'It still would be prudent to invite her anyway don't you think?'
'If you must. Just don't be surprised if she wheedles herself into the organization once she finds out about it. As she said that is what she does.'
Felicity's puzzled look led Darlene to outline that woman's self declared title of Event Planner to the rich and famous.
'Could be a problem. Maybe the fact she can't discuss this with Ethan will work in our favour. And after all what could she do in only a week. Even she said that wasn't enough time to organize anything. Oh no! What if she's right?' horrified Felicity clasped her hand to her mouth 'The events she plans for need more than a week, more like a month, that's if you want to end up with a 3 ringed circus. Our little shindig we'll be able to organize with one hand tied behind our back, in less than a week. You'll see.'
Felicity was a trifle worried about Darlene's concept of the word little.
'Now be off with you. Your mission should you choose to take it is to finalise the invite list and get out those invitations as soon as possible including one for that…woman.'
Felicity grinned at Darlene's incapacity to say that woman's name.
'Darlene I need addresses as well. Any idea where an address book is?'
'In his nibs study desk draw. The one under the phone.'
'It's O.K. to look in his desk?' Felicity felt sure that would be trespassing somehow.
'Of course.'
'But surely it's private?'
'Ethan has no secrets from his family.' Case closed as far as the housekeeper was concerned so she turned away back to her lunch preparations this time for real.
This made Felicity feel warm inside for even if it was only temporary it felt good to be included in the word 'family'.
The address book contained hundreds of numbers but with no indication of their relationship to Ethan, lifelong friends or mere acquaintances, it was of little use in adding to Darlene's list. Returning to the kitchen Felicity enlisted Darlene's help in perusing the names listed to see if she could short list it..
'Try his mother and then you could contact his P.A.'
'What…Shelly! I thought Ethan had fired her?'
'Good lord no! His permanent one, Mary, now inconveniently honeymooning in Bali.'
'Just great and I can see myself phoning there.'
'She won't mind you disturbing her honeymoon for a good cause. Her mobile number is in here.' Darlene flicked through the address book.