[For Arthur, Annie, Auggie] Operation: Off to Never Never Land

As they'd agreed what seems like ages ago, Annie and Auggie, arrive with coffee and dessert. They're on time almost to the minute, which makes Joan laugh as she opens the door to let them in. Arthur has acquired, by what means she doesn't ask, a bottle of Merlot from Rapture to go with the boar tenderloin with a pineapple-mango marinade and wild mushroom risotto and lightly dressed field greens Joan's managed to pull together for dinner. And Matt and Emily have, at Joan's polite request, gone out for the evening.

Once everything's put in the kitchen and Annie and Auggie have been shown around (Annie for her to see the place and Auggie for his comfort and convenience), Joan sets a match to the last candle and directs Arthur, who is standing indecently close behind her for the company they're keeping, but she can hardly mind, since he's also holding her hair out of the flame, to "Get the vodka out of the cooler, Arthur, will you?" To her operatives, she explains, "We should talk before dinner," and tosses them both an amused smile. "--In case Emily and Matt return early. I do trust them to keep our confidences, but there's no sense tempting fate."


[ooc: order is Joan, Arthur, Annie, Auggie.]