 CHAPTER 2 (section 2) copyright © 2001, S. Y. Affolee Dargood opened his mouth to answer Simone when a large clomping sound made the three of them look up. An apparition had entered the room. A tall woman, about Adrian’s height, had entered the entrance foyer wearing a dress that consisted of a tight dark green corset that displayed a vast amount of white cleavage and vast amounts of puffy satin of the same shade of green covered her legs. A monsterous chandelier that passed for a tiara sat precariously on her curly green hair. Or it could have been a wig. Adrian could not tell exactly for sure. Her face was partially covered by a green feathered and rhinestone studded mask. Diamonds clung around her neck, wrists, and fingers. A green fan dangled from her left hand. “Greetings,” the apparition proclaimed. Simone was still gaping, probably still reeling from the excessive color coordination. Dargood was drooling. It took Adrian a minute to remember who possessed the familiar voice. “Good evening, Mrs. Greenville,” he replied. His partner seemed to immediately unfreeze. She smiled widely, a devilish gleam coloring her normally serious eyes. “How do you do, Mrs. Greenville. As you see, we’ve got all our equipment, ready to set up.” “Excellent. I had cook prepare dinner for both of you, as I am sure you are famished. Normally, I would show you around the house myself and join you for dinner, but as you can see I have a prior engagement. Just ask Mina for anything.” Adrian and Simone just nodded. “Oh, and Dargood, show them to the study as Ms. Sung requested. I am sure they have much to accomplish tonight. And afterwards, hurry up and get dressed. We will be late as it is.” “Yes, Mrs. Greenville,” Dargood managed to reply. “And don’t expect us to be back until tomorrow,” Edna called out as she breezed by them to get to another room. They stared after her. At the end of her dress which trailed onto the floor in a short train sat two tiny smug kittens, one black and one brown with black stripes. The animals seemed to be quite enjoying the free ride. Simone shook her head. “The study?” “Right this way.” Adrian and Simone followed the butler down the foyer which was actually quite cluttered in antique wood furniture and vases of dried flowers. The walls were papered in a discrete dark beige but ended abruptly as they turned a corner into another corridor. This one lacked any sort of decoration except the varnish that coated the wood paneled walls. Small wall lamps were attached at intervals giving off small periodic pools of light. The floor was a cold brown stone that had been waxed meticulously to a shine. The hallway wound toward the back of the house, toward the single tower that had looked so odd on the outside. At the end of the corridor were double doors of laquered heavy dark wood that clashed with the wood on the walls. The doors were crudely carved, Adrian could hardly make out the lumpy twisted forms that passed for mythological and real creatures. Besides two brass doorknobs, two identical doorknockers graced the center of each door, smooth but tarnished into a dull gray-gold. Dargood did not bother knocking. He took out a key and fitted it into the lock hiding under one of the doorknobs and pushed both doors open. The interior was dark and gray. It was drafty. He saw Simone discretely shiver. At the other end of the room on the right was a large window with the draps thrown to the side. Even from the door, he could make out the back yard of the house, a large field that had a curvy swimming pool gashed into the middle and lines of trees guarding the borders. The butler threw up the switch and the lights from the ceiling and the walls blinked on suddenly. Clearly, they could now see that the study was actually a huge library that resembled a giant Victorian sitting room. Right across from the doorway was a huge fireplace framed by two armchairs, an ottoman, and a tiny tea table. To the far left sat a heavy desk and chair, obviously the abode for the late Mr. Robert Greenville. At the corner was a tiny spiralling staircase that wound up to the second floor balcony that circled the continuing bookshelves. On the high ceiling that would have been the second floor ceiling, was an intricate painting of gods and monsters fighting in an eternal cosmic war. Greenville’s library study would have been perfect, except for the fact that all of the shelves were empty. The butler coughed discretely. “This was Mr. Greenville’s...” A sudden high shriek caught their attention. Dargood’s face flushed white and he abruptly dashed out. Adrian sighed and dumped the equipment on the floor of the study. Simone waved a hand. “Go see what’s the matter,” she said. “I’ll set this up and catch up when I can.” He followed the butler back up the hallway and turned into a living room that was littered in brown couches in a seemingly haphazard fashion. Edna was standing in the middle of the room with her dress clutched to her knees so that she looked like a huddled, yet ridiculous, green mouse. She was stamping her platform clad feet as if she was trying to mash a scurrying poor spider. In front of her were two stunned dark furry balls. Evidently she had discovered her passengers. “Shoo! Mrs. Greenville does not like it when you wander out of the kitchen. Get back in there!” Dargood began waving his arms like a windmill. Instead, the kittens hissed and launched themselves on his pant legs. Dargood began hopping about like he was on fire. “Get them off me!” Edna shrieked again and the kittens decided they had enough fun on dancing Dargood. They rolled off him and rushed off. The striped one darted between Adrian’s legs and rushed out into the hallway. The black kitten was not as coordinated. He rammed himself into Adrian’s foot and began meowing piteously. Adrian sighed and picked the animal up by the nape, intending to dump it back into the hall, but instead hesitated. The kitten took the opportunity to burrow into the crook of his arm. He groaned and decided to leave the creature there. Adrian looked back up. Edna had collapsed into one of the sofas with a hand pressed against her forehead in exaggerated stress. Dargood was too busy trying to brush off imaginary cat hairs from his suit. “It’s simply too trying,” Edna finally said. “I really must get rid of those animals. I cannot possibly take care of them.” “You could take them to the humane society,” Adrian suggested. “That would simply not do. What would the grandchildren think?” She cracked open an eye. “Besides, I have no time to go down to the humane society. I have other important things to do.” He refrained from telling her that an appointment which required dressing up in garish clothes was not important. “Besides, it looks as if one of those animals does like you.” “Yes it does, doesn’t it?” A calculating smile appeared on Dargood’s face. “Well, Mrs. Greenville, why don’t you give them to Mr. Dubois? He seems to know a lot about cats.” “Why Dargood, that sounds like a fine idea. What do you say, Mr. Dubois?” Adrian glanced down at the kitten who at that moment had the audacity to yawn at him, showing him his small sharp teeth. “Well...” “I’ll double the current rate that I had set for you then,” Edna said dismissively. “The money is not the issue. I just want all of these distractions gone.” That was six times their normal rate if he calculated correctly. He could already see Simone’s face light up when he tells her. “All right then. I’m sure Simone and I would be able to find a way to find homes for them.” |