The ceilings were decorated in ornamental plaster quadrants that each featured a ceiling rose and dentils that drew the eye up toward the center, where a row of enormous chandeliers sparkled, casting shimmers of light throughout the long room. Doors on the opposite side of the room were open to let in the cool night air and allow guests to step out onto the wide terrace that overlooked the immaculate gardens. It was like something out of a novel. I wanted to pinch myself. Was this really my life?
