recreation room and the bar, finally opening into a clearing which had a big, covered swimming pool.
We were told that this was the entrance that overlooked lush green meadows, the golf course and the plantations. This was also the southern entrance that overlooked the cemetery. Of course, Jeremy must have conveniently forgotten to tell us that.
Climbing up the creaking stairs, I realized that we had the first four suites reserved for us. We cared a hang about their names. Room numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 were simple enough for morons like us to understand.
I’d heard Jeremy mention a doctor and a teacher to be checking in within a couple of days. They would be occupying the other two suites. I wondered what they would look like. Sexy and gorgeous, I hoped.
The seventh room, of course, was downstairs. It was locked. The Suite room, Winston, was supposedly inaccessible to us mere mortals who had the audacity to walk in mistakenly. After all, this was the Mansions of the Gods where morons would be mere intruders.
Hound and I were on one side of the floor; they called it the ‘wing’. Derek and Goose’s suites were on the adjacent wing. The central wing overlooked the lobby.
Chief’s Suite:
It was 11:45 PM when I wished Goose goodnight and hesitantly entered my room. It was a huge, spacious room with an attached bathroom. There was a comfortable, four-poster bed on one end and a beautifully crafted writing table on the other with a chair that had exquisite floral carvings on it.
The carvings on the chair, table and the bed all had a strange flower carved on them. The same carvings were there on the furniture downstairs in the lounge, lobby and the Crystal room. There was a large sofa set at the corner of the room that opened out into a large balcony.
A beautiful metallic wind chime hung from the ceiling just at the entrance of the balcony. It was made up of small metallic parrots coloured in red, green and yellow. Attached to the parrots were golden bells. It resonated a sweet sound each time the breeze made a visit to the room.
On the writing table was a beautifully sculptured flagon. It was painted in brilliant purple adorned with green gems which matched with the upholstery of the chair and the couch. The moment I opened the lid, a soothing smell of lemon wafted through the room.
It filled me with joy to find my favorite incense miles away from Ladakh. To the side of the bed was a small lamp which was lit up by scented candle. The room smelt real fresh.
The huge French windows had beautiful, maroon shades hanging from golden drapery rods. It was typical colonial lavishness all around. There were many lamps in the room.
Unfortunately, a miniature painting of Jenny’s great grandpa – an exact replica of the one above the fireplace, overlooked the bed. It freaked me out. He was an ugly man. I felt glad that Jenny had managed to escape the wrath of his ugly genes.
I took off my t-shirt and carefully covered the garish portrait with it. The narcissistic bastard had pooped out his paintings all across his love nest.
My room was neighboring Hound’s room. The balcony overlooked the swimming pool and of course, the cemetery. The pool was entirely lit up which made it look divine. The crystal clear water boasted of its transparency as it displayed the turquoise blue tiles placed at the bottom of the swimming pool.
In the middle of the pool was a small artificial island that looked green with the fern plant pots placed in a circular manner. Amidst the fern plants was a fountain that gushed out as the water took various shapes. A faint blue light was focused on the running water, it made me feel as if the pool were bleeding blue.
I looked at my watch. It was exactly 11:55 PM. I needed a quick shower before I hit the sack. It had been a very long day indeed. I turned on the stereo making sure I listened to Beethoven draped in lemon grass scent that night