, Crawford and Marty just walked in and with Skiff. Amazing how she has lasted as his huntsman.”

As she walked away, Gray, usually prudent with money, took Sister by the arm, walking her to the large weather vane, golden, smack in the middle of a large, tremendously expensive Sheraton dining table, the real deal not a knockoff, which while not the real deal is still impressive.

“Beautiful.” Sister then added, “What has provoked you to be drawn to a large rooster weather vane?”

“Mother kept chickens. She had a big Plymouth Barred rooster, St. Paul, who followed her everywhere. If she were alive I would buy it for her.”

“Let’s buy it together. We can move the horse weather vane somewhere else. There are times, Gray, when one should give in to nostalgia, memory, love. We will of course call him St. Paul.” She kissed him on the cheek, which she could do without standing on her tiptoes. She was originally six-one but had shrunk to six foot. Gray stood at six-two. They were hard to miss.

Kathleen moved from group to group, chatting, pointing out what may be of interest to them, but all was low-key. Kathleen believed a good piece of furniture or art sold itself.

Crawford studied a painting by Ben Marshall, circa 1897. Like Stubbs, he received commissions to paint successful racehorses, a practice carried down to the modern day by twentieth-century artists like Richard Stone Reeves.

Gigi joined him. Crawford turned to the new fellow. “What do you think?”

“For an antiques shop she has incredible things. When I received the invitation I didn’t expect art or those studies for painting by Michael Lyne.” He held out his hand. “Gigi Sabatini. Showoff Stables.”

“Crawford Howard. Old Paradise, which I’m restoring, and Beasley Hall, which I built. I take it we’re both not native Virginians.”

“Medford, Massachusetts.”

“Jasper, Indiana.” Crawford shrugged. “It was a start.”

“I’ve only ever been to French Lick, Indiana. Good golf course.”

“Not my game. Haven’t the patience. If you’re ever interested, I’m happy to show you and your wife Old Paradise. It has quite a history.”

“I’ve just met Aunt Daniella, speaking of quite a history.”

Sister joined them. “Sister, this is Gigi Sabatini,” Crawford introduced them.

“Pleased to meet you. Your place sits between two of our fixtures. Forgive me, I should explain, I’m the master of Jefferson Hunt and Crawford has a private pack that I call the Kingmaker’s Hunt since his hero is Warwick the Kingmaker, the man who helped put Edward IV on the throne during the War of the Roses.”

“Ah,” replied Gigi, clearly not someone who cared much about anyone’s history, much less England’s.

“There you are.” Elise joined them and introductions were made.

“If you are interested in foxhunting, either of us can help you,” Sister offered.

“Thank you. I’m not sure I could do that. I’m a show-ring girl.” Elise smiled. “I’m sure it’s exciting.”

“It can be.” Sister smiled. “Your estate rests between two of our fixtures. I’m not asking to hunt it, especially since you all are new to the area. It is our state sport, for what that’s worth. I have no control where the fox runs and Welsh Harp and Wolverton, the two fixtures you sit between, are good fixtures. We rarely run your way but should that happen, do I have permission or could I ride on your outskirts to stay with hounds?”

Elise answered for both of them. “We have very expensive show horses boarded there. Is there a way you can go around us that doesn’t disturb the horses?”

“Yes, the riders can, but the hounds will follow the fox and the huntsman will follow the hounds. What I can do is tell my huntsman to do his best to turn hounds away. As it happens, we have never run a fox in your direction from Welsh Harp, which is east. But you never know. Perhaps you would like to see a hunt. We can take you in an SUV or truck.”

“I would like that. We’re pressed for time now, as we are finishing up the indoor arena, finally putting in the dehumidifier. I’ll spare you the details.” Elise smiled. “When that’s finished I will take you up on your offer.”

“Sister,” Walter called.

“My joint master. By the way, he’s the best cardiologist in central Virginia. I hope you don’t need him, but put Walter Lungren in your vital people book.” She waved to him and left.

Crawford and the Sabatinis broke up while Betty Franklin, seeing Sister chatting with the new people, walked over to do the same.

Crawford asked Kathleen about the drawings of Michael Lyne in front of Kasmir; Alida; Walter; Sister; Buddy Cadwalder, the Philadelphia furniture dealer; Father Mancusco; Reverend Sally Taliaferro; and Freddie Thomas.

“He is terribly underrated, Lyne. If you study the draftsmanship in those sketches for the full painting you can see how talented he was, but when you are working at the same time as Sir Alfred Munnings, well?” She held up her hands.