ProserpinaI stepped out of the kitchen, face glowing as I hurried to meet my friend.Rachel had arrived, flying in from one of the Scandinavian nations where she had gone to attend a lecture on environmental hazards. And she had also presented a paper before the august assembly of academicians and I was proud of her although she had played down her achievement in her usual flippant way.I threw my arms around her and she hugged me enthusiastically. Rachel was a big-boned woman with short-cropped blonde hair and a wide smile, her huge glasses balanced on her small pert nose. She still had a smattering of freckles on her nose and I squealed as she hugged me again, a bone-breaking hug.‘Girl, you look as young as ever’ she shouted, her booming voice as authoritative and strong as ever.‘Rachel!’ I cried, even as she continued,“Where is your brood?’ and then she chuckled as Ria and Piers, with Claude in tow, burst out of the morning room where they had been doing their studies, under th
ProserpinaRachel was a much-loved aunt for the kids and she soon had Claude eating out of her hand too. She and her lover, a sweet woman she had met in Peru, had finally decided to get married later in the year, a Christmas wedding, she said with a wry grimace. Mayra, her lover, had been simple and not as outspoken as Rachel during our video conversations. She was a doctor and they had decided to finally tie the knot. I was thrilled for them.“You had better be there for the wedding, girl, ‘ she warned, fixing me with a stern look.I dimpled.“I shall tell Lucien when he returns,’ I said simply. The twins turned to look at me. They were anxious about their father, no doubt and were longing to know how he was. But one look at my face and they exchanged glances and turned back to Rachel, faces subdued.Guessing the reason for their suddenly mellow expressions, she grabbed Ria’s hand and indicated that they should follow her.‘Come on, you lot!’ she urged, ‘I have something to show you
LucienThey blundered into the woods, relying on their instincts, listening alertly to the sounds coming from around them. Rhyme had joined them, and he pointed out, wordlessly, to the path where it appeared as if someone had pushed through the tangled twigs and branches in a hurry. The light snow also revealed indentures made by three pairs of boots. One was smaller than the others, noted Lucien as they moved, carefully.The sound of water could be heard as they moved away from the now burning little house and in the distance; Lucien had been listening to the noise of an approaching chopper.It had to be the one he had had stationed in a field nearby. Aiyana must have been informed and she must have radioed the chopper crew.As for Salam Khan, the gangster had been stopped at the border by the Slovakian authorities, based on the tip off provided by the Interpol agencies.Now it had zeroed down to just one man: Dmitri Rudenko who he was determined to bring down that day.Or die in the
ProserpinaWhen I returned, there was a mini celebration of sorts.The kids had persuaded Camille to help them to put up a small tent in the garden and were camping on the grounds.I sighed as I saw them; my twins looked so happy. Claude was also with them, whooping and shouting as they ran around the makeshift tent, screaming. Claude pummelled his fists on poor Paddy; I had noticed that he had a tendency to hurt poor Paddy who took it cheerfully, with a goofy grin on his face. On more than one occasion, I had had to intervene and prevent my young son from hurting the child who was autistic and who never retaliated.Of course, the twins stopped him when they saw it but being young kids themselves, they were not going to be vigilant the way I remained.Rachel had gone off to town to meet some acquaintances. She had left a message saying she would be back the next afternoon. She had called me to check if I was alright, to make sure I did not need her with me.*My army of helpers bustle
ProserpinaThe darkness of the night surrounded me. I sat on the seat near the window, my knees drawn up, resting my chin on them, arms wound around my legs, staring into the darkness of the lawn below. From somewhere in the distance, I hear the sound of an owl, lonely and sombre, breaking the silence of the night. It must be around 2 a.m, I thought wearily, running my hand through my hair, undoing my heavy braid and untangling the knots absently.On the music system beside me, I was playing my favourite music by David Lanz, the composer and pianist. Sometimes when I was upset, I would play it and doze off on the recliner here by the window, a sense of peace washing over me, lulling me to rest.But tonight, my mind was working overtime.Peace was elusive. All I could think of was Lucien. And somehow, I knew, being as attuned to him as I was, I knew he was in trouble.*I had come awake a while ago, not long after I had drifted off into a tired sleep, my children beside me. Despite hav
LucienThe snow was falling heavily now, it was on the way to becoming a blizzard. The only sound was the howling of the wind in the trees, apart, of course, from the sound of Lucien and Dmitri grunting and gasping as they fought to the last.They rolled in the snow, totally oblivious to the extreme, bitter cold, the driving wind, harsh against their cheeks, and the storm pelting them with shards of ice. Lucien felt his hands slipping, wet with snow and blood…his blood and that of the man beneath him, who was struggling to stay alive. He punched the man again, relishing the screams the man was stifling as his cheekbone shattered.And then suddenly, as though from a great distance, he heard Schwartz bellowing frantically.“DELANO!!! Watch out, BOSS!!!”Lucien turned, and saw the boy bearing down on them, the one who had been with Dmitri. He had managed to rear up on his feet and now stood, swaying, clutching a massive rock in his hands. Schwartz was a little way off, his sniper arm use
ProserpinaWhen I came back to the world of the living, it was bright and sunny outside. I was in my room and the cool air of the air conditioner swirled around me. For a minute, I was blindsided. What was I doing in bed in the middle of the morning, I thought bemusedly.I sat up, puzzled.Why was I in bed? I needed to be with the kids…My thoughts trailed off as reality and my memory of the previous day’s events slammed into me, like a hard fist.Raising a shaking hand to my mouth, I made a gasping, sobbing sound as I recalled Beston’s words.*“Are you awake?’ It was Rachel. She was huddled on the large couch in a corner of the room and she looked beaten, as she watched me. The door opened and Danielle stormed in. Danielle did not do slow and graceful. She was like a tornado, sweeping in, regardless of the destruction she caused in her wake.“ Is she asleep?’ she barked at Rachel who stood up, glaring daggers at her.Both of them seemed to have taken an instant dislike to each othe
ProserpinaI sat in the room, my breath coming fast as Beston looked around helplessly.‘You do not understand, Ma’am,’ he began pleading with me but I was like a woman on a mission, self-righteousness in my voice as I said peremptorily,“No, Beston. Do YOU understand?’ I hissed fiercely, taking a step towards him.Swallowing with difficulty, I went on, sticking out my chin,“My husband is alive. I will only believe otherwise when I know his body has been found.’ He gaped at me, a gesture that was totally out of sync with the head of Security at our estate, a man who took decisions based on his judgment, and who worshipped Lucien St. Claire. Who could not believe that I was accusing him of fooling me.Clenching my fists, and breathing hard, I stood before him,. Beston was a big man, he easily dwarfed me but on this occasion, I was much more formidable.Meeting his eyes, I gritted my teeth and said, in a low voice,‘I want to go to this town you speak of. In Slovakia. I want to find my