“That is alright, Lilith,” he laughed. “Please, do not apologize for it. I find it refreshing. I am used to people kissing my ass all day, so it is good to hear someone say what they think.”
She shook her head slowly, as they passed the security booth and drove up the minor incline toward the imposing antique structure Purdue called home. As the car neared the mansion, Purdue could practically spring from it to get to see Sam, and the footage that would come with him. He wished that the nurse could drive a little faster, but dared not make such a request.
“Your garden is beautiful,” she remarked. “Look at all the amazing stone structures. Was this a castle before?”
“Not a castle, my dear, but close. It is a historical site, so I am sure it once held off intruders and protected many people from harm. When we first inspected the property, we did find remnants of vast stables and servant’s quarters. There are even ruins of an old chapel in the far east of the property,” he described dreamily, feeling quite proud of his Edinburgh residence. Of course, he owned a number of homes across the world, but he considered the main house in his native Scotland the primary seat of the Purdue fortune.
As soon as the car came to a halt in front of the main doors, Purdue had his door open.
“Be careful, Mr. Purdue!” she cried. Worried, she switched off the engine and hastened to his side, just when Charles, his butler, opened the door.
“Welcome back, sir,” the rigid Charles said in his dry way. “We only expected you in two days.” He descended the steps to collect Purdue’s bags while the white haired billionaire rushed toward the steps as fast as he could. “Good day, madam,” Charles greeted the nurse, who in turn nodded in acknowledgment He had no idea who she was, but if she came with Purdue, he considered her important.
“Mr. Purdue, you cannot use that much pressure on your leg yet,” she whined in his tracks, trying to catch up to his wide strides. “Mr. Purdue…”
“Just help me up the steps, will you?” he asked politely, although she detected an air of profound urgency in his voice. “Charles?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Has Mr. Cleave arrived yet?” Purdue asked as he trod up, one step at a time, impatiently.
“No, sir,” Charles answered casually. The answer was unassuming, yet Purdue’s expression in reaction was one of utter horror. For a moment he stood still, holding onto the nurse’s arm, leering at his butler.
“No?” he huffed in panic.
Just then, Lillian and Jane, his housekeeper and personal assistant, respectively, appeared in the door.
“No, sir. He has not been all day. Were you expecting him?” Charles asked.
“Was I… w-was I expec… Jesus, Charles, would I ask if he was here if I was not expecting him?” Purdue ranted uncharacteristically. It was a shock to hear a virtual shriek from their usually composed employer, and the women exchanged befuddled glances with Charles, who remained mute.
“Did he call?” Purdue asked Jane.
“Good evening to you to, Mr. Purdue,” she replied sharply. Unlike Lillian and Charles, Jane was not above reprimanding her boss when he acted out of line or when anything was amiss. She was usually his moral compass and his right hand decision maker, when he needed an opinion. He saw her cross her arms across her chest, and he knew he was being a jerk.
“I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I am just expecting Sam urgently. Good to see all of you. Really.”
“We heard what happened to you down in New Zealand, sir. So happy you are still kicking and healing on,” purred Lillian, the maternal staff member with the sweet smile and naïve notions.
“Thanks Lily,” he gasped, out of breath from the effort of the ascent up to the door. “My goose was almost cooked, yes, but I prevailed.” They could see that Purdue was extremely upset, but he tried to remain cordial. “Everyone, this is Nurse Hurst from the Salisbury Clinic. She will be attending to my wounds twice a week.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they all fell silent, stepping aside to let Purdue make his way into the lobby. He finally looked at Jane again. With a considerably less sneering tone, he asked again, “Has Sam called at all, Jane?”
“No,” she answered gently. “Would you like me to ring him while you settle down so long?”
He wanted to protest, but he knew that her assumption would be the way of things. Nurse Hurst would definitely insist on evaluating his condition before leaving and Lillian would insist on feeding him well before he could dismiss her for the evening. Weary, he nodded. “Please call him and see what the hold-up is, Jane.”
“Of course,” she smiled, and started up the first floor stairs to the office. She called back to him. “And please, get some rest. I am sure Sam will be by, even if I cannot get hold of him.”
“Yes, yes,” he gave her a friendly wave away and continued laboriously up the stairway. Lilith gawked around the magnificent residence as she assisted her patient. She had never seen such opulence in a domicile of someone who was not of royal status. Personally, she had never been in a house of such affluence. Having lived in Edinburgh for a few years now, she was familiar with the celebrity explorer who built an empire on his superior intelligence quotient. Purdue was a prominent citizen of Edinburgh, whose fame and infamy reached across the world.
Most of the world’s high profile personalities in finance, politics and science knew David Purdue. Many of them had come to detest his existence, though. That, she also knew well. Still, his genius could not be denied, not even by his enemies. As a former student of physics and theoretical chemistry, Lilith was fascinated with the diverse knowledge Purdue exhibited throughout the years. Now she played witness to the product of his inventions and relic hunting history.
The high lobby ceilings of Wrichtishousis reached over three stories before being consumed by the bearing walls of separate divisions and tiers, as did its floors. Marble and ancient limestone floors bore the leviathan house, and by the looks of the place, there were few ornaments younger than the 16th Century.
“You have a beautiful home, Mr. Purdue,” she gasped.
“Thanks,” he smiled. “You used to be a scientist by trade, right?”
“I was,” she replied, looking a little solemn.
“When you come back next week, I could perhaps take you on a short tour of my laboratories,” he offered.
Lilith looked less ecstatic than he thought. “I have been to the labs, actually. Three different branches, in fact, all run by your company, Scorpio Majorus,” she boasted to impress him. Purdue’s eye glinted with a mischievous sheen. He shook his head.
“No, my dear, I am referring to the test labs in the house,” he said, feeling the effects of the painkiller and his recent upset about Sam making him drowsy.
“Here?” she gulped, finally reacting in the way he hoped she would.
“Yes, ma’am. Right down there, under the lobby level. I will show you next time,” he bragged. It pleased him no end how flushed the young nurse was by his offer. Her smile made him feel good and, for a moment, he was convinced that he could perhaps make up for the sacrifice she had to make for her husband’s illness. That was his intent, but she had more in mind than a small measure of redemption from David Purdue.
10
Skullduggery in Oban
Nina had rented a car to drive back to Oban from Sam’s place. It was grand to be back home in her old house that overlooked the temperamental waters of the Bay of Oban. The only part she hated about coming home after a visit away was the house cleaning. Her home was not small by any means, and she was its only occupant.