I buzzed the outer door and a woman’s voice answered. I recited my name and she buzzed me in. Entering the building, I looked around the foyer. It was more luxurious than mine, for sure. The chandelier sparkled beautifully, lighting everything around me in soft crystalline hues. Raising my eyes a bit more, I saw a woman coming down the deep mahogany staircase. She was dressed in a black pantsuit with a red satin sash tied around her narrow waist. A simple strand of diamonds with seven pearls graced her neck. She was the loveliest woman I had ever seen. As she reached the bottom step, she greeted me warmly. Taking my hand, she told me it was wonderful that I had accepted the invitation to join the Society. She asked me to come with her up to the second storey. Turning, she went back up as I followed her.
Reaching the second storey landing, I let my eyes take in the scene around me. There were beautiful paintings and pictures hung on the mahogany-paneled walls. Many were of women holding gorgeous bouquets of tulips. I noticed that some wore gowns that would have been popular a hundred years ago, and others were more modernly attired, but all were wearing red.
The woman who led me up the stairs touched my arm and asked for my cape. Looking at her, I became a little self-conscious. She smiled and I saw such a radiant beauty before me. She reassured me that I was dressed most appropriately for the company this evening. I untied the satin ribbon on the cape and let it slide from my shoulders. She appraised me from toe to head and smiled once more. “Yes,” she said, “you are magnificent. James knew what he was talking about when he told us about you.” Turning away from me she hung my cape upon a brass hook near the door.
The stunning woman finally introduced herself as Marguerite. Laughing, she said she was named for one of her father’s favorite mistresses. I smiled back saying it was a lovely name for a beautiful woman. She blushed lightly and gave my hand a squeeze as she asked if I was ready to meet the members of the Society. Taking her hand, I nervously asked what I should expect. She looked directly into my eyes and said only one word, “Passion.” My heart leaped a bit at this and as she turned to open the door, she told me to do what I was asked and that everything would be wonderful for me from now on.
I followed Marguerite into the room. It was large, with a fireplace surrounded by a red marble mantle. The fire was glowing warmly. I saw large windows, graced with red velvet drapery and a very plush, ornate Turkish rug covered the waxed pine floor. The furnishings were obviously made by the finest craftsmen in the world. The tables were teak and the chairs and sofas covered in red-hued patterns of silk damask.
Then I espied the most incredible thing. On a large sideboard was a crystal vase of the most exquisite tulips I had ever seen, all colors and shades of red. The tulips themselves varied as much in their design as in their colors.
The room was devoid of people, except Marguerite and me. She said I was to go sit in the lone chair by the fireplace and the rest of the members would be along after they finished their cocktails. Marguerite poured me a glass of wine and handed it to me. I sniffed it and found it delicious to my nose. Tasting it, I remarked how wonderful it was. She told me it was made in the vineyards of a former member who now resided in France and that the Society was the only place in the world it was served. Marguerite said she was to go now and that I only had to be myself and allow the members to bring out my true beauty. This puzzled me, but I said nothing as she quietly left the room by way of another door.
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