Chapter 52 with Leni.Three cups of tea shared by Burgess

1900 London, Basel and Constantinople Anna.Lady Padwa's workshop is a stunning space located close to the High Gate Cemetery.The windows there stretch from floor to ceiling, offering sweeping panoramas across London.Hangers displaying exquisite gowns stand in clusters or pairs, giving the impression of a party without headless guests. Leni.While Burgess was waiting for Mrs. Padwa, he wandered among the black and white dresses and stopped to admire an ivory white satin dress, which was delicately covered with black velvet fretwork, as if made into long scroll lines. Wrought iron with curved shapes.

I can make that one colored if you want to wear it yourself.Madame Padwa said as she entered the room, the cane she carried with her made a steady tap on the tiled floor. Aunt Padwa, too posh for me.Leni said. It's hard to balance something without color, said Mrs. Padwa, turning the hanger around and squinting at the tail of her skirt.Too much white and people think it's a wedding dress; too much black and it becomes bulky and gloomy.I think this one might need a little more black.I myself wanted to increase the weight of the sleeves, but Celia couldn't accept it. Mrs. Padwa showed Leni a tour of the rest of her latest work, including recent sketches that covered an entire wall, before sitting down to tea at a table by the window.

Every time I come to visit, I see you have a new assistant.Leni commented after the newest assistant arrived with a tray of tea and quickly disappeared. They waited for me to die until they got tired of waiting, and pushed me hard out the window, hoping that I could roll down the slope and go straight into the mausoleum. They decided that this was too much trouble, and they simply slipped away to do things for others.I'm an old woman with riches and no heirs; they're all vultures with sleek hair and fashion.This one can only last a month at most. I always thought you would leave everything to Chandrash.Leni said.

Chandrash doesn't need the icing on the cake financially, and I don't think he can handle business the way I prefer.He doesn't have that kind of insight.These days, he has lost sight of almost everything. Is he in that bad condition?Leni said, stirring the tea. He has lost part of himself, Mrs. Padwa said: I have seen him focus on projects before, but not to this extent. This situation has made him a ghost of his past self, although Chandry In many cases, ghosts of past selves are more alive than most people.I do my best.I found several avant-garde ballet companies to fill his theater with performances, and I also took him to the opera house, which should have been done by him for me.She added after a small sip of tea: I didn't mean to stir up sensitive topics, my dear, but I kept keeping him away from the train.

That might be quite sensible.Leni said. I've known him since he was little, and that's the best I can do. Lenny nodded.She had other questions, but the decision was best left to someone she was interested in visiting.For the rest of the afternoon, their discussions were limited to fashion and art movements.Madame Padwa insisted on following the ivory and black gown, with a less formal version made for her in peach and cream, and the composition was completed in a few minutes. When I do retire, it will all be in your hands, my dear, Mrs. Padwa said before Leni left: I don't feel comfortable leaving it to anyone else.

The weight of the items made the huge office seem smaller than it actually was. Most of the walls were made of frosted glass, and most of the area was covered by filing cabinets and shelves.The drafting table by the window was almost hidden in the meticulous chaos of papers, diagrams, and blueprints.The bespectacled man sits almost invisible behind the table, blending in with his surroundings.The sound of the pencil scratching the paper is as methodical and precise as the ticking of the clock in the corner. It was exactly the same office that occupied a similar space in London, and it was the same as the one in Vienna before moving here in Basel.

Mr. Barris put down his pencil and poured out a cup of tea.When he looked up, he suddenly saw Leni.As Burgess stood in the doorway, the teacup nearly dropped. Your assistant doesn't seem to be around at the moment, she said: I didn't mean to scare you. Never mind, said Mr. Barris, putting the glass down on the table and getting up from the chair, I thought you were late. I took an earlier train and Leni said: And I want to see you. It's always nice to spend more time with you, Mr. Barris said: Tea? Leni nodded and made her way through the crowded office to the chair on the other side of the desk.

When Tara visited you in Vienna, what did you talk about?Before she could sit still, she asked a question. I thought you knew.He said without looking at her, focusing on the teapot as he poured the tea.Aiden, we are two different people.Just because you can never tell which of us you're in love with doesn't mean we're interchangeable. He put down the teapot and prepared her tea, knowing how she liked it without asking. I proposed to you, and you never gave me an answer.He said while stirring. You didn't speak until after she passed, Leni said: How do I know if this was your choice or something you had to do?

He handed her the teacup.He put his hand on hers as she took the glass. I love you, he said: I love her too, but these two loves have never been the same.You guys are like family to me, you all are.In a way, closer than family.He turned back to his chair, took off his glasses and wiped them with a handkerchief. I don't know why I have to wear it, he looked down at the glasses and said: I haven't used them at all in the past few years. You wear glasses because they fit you well.Leni said. Thank you, he said and put his glasses back on, watching her sipping tea, my proposal is still valid.

I know, Leni said: I'm thinking about it. Take your time, said Mr. Barris: We seem to have plenty of time. Leni nodded and put the teacup on the table. Tara has always been the rational one, she said: We bring balance to each other, and that's why we are so good at whatever we do.She made my wild ideas come to life, I focused on the details, she focused on the whole.Not seeing the forest for the trees is why I am here and she is not.I looked at each element individually, never really looking to see if they couldn't fit together well. During the pause that followed, the clock ticked heavily.

I don't want to talk about it, and once the ticking became unbearable, Mr. Barris said: I didn't want to talk to her then, and I don't want to talk to you now. You know the real situation, right?Leni said. Mr. Barris straightened a stack of papers on his desk and considered his response. Yes, after a moment he said: I know. Have you talked to my sister? No. That tells me.Leni said. I can't say.To explain is tantamount to violating integrity.I don't want to do that, not even for you. How many times have you lied to me?Leni stood up from the chair abruptly as she spoke. I never lied to you, retorted Mr. Barris, rising as well, and I cannot share what I have no right to reveal.I made a promise, and I intend to keep it, but I never lied to you.You didn't ask me at all, you just assumed I didn't know anything. Tara asked you.Leni said. Not directly, Mr Barris said: I don't think she knew what to ask.Even if she knew, I wouldn't answer.I was worried for her and suggested that if she wanted answers, she should talk to Alexander.I think that's why she goes to the train station.I don't know if she ever talked to him, I didn't ask. Alexander also know? I believe that if there are things he doesn't know, there must be very few. Leni sighed and went back to her chair.She picked up her own cup of tea, and put it down before taking a sip. Mr. Barris moved to the other side of the desk, took her hands, and made sure she met his eyes before speaking. If I can, I will tell you.He said. I know, Aiden, she said: I know. She pinched his hand lightly to reassure him. I don't mind the situation, Leni, said Mr. Barris: I move offices and hire new staff every few years.Through correspondence, I can follow the progress of the case in real time.Measured by what I can get in return, it is not difficult to do. I understand, she said: where is the circus now? I am not sure.I think I just recently left Budapest, but I don't know where I'm going.I can look it up and Frederick will know that I owe him a telegram that has not been answered. And how would Mr. Dyson know where the circus was going? Because Celia.Bowen would tell him. Leni didn't ask him any more questions. Mr. Barris was relieved when she accepted the invitation to dinner.He was even more relieved when she agreed to extend her stay in Switzerland before catching up with the circus. Once Leni arrived in Constantinople, she invited Celia to meet at the Pera Palace Hotel.She waited in the tea drinking area. On the brick table in front of her, there were two tulip-shaped glasses and matching saucers, and the cups were slightly steaming. When Celia arrived, the two greeted each other warmly.Celia first asked about Leni's journey before discussing the city and the hotel, including the astonishing height of the high room where the two sat together. It's like being in a stunt performer's tent.Leni looked up at the rows of domes that ran along the ceiling, each dome covered with circles of sapphire-hued glass. You haven't been to the circus in a long time, Celia said: If you want to join the ranks of the sculpture performance tonight, we still have your costume. Thank you, but no, said Leni: I'm not in the mood to stand still. You are always welcome to join.Celia said. I know, said Leni, but honestly, I'm not here for the circus, I'm here to talk to you. What do you want to talk about?Celia asked, with a worried look on her face. After my sister had been to the Midland Hotel and died at St Pancras station Leni said: Do you know why she went there? Celia gripped the teacup even tighter. I know whom she goes there to see.She said carefully. I think Aiden told you that.Leni said. Celia nodded. Do you know why she wants to see him?Leni said. No, I don't know. Because she didn't feel right, Leni said: She knew in her gut that her world had changed, but there was no explanation, nothing to grasp or understand.I believe we all feel the same way, and we each respond in different ways.Aiden and Aunt Padwa had jobs that took their time and their minds.And for a while, I didn't care about it.I love my sister very much, that love will always be there, but I think she made a mistake. I thought it was an accident.Celia said softly, looking down at the patterned tiles on the table. No, I mean before that.Her mistake was finding the wrong person and asking the wrong questions, and I don't intend to repeat the same mistakes. That's why you're here. That's why I'm here, Leni said: How long have we known each other, Celia? It's been more than ten years. By now, your trust in me should be enough to tell me what's going on, right?I don't think you dare tell me it's all right, or suggest that I stop worrying about such things. Celia put the glass on the saucer.She explained as best she could, but she was vague about the details, mentioning only the basic concept of the challenge and the function of the circus as a venue.She also mentioned that in every aspect, some people know more about the inside story than others, but she deliberately did not mention the names of individual people, which also shows that she does not have all the answers. Leni listened intently and said nothing, occasionally sipping tea. How long has Aiden known?She asked when Celia had finished speaking. For a long time.Celia said. Leni nodded and raised the glass to her lips, but instead of sipping, she let it go with spread fingers. The cup fell and hit the saucer below. The glass shattered and shattered, the sound echoed throughout the room, and the tea spilled on the tiles. Before people could turn around because of the noise, the cup straightened itself.The fragments reassembled around the liquid, the glass stood intact, the brick surface of the table was dry. Those who looked away from their tables because of the noise thought it was their own imagination and turned their attention back to their tea. Why don't you try to stop it before it breaks?Lenny asked. I have no idea.Celia said. If you need anything from me, I want you to ask, Leni said as she got up to leave: I'm so tired of people keeping their secrets so well that people get killed.We're all caught up in your race, and it looks like we can't be fixed as easily as teacups. After Leni left, Celia sat alone for a while, letting the two cups of tea cool down gradually.