True Corruption Pt. 03

Wow, Sam thought. This guy really doesn't mind living in trope-land. But I also suppose you smoke-em if you got-em.

Luc was sitting in a large armchair with the back to the doors, reading in front of the fire. When the butler announced their presence, he grabbed a bookmark from a side table, snapped the book shut after marking his place, and stood. He turned, and a wide smile stretched across his face when he saw them in the doorway. He took several brisk strides and approached his guests.

"Jeez, he is a handsome son of a bitch," Sam said under his breath, taking him in for the first time.

Luc was as tall as Sam at least, putting him around 6'3", with broad shoulders and an otherwise slender build. He had short dark hair and dark eyes, a very fashionable two-day beard, a Mediterranean looking tan, and full lips that were parted to show a perfect white teeth.

Luc walked up to Miranda, took her hand and brushed his lips along the back of it.

"Welcome back, my dear," he said with lightly-accented English. "I'm so pleased you were able to come."

He turned to Sam and shook his hand firmly, and then bowed to him respectfully.

Miranda said with a broad smile of her own, "Luc, this is my colleague and close friend Sam."

"Welcome, Sam," Luc said, standing back up to look him in the eye. "Isn't it such a luxury to be able to work alongside one's friends? I find everything is made better when friends are involved."

"Thank you, Mr. Mane," Sam said, extending his hand for a handshake. "You have a lovely home here. It may be even more grand than Miranda described."

"Call me Luc, I insist," Luc said, still smiling. He gave Sam a firm shake. "And thank you, though you've barely seen anything of the house, and we will remedy that! But first, what can I get you to drink? I'm having a brandy to take off the chill of the evening, would you care for one? I know our mutual friend Miranda will require something else, perhaps a warm apple cider?"

"That would be magnificent, Luc!" Miranda squealed in delight, "And I'm impressed that you've remembered."

"A beautiful woman such as yourself makes quite an impression, Miranda, and I try to remember my friends' preferences and predilections," he said. "Sam, how about you?"

"I'll take a warm cider too," Sam said. "Unfortunately I'll be back at the office tonight to wrap a few things up, and I've never found myself able to concentrate again after I've started to unwind with a good drink."

"Mmm, very well," Luc said. "I'll take no for answer for now, but perhaps I can tempt you later after your work is done here. Gerald! Two warm ciders for our guests, please!"

"Of course, sir," the butler said, and quietly left.

"Come, let's have a seat by the fire and discuss what we're going to do this evening," Luc said. He brought them to an ornate loveseat and encouraged them to sit, and then took his place back in his armchair next to them. The furniture was period perfect to match the rest of the Victorian theme of his home, and was a rich dark red with gold trim. It was also surprisingly comfortable.

"So you've come to chronicle some of my collection, correct?" Luc said, turning to Miranda.

"That's right, Luc," she said. "I find you've got such a wonderful eye, and the pieces in your collection I saw on Monday impressed me so much I wanted to see some more."

She leaned forward conspiratorially and said, "And now that I have your undivided attention, I was hopeful for a more complete tour."

"Of course," Luc said, also leaning forward with a grin and gazing at Miranda. "I would have given you one on Monday had you only asked, although I suppose we were both rather preoccupied."

"Nevertheless, you're here now and you've brought backup," he said. "So let's figure out just what it is you'd like to see and write about. Do you have any specific story in mind?"

Gerald the Butler came in with the steaming ciders on a platter, and handed them to Sam and Miranda, who both thanked him. Gerard nodded, asked Luc if he needed anything else, and then withdrew when there were no more requests forthcoming. Miranda took a big sip of hers, and sighed in contentment. Sam tried his and it was delicious.

"Honestly I so love what you've done with the home, I was hoping we could have the story be about the building's restoration and how you've filled it with all these treasures," Miranda said. "The house has been in shambles for so long - I believe it was en route to being condemned - I think people would be fascinated about its beautiful new form, and the fascinating man who made it happen."

"Oh my dear, your flattery isn't necessary ... but it's more than welcome, so please, by all means continue!" Luc said, and he and Miranda laughed. Sam cracked a smile.

It was remarkable to watch Luc and Miranda converse; their back-and-forth was a study in professional manners and disarming charm.

"To be honest - always dangerous with a pair of journalists around - I am a man who enjoys some privacy, so I'm not sure exactly how much I'd like to find its way into print," Luc said. "Will I have an opportunity to read the article before it runs?"

Miranda titled her head slightly and looked at Luc, eyes twinkling.

"No, I'm afraid that's not how things are done," she said. "But I'll give you my word that we'll faithfully adhere to any limits you place on what can and can't be published."

"Mmmm I see," Luc said. "I'm not typically fond of setting boundaries, much more so I'm interested in pushing them, so I'll need to adapt to having the shoe on the other foot. But I'll tell you what: let's start the tour and if we happen upon anything that I'd like to keep private, I'll let you know."

"But first, you must please indulge me: what sort of camera are you going to be using, Sam?" Luc said, shifting his gaze over to him. "I have to admit I'm a bit of an amateur photographer myself, although I greatly prefer the traditional film to the newer digital equipment."

Sam blinked; he didn't expect this topic of conversation to come up. He knew his way around a camera just fine - you learned to do a lot as a reporter in the age of disappearing budgets - but he didn't know how much shop talk he could handle before it was clear that he wasn't a professional photographer.

"This is a Canon 9700 DSLR," Sam said, hoisting the camera with a smile. "You have full control of f-stop and such; the images it takes are quite crisp, and we don't have to rely on the hit-or-miss nature of film. You're able to take as many pictures as you like and choose the best ones for touch up. With film, you've only got so many chances to get it right."

"I have to admit, that's part of what makes film alluring to me," Luc said. "You have to make the best of the opportunities you're given, so you value those perfect moments even more."

"I can see where that would work for an individual hobbyist, but at the paper time is another important factor," Sam said. "We need the best we can get the quickest we can possibly get it. And with the digital, you can review what you've already shot."

"Ahh yes, that makes perfect sense," Luc said. "Real film takes time to develop, and precision in the darkroom. I have my own darkroom here in the house; it's one of my favorite rooms, a perfect place to go to be alone and to work on the art of bringing beauty to the surface. Would you mind terribly if I brought my own camera along and took some shots along with you? I'd find it fun to look at my own home through that lens, so to speak, but if you feel I'll be stepping on your toes please say so and I won't be offended."

"I wouldn't feel that way at all," Sam said with a smile. "And it's your house! You can do whatever you like inside the walls of your own home."

"That is a major perk of ownership, isn't it?" Luc laughed. "Let's stop wasting any more time, there is so much to see! Come, let me collect my camera and we'll get underway."

Sam smiled and stood. Luc stood and walked over behind his desk, opening a locked drawer with a key from his pocket. Sam looked at Miranda and raised an eyebrow; Miranda smiled and winked.

Luc took out an older looking camera from a bag and loaded it with film. He grabbed a second canister of film and put it into his pocket. He chose a lens and attached it, and then looked up with a smile.

"Where shall we begin?" he asked, looking back and forth from Miranda to Sam.

"How about right here?" Miranda said.

She turned and strode over to a smaller stone statue placed atop a pedestal in the middle of the room. About six inches tall, it's figure was crude, a lump of smooth dark stone that had been shaped and carved, but it was clearly very, very old. It was a naked voluptuous woman, belly plump with child and breasts swollen, lines marking the V of where her legs met her lower torso.

"At first glance this seems out of place, but something tells me it's special given its placement in here," she said.

"Ahh yes," Luc said with a smile. "What do you think that is?"

"The Mother Goddess," Sam said, speaking up. "How old is it?"

"Very good, Sam," Luc said with a smile. "It's actually from about 20,000 BC, during the last time when glaciers still stood in what is today called Europe. This is from southern France."

"Oh wow," Miranda said, bending slightly to look it over as she circled. "Is this the oldest thing in the house?"

"You could certainly say that, yes," Luc said with a friendly smile. "I love it because it's almost a primordial ode to the beauty of the female form. Women created life and were highly valued and protected in those times. I'm sure during the ice age they were also a wonderful source of warmth."

Miranda completed her circuit of the figure and looked up. Sam was looking through the lens finder of the camera, setting up a good shot and getting the light right. Luc was looking at her.

"Where does one find a 20,000 year old statue?" she asked. She flipped open her notebook and began to scribble some notes.

"In the ground, of course," Luc said with a smile. "Actually this was given to me by a very old friend who had a great deal of interest in the earliest human cultures."

"It is beautiful," she said, looking back to the statue. "It's lines are so ... evocative, I guess ... of femininity."

"I agree completely," Luc said. "Something so beautiful deserves worship. No doubt its owner would hold the idol in his hands or clutched it closely to his chest, murmuring to it in moments of joy or distress. It is a simple yet powerful depiction of the female form."

Sam glanced away at the camera and saw Luc and Miranda, gaze locked. He turned back to his camera and quickly finished finding his shot, and took several shots. The shutter's rapid staccato brought Miranda's eyes back over in his direction, and then she turned to find the next piece that caught her interest in the room.

She walked over to the large painting on the wall, protected with museum-quality glass that did little to hinder the piece's majesty. Sam began to wander over in that direction as well, but he watched Luc line up his shot of the statue, moving until the painting Miranda was looking at would also be in the shot, and then he heard a single click of the shutter.

Miranda asked her next question without looking away from the painting, which was of a man and woman entwined in a passionate embrace, the man gazing longingly at the woman despite his face being just inches from hers. There was a little boy with wings watching from above, bow in hand, clearly Cupid.

"Now I'm no expert, but I did take Art History in school," she said. "And I'm almost certain this is a Rubens. Is that right?"

"You have a very good eye, Miranda," Luc said. He walked over and stood closely behind her, and put his hand on her shoulder. Miranda didn't flinch or move at his touch. "This is by Peter Paul Rubens, one of his, shall we say, lesser known works. It's a depiction of Venus and Mars just after Cupid has inflamed their passions. But this painting has a much more interesting secret."

Sam found himself walking towards Miranda protectively, but stopped himself. She was a big girl, and he was supposed to be a photographer. He took a step back and tried to line up a picture, but Luc and Miranda stood in front of the picture.

"I'll need you guys to scoot over so you're not in the shot," Sam said from behind them.

Luc took his hand from Miranda's shoulder and turned to Sam.

"Actually, this is one in my collection that I'd rather not have included in the story," Luc said. He put his hands out apologetically, grinned and shrugged. "This painting isn't well known, and I'd rather not have scholars contacting me to document it. It's trail runs down some rather ... unfortunate ... turns through history."

Miranda turned and stepped a bit away from Luc to see him better. Sam thought about what he'd said for a moment, then said, "Nazis?"

"Yes, well as to that, I believe the saying is 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth,'" he said. "I was assured no heirs would be claiming ownership, but we needn't court disaster."

"That is an interesting secret," Miranda said, "Can I ask who gave it to you? Just personal curiosity, I'll keep this out of the story, as we agreed."

"It wasn't a gift, per se, more of a trade for services rendered and a job well done," he said. "And actually that isn't the secret I was referring to."

"Who gave you a Rubens for services rendered?" Sam asked incredulously "And what did you do for them that warranted a masterwork painting?"

"Sam, don't be rude," Miranda said. She turned and gave him an unmistakeable 'shut the fuck up' look.

"It is fine, my dear," Luc said with a laugh. "One does not invite journalists into his house and expect them not to be inquisitive. I've made a living trading things my whole life. Commodities, stocks, and sometimes other, harder to obtain goods. Not drug trafficking or arms dealing or anything so sordid as that, if that's what you're thinking. I stay away from anything so destructive, and frankly, so messy.

"I have connections around the world and when I can open a few stuck doors for friends, I do it," he continued. "But always for a price, that is one how stays in business, and people understand that. As for the painting's value, I believe it's more valuable to me than it would be in an art auction, given its run in with some very unsavory people."

"Ahh," Sam said. "I didn't mean to ..."

"Do not fret, Sam, no offense was taken," Luc said with an earnest smile.

"So what's the secret?" Miranda asked.

"Rubens was commissioned by Marie de Medici, Queen of France, to do a series of paintings about her life," Luc explained. "Which he did with great fanfare. But this is a lesser known one of the series ... the Venus depicted here has a striking resemblance to the queen herself, and Mars is painted in the image of Jean Louis de Nogaret de La Valette, the first Duke of Epernon."

"Oooh, an illicit affair," Miranda said with a saucy smile. "How scandalous to have a painting made, even in secret!"

"It's much more scandalous than that: the Duke of Epernon, a notorious rake, was implicated in King Henry IV's assassination," Luc said. "That line of inquiry was never closely pursued, however, as Marie was made Queen Regent shortly after her husband's death because their son, later King Louis XIII, was still very young."

Miranda's mouth hung open out of shock, and Sam blinked and shook his head slightly, as if he wasn't sure he heard Luc correctly.

"Well," Miranda said, recovering first. "That certainly is interesting. And scandalous. Wow."

Luc smiled devilishly. "I have to admit I enjoy that piece of the painting's history very much," he said.

Sam took a step towards the painting and got a closer look. The two main figures lay on a low couch, clearly in the throes of passion. They were draped in a thin, gauzy material that was essentially transparent, clinging to their bodies in a flattering way. Venus - the queen - had her eyes closed and head upturned in a cry of ecstasy. She was, of course, voluptuous.

Mars - the duke - was behind her on the couch, propped up over the top of her, gazing intently at her face. He was muscular and virile. One of his hands covering where their bodies joined, the other snaked across one of Venus's breasts. It was a painting by a great master of two people joined in passionate lovemaking.

"This ... this is actually incredible," Sam said. "It's so exquisitely done. I don't know that I've ever viewed a masterwork in such close proximity like this, especially with, uh, this subject matter."

"You see why I would be heartbroken if it were somehow taken away," Luc said. "It is perhaps my favorite."

"I guess I do," Sam said. "Well done getting your hands on it."

"Like I said, it was for a job well done," Luc said. "My friend was reluctant to part with it, but it was a fair price, and I can be very persuasive."

"Yeah I'd heard that," Sam said absentmindedly, and then caught himself, stiffening slightly. He tried to keep his features still, but noticed Luc raised an eyebrow. Sam kept examining the painting, and Miranda broke the moment by clacking off to the next piece of art, a marble bust of a stately and beautiful woman.

"Who is this?" Miranda asked.

"That is Theodora, Empress of Byzantium, one of the great women in history," Luc said, following her over.

Sam took a deep breath and set about reclaiming his cool while Luc schooled Miranda on the statue's subject. He silently cursed himself as he hoisted the camera; he would have to be much more careful with his words.

Sam shot the statue of Theodora, and Miranda moved on to the next piece. Together they discussed and photographed every artwork in Luc's library and parlor, and and in the front hallway. At each stop Luc took a picture of his own art as well, usually at a much different angle than Sam.

They continued into the conservatory, where Luc had given his cello performance and Miranda had given a performance of her own. Sam took in the dias but didn't linger, not wanting to seem unduly interested in the spot. There was a red clay Grecian amphora with a scene featuring satyrs and nymphs in the music room, and some other smaller paintings of social scenes and musical performances. The furniture in that room was also impressive and they spent a good deal talking about furnishing the house.

"Well," Miranda said, "We've covered everything I'd seen on Monday. Do you have any special pieces tucked away in other rooms that you'd be willing to show us?"

Luc pursed his lips thoughtfully, and then said, "I have a room upstairs dedicated to some of my own work with the camera, would you be interested in seeing that?"

"Absolutely!" Miranda said with a smile. "If your eye for shooting is as good as your taste in art, I have no doubt it's incredibly interesting."

"Flattery will get you everywhere, my dear," Luc said with a grin.

Sam and Miranda followed Luc back into the front hallway and up the huge central stairs to the second floor, turning left and coming back to the towards the front of the house through a wide open space. There were several closed doors that led to along the second floor; a balcony looked down on the first floor entry, and there were stairs to the third floor at the end.

The room they entered had large windowed doors that probably let in a good deal of light on a sunny day; now rain beat against the panes with and audible patter, and the wind howled outside grey afternoon turned into black night.

The room was quite warm. It also contained a lit fireplace surrounded by few couches and a shaggy animal skin rug - it was huge, so Sam thought it likely was a bear. Along the walls were dozens of framed photographs, mostly black and white.