Author’s Introduction.
When considerably
younger, I read and thoroughly enjoyed the many works of Georgette Heyer. A completely new and colourful world of Regency Romance opened up to me, and I found the whole range of books delightful in the extreme.
One book, The Masqueraders, was to become my favourite, dealing with issues with which I could readily identify. It had everything one could want in a book: -
Wonderful characters,beautiful women, handsome heroes, nasty villains, duels by moonlight, deception, love and romance, highwaymen, heroic deeds and horse-back rides across open countryside. Good triumphed over evil, and true love prevailed.
It also had a hero who spent most of the book dressed as a beautiful woman, and a heroine who appeared as a man.
I have planned for a long time to modernise the story, using those wonderful characters that Georgette introduced to me then. Now I feel I am in a position to fulfil that ambition, and if this turns out half as good as the original, then I will be well pleased.
I make no apology for lifting the book from the eighteenth century and plonking it into the twenty-first. I am probably breaching all manner of copyright laws, but I state now that although the opening of the story is based on that great book, by the very nature of the world we find ourselves, my story will be different, save some of the names and the fact that it takes part in London. Anyone who has read the original work will be able to see where I am going to end up, but hopefully not the direction I intend to take to get there.
My thanks to those who helped me edit, but mainly my thanks to the late, great Georgette Heyer for being such an inspiration.
Tanya Allan
Modern Masquerade
by Tanya.J.Allan
Part Ten
Family re-united and into action.
Rob got the tube home, deciding to drop in on Letty. He got off the
tube and was half way to her house when he remembered she was in college. He
was on the point of turning round when he glanced at a white Ford Transit van
driving slowly up the road. He got a view of the driver who wasn’t looking at
him. It was Howard Markham.
His blood ran slightly cold, for the man was staring directly at her
house, so Rob knew that he was not there for his health.
In all the excitement of the role, the socialising and the new jobs,
they’d forgotten about Mr Markham, and that had obviously been a mistake. He
returned to the relative safety of the tube station and called Letty on her
mobile. She didn’t answer. He called her home. The butler answered.
“James, it’s Katie Marriott, what time is Letty due home?”
“Being Wednesday, half past four, probably.”
“Thanks, can you tell her I called. I won’t be able to go shopping
with her on Saturday, I have to go to Paris with my Boss.”
“I’m sure that’ll be very hard for you, Miss.”
“James, your sarcasm is still quite obvious, you know?”
James chuckled. He and ‘Katie’ had built up a rapport and there was
a good deal of mutual respect between them.
“Thank you, Miss, I like to be appreciated.”
Rob hung up, still chuckling. Then he made his way home. He dashed
in and went straight up to his room. He heard Theresa calling him, so,
returning onto the landing, he looked down.
He stared straight into his father’s eyes.
“Dad, fuck me, what a surprise!”
“I see your language hasn’t improved, young man. Come down and say
hello nicely.”
He returned downstairs, and his father watched as the elegant young
woman walked towards him. Casting inhibitions aside, the two embraced.
Robert had spent the last two hours talking with his old friend and
one time lover, Theresa. He was aware of the gender confusions that Rob and Pru
faced, Rob in particular, and he felt responsible and a fair amount of guilt.
They went into the sitting room.
“I need to explain to you why this is necessary,” he said to Rob.
An hour later, Rob sat there shaking his head.
“So, we’re on the last leg now?” he asked his father.
“Yes, I hope so, at any rate.”
“Good, because I really need to make up my mind about who I am.”
“I understand that, and will respect whatever decision you make.
I’d obviously prefer it if you should choose to remain male, but I can see that
you may have gone beyond the point of no return. Rob, I have no right to force
you to do anything, and, although these deceptions were my way of protecting
you, I feel I have done enough harm.”
He gazed at his son, who looked such a vision of feminine loveliness
that he now regretted some of his decisions.
“Dad, we went along with this because it was fun. I’ve had a ball,
and I know Pru has. But, we’ve had enough, and want to live for ourselves for
a change. I need to know who and what I really am, and I need time and space
to do that. I don’t have much of either, as I have to go to Paris the day
after tomorrow with your cousin Mike Hatton, and the girl I think I’m in love
with is under threat from a blackmailer.”
“Tell me about this girl,” his father said, and so Rob did.
“Go to her. Sir Charles Greyson, you say?”
“That’s right, do you know him?”
“I might. Go my boy; she needs you. My car is outside, take it.”
Rob returned to his room, stripping away Katie and became Rob once
more. Dressing in black SWAT style combat trousers and jacket, with a pair of
Magnum boots, he looked more like an SAS soldier than anything else. He put a
black balaclava into his pocket along with his mobile phone.
He ran downstairs and out into the street, where he looked for a car
the keys his father gave him would fit.
A black Audi TT sat in a parking bay, and when he pressed the
remote, the door locks opened and indicators flashed briefly. He grinned,
typically father, he always did things in style.
It took him minutes to get to Letty’s house. The white van was
nowhere to be seen, so he drove to the college. He had about fifteen minutes
before she was due to come out of class.
He managed to reach the college, and to his dismay he saw the van
already leaving, making off at some speed in the opposite direction. It passed
him, and he saw Markham’s face
pale behind the wheel. He was looking grimly determined, and as he passed, Rob
saw his lips move, as if he was saying or shouting something to someone in the
rear of the vehicle.
Rob spun the car round, and followed. He pressed the hot key on his
phone and got Pru.
“Pru, Letty’s been kidnapped by that sod Markham.”
“What?”
“I saw Markham
driving past Letty’s house in a van, but Dad was at home and I couldn’t get out
fast enough. I managed to get to the college, but it seems that Markham has already snatched her. In case
I’m wrong, can you ring the college and see if she’s still there. I’m
approaching the Aldwych, he’d heading to the City and the East End.”
“Do you want me to call the police?”
“And say what? No. Not yet anyway. Remember the letter? I think
he’s using that as a lever, so she would tell the police nothing is wrong, as
she is afraid her father may face prison for whatever is in the letter.”
“Oh. You said Dad is at home, is he still there?”
“Yes. Or he was when I left. I have his car, so I think he’ll
still be there.”
“How is he?”
“Pru, he’s fine, but let’s talk about him later, okay?”
“Sorry, I’ll ring the college and then him. If she’s okay, I’ll
call you back. If you don’t hear from me, then it must be her in the van.”
“Right.”
Rob put the phone down. He just realised that any driving licence
he had was in the name of Katie Marriott. He was uninsured, unlicensed and
using a mobile phone. The last thing he needed was to be stopped by the
police.
Howard Markham was not a happy man. He wasn’t exactly regretting
his decision to snatch Letty from outside the college, but he couldn’t face
much more of her screaming.
He’d parked the van round the corner, and waited for her by the main
entrance. When she’d appeared, he had approached and simply opened the
conversation.
“Letty, I’m here to apologise to you for what I did a few weeks
ago. I also want to show my good faith by giving you the letter, so you can
destroy it or do what the hell you want with it.”
She had stared at him, her books clutched across her stomach.
“All right, give it to me,” she said, not trusting him at all.
“It’s in the car.”
“Get it. I’ll wait here.”
“Okay, you can come with me, it’ll be quicker that way. I won’t
bite, you know.”
Reluctantly, she followed, and on arriving at the van, she started
to frown.
“You said it was a car.”
“Car, van who cares. Let me get it for you.”
He opened the van and taken a plain piece of paper from the seat.
He opened the passenger door from the inside.
“Here, get in, take a look if you don’t believe me.”
She got in and took the paper. Only when she registered that it was
plain did she feel fearful.
“What’s going on? I told you, I won’t marry you!”
“I realise that. So, I just thought I’d sell the paper to the
highest bidder, or else daddy can pay what it’s worth.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“Not the way I’m doing it. You see, your father is receiving a
message that you’ve been kidnapped. If the police get told, then he thinks the
kidnapper will kill you.”
“You mean you will?”
“No, you’ve got me all wrong. I’m going to be the one that rescues
you, and gets the reward. Any whispers about the truth, and then I’ll use the
letter, do you understand?”
Letty did. She was very angry and also afraid.
“You bastard, let me go!” she screamed at him.
He slapped her hard, and she fell silent.
“Now get in the back and shut the fuck up!” he commanded.
He had to ‘help’ her into the back, securing her arms with some
rope he’d attached to the inside wall bulkhead of the van.
“Now shut up and this will all go smoothly. I don’t want to have to
start mutilating you, but if you don’t keep quiet, an ear here or a finger
there might have to happen.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me, bitch!”
Howard returned to the front and started to drive off, just as a
black Audi TT came down the road.
Sir Charles received a letter by private courier.
It said.
WE HAVE YOUR
DAUGHTER…WE WANT £1,000,000 IN USED NOTES…NO POLICE…IF YOU CALL POLICE, SHE
DIES… PAINFULLY.
YOU WILL BE
CONTACTED AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF HOURS. IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE MONEY, SHE LOSES A
LIMB.
He
started to shake. All his fears were realised, and he felt afraid for his
precious daughter.
“Sir,
a Gentleman has called. He wouldn’t give his name, but says it’s about Letitia.”
“Put him through, James.”
The phone rang and Sir Charles picked it up after the first ring.
“Greyson,” he snapped.
“Ah, splendid. I didn’t give my name to your man, but it’s Tremaine,
Robert Tremaine, we met some time ago, but you probably don’t recall.”
Sir Charles was confused.
“I’m sorry, I thought this was about my daughter.”
“It is, dear chap, and I am the bearer of good news. It seems the
villain of this piece is one Howard Markham, whom I believe you may know.”
“My God, he’s kidnapped Letty?”
“It appears so. You see, he is at this moment driving her eastwards
through the City of London. I
don’t know the details, as my, ah, my source was not really certain either.
The fortunate circumstances that I can divulge, is that I have a trusted
operative following Markham,
and he will endeavour to free her at the first opportunity. I see no reason to
involve the police at this time. Has he been in touch yet?”
“I have a note. He wants a million.”
“What a nasty fellow. He must know that kidnappings seldom work. I
wonder what his real game is!”
“How did you come to have your man near my daughter?”
“Pure chance, old boy. My, ah, operative, happened to recognise Markham, and as it was outside your
daughter’s college, put two and two together.”
“He must be very efficient.”
“My dear chap, he is without doubt the best.”
“So what happens now?”
“Nothing. If you hear from him, then go along with him as if you
are going to pay him, and pretend you don’t know who he is.”
“How will I know what’s going on?”
“I shall send another operative over to your house to keep in
constant touch with both me and the man on the ground.”
“Robert Tremaine, you said?”
“That’s right.”
“Not the one who had to leave the country some time ago?”
“The same, but I’m back, and I am no longer a fugitive from the
law. On the contrary, I am now working with the authorities on several matters
of mutual interest. But this is irrelevant, I have to go and I will send
someone over.”
Sir Charles was holding a dead phone. He replaced the receiver.
Pru arrived home, having established that Letty wasn’t at college,
and spoke to her father, alerting him to what had happened. Robert was waiting
for her.
After giving her a hug, he brought her up to speed on his plans.
Then with what had transpired between he and Sir Charles.
“You must go over to his house and take control,” Robert said.
“I can’t, daddy, he knows me.”
“No, he knows Peter Marriott. He doesn’t know Prudence Tremaine.”
Pru had never used her own first name in all the years she’d
followed her father around the world.
“Am I to believe that that’s my real name?”
“It is.”
“So, us working for Tremaine Industries is no coincidence?”
“Indeed not!”
“I won’t ask. So, I can be Prudence, from now on?”
“No, just for a short while. I need to reassure Sir Charles that we
Tremaines are trustworthy.”
Pru went upstairs, shaking her head.
She gratefully stripped away her binding from her chest, luxuriating
in feeling free again. Then she changed into a smart skirt and jacket, with
stockings and heels. She looked the efficient young female executive, and her
short hair, with some gel and imagination looked very chic when she had
finished doing her makeup.
James opened the door after the bell sounded.
A tall and attractive young woman holding a large briefcase stood
there. She was faintly familiar.
“Hello, I’m Prudence Tremaine. I’m expected.”
“Come in Miss Tremaine, Sir Charles is in his study.”
Pru followed the butler across the hall; smiling as it was her heels
that echoed on the floor this time, instead of her brothers.
“Sir Charles, a Miss Tremaine to see you.”
Sir Charles looked at the tall girl. She exuded confidence, power
and efficiency. She was very attractive, not pretty, as she was too substantial
to be pretty. Even though she wasn’t in any way fat, she was just a big girl
who had a lovely smile. He too felt that there was something vaguely familiar
about her, but Sir Charles couldn’t put his finger on it.
“Hello, Sir Charles, my father has explained the situation. Our
operative is in touch with me by phone, so we know exactly where they are. Has
anyone contacted you yet?”
“No, but if he’s alone, he won’t, will he? Not for a bit anyway.”
“If he has a mobile phone, he might. The chances are he’ll use a
pay phone. I need you to portray the frightened father, and just go along with
him. If he leaves Letty for any length of time, then our chap will go in and
get her out. We just wait.”
“You’ve done this sort of thing before?”
“Loads of times,” she lied and smiled reassuringly at him. She took
out the tape recorder and attached it to the telephone.
“It must be an exciting life, being in the security industry?”
She looked at him.
“Yes, it is sometimes. Most of the time it’s like any other job,”
she said.
The butler appeared with a pot of tea and two cups.
“I thought you and the young lady could do with some tea, sir.”
“Good man, James. Thanks.”
They’d just started sipping the tea when the phone rang.
Rob watched as the van reversed into the lockup under the railway
arches in Leytonstone. Markham
appeared, locking the substantial doors before walking briskly down the road.
Rob guessed there was a pay phone not far away, so he had a few
minutes to try to get Letty out.
He approached the lockup cautiously, as he wasn’t certain that Markham wasn’t alone. Although the large
wooden doors were substantial and in good order, the weakest point was the
lock. It was a single Yale padlock, looking small and puny attached to the
large metal bracket. Rob smiled, taking out a small leather wallet from one of
his numerous pouches. Selecting a slim fillet of metal, with a few jiggles,
the lock clicked open. He moved quietly inside, closing the door, and pulling
the balaclava over his head as he did so.
The lockup was quite small, with only enough room to park six cars -
two abreast and three deep. There was an old shell of what had once been a
Ford Granada and the white van. The van was unlocked, so he opened the rear
doors.
Letty was lying on the floor of the van, her hands tied firmly to
the van itself. She’d tried everything to undo them, but had tightened the
knots in the process. There was a blindfold over her eyes and a length of duct
tape over her mouth, sealing off her screams. She was feeling about as
miserable as she could, and vague thoughts of her unknown admirer flitted in
and out of her brain.
“How could I be so stupid?” she asked herself. “These things don’t
happen today. I….” Then she heard the doors open. He hadn’t been long, the
bastard.
It wasn’t Markham,
for he spoke, and Letty experienced a strange thrill.
“Letty, I’m going to take off the blindfold and gag. Don’t scream or
do anything silly. Everything is all right now,” the voice said.
She’d recognise that voice anywhere. It was her unknown.
The duct tape came off first, and she felt two lips press against
hers for a brief moment. Then the blindfold came off, and she blinked as even
the dim light startled her for a moment.
Her admirer was working on the ropes tying her hands. He was
dressed from head to foot in black, looking like a secret agent. He had a
balaclava over his head, his two eyes twinkling at her through the holes.
Soon she was free and rubbing the feeling back into her hands and
wrists. They hurt, so he took her hands and gently massaged them.
“Come on, let’s get you out of here. He won’t be long.”
As they headed towards the doors, they started to open.
Markham was pleased. Old man Greyson was
as pliable as anything, and claimed to have the money ready. But Howard was no
fool. He knew that a kidnapper with a million pounds had a limited selection
of countries in which to reside. However, as a gallant hero, who had rescued
the unfortunate girl from a fate worse than death, only notoriety and wealth
would fellow. He could live in this country, and may even be invited to go on
Big Brother.
He should have this wrapped up within a couple of days, return the
girl to her family, and reap the rewards. He was whistling as he approached
the doors. He stopped as soon as he noticed that the padlock was missing.
He felt that icy finger of fear, similar to that he experienced when
the police arrived at his hotel room at Heathrow.
“Not this time,” he said, pulling the gun from his pocket. It was an
elderly Smith and Wesson .38. His father had acquired it quite illegally many
years ago, for personal protection. When all handguns were made illegal in Britain, the gun was lying forgotten in
the attic. Howard only discovered it quite recently while looking for anything
of value to sell.
Never having had any training or practice with the weapon, he made
all the classic mistakes that one sees actors doing when portraying supposed
firearms specialists and professionals. The first mistake is to walk into an
enclosed space without checking as much as you can first from the doorway.
Quick glances, from different places around the door, to see whether your enemy
is visible, armed and where they are.
The second is not pointing the gun where you are looking. The gun
was actually pointing at the floor as he walked in looking all around him. He
noted the rear doors of the van were open, so made another mistake in assuming
the girl had got out somehow. His next mistake was not checking the van.
Letty was hiding behind a workbench. He saw her and pointed the gun
at her.
“Out you come, you silly cow!”
He walked past the open back door of the van, and never saw the
wrench as it hit his right wrist.
He dropped the gun, and swung to face this new threat. A shadow in
black launched himself at him, raining blow after blow at him, driving him back
against the hulk of the Ford behind. Howard was a big man, and had boxed quite
effectively in his youth. He managed to connect a left hook on the smaller man
in black, knocking him to the ground. He looked for the gun, seeing it at the
back of the van. Letty also saw it and got to it first.
She picked it up with trembling hands, pointing it at them both. The
other man stood up.
“Take the gun and get out, Letty, run!” he said.
“I can’t leave you,” she said.
“Just go, I’ll be fine.”
Howard roared in anger and rushed at the man in black. Somehow, the
man wasn’t where he had been standing, but he managed to grab Howard’s right
arm, and swing him into the rear door of the van.
Stunned and in pain, Howard turned to face the man.
“You little shit! Why can’t people mind their own fucking business?”
“Ah, Mr Markham, this is my business, for you have seriously wronged
the woman I love and intend to marry.”
The voice was strangely calm and almost familiar. Letty felt that
she knew the voice, but couldn’t work out to whom it belonged.
Howard picked up a length of steep pipe.
“Come on you little runt, come and fucking take me, if you’re so
fucking brave.”
The man adopted a martial art stance, and waved him on with both
hands. Howard approached cautiously, keeping half an eye on the girl. At the
last moment, he lunged to the left, grabbing the girl and the gun. Seizing the
gun from her, he turned it on the man and pulled the trigger.
The man wasn’t there.
He started to pull Letty towards him, while trying to point the gun
at the man. The foot came out of nowhere, connecting to his hand, sending the
gun spinning over the old wreck, to land with a thud somewhere at the very back
of the lockup.
A fist followed, and Howard went down. He started to get up when
another fist to the side of his head made all the lights go out. He slumped to
the ground, unconscious.
Rob stood over him, ready to punch him again. He allowed his
breathing to return to normal, smiling gently. His time in the Far East had not been wasted, as a black
belt in Karate, he had never really had to use it in anger before.
Letty was at his side, trying to hand him the gun, which she had
retrieved.
“That was wonderful,” she gushed.
Taking the gun from her, he opened it, looking at the five live
rounds and one spent cartridge in the cylinder. Then taking out his phone, he
spoke briefly.
“It’s done. All safe, Markham is unconscious, call the police. The sod had a gun. One shot
fired, so the police may well be on way already. I’ll wait for them to almost
get here, then I’ll bugger off. The story we agreed, okay?”
Then he turned and took Letty in his arms.
Pru ended her call on the mobile, picking up Sir Charles Greyson’s
phone.
“Your daughter is safe and well, and our man has rendered Markham unconscious. Please dial 999, and
ask for the police. Tell them that your daughter has contacted you, she
managed to escape from her kidnapper, and an unknown member of the public,
hearing her cries, helped by knocking out the man responsible. This is where
she is,” she said, passing over a piece of paper.
“I can’t believe your man doesn’t want to make himself known.”
“Let’s say he has an advantage in anonymity.”
“Oh, I understand.”
Sir Charles dialled 999.
Rob tied up Markham
tightly. Letty sat on the back of the open van watching her unknown as he
checked through Markham’s
pockets. Taking out a sheet of paper, he looked at it and smiled.
He tucked it away in one of his pockets.
“Is that the bloody letter?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Shouldn’t I have it?”
“When the police get here, they may find it and ask all manner of
questions. It’ll be best that you say nothing about it. It will give me an
opportunity to meet your father when I can ask for your hand in marriage.”
Letty grinned from ear to ear.
“Don’t I get a say in this?” she asked.
“Letty, at the moment, I am nobody. Soon, I hope to be someone. Then,
and only then will I come and take you away. You will come, won’t you?”
“I’ll come with you now, if you but ask!”
Rob smiled.
“No. There are still matters to complete. The time will come. I
promise.”
The wail of sirens could be heard, so he rolled up his balaclava
past his lips, so he could kiss her.
“Remember, a stranger came to your help and had the fight with Markham. He tied him up and left.”
“Well, it’s the truth.”
He smiled. His mouth was strangely familiar too. Oh, it was so
frustrating.
“I do know you, don’t I?” she said.
“Letty, I can’t lie to you. You do.”
“Oh, tell me who you are, please.”
“I will, when the time is right, and then I’ll propose. I hope you
can forgive me.”
Then he was gone.
The police were sceptical at first, but when she showed them the
gun, and pointed out the bullet hole in the wall, they took her seriously.
Howard came round, struggled a bit, and then gave up. He started to sob.
A lady detective called Beverly took Letty to the police station. She spent nearly two hours taking
an incredibly detailed statement from her. Letty stuck to the true story,
omitting only the letter and that Markham was planning to stage a rescue.
Letty went into great detail about the unknown helper.
“He was about five ten, very chunky, like a body builder, and had
very short cropped hair. He had a tattoo on his right hand, on the back, it
looked like a dragon or something. He sounded like a cockney. He was wearing
jeans and a white England
football shirt.”
At the same time, another detective phoned Sir Charles Greyson, and
asked him to attend Leytonstone Police Station, and to bring the note. Prudence
had left just prior to the police calling, giving Sir Charles a briefing as to
what to say. She returned to ElmParkGardens, and told her father the good
news.
As soon as Sir Charles arrived at the police station, he was taken
to an interview room to be reunited with his daughter.
Letty looked remarkably calm and very pleased to see him.
“Oh Daddy, this time it wasn’t my fault!” she said as she hugged
him.
“No, I know it wasn’t my little love. I know.”
The officers took the note from him, sealing it in a forensic bag.
Another detective took a statement from him. It was some time before they got
home.
Meanwhile, back In Elm Park Gardens, Robert was relaxing with his
daughter. The phone rang. Theresa answered it. It was Letty wanting to speak
to Katie.
“I’m sorry Letty, Katie’s is still at work, but she’ll be back
soon. Can I ask her to ring you?”
“I’ll do that, bye.”
“Splendid. A nice whisky is just what I need now.”
Rob arrived shortly afterwards. He walked in, looking very pleased
with himself.
“The silly sod had a gun. He’ll be going away for a long time now.”
“You’re on the news,” Pru said, pointing at the television.
A reporter was standing outside a police cordon at the lockup.
“Dramatic events unfolded here
this afternoon. The full facts are not yet clear, but it is understood that a
man has been arrested here on suspicion of kidnapping Letitia Greyson, only
daughter of industrialist and financier, Sir Charles Geryson. I spoke to
Detective Inspector George Adams a few moments ago.”
The camera shot changed to the policeman.
“I can confirm that a young woman,
was snatched from outside her college in Covent Garden at around four this afternoon. Tied up in the back of a Ford
Transit, she was brought to this location. Tied up and gagged, she managed to
chew through her gag and call for help. A passing member of the public, who
has yet to come forward, came to her aid and gained access to the garage.
After freeing her, they were confronted by the man, who is understood to have
been armed with a handgun. A shot was heard by passers by, but they believed
it to have been a car back firing. The men had a fight, and the kidnapper was
over-powered. The girl contacted her father, and it was he who called the
police. I can confirm that we have arrested one person in connection to this
offence. We believe the man was acting alone, and that we are not seeking
anyone else.
“The young woman has now returned
to her family unharmed, except somewhat shocked by her ordeal. I would urge
the young man who came to her aid to come forward. He has displayed remarkable
courage and I can assure him that we only seek to take a statement from him.”
Rob sniggered.
“I wonder what description she gave,” Pru said.
“Probably some six foot six black man. Oh, Dad, this is the letter
the bastard was using as blackmail. Is it as nasty as he thought?” he said
passing over the letter to his father.
Robert put on his spectacles and read the letter.
“Hmm, possibly. On face value, it seems innocuous enough, but there
is a hint of slight irregularities. If it were I, I’d be slightly embarrassed
but little more. Take it when you go and make yourself known to the family. But
it won’t be for a while yet. I’m afraid you will have to go back to being
Katie for a little while longer.”
“I suspected as much; may we know for how long?”
“You’re off to Paris
with my cousin this weekend, so I think next weekend should see the beginning
of the end.”
“Has he been really trying to track us to bump us off, for all these
years?” Pru asked.
Robert scratched his head.
“I’m not sure. I do know that his men have tried to trace me, and
succeeded a couple of times, that’s why we moved so suddenly so often. Michael
fears me, he fears the fact I may have evidence that will ruin him, and he
fears that I will prevent him from achieving his ambition.”
“Which is?” asked Rob.
“Robin, I don’t think he knows anymore. Initially, it was to oust
me from my position and to take what wasn’t his. He was jealous, pure and
simple. His family and ours were linked for so many years, and always he saw
his family as subservient to ours. It wasn’t a matter of breeding, but one of
ability. We were better at the job, but he is ruthless and quite fearless in
business, which is why he has succeeded in such a competitive world. What he
actually wants has been blurred, now I think it is to hang onto what he stole,
and become as rich and influential as he can.”
“I never knew I was called Robin. I thought Rob was short for
Robert.”
Robert smiled.
“You mother called you her little robin, just before she died. So I
kept the name.”
“Rob, you’d better change, if I know Letty, she’ll be over to see
you as soon as she can,” Pru said.
“How about you? Has your big soldier been in touch recently?”
“No, he’s probably busy down on the farm,” she said, quite brightly,
but Rob knew she was missing him.