Love and ego episode 6

Love and ego episode 6
Claire paused before the gate. Through the bars of the gate, she could see a long drive way flanked with flowers on either side which led up to a big fountain in front of the mansion, but besides that, she saw no one else. She walked to the intercom and pushed the button and soon a familiar voice came through.
“You are ten minutes late.”
She glanced up at the camera high up above the intercom, knowing that he was actually watching her from it. “I got caught up in traffic.”
“Did you get files from Mr. Raybon?”
“Yes…” She lifted the files to the camera and shook it. “Just as you requested.”
“Come in.” He said as immediately, the gate buzzed open. She walked through it and it slowly closed behind her. She started down the long drive way to the house, admiring the surroundings as she walked. It was a sunny day and she was in high spirits. She was wearing a short white flare dress with nice heels to go with. She was still admiring the flowers and sculptures when she heard a low growl and she suddenly stopped.
Puzzled, she wondered where the low growl was coming from until a big pitbull terrier emerged from the corner. Swallowing hærd, Claire glanced around for help but there was no one in sight. She was wondering how the dog had gotten loose when another one appeared. Claire panicked now and began to tremble.
“Okay, good doggies… Nice doggies…” She tried to sooth the growling dogs. Their muzzles vibrated as they prowled towards her and their l-ips pulled back to reveal their fangs. Claire wondered if Rendell was aware that his dogs had left their cages but unknown to her, he was watching her from a monitor, amusing himself.
A third one appeared and soon, a fourth. They were all growling and advancing slowly but surely towards her and from the looks of things, these canines were going to rip her apart if she didn’t do something. She slowly began to back away from them then paused and took off her shoes. She thought of scre-ming for help but then concluded that that might actually infuriate the dogs the more and cause them to attack swiftly.
When they snarled at her, Claire knew that she had to save herself or risk being mailed to death. Suddenly, she crashed into the flowers and broke into a wild run. The dogs bolted after her, barking. Claire p-nted, she was so dead frightened that she was looking for anywhere to hide, perhaps a tree to climb in order to save herself from her angry pursuers.
They chased her around the house and she ran like she had never run in her life before, scre-ming on top of her lungs for help. She finally found an enclosed space under a stairwell with a hinge door which was half her size and she yanked it open, ducked, crawled into it and quickly slipped into it, before she could finally close the door, one of the dogs who was ahead of the others managed to slip its head through and she tried to beat it with her shoes but it grabbed her shoes, withdrew its head and to her utter shock, it tore her shoes to pieces.
“My shoes!” She cried out in despair.
As it attempted to come for her again, she quickly yanked the door closed. p-nting heavily, she heard them barking and frantically clawing at the door in an effort to open it. She was trapped there and she was sure that the dogs might never leave. She was still frightened and cornered when she heard a familiar voice.
“Charlie, s₱0t, Brad and Hong sit!” Rendell ordered.
Whimpering, the dogs obediently sat, p-nting with their tongues hanging out. He gave each a scratch behind their ears then walked to the cubicle. When he opened it and the door slowly swung open, she stretched out a trembling hand holding the files up at him. He took the files from her and realized that it was a bit creased and stained. Looking down at her, he asked, trying to hide his amusement.
“Are you okay? Well, you are hired!”
Instead of replying, she suddenly burst into tears. She had thought she was going to die. Why did bad things have to happen to good people. Surprised at her reaction, he frowned. “Why the tears?” He knew he wouldn’t have let the dogs maul her. They had speakers on their collars which he would have ordered them to stop but she had surprised him. She had not only turned out to be a very good runner, she was a survivor.
But now, she was crying so hærd with her mascara running down her face and mucus bubbles coming out of her nostrils that he didn’t know whether to feel sorry for her or laugh. He was about to speak when a voice interrupted.
“I heard a lady scre-ming like a banshee, what’s going on here, Vincent?” His grandmother hobbled towards them, leaning on her cane for support. When she saw Claire sitting in the cubicle, looking a complete mess, she asked. “Did these dogs chase the young lady? Vincent I thought these damn bullies aren’t supposed to be out of their cages until nightfall?”
“Um… I… Actually Grandma…” He stuttered, unable to come up with a good reply under her accusing gaze then he finally gave up and closed his mouth.
“You have been a bad boy.” His grandmother chided him and he rolled his eyes. God, he was a man, he was going to be 31 come autumn. “You dare put this young lady through such? Shame on you Vincent, shame on you.”
Rendell sighed and paused his l-ips, feeling half-remorseful. Claire had it coming anyway, she was annoying.
“Now, now, come dear…” Grandma stretched her hand down towards Claire and she took the old woman’s hand, ducked out from the little space and straightened up to her full height. Her white dress was a mess and was even torn. “You are injured.” Grandma observed as she noticed the serious bruise on the shin of her left leg and on her knuckles and the side of one of her hand. “I can’t begin to imagine just how frightened you were. I understand your plight, dear, and I must apologize for my grandson’s misconduct, this is so not the way I brought him up.” She shot Rendell a disapproving look. “Come now, let’s go into the house. Vincent you fetch me some lukewarm water, you’ll attend to her bruises.”
“What! Why do I have to? A maid will do that!” He protested.
“You put her through this and it’s your responsibility!” Grandma firmly stated. “You’ll be nice and tend to her wounds. You will wash them and dress them! That’s the gentleman I brought you up to be, not some conceited bully!”
“Right!” Vincent stated.
“Now, take these mutts back to their cages before I whack them in the head with my cane!”
“Fine.” Vincent answered. He whistled and ordered the dogs back to their cages and they got up and obeyed like meek puppies.
Grandma began to lead Claire who was still shaken by the incident to the house. She was still sniffling and grandma tried to confront her while Vincent followed from behind with a half-hidden smirk on his face when he saw her destroyed shoes on the ground.
To Be Continued…