The children and the banker got out of the car and walked up to the house. A woman was standing outside, wearing very formal black clothes and a white wig. She was holding two shopping bags in her arms.
"How do you do?" Violet asked.
"How do you do?" Klaus asked.
"Howdo?" Sunny asked.
"Arthur Poe, Mulctuary Money Management. Vice President of Orphan Affairs." Mr. Poe introduced himself proudly.
"Hello there, hello! Hello, Mr. Poe, hello children!" the woman greeted enthusiastically. "I am Justice Strauss! Of the High Court."
"I am Violet Baudelaire, these are my siblings Klaus and Sunny. And this is Mr. Poe, who has been helping us out after the.."
"Oh, the fire." Justice Strauss said sadly. "I am so sorry about your parents, Baudelaires, but we'll say no more about it unless you wish to. I would shake your hands, but as you can see, I cannot." she laughed. "I just bought some new books for my library."
"Library?" Klaus asked, his eyes lighting up.
"Yes!" Justice Strauss smiled, looking at Klaus.
"Sorry, it's just, I love reading, and Violet doesn't mind it either, if the book is about science or inventing." He looked at Violet, who smiled.
"Helquist." Sunny uttered, meaning 'I wouldn't mind a picture book either!'. Klaus translated.
"Oh, yes, yes, yes! Feel free to visit my library any time, children!"
Their smiles faded.
"Visit?" Sunny repeated.
"You mean you don't live with Count Olaf?" asked Violet.
"Oh, no, no, no. No." Justice Strauss flinched. "No, certainly - just no. His house is - is over there."
The children turned around. A dirty house stood before them and a piece crumbled away.
"Oh, I see." Klaus nodded. He saw the look on Sunny's face (he was holding her) and gently held her hand.
"Well, thank you." Violet smiled at Justice Strauss.
"Come on, children."
Mr. Poe rang the doorbell to the Count's house. A strange man opened it, with an angular face, shining eyes, and one dirty eyebrow.
"Hello, hello, hello, children." he said, raising one side of his eyebrow.
"His ankle." Klaus nudged Violet and whispered.
"A tattoo is just a decorative pigment on skin." Violet whispered back. "But Count Olaf himself is making me nervous."
"Watch." Sunny said, which meant, 'It'll feel like he's always watching us.'.
"I'm surprised at you children." Mr. Poe raised his eyebrows. "It is not polite to whisper among yourselves when a kind man has just greeted you."
"Sorry, Mr. Poe." Violet apologised. "How do you do?"
"We apologise. We were just discussing how excited we were to be living with such a kind man, and his other adopted child." Klaus said smoothly. "Um, how do you do, Count Olaf?"
"Father!" Olaf said, raising his voice.
"I'm sorry?" Mr. Poe said, evidently confused.
"I am your father now."
"Hola." that was Sunny.
"Is she Spanish?" Olaf pointed at the child in Klaus's arms as if she were a cockroach.
"She's only young." Klaus explained. She talks in baby talk, mostly."
"I see." Olaf spluttered.
"I must be going." Mr. Poe began to walk out of the door. "The banking day has begun and I cannot be late. If you Baudelaires need anything, please let me know!"
"They will, Mr. Toe!" Count Olaf closed the door on the man, who was still talking. "Baudelaires. Indigo." He held out his hand to Violet.
"Violet." she corrected, reluctantly shaking his hand.
"Kaiden."
"Um, Klaus." Klaus responded, shaking his hand.
"And, uh, the baby."
"Sunny." Violet responded fiercely. "Her name is Sunny."
"Whodatsta?" Sunny shrieked, pointing upstairs.
"What did the rich brat say?" asked Olaf.
"Sunny," responded Klaus, "asked, 'Who is that coming down the stairs?'."
"That?" Olaf looked up. "Oh, him. That's just another rich brat placed under my care by that foolish banker. I know what they say, Baudelaires, first impressions are always wrong. It's true. Your first impression of me, for instance, is probably that I am a terrible man. But honestly, children. You haven't the faintest idea."
Sunny began to cry, and Klaus and Violet looked at each other.
"Fortune-given brat!" Olaf screamed up the stairs. "I told you to stay upstairs and clean the orphan's room."
"I came to give them a tour." the boy responded meekly. He was tall, perhaps a little taller than Klaus, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
"Fine! Give them the tour and I'll enjoy some wine. The orphans can clean their own rooms! Or should I say, room." He smirked, and walked upstairs.
YOU ARE READING
Baudelaires and a White
Fanfiction"I think we should do it." said Rowan quietly as the man opened the door. "Okay." said Violet. "But who are you?" gasped Isadora, sliding into the taxi. The man took a breath. "My name is Lemony Snicket, and I am here to take you away." Would the s...
