Chapter Twelve

Despite a chill in the early spring air, Violet felt the car ride was too stuffy. Unwelcome thoughts, such as a sudden recognition of a certain person's handsomeness, had the tendency to make your surroundings seem warmer than they really were.

It certainly didn't help matters that, as they had Alec with them and were going to meet Oswald, Violet was riding in the front seat within reaching distance of Count Olaf. Close quarters with the object of one's unwelcome thoughts made the entire situation seem even stuffier.

"How much longer?" Alec said from the backseat. They'd been in the car nearly an hour and he'd been fidgeting for the majority of it.

"Soon," Count Olaf answered promptly, beating Violet whose mouth had popped open to say something along the same lines. She closed her mouth and let her eyes drift out to the darkening landscape through her window.

It was clear with the growing occurrence of buildings that they were close to the city. Violet stretched out her legs in front of her and sighed.

Olaf's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. "What?" he asked. His nerves were on edge from Alec's incessant squirming about.

Violet kept her eyes trained outside the window. She was afraid she would feel even more suffocated if she looked over at him. "Nothing," she said quietly. "My legs are just aching from sitting so long."

Not to mention her ankle was still wrapped in gauze, though she wouldn't dare voice that aloud.

"Well, both the complainers in this car need to be quiet and stop moving around," he said, the last bit aimed directly at Alec who was once again shifting his legs. The boy stopped at once and looked out the window, quiet.

Perhaps a quarter hour later, Count Olaf suddenly veered to the right and parallel parked with such quick precision that, as the saying goes, if one blinked they would miss it.

"Wow, that was fast!" Alec breathed from the back, having been tossed to the opposite side of the car when Count Olaf had violently navigated the car.

"Rob enough banks and you pick up some tricks," Olaf muttered.

"What?" said Violet.

"Nothing."

Before Violet could say anything else, Count Olaf was out of the car and popping open their doors. He held a hand out for Violet to take – all for show, no doubt – and Violet accepted it with a large lump in her throat. As soon as she was standing, she dropped her hand as if he'd burned her.

"So Violet is my sister, right?" Alec said, joining them on the sidewalk. Count Olaf shot him a nasty look and loudly shushed him.

"You mean Veronica is your sister, Alec. And of course, why wouldn't she be?"

It was all very overwhelming for Violet, who looked down the block and saw Oswald standing in front of the restaurant. He waved and she smiled in return.

"Shoulders back," Count Olaf muttered, placing a hand at the small of her back and gently pushing her toward the restaurant. Just his touch was enough to straighten her posture.

"I don't want to do this," she said lowly from the corner of her mouth.

"I don't care," he replied and that was that. "Be attentive to him and don't give him any reason to believe you're anything but genuine."

Violet's eyes clouded over and she nodded. Alec watched with a scrunched up face. "What's she look like that for?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it," Count Olaf replied.

Oswald was walking over to greet them and Alec knew enough about the situation not to open his mouth. Instead he tucked his hands into his pockets and tried to play the part of polite little brother.

Oswald first greeted Violet with a chaste kiss on the cheek. When he shook Count Olaf's hand next, he noticed what a strong grip the count had, but did not comment on it. Only after greeting the adults did he offer his hand to Alec. The boy took it without a word and then the four were off into the restaurant.

There was not much to report on the actual dinner. The four sat at a round table, Violet between the two men and across from Alec. Every time Oswald's knee touched Violet's she felt a knot in her throat. The knot was even bigger every time her knee brushed Count Olaf's.

The dinner went well, aside from Violet's nerves. They had a wonderful meal of French onion soup, lobster, and lemon sorbet. Alec seemed to enjoy himself, though he remained rather quiet throughout. Violet wondered if he was afraid to call her the wrong name, though she found it odd that he seemed disheartened every time Oswald made a point to say something sweet to her.

For the most part, Count Olaf controlled the conversations of the evening. And what controlling the conversation meant was that he did absolutely everything in his power to steer the topic toward money or jewels.

Subtlety had never been a gift of Count Olaf's, but Violet suffered through and wondered, like she had time and time again over the years, how no one else could see through his ridiculous schemes. The Baudelaire parents had always told their children how clever and intelligent they were. Violet thought perhaps this was something all parents told their children, but her teenage years led her to believe otherwise. It seemed she, Klaus, and Sunny possessed minds of genius capacity after all, considering they were the only people who ever seemed to see right through Count Olaf's ridiculous schemes.

"So," Oswald said once the sorbet was eaten and he'd insisted on only one bill, to which Count Olaf did not protest. "Are you planning on attending the Erza Relief Ball?"

Violet, as she had doe for most of the evening, remained quiet and allowed Count Olaf to do the talking. She found it odd, though, that Alec sat up a little straighter, his eyes darting to Oswald in shock. Count Olaf very obviously stomped on Alec's foot. All of this escaped Oswald who was busy signing the receipt.

"I don't believe I'm familiar with the ball," Count Olaf said, throwing a warning look to Alec.

"Oh, it's not an annual ball," said Oswald, sitting the receipt aside and looking up at Count Olaf with a sad smile. "Fredo and Fonda Erza's only child has gone missing. They're hosting a relief ball to help offset the cost of searching. It is imperative they hire the very best detectives."

The look on Alec's face was quite strange. Violet had the oddest suspicion that perhaps Fredo and Fonda Erza's missing child was called Alec. She glanced at Count Olaf, but could only see dollar signs nearly reflecting in his eyes.

"We have not heard of this ball," he said almost too eagerly. "But I find missing children to be a cause dear to my heart and want nothing more than to help aid their search. Perhaps you could speak with them about extending us an invitation?"

All the while Alec sat wide-eyed. Violet couldn't tell if he was excited or frightened.

"Of course," Oswald said. "I'm sure they will be more than happy to, especially after hearing how fond I am of your maid." With that he offered Violet a warm smile which she had the decency to duck her head and blush in response to.

"It's all settled then!" Count Olaf said quickly, standing and knocking the table with his knee. Violet suspected he wanted out quickly before Oswald paid too much attention to Alec. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we do have quite a lengthy drive home."

Count Olaf quite obviously nudged Alec, who stood with a suspicious look. One could argue it seemed almost guilty. Oswald was the next to stand, tugging at the hem of his dinner jacket so he looked appropriate and smiling at Violet.

"Veronica," he said as she stood. "I do hope you'll be at the ball."

Violet peeked over at Count Olaf who nodded his head almost violently, his eyes wide and vaguely threatening. She looked back at Oswald with a polite smile. "As long as they will have us," she said. It was difficult for her to look him in the eye for too long. All the treachery of being associated with Count Olaf was weighing on her and she knew any plot he had cooking in his mind would not be beneficial to many people aside himself.

"I'm sure they will," Oswald said warmly, putting a hand on her upper arm and offering a slight squeeze. While Violet's stomach twisted with nerves, Olaf's tightened with jealousy. It was a good thing he was an actor, he thought, or else he might not have pulled off a believable smile.

Violet wondered why Count Olaf's face was scrunched up like that, almost as if a bright light no one else could see was shining painfully in his eyes. It was quite a frightening expression. Oswald offered him a stiff smile in return and cleared his throat. "Shall we?" he said, motioning toward the door. Violet nodded and did everything possible to avoid looking at the odd expression Count Olaf was making.

The four of them made their way out to the now dark sidewalk. "The ball is Saturday after next," Oswald said, lingering near their car as Alec climbed into the backseat and Count Olaf opened the front door for Violet.

Oswald was looking at her with longing. Both she and Olaf suspected it was due to the memory of their last parting kiss. Well, she certainly wouldn't kiss him there in front of everyone, it was hardly proper.

"Well," she said, shifting her feet in an awkward manner. "I suppose I will see you Saturday after next, then."

Violet offered him a warm smile, but couldn't shake the heavy feeling of Count Olaf being so near her. Without waiting for a reply, she ducked inside the car. Count Olaf, miserable as he usually was, shut the door as soon as her feet were tucked away and she was happy for it.

"I don't like him," Alec said quietly. "And I don't think you should go to that ball."

Violet didn't say anything. She wasn't sure how to act at all, not with the strange knot in her stomach at seeing Count Olaf stood in front of her door, blocking her from Oswald's view as the two made arrangements for the ball.

She thought of the night Oswald kissed her after their dinner, then of the time he called her on the phone and it seemed for a moment that Count Olaf meant to kiss her.

Violet found it distressing that the latter made her stomach tighten more.