My True Companion (10 page)

The library in Haxby Farm was a long gallery, filled with
ancient volumes and the most recent novels and popular non-fiction. It also
included an up to date Who’s Who. Millie spent an hour scouring its pages, looking
through all the Conrads. None of the men listed were married to a Barbara.
Barbara Conrad was not listed at all. It did not mean anything. Not everyone
received a listing in Who’s Who. Millie considered how else she might find out.

Jim Haxby had mentioned meeting Mrs Conrad in Argentina. Of
course, thought Millie, Alex Markham had been in Argentina for two years. He
might know about Mr Conrad. Millie felt a growing sense of comfort that there
was one other person she could trust. She went back to the hallway, and despite
the early hour put a call through to Fazeby Hall.

“Good morning,” she said to the footman who answered. “This
is Millicent Woodridge. I wonder, is Sir Alexander Markham still at Fazeby
Hall?”

“He is still here, yes, Miss Woodridge.”

“I realise it’s very early, but could you fetch him for me?
It is rather urgent.”

“Certainly, Miss.”

“Millie, my dear girl,” said Alexander Markham several
minutes later. “We’ve been worried sick about you. Where have you been?”

“Staying with friends,” said Millie, not wanting to explain
any further. “Uncle Alex, this may come out of the blue but what do you know
about Barbara Conrad? Or her husband?”

“Barbara Conrad?” Millie might have imagined it, but there
seemed to be a slight pause before Alex answered.

“Yes, I remember James Haxby saying that she was in
Argentina, and as you were there too, I wondered if you’d ever met her husband,
or knew anything about him.”

“No … No, I can’t say I have. What is all this about,
Millie?”

“She loaned me her manuscript, and I’ve found the facsimile
of a blueprint stuck into the pages. It’s for a weapon, Uncle Alex!  I
think Count Chlomsky’s man, Vasily, was looking for it on Saturday.”

“I see. And you think Barbara Conrad is guilty of passing
secrets?”

“I’m not sure. You see, she could have just asked me for it
back had she known and wanted him to have it. So I don’t think she could know.”

“Yes, I see what you mean. So you think her husband is
behind it?”

“Well he’s a bit mysterious, isn’t he? No one seems to know
about him, and she doesn’t talk about him very much.”

“No, that’s true. She doesn’t. Look, why don’t I find out
what I can about Mr Conrad and get back to you? Where are you staying?”

“It’s alright,” said Millie. “I’ll come up to you.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Alex. “But don’t come to Fazeby
Hall. As you can imagine, my dear girl, Mrs Oakengate is not very happy with
you at the moment. I’ll meet you at the little café at the bottom of Masson
Hill. Perhaps then you’ll tell me where you’ve been hiding for the past few
days.”

Chapter Nine

Millie scribbled a hasty note, thanking Helen Haxby for her
hospitality, and then asked to be taken to the station. At the back of her mind
was the nagging doubt that she should let Jim know what she had found, but she
still felt angry with him for underestimating her. With Uncle Alex’s help, she
could solve the mystery of who killed poor Hortense Parker-Trent and her
husband, and perhaps find out who was passing secrets to the enemy. It might
even lead her to the man or men who had framed her father. That it might also
make Jim admire her was irrelevant. Or so she managed to convince herself by
the time she was on her way back to Derbyshire.

The trip from Kent to Derbyshire was a long one, involving a
couple of changes. As Millie could not afford First Class, she travelled in
Second Class. On the last leg of the journey, she found herself sitting
opposite a vacuum cleaner salesman, who had the mistaken idea that everyone in
the carriage would be fascinated by his wares.

“I’ve got a leaflet,” he said, “if anyone wants one.”
According to the leaflets, the vacuum cleaners not only cleaned up dust, but
also, apparently improved the class of the average woman. At least judging by
the picture of an elegant lady dressed in high fashion, happily vacuuming her
staircase.

With little else to do to drown out the salesman, Millie
pretended to read Mrs Conrad’s manuscript, hoping that he would get fed up of
trying to sell to her and turn his attentions on someone else. It was a futile
activity, given that so many of the pages were still stuck together, apart from
the small openings Millie had made to release the papers. She idly flipped
through the pages, then turned to the back page. It was blank, so hardly worth
the effort. Millie was just about to turn back to the beginning and start again
when she noticed some indentations upon the paper, as if another sheet had been
rested upon it whilst someone wrote a note. She held it up the window, before
turning to the salesman.

“Excuse me, I don’t suppose you have a pencil I might borrow
for a few minutes?”

The salesman complied, after which Millie excused herself
and went to the restroom, not wanting others to see what she was doing. Holding
the manuscript up against the wall, she gently rubbed the pencil across the
page. Part of the message was missing, but there was enough to tell Millie all
she needed to know…

By the time she had reached the café at the bottom of Masson
Hill, she had managed to compose herself. She had no idea how the meeting would
play out, but she knew that whatever happened, she must not climb Masson Hill.

“Millie, there you are,” said Alex Markham, holding out his
hands. The small café was virtually empty, apart from a veiled woman sitting
with her back to them. Millie looked at her for a long moment, thinking she
might turn around. The woman stared resolutely at the wall in front of her.
“What can I get you? Tea? Coffee?”

“Tea would be nice,” said Millie, flashing her most charming
smile, and summoning up her mother’s spirit to help her with the part she
needed to play. Alex called the waiter and transmitted their order, after which
he helped Millie into her seat.

“You gave us all quite a fright, young lady,” said Alex,
taking his own seat. “Now, do tell all. Where have you been?”

“I went to London, as you know. Then on to the Haxbys’ Farm
in Kent.”

“The Haxbys? They know you’re here, of course.”

“Yes, of course.” Millie only faltered slightly. Helen would
most certainly have got her note but Millie had not said where she was going.

“Why did you go there?”

“I was hurt whilst in London. Vasily attacked me.”

“Chlomsky’s valet? Oh yes, you mentioned his name this
morning.”

“He tried to abduct me, Uncle Alex.” Millie almost choked on
the familiar name. “I think he knew by then that I had the manuscript.”

“Where is it now?”

“Here, in this bag,” said Millie, gesturing to a drawstring
bag that she had borrowed from the Haxby’s Cook.

“You’d better give it to me,” said Alex. “I can get it to
the right people.”

“The right people or the wrong people, Uncle Alex?” asked
Millie.

“I’m not sure what you mean by that,” said Alex. He looked
around him. “That tea seems to be taking an age. Why don’t we go for a walk?”

“Up Masson Hill you mean?”

“Yes, why not. Get some fresh air. You look a bit pale.”

Millie put her hand onto the bag. “How much is this worth to
you and your wife, Uncle Alex?”

“My wife? I don’t have a wife, dear girl. Remember, I asked
you to marry me?”

“Yes, you did, didn’t you? But it occurs to me that a man
who’d send his own friend to the gallows would have no compunction about
undertaking a bigamous marriage.”

“That’s a rather harsh accusation, dear girl. Who exactly do
you think this wife is?” asked Alex, his normally silky voice having become
harder and more dangerous.

“I don’t think. I know. It’s Barbara Conrad. I suppose she
uses her maiden name, but just added the Mrs to sound more respectable. So,
Uncle Alex, how much is this manuscript worth to you?”

“You’re playing a dangerous game, dear girl.” He leaned
towards her, and for the first time in her life, Millie became aware of the
menace of the man. Funny, thought Millie, how she had never noticed how
lizard-like he appeared until that moment. His eyes were narrow slits, and to
compound the image, he licked his lips quickly.  “First of all I want to
know why you think Barbara Conrad is my wife.”

“There’s an imprint of a note on the back of the
manuscript.” Millie removed it from the bag, to show him where she had etched
over the imprint. The note read,
promise me that as soon as we’ve got the
money from Vasily, we will go public about our marriage, Alex. With love,
Barbara.

As Millie suspected, Alex snatched the manuscript from her.
“You’re a silly girl, Millie. Any fool knows that you don’t show the goods
until the deal is made. What were you going to ask for? Money? I’ve already
offered you that. Provided you married me.”

“No, a pardon for my father. You can do it without
implicating yourself. I know you can.”

Alex snorted. “I may be able to, but I don’t want to.
Getting your father framed for my espionage is one of my greatest achievements.
All I had to do was have him photographed with the right people, then plant the
relevant documents on him. Richard was so damn trusting, he never saw it
coming. In fact, I don’t think he ever realised.”

“I wondered why you disappeared for two years,” said Millie,
her eyes brimming with tears. “Guilt, I suppose.”

“Good Lord, no. Guilt is an emotion only felt by fools. I was
ensuring no one connected me to your father. Out of sight, out of mind, sort of
thing. You really have to learn not to be so sentimental, Millie. That’s why
you’ve failed today. There’s a part of you that believes good old Uncle Alex
will want to do the right thing in the end. Believe me when I say that good old
Uncle Alex will do the right thing, but only as it benefits him.” He stood up.
“I’d like to stay and chat, but I must get this to my buyers.”

“There’s nothing more I can say to persuade you,” said
Millie.

“Nothing.”

“Aren’t you worried I’ll go the police?”

“You’d have to be alive for that, dear girl, and I have men
surrounding this café. You’ll never get out. Oh, it’s no good looking for the
waiter. He works for me too. The rest of the staff was sent off for the day,
due to a gas leak.”

Millie looked to the figure in the corner, but had already
guessed who she was. The woman stood up and turned. Her movements were slow,
awkward, as though she were in pain. She slowly lifted her veil.

“What?” Alex Markham staggered backwards. Even Millie was
surprised. It was not Barbara Conrad as she had thought. The young woman
looking at them was Hortense Parker-Trent.

“I heard you,” said Hortense. “I heard you and Mrs Conrad
talking about Millie’s father. Then that man – Vasily – pushed me over the
cliff.”

“You were dead.”

“Not quite,” said a familiar voice from the kitchen door. It
was Haxby, and he held a gun in his hand. “Hortense was badly hurt. We only
said she was dead to put her killer off his guard. By the way, your man is out
back there, nursing a sore head. He seems particularly keen to help us with our
enquiries as does your wife since she heard that you asked Millie here to marry
you.”

Alex Markham grabbed Millie around the waist and held a gun
to her head. “If you try to interfere, I’ll kill her,” he said to Jim. “Now,
get your people out of the way, and let me leave.”

“Let Millie go,” said Jim, pointing his gun at the ground.
“And then we’ll talk.”

Alex edged towards the door, dragging Millie with him. “I’m
leaving and taking her with me. When they pay me for these documents, I’ll have
so much money you’ll never find me.” He opened the door. “Tell them to bring me
a car.”

“Take the documents, but leave Millie alone,” said Haxby.
“Then we’ll get you the car.” Millie felt Alex Markham shake his head behind
her.

“No. You won’t shoot me whilst I’m holding her. Besides.
I’ve a fondness for young Millie here.”

“I despise you,” said Millie, her whole body shaking in fear
and revulsion. “You killed my father.”

“No, my dear, I didn’t,” said Alex, pressing Millie closer
to him. She felt sick at his touch. “The government did that for me.” He pulled
her outside, where a car stood ready. Several men, including Simon Brady stood
around, but kept their weapons facing down.

Markham opened the door, and tried to push Millie into the
car. At that point, she kicked against him and managed to break free. She ran
back towards the café, hearing shots ring out and fly over her head, then the
sound of the car revving up, and driving away. 

“I think I got him,” said Jim, catching Millie in his arms.
“Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I don’t understand, about Hortense.
How?””

“Calm down, I’ll explain to you later. But first we have to
get after Markham before he takes those documents away.”

“You really think I was that stupid, don’t you?” said
Millie, stepping back, angrily. “To hand them over to him after I found out he
was involved.”

“No, of course, I don’t think you’re stupid, Millie It was a
beginner’s mistake, that’s all. You were incredibly brave, coming here alone to
deal with it. We all think so.”

“Please don’t patronise me,” said Millie, glumly. It hurt
her to realise that nothing had changed.

“I’m not, darling. All I’m saying is that…”

“Jim,” said Brady, “we don’t have time for all this. We must
get that facsimile before it falls into the wrong hands. Come on!”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you,” said Millie, rolling
her eyes heavenward. “Markham doesn’t have it.”

“Where is it?” Jim asked.

“At a safe deposit box in the bank. I took it there this
morning, before I came to the café.”