Scandal:The Complete Series(72)
—five—
Ella
Jax was right. His uncle’s home—if you can call it that since everyone calls it the HQ—is as creepy and dark as a mausoleum. I’m sure it would be a big hit if it hosted a Halloween party or served as a set for the remake of Dracula. Seriously, the entire furniture and art collection is stuck in the nineteenth century, not to mention the bars on most of the windows along with heavy dark drapes drawn down. The air smells of heavy perfume, aromatic candles and something musty.
I imagine most of the rooms can’t possibly be in use, the sheer size of the place making it impossible to even count them. I wonder what possessed Lucius to buy this place and why he decided to actually live here. Surely, he could have kept his private life separate from his business? Then again it wouldn’t be farfetched to assume the whole idea is to make people uncomfortable when they visit—assistants, employees and rivals alike.
Jax is somewhere out back catching up with old acquaintances and friends which leaves me with nothing to do. I still can’t believe how fast things have moved and how I went from being thrilled about a trip to Paris to basically being under house arrest or, worse, being under house arrest at Dracula’s house.
The only things I have with me are the clothes I was wearing last night when I went out for dinner and a small purse with my wallet and some scattered pieces of gum. Everything else I own sits at my empty apartment where I have no idea when I will be able to return. Jax has asked me to make a list with things I need so one of his uncle’s lackeys can go and fetch them. Some strange evil man will actually go to my place and stuff my makeup and underwear in a bag for me. Awesome.
The kitchen is empty so that eliminates the prospect of having one more pleasant conversation with the cook, Mrs. Miller, a lovely elderly lady that has known Jaxson since he was a child. I thought she’d be preparing dinner by now but maybe Lucius has other plans.
I was told to stay indoors. That sounds like overkill since the place is so heavily protected. The only thing that could get through all those guards and alarms would be a guided missile.
I don’t know what to do with myself. I walk aimlessly down a hall and then start up some marble stairs. The idea that I could be spending days here, even weeks or worse like Jax suggested, makes me anxious and antsy to the point my palms get sweaty.
My mother thinks I’m on a plane to Paris right now. At least that means she won’t be worried about me just yet being AWOL.
At the top of the stairs, I pause, trying to decide if I should go left or right when a middle-aged man comes out of a door dressed in nothing but a bathrobe, his dark hair wet.
“Looking for me?” he says, his eyes surveying me up and down.
Oh shit. I haven’t seen him before but I know beyond a doubt that it’s him, Lucius, Jaxson’s formidable uncle, whom I’ve caught coming out of the shower. Yet another horror in this house of horrors.
The last thing I want is to be intrusive but it’s not like I knew what part of the building would constitute his private quarters. Nobody has bothered to explain anything. Excuses, Ella, I tell myself. You should have stayed put at the room that was provided for you even if it meant dying of boredom.
“I’m sorry,” I say to the man who’s brushing his wet hair back. “I didn’t mean to disturb you, I was just…”
“Trying to kill time?”
“Something like that.”
“Give me a moment,” he says. “I’ll get decent and we can talk over a drink. Wait for me down the hall at the loft.”
“Okay,” I say, extending my hand. “I’m Ella.”
“Lucius Bernard,” he says, taking my hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Wade.”
He’s all formal and he wants to talk to me, shit. All I know about him is what Jax has told me and none of it is good. How am I going to pretend to be in the dark about his business and the gloom he has cast over Jaxson’s life?
The loft is surprisingly modern compared to the rest of the house with a set of comfortable armchairs and bookshelves with mystery and detective novels. I gather this is part of Lucius’ private quarters, the area reserved only for friends and family—assuming he has any besides Jax.
Lucius shows up only a few minutes later dressed in khakis and a white sweater. I can’t help but compare him to Carter, my newly reappeared father. The two of them are the same age more or less. Although Lucius has had a better life and taken care of himself, my father is naturally good looking, tall with strong features. Lucius is shorter and bulkier but in good shape.
“Thank you so much for allowing me to stay,” I tell Lucius, trying to get over my embarrassment at having imposed myself on him.