She reddened and glanced around, but the streetscape was obscured by the rain and lightning, the sidewalk devoid of people who, sensibly, were out of the weather.
“At least we didn’t get wet,” he said with that handsome, roguish smile.
The front door opened and a doorman, resplendent with gold buttons, welcomed them into the restaurant and motioned toward the maître d’hôtel. The inside was timeless. Plush golds and reds, ornate carpets, sparkling chandeliers and candelabra, crisp white tablecloths adorned with silverware and crystal worthy of royalty. Every inch of the gold-papered walls was covered in lavishly framed landscapes and portraits. Oil paintings, etchings, and cartoons. Kings. Queens. Ministers. Literary luminaries. Poets laureate. Celebrities of theatre, change, and creativi
