Thank you all so much for your reviews, I'm really glad you seem to like the story so far. Somebody asked if there are places existing like the Sinner's Palace. Truth to be told, I've got no idea. Despite what I'm writing about, my sex life doesn't need that kind of outside stimulation ;).
So, I can't base these things on personal experience. But isn't that the reason why we call it fiction? And I assure you, I have quite an imagination ;) - please insert dirty laugh
Hope you'll enjoy the following chapter.
Under cover(s) – 6
"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Walker" Another man stepped forward and greeted them. Brennan shot him one look and – thanks to the information Booth had given her – was able to identify him as Terrence O'Reilly, who owned the bar, together with his wife, Matilda. Both of them were in their mid-forties, but Brennan had to acknowledge that Mr. O'Reilly didn't look a day older than thirty-five.
"My name is Terrence O'Reilly and I'm the owner of this etablissement. Since we try to maintain a friendly and intimate flair here, I'd appreciate it, if you'd just call me Terry." The charismatic man extended one well-manicured hand towards her and Brennan accepted it without hesitation.
"You can call me Roxy. I'm not much for using last names anyway." She winked playfully at him and he smiled at her, showing perfectly straight white teeth. His face was handsome, the skin toned, but not too much and the hair a warm, light brown with a hint of grey. Brennan had the suspicion that the man didn't have to lift a finger to get women to do his every beck and call.
Beside her, her 'husband' shook Terry's hand and said. "Anthony Walker. Tony will do."
"Very well, Roxy and Tony, I would like to welcome you here at Sinner's Palace. I do hope the somewhat bold name and look of our house does not intimidate you." The perfectly modulated voice held the hint of an Irish accent, but Brennan was not quite sure if she'd been able to catch it, if she hadn't been straining her ears to hear it… She had read that Terrence O'Reilly's father had been Irish and that he himself had spent part of his childhood in Dublin. It had have to be a considerable amount of time to leave a trace of accent behind, she mused. Or maybe he just added the accent, striving for a more exotic and mysterious picture.
The quick analysis she did, was interrupted by Booth's voice. "No, not really. It looks impressive, though."
"Yes." Brennan hurried to agree. "Very appealing. I always liked medieval style."
"Well, you'll like the big hall even more then. It's been designed to resemble a dining hall of a castle me and my wife visited in Scotland. We were so very impressed, we decided we just to had to use the style." Terry informed her, while leading them towards a big wooden door, covered in carvings. Brennan looked at them more closely and her eyebrow rose ever so slightly when she saw that they were in fact copulating humans in all combinations she could think of. Men, women, paired with the same sex or the opposite in various numbers, performing the act in whatever sexual position you could think of.
"Very intriguing." She commented. "This must have been done by a very talented artist."
"You're interested in art?" O'Reilly asked mildly.
"Oh, I'm not an expert. I have a few wooden artefacts that I gathered over the years. Wood always tells a story." Brennan commented and ran her finger over one of the carvings, a woman pleasuring another woman.
Booth cleared his throat. "Well, this piece of wood seems to be telling a lot of stories." His voice was ever so slightly hoarse and Brennan's gaze flicked to him for an instant. He looked composed, mildly interested, but – to her relief - he remained fully in character.
"Oh, it surely does." O'Reilly commented. "The wood actually is very old…. And the carvings just add an interesting layer of story-telling." He smiled. "Let's avert our attention from wood craft to what's lying ahead for you. I understand that the first time here is a very….delicate phase for a couple. Usually, the group is quite outspoken and open towards newcomers, but we only just lost friends due to tragic circumstances… Today might not quite offer the open and comfortable atmosphere we're trying to provide."
"I'm very sorry to hear you lost friends. We really don't want to intrude…." Brennan said in a sympathetic voice, stepping back a little, demonstrating polite hesitance. Booth had to admit that he was impressed by her acting skills. The Temperance Brennan he knew was not known for being polite and hesitant.
"No, no." Terry quickly interrupted her. "They are eager to meet you. Newcomers are always welcome, let me assure you. I just wanted to let you know about our loss, so that you understand the dynamic of the group better."
"How many people are there?" Booth asked, his dark eyes fixed on the lighter ones of the other man.
"There are six couples inside already and my wife. Another couple, Annie and Carl, is on holiday, so they won't join us today. Sybil and Marc are not here yet….but we're used to them running a bit late. Now, are you ready to meet them?" Terry explained.
Booth only nodded, calm on the outside. His mind, however, was racing. Thirteen people already inside, with the two still due to arrive and O'Reilly out here with them….. that made sixteen. Sixteen suspects. And two on vacation. He had been hoping for a smaller group of suspects, had been hoping they could get away with only one meeting. But his gut feeling and his experience told him, that there would be no way for him and Bones to get a good picture of sixteen people during only one evening.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment when Terrence O'Reilly pushed open the big wooden door and decided to take it one hurdle at one time. Now he had to get through the evening that lay ahead.
Tony put his arm around Roxy's waist, casually drawing her a little nearer to him, while they followed O'Reilly into the room. And though she didn't want to admit it – not even to herself – Brennan thought it felt good to have Booth beside her. But maybe that was just Roxy reacting to Tony.
As Terry had described it earlier, the room was resembling a dining hall as if taken right out of a movie. There was a long wooden table surrounded by at least twenty impressive chairs in the middle of the room. the people seated around it looked up at their entrance and all conversations stopped. For a moment, the only sound to be heard was a crackle coming from the fireplace on the other side of the hall.
"Welcome to the Sinner's palace." The woman that had been sitting on the head end of the table rose. Her fiery red hair was swept up in an elegant bun, a net of pearls covering it. Her dress –Brennan wondered, maybe it should be called a gown – blended wonderfully with the medieval surroundings. She looked every inch a lady, right down to the elegant shoes she wore. "My name is Matilda O'Reilly and this is our group of sinners. You must be Anthony and Roxana. It's a pleasure to us to welcome you in our midst."
Brennan met her eyes and smiled politely. "Thank you very much." Brennan wondered if Roxy's getup wasn't too daring, since Matilda was wearing something much more elegant, but when she let her gaze sweep over the other people, who were now rising too, she saw that there seemed to be no dress code.
One woman was wearing an ordinary t-shirt and jeans, another one only a scrap of transparent clothing that revealed more than it hid. Another woman, which seemed to be slightly older than the others on the table, wore a daringly red toga. The men's choice of clothing seemed to be less varied. Most of them wore either jeans and a shirt or a suit, with one being an exception. The young man was standing beside the woman in the red toga and wore – what seemed to be – a loincloth.
Brennan suspected that Booth's trained eyes took in the scenery just as hers did, but when she looked at him, she saw that his gaze was on her. "Well, Roxy-darling…" Tony said. "Doesn't this just look ….amazing?"
Her mouth went dry at the intensity in his eyes, but she nodded. "Definitely. A pity our living room is not big enough to house such an impressive table. Or a fireplace."
"I guess you'll just have to spend as much time as possible here." The woman in red smiled at them.
"My name is Vivian. Welcome." She said, then gestured towards the considerably younger man at her side. "My husband, Ethan." The young man nodded wordlessly at them. Booth estimated the age difference between husband and wife at least at twenty years, possibly more. 'Well, somebody married herself a boy toy.' He thought, while smiling politely at the other people.
One by one, they all introduced themselves, some smiling, some giving them almost resentful stares. When they finally had finished, Booth produced a big smile. "A lot of names. I do hope I'll be able to remember them all."
Brennan smiled. "Oh, I'm sure they'll understand, Tony. But we'll try to give our best. It's not everyday you get the chance to join such an interesting group as this. As I told Terry already, I like to be called Roxy." She tossed a charming smile in and continued. "And well, this is my husband Tony. We're delighted to be able to join you today."
There were approving and welcoming smiles on most of the faces, so she figured she'd said the right thing.
"Well…" Matilda said. "I think it's time to get you seated, then we can start this wonderful evening with a glass of wine. We are all quite eager to get to know you." She gestured towards the two seats nearest to her and Booth pulled back the chair for 'his wife'.
Roxy's face smiled at him, her voice whispering a thank you. But he caught Brennan's eyes scolding him for his gallant gesture, the blue depths sparkling dangerously. He had to suppress a grin.
Good to know that despite playing roles, some things would never change.
Okay, what do you think so far? Did I describe it detailled enough to let you get the feeling of it? I really hope so.
Reviews make VERY happy.