London Calling

I have to confess that our Konrad is a "gatecrasher". His house in London belongs to someone else. 

The property Guntram fell in love really exists in London. It is the House and Studio of Luke Fildes, at the 31 (formerly 11) Melbury Road, Holland Park.The house was built in 1875-1876 for Sir Samuel Luke Fildes in the Revivalist Queen Anne Style by architect Norman Shaw. It had a large studio in the first floor in which Edward VII had his portrait painted.This neighbourhoood was the gathering place of the Victorian artistic colony at the time.

Photograph by Jacqueline Banerjee

TS 2 Part V Chapter 5

Chapter 5

June 21^st, 2009

Buenos Aires

'I hate this country. If I could, I'd wipe it out from this Earth,' Konrad thought and sighed, unable to read the urgent documents left in front of him by Ferdinand.

“When does the lawyer, Lanusse come again?” he asked, throwing the folder over the large table both men were sharing in his suite.

“Tonight at eight if he doesn't strangle Guntram's lawyer in the meantime. They hate each other. I simply don't understand why this man is boycotting every effort we make. He's like Guntram's stepfather; he should be the first person who wants to find out the truth!” Ferdinand said desperately.

“Is he? I believe in Lanusse's allegations more and more. He is the only one who has done his best to get the police records and used all the contacts he has in the border patrol service to get an account of the planes leaving that night.”

“All fruitless so far. No local workforce was used in this. Goran and Jimenez bribed almost everyone in the secret service and nothing so far. All clueless. Why is Lanusse so interested in this?”

“He knows Guntram since 2000. They attended the same school and Guntram's old flat was in the building of a friend of his. I'm convinced our lawyer fell in love with Guntram but never had a chance, and he still is. He is a decent man with bad luck.”

“Please, not everybody was after Guntram!” Ferdinand snorted. “I was not!”

“Friend of the neighbour; the hairdresser.” Konrad pointed out, rising an eyebrow.

“I see. Poor man,” Ferdinand mumbled and returned to his papers. “Tomorrow we have the meeting with the tutor.”

“I know and this is why I want a good briefing from Lanusse before we consider to make him part of our investigation.

* * *

Mr. Kuragin's Residence

Imaging Constantin's house was a bit challenging for me. The residence, designed and built by Constantin himself should accurately represent him and how he plays his game. A property that was deceitfully simple, modern, open, of an excellent design, but at the same it was a jail without bars.

I chose the jungle scenario as background as the rain season (October to March) or the forest itself are a good deterrent for any kind of escape. My own experience in the area (yes, I was there some 20 years ago) was that it rains cats and dogs regardless of the month. The heat (or wet cold in winter) are difficult to deal with for the people not used to it and for a person with a heart condition is almost suicidal to be out on his own. The armed guards, under such conditions serve more to stop any attack from the exterior than to prevent a person to escape. The bars are invisible but ever present as Guntram soon realises.

What most attracted me of Constantin's house was to play with the idea of an open and wide space like the contemporary octagonal house set against the oppressive ambiance of a jungle. A concrete and glass (bulletproof, of course) house of a simple, elegant, practical design that can withstand almost everything; just as our Russian boy is. As we will find much later, the land was bought in 2005 and the house construction started in 2006 when Constantin began to plan his “retirement”. Nothing has been done in a blink and as usual, he takes his time to plan all his moves and patience and intelligence are his main virtues.

The house was insipired in this one. You can find more pictures here:

http://www.positivelybeauty.com/living-in-the-jungle/











Some pictures of the land where the action takes place (Not telling the place for not ruining the surprise to the people who had not read the full book yet)

TS 2 Part V Chapter 4

Chapter 4

June 18^th, 2009

Four or five days had passed in confinement and Guntram was on the edge of his nerves. Outwardly, he looked sad but composed, but inside, he bore a murderous rage against his jailers and against himself for being so stupid as to believe Repin's lies. The frustration was building up with each passing day. Although he was not locked in his room and was allowed to walk through the house; to the interior garden, the dinning room or to a small atelier where he was supposed to paint, Massaiev was with him all the time, making sure he “behaved” and swallowed his pills. He was sure the drowsiness he felt on a permanent basis had nothing to do with his heart failure; the medications were responsible, but the doctor blamed it on the wet and slightly hot weather.

Guntram had no idea of his whereabouts. Not even the continent. He couldn't identify the plants around or the colourful birds he had seen through the windows. The river meant nothing to him and the servants spoke only Russian. There were some armed guards around the house, but the dense jungle was enough deterrent. He had seen a small muddy road, but to obtain a car he would have to fight with several of the Russian apes.

Constantin behaved very civilised, trying to engage him into small talks about art or his latest project with Coco's -'how can he know about it?'- or the few sketches of some plants he had made to keep Massaiev off his back. Guntram felt like dying every time Constantin caressed him languorously or tried to embrace him. He had shown his disgust and contempt, but the Russian didn't care at all, and kept on with his advances.

The first time Constantin tried to kiss the boy, Guntram pushed him away and Repin lost his patience, almost breaking his left fingers when he bended them in retaliation. Guntram spent the rest of the afternoon locked in his bedroom with his hand wrapped with an ice pack. His caretaker told him that he should better apologise or the Swedish prisoner would pay for him. Guntram didn't believe him until he was taken, with several brutal pushes, to an underground cell he had no idea that could exist in the house. Without any natural light, Soren Larsen laid in the floor, dirty and severely beaten. “That's nothing compared to what we could do, child,” Massaiev whispered in his ear as he gaped at the prone form. “Think well before you do anything.”

Guntram apologised to Constantin that same night and let him kiss his cheek and embrace him, dying on the inside, while he made the effort to keep his frustration and rage tears at bay. 'Konrad threatened and raped me, but he never did something like this.' Since that night, Constantin came to sleep to his bedroom and informed him that once he was “less wild” he could move to the master bedroom with him. Guntram was well aware that the only thing preventing his jailer to have sex with him was the doctor's recommendation of two weeks bed rest. He feared what could happen when the grace period was over.

Guntram was desperate to escape but he had no idea of how.

* * *