Page 3 of Bluebeard’s Key

He asked, “Where are we?”

“We’ve just entered Ferry Vale.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“It’s off the beaten track,” Charlie said without elaborating further. It was clear she wasn’t going to play tour guide unless he asked a direct question.

“So, what’s it like to live here?”

She answered without answering. “Oh, I don’t live here.”

This was getting frustrating. He asked, “And the Institute is here?”

“Yes.”

“So, what is the Institute like?”

“Expensive and secluded. You’ll see. But it does have a nice view of the marina.”

It was clear that Charlie was not one for giving answers, so he grumbled, “Not much chance of that today, with all this rain.”

She gave a short laugh and said, “No, I suppose not.”

Charlie took a left turn out of the shopping district and followed a winding, paved road, which climbed and would have provided a view of the entire town if the miserable rain would let up. But the road was soon swallowed by forest, blocking any chance of a scenic vista. After a few more turns, Charlie took a side road and passed through an iron gate, waving to the small guardhouse.

Charlie announced, “And here we are. Elixir Wellness Institute. I hope your meeting goes well.”

Zayan was no fool, and he was no stranger to the internet, so he had done his due diligence and explored the Elixir Wellness website in detail, seeking to prepare himself for the upcoming ordeal. The opulent, classy style of the website was clearly designed to appeal to an exclusive clientele, the type of person he wanted to be someday. The facility occupied a historical country estate, retaining its pastoral charm but renovated with all the comforts of the modern era. The website, however, didn’t do the reality justice. As the car crunched over the gravel driveway, the house loomed out of the rain, a three-story Tudor monstrosity, painted a lurid yellow that valiantly battled the stormy gray of the day.

Zayan looked with trepidation at the water streaming down his window, but he needn’t have worried. One of the Elixir staff, a handsome man with a Mediterranean look, immediately opened the door, sheltering Zayan with a cheerful rainbow-patterned umbrella and bustling him over the soggy drive and through the main entrance.

“Mr. Sarim, welcome to Elixir,” he said, deftly installing the umbrella in an elaborately carved umbrella stand and turning to give Zayan his full attention. “My name is Archimedes. I trust your journey was uneventful?”

Zayan was rarely one to be intimidated by looks. Blessed by his genealogy with a trim frame and classic features, he was often the most handsome man in the room, but getting the full view of Archimedes, standing helpfully in the foyer, was enough to give him doubts. The man was stunning, probably in his mid-twenties, sleek and polished and somehow making the tailored blue uniform look like something from a fashion runway. But his smile completely offset his beauty, a genuine smile without a trace of artifice.

“As much as can be expected,” Zayan said, and realized he was being overly peevish. He was here for an interview, so he needed to put on his professional face. He continued, “Everything went smoothly.”

“Splendid,” Archimedes said in his smooth, musical voice, guiding him on. “Let me show you to your room.”

Archimedes guided him through a resplendent entry hall, two stories high, in perfect keeping with the country house’s grandeur. Zayan quickly surveyed the dozen people scattered around the hall, trying to read the room. The Elixir staff were easy to recognize, all wearing tailored uniforms and all young and beautiful. None could be a day over thirty, and many looked closer to twenty. Zayan marveled at the logistics of this, wondering about the turnover of the staff and how to ensure this friendly attentiveness. His cynical side saw the answer immediately. All it took was money. Even so, he couldn’t help but admire the level of physical beauty surrounding him.

Archimedes guided him to a grand staircase, saying, “We have elevators for our older guests, but I suspect you won’t be needing that.”

The top of the stairs opened onto a narrow landing with comfortable chairs and paintings on the walls, a mixture of portraits and landscapes with an Impressionist flair. As he had seen on the website, it was all intentionally classy and meant to impress.

“You’re free to visit the library and dining room on the ground floor, and many of the spa facilities are available here on the first level.”

“What’s on the upper floor?” Zayan asked, curiosity getting the better of propriety.

Archimedes smiled at this and answered, “Giles Fortescue, the director, occupies the entire level, so we don’t enter unless invited. Fortunately, you have an invitation. He is expecting you for dinner this evening at 7:00 PM. It will be an informal affair, so don’t worry about dressing. This afternoon, I suggest that you cut some of this winter chill in one of our saunas, and I’ll collect you at your room this evening to show you the way.”

At this point, Archimedes stopped them in front of a door beautifully carved with flowers, with a modern card lock.

“The Lotus Room is yours for the duration of your visit,” he said, handing Zayan a metallic gold card key with the Elixir Wellness logo impressed at the center. “I’ll let you get settled, but if you require anything, please don’t hesitate to call reception and ask for Archimedes. I’ll be happy to help.”

After thanking Archimedes and worrying if he expected a tip, Zayan tapped the card and entered the room. His bags had mysteriously winged their way to the room already, so he went to the window, which looked out over a classic pastoral scene. The rain had subsided somewhat, revealing a glistening terrace, a neatly tended lawn, a rose garden, and a stand of trees. In the distance, he could just make out the gray water of the ocean, shrouded in clouds and rain. It was all so exuberant, so grand, that once again Zayan bumped his value for salary up another notch. Yes, he could learn to enjoy this. Maybe some relaxation in the sauna was exactly what he needed to put him in the proper frame of mind for his meeting with the mysterious Giles Fortescue.

CHAPTER 3