Chapter Ten
The first thing that must have crossed the Baudelaires’ minds when they arrived at the Burton’s house was how everything was happening too fast. This feeling, of course, only increased when they went inside. The interior of the house was a tad colder than it was when they left earlier. Less welcoming, too. And also, very quiet. ‘What is this? Why is it so cold in here? My grandmother hates the cold.’ Augusten said. Ed removed his large hat and hanged it on a hook for hats nearby. ‘I’m going to go makes us tea. Any special one?’ Ed. ‘Just bring us the last one you’ve made.’ Augusten said, somewhat cleverly. Ed’s expression was blank for a split second before he smiled. ‘Of course. I’ll go make it. You go wait in the living room. It seems to be warmer there.’ Ed left the foyer, and disappeared through the adjacent room. Augusten and the Baudelaires went in the opposite direction.
‘That was clever. If he’s the real Ed, he’ll bring Earl Grey tea. If otherwise, he’s the imposter.’ Violet said. Klaus, Sunny and Beatrice, however, were shocked to hear it. ‘Imposter? What is going on, Violet?’ Klaus asked. After Violet explained the situation and reported the scene she and Augusten had witnessed. ‘I can’t believe… They have Fiona… Now Ed has a doppelganger…’ Klaus had to sit down after it all. ‘We must warn Helena Burton.’ Violet said. ‘Elenawhere?’ Beatrice said, what, according to Sunny, was meant as ‘And where is your grandmother, Augusten?’
‘I’ll go get her. You stay here and watch out for Ed. If he brings any tea other than Earl Grey, let me know.’ Augusten said. ‘Let you know how?’ Sunny asked, but she noticed Violet was tying her hair up with her hair ribbon. ‘I’ll think of something. You go warn your grandmother.’ Violet said. Augusten left the living room. ‘And now we wait.’ Klaus said. None of the Baudelaires could quite put their fingers on it, but something was fishy – a word which here means ‘wrong’, and not ‘fish-like’ – in the air. Having been through so much hardship, they could almost always tell when something was going to go wrong. ‘I wonder who is this
she that Esmé and the others keep mentioning. She seems to have some sort of hold over the whole lot of them.’ Violet spoke, breaking the silence that had taken the room after Augusten’s leaving. ‘Yes.
She must be hierarchically above them. But I didn’t know the other side had a hierarchy. Our side doesn’t seem to have one, not at present, at least.’ Klaus said. ‘There is more to it than this.’ Sunny spoke. Violet eyed her younger sister; sometimes it seemed that only yesterday Sunny was still a baby who could only speak as Beatrice now could; unintelligible words which only she and Klaus could understand. Now, Sunny was the only one who understood Beatrice, but the four Baudelaires were, as always, thick as thieves – an expression here meaning ‘very fond of each other and inseparable’.
Time passed, and Augusten did not return. Nervous, Violet refused to give in to her suspicion, but neither Augusten nor Ed had returned from their respective destinations within the house, and it had been over half an hour. Why was Augusten taking so long?
‘I’m going upstairs. It’s probably unwise to separate, Klaus, but I’m going alone. I’ll be able to return faster if I’m by myself. If Ed arrives with any tea other than Earl Grey, make a noise’ Violet said, after deciding that thirty-nine minutes was too much for Augusten to make them wait. ‘Sure, Violet. But I do wish you didn’t have to. What on earth is keeping Augusten?’ Klaus asked, more to get it out of his chest than in hopes of getting an answer. Violet kept her hair ribbon on. She’d need all her wits and didn’t want her hair in the way, in the case of an eventuality. Assuring Klaus and her sisters she’d be back with Augusten soon, Violet left the living room and began climbing the stairs in the hall next to the living room, across the foyer. Quietly and silently, her hand sliding up on the rail as she ascended. The second floor of the Burton house was now visible. Violet was alone. She could see the door of Helena Burton’s study. It was not closed, but barely. Violet could see the lights were on inside. Approaching the door carefully, she heard nothing. Taking a few seconds to gather enough courage, Violet uttered a nervous ‘Augusten? Are you in there? Ms. Burton?’ Violet grabbed the doorknob, and pushed the door, entering the study. The chair behind Helena Burton’s desk was occupied. She could tell, even if it was facing away from her. Violet took a few steps and arrived at the middle of the room. ‘Ms. Helena?’ She asked. The chair swung, turning around to face her.
Never, not once, did Violet expect to see the person sitting on that chair.
‘Hello, hello, hello!’ Esmé Gigi Geniveve Squalor said, leaning her chin on the back of her hands, her elbows on top of Helena Burton’s desk. Esmé still doned the rectangular glasses she had on before, and her hair was still in the absurd cone-shaped hairdo, with only her bangs and two fringes of hair framing her face. She had removed the coat and corset, revealing a
revealing black body-suit, made of a very soft fabric that suited her well. Her cleavage was wide and reached all the way down to just above her belly button, and two necklaces adorned it. Esmé smiled. Her lips covered in dark red lipstick and a glare of malice behind her glasses. ‘Took you long enough. I honestly thought we wouldn’t get to meet this time, but I only just recently learned you had arrived at the Bazaar.’
‘What are you doing here? Where is Augusten? Where is Ms. Burton? What did you do to them?’ Violet asked. ‘Now, now, now. So many questions!’ Esmé arose from her chair. ‘You seem to be under the impression that I’ll just give them to you. You know me better then that, Violet.’ Violet frowned. ‘Do you like my glasses? They’re very
in right now.’
‘Just cut to the chase already.’ Violet said. ‘What do you want? Is it the sugarbowl? I don’t have it.’ Violet lied. Esmé suddenly broke her edge, and appeared furious. ‘What?! What do you mean you don’t have it?’ Violet improvised. The first name that came to her mind. ‘Desmond Fulfillment. He has it.’ Esmé looked even more furious. ‘That hay-haired bastard! Where is he?’ Violet was genuinely surprised. Desmond was not in the house. Good. ‘I don’t know where he is.’ Violet said. ‘I told you where the sugarbowl is. Well, with whom. Now tell me what did you do to Augusten and his grandmother!’
Esmé changed her furious expression to one of pure despise. ‘Bring them in.’ She said. Behind Violet, six people entered the room. Four were salespeople of the Bazaar and Augusten and Helena Burton. Violet was shocked to learn the identities of four of the salespeople that were siding with the
other side. Ichabod. Katrina. Kim. Edward. ‘What did you pay them with, Esmé?!’ Helena Burton shouted. ‘What did they sell out Burton’s Bazaar for?’
Esmé cackled evilly. ‘Silly Helena. I should have dealt with this place when I had the chance. But I never quite had the time or the human resources. Well, that changed. Today is the end of Burton’s Bazaar. And, fittingly, the end of the Burtons!’ Esmé said. ‘No!’ Violet shouted. She would not lose Augusten. He was a valuable friend, and she would not allow for him or his grandmother to meet their end that night. ‘Goodness, is that it? Are you in
love with him, Violet?’ Esmé asked, punctuating the word ‘love’ with as much despise as there could be in a sentence. ‘Take them away.’ Esmé said. The four salespeople dragged Augusten and Helena Burton away. ‘Violet!’ Augusten shouted as he was being taken. ‘Augusten! No!’ Violet was powerless. There was nothing she could do. Augusten and his grandmother disappeared. I’d like to say that both Augusten and his grandmother survived the events of that dreadful night, but only one of them did, and Violet did not see the survivor again for a very long time, only when it was too late.
‘That’s it for Helena Burton. She was a rock in my
in shoes.’ Esmé clacked her heels together and laughed evilly. She relished – a word which here means ‘took great pleasure’ - in that moment. Violet had crumbled down on the floor, crying.
At the same time, a noisy thud was heard from below, downstairs. It appeared as if something heavy had hit the floor. ‘Carmelita, Nathan, Natalie, Cindry.’ Esmé called, and the four teenagers appeared. Cindry looked comparatively less pale than before, and some of the life had returned to her eyes. She seemed uncomfortable. Violet raised her head and saw Cindry. The only thing that crossed her mind is that she needed to get her, her brother, sisters, and Cindry and get out of Burton’s Bazaar immediately. But how?
‘Okay Esmé. After we’re done, can we loot the place? I saw several cool things I want!’ Carmelita said. ‘Whatever you want, Carmie. Now go and fetch me the boy and the two babies after you find out where the noise came from.’
Carmelita went out, followed by Cindry. Natalie and Nathan, however, did not. This surprised Violet, who thought the four of them were going to go downstairs, but she should have seen it; Esmé wouldn’t put herself in a place where it was only her and her enemy; she needed a set advantage. Alone, Esmé could, with enough effort, be overpowered by the clever Baudelaire. With the psycho – a word which here means ‘strange and totally twisted’ - siblings, however…Not a chance.
‘You will pay for this, Esmé. For this, and for everything.’ Violet said, angrily. ‘Oh, will I now? And just who will
make me?’ Esmé cackled evilly again. ‘You? You’re one girl, and I have at least nine people working for me. And, of course, there are the
others. You wouldn’t stand a chance against
them, you bet on that.’
Things looked grim for Violet, dear reader. But just as it is true that things looked very grim for her, they surely changed fast.