Proserpina
After a fitful night, I woke to another grey morning. I remembered that the children would be getting their DNA swabs taken some time during that day. The thought made me feel hopeless. Lucien had not said anything about it but then, apart from trying to haul me into bed and satisfy his libido and render me a helpless slave to his touch in the process, me, he had very little time for me. The children probably did not exist for him, I thought, a wave of depression engulfing me.
My twins were only too glad to have me with them as they played in the grass outside my room. The housekeeper shot me a strange look but said very little and I was thankful for that. She had come in to find me asleep on the couch before the TV and had woken me up briskly with a hot cup of coffee. Determined not to let Lucien's behaviour upset me, I carried out my yoga exercises and meditated a little as the twins scampered around, a lanky lad playing with them. He was the gardener's son, Philippe, said Beatrice kindly and I nodded.
During my stay in the monastery, I had observed and later, joined the novice nuns who were learning yoga from their teacher. The change it had brought about in me had been remarkable. Physically, I had grown fitter and the mental peace I had gained from those moments had made me vow to continue to follow the regime wherever I went. I had gone on to become a trainer for the visiting nuns from other parts of the world as well.
The words of the Mother Superior in the beautiful, tranquil ashram came to me again. As I was kneeling at her feet, she had blessed me and whispered,
"Don't lose heart, my young child. Whatever happens to us, happens for a purpose. Accept it. Do not fight it."
An hour later, I felt energised enough to take on the world.
***
Hefting Piers onto a hip, with Ria clutching my hand, we wandered around the house, avoiding the area where Lucien's study was. The house was large, with rooms that were lying disused. The maids trailed behind us as we curiously explored the villa.
Later on in the day, I glimpsed Lucien as he returned from wherever he had spent the night. He was still in the clothes he had been wearing the previous evening and with a day's growth of beard, he looked dangerous. His icy eyes landed on us and moved away just as swiftly. The children and I huddled in the shadows as he stormed past, his wingmen in tow.
'Angy man, Mumma! ANGY!!!' Creid Ria lisping in a stage whisper. That was her word for "angry."
Even as I shook my head at her, one of his men glanced our way and I saw a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at the twins.
Lucien Delano ignored us. Without sparing a glance at us, he disappeared into the elevator, probably on his way to his room on the second floor. Soon after that, I heard the sound of his motorcade leaving. Peeping from the nursery windows, I caught a glimpse of the three cars. zipping down the driveway in a cloud of dust.
The large iron gates swung shut, enclosing us in the gilded prison once more.
The heaviness in my heart grew.
What was I doing here? I asked myself miserably. Had I come here to this fancy gaol to be humiliated? Only to be treated as an object to satisfy his lust when he wanted me? To live a life of sexual bondage?
What had happened to my dreams of studying law? doing something with my life?
Little Ria distracted me with her baby talk, and soon I was lost in the happiness of playing with the little children who were my joy.
***
It was almost dinnertime when Lucien Delano returned. I was with my children, sitting cross-legged on the floor as they sang snatches of the songs they had learnt in the monastery. Washed and ready for bed, I hugged Piers, content in the company of my darlings. They had been fed and were yawning hugely.
Beatrice had told me, almost as an aside during tea, that samples of the children's hair had been collected from their hair brushes earlier. I had swallowed the pain silently and cuddling Ria, who hated to be hugged, I had continued to play with the twins as though it was of no consequence to me.
***
The sound of a car broke through Pier's happy gurgles. A door slammed somewhere and Lucien's commanding voice could be heard. He limped into the room and barely glancing at the children, he ordered,
"We are attending a party. Hurry up and change, woman. The car's waiting."
I glared up at him mutinously, unmoving. I was not going anywhere if he addressed me like I was the maid with the mop.
He turned and then realised that I had not moved from my spot on the nursery floor, where I was setting up the building blocks with my children.
"Get up!" He growled threateningly, advancing towards me. The children watched him, scared. No one had ever raised their voice at me before this and they were petrified.
My little tigress, Ria sidled up to me, protectively, kneeling beside me and placing her tiny hand on mine. Her gray-blue eyes were a mirror image of Lucien's, icy and disdainful. She looked as though she would launch herself at him while Piers cowered, sucking his thumb, and came to stand behind me.
Wanting to avoid a scene in front of the children and the maids, I grudgingly rose from the floor and followed him out. But not before I had hugged my little ones and whispered,
'Mumma's going to go out for a while. But I'll be back soon.'
Kissing their plump cheeks, I left the room.
Lucien had stood, watching the exchange silently. No sooner did I step out than he grabbed my upper arm and marched me to the elevator, roughly. After a silent journey to the topmost floor, we stepped out. The doors opened directly onto his suite of rooms. I looked around me in awe. I had never been here before but I knew that the entire top floor consisted of the Boss' rooms, solely for his use. Even the servants crept up timidly.
A huge room, with pale cream carpeting and matching shades that commanded a view of the lawns and the swimming pool. Doors led out from the main room which was dominated by a massive bar that ran the length of one wall, stocked with possibly the world's finest, I thought drily.
Lucien had now taken to drinking heavily, although he remained seemingly unmoved on the surface. The ferocity with which he took me made me wonder if the drink was a shield against something he wanted to avoid thinking about.
Now, dragging me by my arm, he took me to the master bedroom, HIS room, where there were a few shopping bags tossed on the bed.
"What?" I asked crossly, rubbing my arm.
He indicated the bags and said almost indifferently, "Some clothes. Wear that now."
I stared at him in astonishment and fury. How dare he buy something without consulting me? Even as I opened my mouth to protest, he pushed me towards the bed, growling, 'Hurry up.'
With that, he disappeared into what I imagined to be the bathroom.