The staff was lined up outside the residence, awaiting the arrival of the new ambassador. When Mary stepped out of the car, Jerry Davis made the introductions.
“Madam Ambassador, your staff. Mihai, your butler; Sabina, your social secretary; Rosica, your housekeeper; Cosma, your chef; and Delia and Carmen, your maids.”
Mary moved down the line, receiving their bows and curtsies, thinking: Oh, my God. What am I going to do with all of them? At home I had Lucinda come in three times a week to cook and clean.
“We are very honored to meet you, Madam Ambassador,” Sabina, the social secretary, said.
They all seemed to be staring at her, waiting for her to say something. She took a deep breath. “Bună ziua. Mulţumesc. Nu vorbesc—” Every bit of Romanian she had learned flew out of her head. She stared at them, helplessly.
Mihai, the butler, stepped forward and bowed. “We all speak English, ma’am. We welcome you and shall be most happy to serve your every need.”
Mary sighed with relief. “Thank you.”
There was iced champagne waiting inside the house, along with a table loaded with tempting-looking foods.
“That looks delicious!” Mary exclaimed. They were watching her hungrily. She wondered whether she should offer them anything. Did one do that with servants? She did not want to start out by making a mistake. “Did you hear what the new American ambassador did? She invited the servants to eat with her, and they were so shocked that they quit.”
“Did you hear what the new American ambassador did? She gorged herself in front of the starving servants and didn’t offer them a bite.”
“On second thought,” Mary said, “I’m not hungry right now. I’ll—I’ll have something later.”
“Let me show you around,” Jerry Davis said.
They followed him eagerly.
The residence was a lovely house. It was pleasant and charming, in an old-fashioned way. On the ground floor were an entry way, a library filled with books, a music room, a living room, and a large dining room, with a kitchen and pantry adjoining. All the rooms were comfortably furnished. A terrace ran the length of the building outside the dining room, facing a large park.
Toward the rear of the house was an indoor swimming pool with an attached sauna, and dressing rooms.
“We have our own swimming pool!” Tim exclaimed. “Can I go swimming?”
“Later, darling. Let’s get settled in first.”
The pièce de résistance downstairs was the ballroom, built near the garden. It was enormous. Glistening Baccarat sconces lined the walls, which were done in flocked paper.
Jerry Davis said, “This is where the embassy parties are given. Watch this.” He pressed a switch on the wall. There was a grinding noise and the ceiling began to split in the center, opening up until the sky became visible. “It can also be operated manually.”
“Hey, that’s neat!” Tim exclaimed.
“I’m afraid it’s called ‘the Ambassador’s Folly,’” Jerry Davis said apologetically. “It’s too hot to keep open in the summer and too cold in the winter. We use it in April and September.”
“It’s still neat,” Tim insisted.
As the cold air started to descend, Jerry Davis pressed the switch again and the ceiling closed.
“Let me show you to your quarters upstairs.”
They followed Jerry Davis up the staircase to a large central hall with two bedrooms separated by a bathroom. Farther down the hallway were the master bedroom with a sitting room, a boudoir and a full bath, a smaller bedroom and bath, plus a sewing and utility room. There was a terrace on the roof, with its separate stairway.
Jerry Davis said, “The third floor has servants’ quarters, a laundry room, and a storage area. In the basement area is a wine cellar, and the servants’ dining and rest area.”
“It’s—it’s enormous,” Mary said.
The children were running from room to room.
“Which is my bedroom?” Beth asked.
“You and Tim can decide that between yourselves.”
“You can have this one,” Tim offered. “It’s frilly. Girls like frilly things.”
The master bedroom was lovely, with a queen-size bed with a goose-down comforter, two couches around a fireplace, an easy chair, a dressing table with an antique mirror, an armoire, a luxurious bathroom, and a wonderful view of the gardens.