LITMIR.BIZ

       The Savoy

      Valentine sat across from Hughie and Henry with his hands pressed against his forehead. ‘Never, ever, in my entire life—’ He stopped himself, unable to continue, shaking his head. ‘It’s been a disaster, gentlemen! A farce!’

      ‘The thing is—’ Henry began.

      ‘No!’ Valentine raised his hand to stop him. ‘I don’t want to hear it! I am stunned, Mr Venables-Smythe! Completely at a loss for words!’

      (This didn’t stop him from elaborating further.)

      ‘What could’ve possessed you?’ He stood up, pacing the room. ‘After everything we told you about the dangers of touching the mark!’

      ‘I think you’re being a bit hard on him,’ Henry mumbled.

      Valentine swirled round. ‘Do you?’ His tone was lethal. ‘Do you really?’

      Henry straightened. ‘Actually, I do. If it was anyone’s fault it was mine. He was shadowing me. And he did save me from being arrested.’

      Hughie looked across. ‘Thank you, Henry.’

      ‘Don’t mention it.’

      ‘The two of you are equally irresponsible!’ Valentine despaired. ‘I have half a mind to fire you both!’

      ‘Please don’t.’ Flick was standing in the doorway. ‘At least, not until you’ve heard my idea.’

      Valentine glowered. This was clearly his show; he didn’t like being upstaged.

      ‘I need some help,’ she continued. ‘Maybe Hughie could take a break from the streets and give me a hand instead. It would allow him to take stock; get a feel for the tone of what we do.’

      ‘Perhaps,’ Valentine conceded. ‘But that’s an important job, for a big client. It needs a delicate touch.’

      ‘He’ll be under my jurisdiction,’ Flick promised, looking across to Hughie. ‘I’ll take you on but only on the understanding that you’ll follow my instructions to the letter.’

      ‘Oh, absolutely!’ Hughie agreed. ‘I’m at your command.’

      ‘Yes, well,’ Valentine straightened his cuffs, ‘I would be lying if I said I didn’t have serious reservations about your ability to be reformed into a useful member of this organization, Hughie. But I will give you one more chance to redeem yourself. This is an extremely important assignment. If you prove trustworthy, I will review your situation.’

      He crossed to the door.

      Henry and Hughie stood up, awkward as two cadets in the presence of a senior officer. ‘But needless to say, I’m not just disappointed, gentlemen.’ He paused, looking from one to the other. ‘I’m disgusted!’

      And then he left.

      (In fact, as it was his flat, he didn’t have anywhere to go, so he just stood in the bedroom for a few minutes.)

      Flick flashed Hughie a look. ‘Make no mistake, I’ve just saved your arse,’ she assured him, walking back to her office.

      ‘Well,’ Hughie slapped Henry on the back, ‘that went pretty well, don’t you think?’

      ‘Oh, dear.’ Henry mopped his brow with a handkerchief. Hughie had never seen him so tired or drained.

      ‘Are you all right?’

      ‘Oh, dear,’ Henry said again. ‘I think we’d better go home now.’

      ‘Come on, old chap.’

      And Hughie took him back to the Savoy.

      What Henry referred to as keeping a room at the Savoy, was in fact an entire suite. Along with a generous bedroom, bathroom and dressing room, there was also a living room with a fireplace, dining table and even a baby grand piano near the window overlooking the Thames and the Embankment, massed with some of London’s most memorable landmarks – the London Eye, Cleopatra’s Needle; the dome of St Paul’s was just visible and Big Ben sounded clearly when the wind was right.

      Hughie rang down for some tea while Henry listlessly checked through his messages, returning phone calls while Hughie wandered from room to room, absorbing the glamour of Henry’s existence. Rows of tailor-made suits lined his wardrobes, piles of history books and biographies were neatly stacked along the windowsills of his bedroom. It was all exquisite but also strangely anonymous. Hughie tried to put his finger on what was missing. Then he realized there were no photographs anywhere; nothing from that former life Henry must’ve had. It was as if he had no origins, existing only in the present.

      ‘Oh, dear,’ Henry sighed, closing the door after the waiter had delivered their tea.

      They sat across from one another on the matching silver-grey sofas.

      Hughie passed him a cup. ‘Come on now, it wasn’t that bad!’

      ‘Wasn’t that bad!’ Henry blinked at him incredulously. ‘Do you realize that she never even looked at me? She was nothing! Little more than an outline of a woman! Still, she didn’t even notice me!’

      Hughie wasn’t sure he followed. He’d imagined Henry was upset about the near arrest. But apparently it was something altogether more awful.

      Henry put the tea down and crossed to the mirror hanging above the mantelpiece. ‘I’m getting old!’ Standing sideways, he scrutinized his chin. ‘Look! Sagging! Oh, God, it’s begun! I’m falling apart!’

      Hughie didn’t have the heart to tell him that actually, it must have begun some time ago. Instead he tried to focus on the positive.

      ‘You’re still a very attractive man.’

      Henry turned. ‘Really? Then why did she do it? Why? It’s never happened before. Shopping is my speciality; I created it! Nine times out of ten a woman will leave without even buying anything – that’s how good I am! Or rather, how good I used to be. But this one … she’s so unaffected she had the presence of mind to plan and execute a robbery right under my nose!’

      ‘You

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