roman lovelace

Roman Lovelace was an only child, living with just his aunt. His father had passed in Roman’s infancy, and his mother had died when he was ten. He had butchered her with a decorative blade she kept hung on the wall beside her bed. He had the cook dismember her and the gardener bury her in the woods behind his estate. It was all very civil.

The estate where he lived was large, the largest in the surrounding area, and blanketed by thick woods. It was large and dripping with nineteen-twenties hedonism, stained glass windows and such. In the decade since its being built, it seemed dreadfully outdated. Roman never cared much for fads, not like his mother had. She thought she was Italian and was fatally stylish. He did love her, though. It had been an act of love, her death. It was the ultimate sacrifice and he felt very proud of it, if not weepy at his selflessness.

He had the master bedroom for himself. His aunt lived in some side bedroom where she could sneak her gigolos in and out easily. She thought he hadn’t noticed. The master was large and lined with wooden panels. Decorated with a dusty family portrait and circusy upholstery. He found it charming, the ugliness. He intended to disrespect it only a bit, leaving his opium and such about. Nobody but him and the maid ever entered, anyway.

There was a great balcony that opened out to view the village. Fog coated the base of it, but Roman went out anyhow. He smoked a cigarette as he looked upon the view, wondering a bit about Ada. If she’d ever smoked a cigarette. If he might take her here, steal her away and lock her up. Perhaps he could pay the school for her leave.

He looked at it, the school. Where it sat upon the foggy green hill. It seemed so Victorian, so castle-like. He imagined rescuing her from her virtue, keeping her safe behind lock and key. He had named his parakeet after her. Sweet Baudelaire, who he kept locked up by his bedside. He opened the door sometimes, but kept his face close to it. Willing the bird to make her escape, hungry for it to try.