The Waltz of Predators

The grand ballroom of the Vance estate was a breathtaking temple of Gilded Age opulence, with soaring hand-painted plaster ceilings depicting classical Roman triumphs, towering crystal chandeliers that scattered thousands of diamond-bright prisms across the room, and polished white Carrara marble floors that mirrored the glittering evening gowns of Boston's elite. At the far end of the room, perched on a raised mahogany dais, an eight-piece string ensemble was performing…