LITMIR.BIZ

       Chapter Four

      In a tense silence Guinevere and Oliver went down to dinner as if they couldn’t shake the awareness that something potentially threatening had invaded their home and wouldn’t go away again. There was too much at stake for Wadencourt to simply let it go.

      And Mr Vex, who had written up the article – how did he fit into the equation?

      In the dining room Wadencourt was already sitting at the table, having changed into a dinner jacket. A leather-bound notebook lay on the table beside his plate and wine glass. He rose to his feet, came over and kissed Guinevere’s hand. ‘A little chivalry in this old place,’ he said. ‘You look lovely.’

      Guinevere blinked at his sudden kind tone while he had earlier barely noticed her. Maybe he had figured he needed to change his tune if he wanted to achieve anything here?

      Bolingbrooke came in, with Max right behind him. Max was saying, ‘You do see my point.’

      They both halted as if they hadn’t expected anybody to be present in the dining room yet to overhear their conversation. Bolingbrooke smiled uncomfortably and rushed to say, ‘All here then. Let’s sit down to dinner.’

      Cador appeared in the doorway. Instead of bringing in the first course he said in a solemn tone, ‘Lady Serena Wilkinson is here to see you, my lord.’

      Bolingbrooke blinked at him. ‘Here? Now?’

      Cador stepped aside, and a stately woman in her mid thirties marched in. She wore a blouse and riding trousers with riding boots. The only thing missing was a short whip to crack. She halted and pointed an elegant hand at Bolingbrooke. ‘The goblet belongs to my family. And I’ll ensure we get it back.’

      Bolingbrooke groaned. ‘Not another one.’

      Lady Serena looked around the room. ‘Another one? I can’t imagine there are any rightful claimants here.’

      The emphasis on ‘rightful’ couldn’t be missed.

      Lady Serena continued, ‘The goblet had been in our family for generations before it was stolen by Lady Rose and carried out to this place. It should have been returned to my family.’

      ‘You mean, after your family killed Lady Rose and her husband just because they didn’t like the fact that they had married?’ Oliver enquired cynically.

      Lady Serena turned to him. ‘And you are?’

      ‘Oliver Bolingbrooke. With my older brother playing diplomat in Singapore, I’m cast as the next lord of this castle.’

      Lady Serena didn’t flinch. ‘I see. My mother told me there was a younger son. She said he had made quite a scene when she was last here. Saying he’d drive her away from the island with his wooden sword.’

      Oliver flushed to his neck.

      Max chuckled. ‘How old were you then?’

      Lady Serena flashed him a cold look. ‘And you are?’

      ‘Max DeBurgh, photographer.’ Max made a mock bow. ‘At your service, my lady.’

      ‘Ah, Wadencourt’s little minion.’

      Now it was Max’s turn to flush and Oliver’s to grin at his discomfort.

      Max shot him and Lady Serena a deadly look. ‘I’m nobody’s minion.’

      Raising his voice, Wadencourt said, ‘I got here first. And my old friend Bolingbrooke assured me I can look for the goblet.’

      Lady Serena scoffed. ‘Bolingbrooke is no more your friend than he is mine. And I’m not saying you can’t look for it. I’m merely asking that when the goblet is recovered it will be given to me.’

      ‘Of course,’ Wadencourt said, ‘you won’t go to any trouble for it, but then take home the grand prize. Aren’t they all the same when they happen to have the word lord or lady in front of their name?’ He leaned his hand on the leather-bound notebook on the table. ‘I worked for years to figure out the clues to the goblet’s whereabouts. Now I want the credit for it. It’s rightfully my discovery.’

      ‘Naturally I’ll credit you for the discovery,’ Lady Serena said with another wave of her delicate hand. ‘But the goblet is mine to take away and return to its rightful place in my family home.’

      ‘Never,’ Bolingbrooke objected. ‘If it’s found here, it belongs to my family.’ He looked Lady Serena up and down, from her impeccable hairdo to her shiny boots and straight back. ‘You can hardly prove you have any claim to it.’

      ‘There are some very old documents that describe the goblet. Once it’s found we can see if the description matches the actual cup.’

      Oliver raised his hands. ‘Once it’s found? If it is found at all, you mean. So far Mr Wadencourt here hasn’t exactly been successful in proving his wild claims.’

      ‘This time it’s different,’ Wadencourt said tightly.

      Max added, ‘Because this time somebody else figured out the clues.’

      ‘Will you shut up?’ Wadencourt was purple in the face. ‘I could send you away right now.’

      ‘Then why don’t you?’ Max said, holding his gaze with a challenging expression.

      Guinevere held her breath waiting for the final dismissal, but Wadencourt just threw his weight back against his chair and said nothing.

      What was the strange bond between these men that forced them to work together while they clearly didn’t get along?

      ‘I’m keeping an eye on this castle,’ Lady Serena said. ‘And I’ll make sure that I get what’s coming to me.’

      She turned and left the room in a whirl of expensive perfume.

      Bolingbrooke exhaled and shot at Wadencourt, ‘How does she know you are here to look for the goblet?’

      Wadencourt’s shoulders slumped. ‘I have no idea.’

      ‘Maybe your source at the magazine,’ Max said, ‘thought it fun to ring around and turn everybody against each other.’ He looked around the room. ‘Maybe he informed several people whom he knew would take the bait.’

      Guinevere sat motionless. It was an interesting proposition with explosive potential.

      Oliver looked at his father. ‘He has a point with this suggestion. You also heard from this source, didn’t you. After all, you suspected Wadencourt was coming, or you wouldn’t have taken out that book about the goblet and Cornisea.’

      ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m glad that raving mad woman is leaving so we can eat in peace.’ Bolingbrooke gestured at Cador, who had followed everything with silent attention. ‘The first course, please. I’m starving.’

      ***

      After

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