‘We once broke into UNIT Headquarters,’ Clyde reminded her, ‘which was a bit more serious. Come on.’
He dropped down through the window. After one last look round, Rani followed him.
The window led into a large living room, though it was immediately clear that nobody had lived there for a very long time. There was no carpet, just bare boards. Sheets had been draped over the furniture. The walls were bare, with dusty outlines where pictures had been hung.
‘Creepy’ said Clyde. ‘And it’s freezing!’
Rani shivered. He was right — it was a warm sunny day outside, but this place felt like the dead of winter. ‘We got the right address, didn’t we?’
‘Of course we did. Look at this place, I knew it! Lair of the living dead!’
‘There could be a million reasons for this,’ said Rani, trying to think of just one. ‘I dunno, perhaps he’s got everything in storage.’
She followed Clyde as he went into the hall. ‘Oh yeah?’ he said, nodding to the welcome mat, where a big pile of unopened junk mail had collected.
Rani swallowed. Clyde was right — there was something very odd about this, and they had to tell Sarah Jane as quickly as possible.
Sarah Jane couldn’t believe her eyes. Peter had pushed back his chair, and was down on one knee before her. Suddenly she was the centre of attention, the other diners in the restaurant turning to look.
Peter produced a small box from his pocket, and opened it to reveal a diamond ring. ‘Sarah Jane. Will you marry me?’
Sarah Jane stared at the sparkling ring. ‘That’s beautiful. Oh Peter. I love you…’
Peter smiled. ‘And that means…?’
‘Yes!’ shouted Sarah Jane, feeling almost nauseous with happiness. ‘Of course. Yes, yes, yes!’
Peter slipped the engagement ring on to her finger. The other diners started to applaud and congratulate them.
Sarah Jane and Peter kissed.
And unseen by anybody, an unearthly sparkling light flickered over the diamond in the ring.
Clyde and Rani burst into the attic. Rani wasn’t looking forward to bringing Sarah Jane the news about Peter — but it had to be done.
She and Clyde were brought up short. Sarah Jane and Luke were hugging and grinning their heads off.
‘Hey!’ Sarah Jane called to them. ‘I’ve just been telling Luke — I’ve got some big news. Wonderful news! Peter and I. We’re getting married!’ She held up her hand, flashing her engagement ring.
‘What?!’ spluttered Clyde.
Rani didn’t know what to say.
‘You don’t have to look so pleased,’ laughed Sarah Jane. ‘I know it’s a bit of a shock. Peter’s got it all planned. ‘
‘I bet he has,’ Rani heard herself saying.
Sarah Jane looked puzzled. ‘What do you mean?’
Rani steeled herself. She had no choice. ‘Sarah Jane. We went round to Peter’s house. 1
Luke flinched. ‘You did what?’ he said angrily.
‘There’s nothing there,’ said Clyde. ‘It’s empty.’
Sarah Jane’s face fell. Rani’s heart went out to her. ‘What? What do you mean?’
‘Mum?’ asked Luke, concerned.
Just for a second, as the summer sunlight shifted through the attic window, Rani thought she saw an odd gleam sparkle around the diamond in Sarah Jane’s engagement ring.
Then Sarah Jane smiled. ‘I know it’s empty’ she said. ‘He doesn’t really live there, he’s a senior partner. His firm got him a flat in London nearer the office.’
‘And you’ve been there?’ asked Clyde.
‘Plenty of times,’ said Sarah Jane. She threw back her head and laughed. ‘I should be angry with you breaking in there, but — it’s what I’d do, isn’t it? I’ve made you all so suspicious. But this is a happy thing, and I want you all to be a part of it. So thanks! But there’s no need to sneak around or worry about anything.’
Rani felt a huge surge of relief. ‘So when’s the wedding?’
‘End of next week! At my age, why wait?’
‘You what?’ said Clyde. ‘That’s mad.’
‘Peter had it all on standby, a nice hotel in the country. You’re all invited.’ She turned to Luke. ‘And you can give me away!’
Luke blinked. ‘Will I have to do a speech?’
‘I will help you write it, Master Luke,’ K-9 piped up from his corner.
Rani smiled. ‘Oh, it’ll be full of robot jokes, will it?’
Clyde had his thoughtful look again. ‘Don’t you think this is a bit fast?’
‘You’re telling me!’ said Sarah Jane. ‘I’ve got so much to arrange. A lot of changes.’
Rani couldn’t help but smile. Everything was going to be all right. She asked for a good look at the engagement ring and Sarah Jane held out her hand. The diamond was shimmering, shifting with sparkling light. Rani had never seen herself as a girly girl, but for once she could understand why some of her mates got excited over bling. The diamond was fascinating — almost hypnotic.
Suddenly Mr Smith’s voice rang out across the attic. ‘Sarah Jane, I have detected a —‘
She cut him off. ‘That reminds me. First big change — Mr Smith, commence deactivation programme.’
‘But Sarah Jane,’ said Mr Smith, ‘I have detected an impulse registering —’
Sarah Jane shook her head — and pulled down a large lever built into the wall next to Mr Smith. ‘Initiate total deactivation, Mr Smith. Protocol 5!’
‘Complying,’ said Mr Smith smoothly. ‘Goodbye, Sarah Jane.’
And he slid back into the wall, the sections of the chimney breast slotting back into place around him with a thud.
‘No!’ cried Clyde. ‘He was gonna tell us something!’
‘The world can look after itself,’ said Sarah Jane. ‘I’m busy. With something normal for a change. I don’t want anything — any of this’ she gestured around the attic and its collection of alien wonders, ‘getting in the way.’
‘You haven’t told Peter about — our thing, what we do?’ asked Luke.
‘Why should I?’ said Sarah Jane. She paused, thinking. ‘Perhaps I never will, perhaps that’s the solution.’
Rani looked to Clyde, who was still frowning. ‘I do not like this,’ he said.
Sarah Jane clicked her fingers. ‘I know what’ll stop you worrying Clyde. You can dog sit for a bit. Look after K-9 for me. ‘
Clydes face was a picture of sudden joy. ‘What, really? What do I tell my mum?’
‘Come on, Clyde Langer,’ said Sarah Jane, ‘when have you been short of excuses?’ She turned to Rani. ‘Oh, and Rani — keep Saturday free. Dress shopping! You’re going to make a lovely bridesmaid!’
Rani felt a surge of excitement — the strangeness of Peter’s house felt a million miles away ‘You’re on! There’s that wedding fair this weekend!’
‘I know!’ said Sarah Jane, giving her a big hug. ‘And your mum can do the flowers, before she asks!’
She pulled away from Rani and clapped her hands together. ‘Right, come on, everybody out, I’m locking up in here. Things to do!’
Rani followed Luke and Clyde — who was now smiling broadly, K-9 in his arms — out of the attic.
As the boys went down the stairs, Rani lingered for a second. She turned back and saw Sarah Jane at the threshold, her hand on the light switch just inside the door. The engagement ring glittered on her finger as she flicked the switch and the attic went dark.
‘And goodbye to all that,’ she heard Sarah Jane say.
Then she came out and locked the door.
The attic was dark and empty. What had been the centre of Sarah Jane’s life for many years was now cold and dead.
A mocking laugh echoed around the attic.
But nobody was left to hear it.
Chapter Five
The Bride of Chaos
Clyde wouldn’t have admitted it to anybody, but he was fascinated by K-9. Over the next week or so he almos
t forgot his doubts and worries about Sarah Jane’s wedding, and spent much of his time questioning and learning from the robot dog. K-9 had been programmed not to answer his questions about Earth’s future, or to supply too many details about the life of his previous models as companions to Sarah Jane or the Doctor. But Clyde was still able to trick K-9’s computerised mind into telling him some snippets from his memory files.
It was amazing stuff. He learnt of a hollow world called Zanak, a pirate planet that jumped through space around other planets to drain them dry; the terrifying Nimons and the Great Vampire; how Sarah Jane had met the Doctor again after many years when the Krillitanes had come to Earth. It kept Clyde’s mind busy reeling with the amazing enormity of it all — the universe was so, so big…
It was only as the wedding got nearer that Clyde started to feel uneasy again. What if Sarah Jane had given him K-9 to stop him suspecting? What if he’d been tricked?
Now he stood outside the small country hotel on the afternoon of the wedding, in a suit his mum had hired for the weekend with strict instructions that it came back in one piece, and his best trainers. The hotel looked out on several acres of rolling Buckinghamshire countryside. That made Clyde uneasy, too. He was a city man. There was a small scattering of wedding guests, people he didn’t recognise.
Peter and Luke, both dressed immaculately in suits, were nearby. Luke was checking through the messages from people who couldn’t make it. He was going to read them out at the reception dinner. Clyde had seen some of them earlier, and it made him realise how little he knew about Sarah Jane’s past as an agent of UNIT. A man from UNIT called Mike Yates was running an ecology project in San Francisco with Sarah Jane’s former ‘ward’ Brendan. Clyde didn’t even know what a ‘ward’ was. Then there was John Benton, who was doing something secret out in Malaysia, and the Bakers, who were running a church fete that day somewhere in Gloucestershire.
‘This is from our friend, Maria,’ Luke was telling Peter now. ‘She couldn’t make it, she’s got exams and her dad’s tied up at work.’
Clyde approached them. ‘My mum’s gone to another wedding,’ he said, looking a little rudely towards Peter. ‘Too short notice, it’s all been so fast. The Brigadier’s Sarah Jane’s oldest friend, of course, but he’s back in Peru.’
Clyde saw Luke shoot him a disapproving look. He thought back to last night, when he’d used K-9 to contact the Brigadier. The old soldier was a solid, dependable figure, who had helped them against the Bane not too long ago. Clyde felt sure the Brigadier would listen to his worries.
The Brigadier’s face had appeared on Clyde’s computer, channelled by K-9, and Clyde poured out his suspicions and fears. ‘I just think there’s something wrong about this. Sarah Jane’s shut down Mr Smith, it’s like she’s giving up what she does. You know, defending Earth.’
The Brigadier had listened patiently and then said, ‘I understand, young man. In my UNIT days, we were like a family. But things change. People drifted away, or they fell in love, and some of them are no longer with us. But life goes on. You make new friends, a new family. You’ll never forget any of it. But don’t deny Sarah her happiness.’ And then K-9 lost the contact.
Now, Clyde was looking at Peter. He looked so innocent, so normal. ‘Any of your family coming, Peter?’ he asked.
‘I’m afraid I’m the only one left,’ said Peter, a little sadly. ‘End of the line.’
Clyde shook his head. ‘Something so weird about all of this…’
‘You didn’t have to come,’ said Luke tersely.
‘I wouldn’t miss this. What if something happens?’
Luke stood very close and whispered angrily, ‘Just because your dad turned out bad, doesn’t mean mine will.’
‘He’s not your dad,’ said Clyde.
‘He’s going to be,’ said Luke, firmly. ‘Don’t spoil Mum’s day!’
He walked off after Peter.
‘Is this it?’ said Gita as she walked up the long gravel drive from the car park to the hotel and saw the small number of guests waiting outside.
Rani’s dad Haresh sighed inwardly. He was used to Gita finding fault with anything and everything.
Gita started pointing people out to him. ‘That’s Emma, does her hair. Clarissa, used to be her editor. And that’s her accountant, I forget the name.’
‘You must be slipping,’ said Haresh.
‘Bit of a sorry turnout,’ said Gita. ‘That’s what happens when you rush to get married.’
Haresh nodded. ‘It’s rather peculiar. Marry in haste, repent at leisure, they say.’
Gita jabbed him in the side. ‘Trust you to be the voice of doom, Haresh. Smile!’
As they approached the front of the hotel, Luke stepped forward and cleared his throat. ‘Hello everybody. Welcome! It’s time to go in, if you’d like to follow the groom.’
The guests, including Clyde, Haresh and Gita, followed Peter in through the imposing doors of the hotel and into the large, wood-panelled reception area. ‘So, where are you heading after the reception, Peter, anywhere exotic?’ asked Gita.
‘Afterwards is a surprise,’ said Peter.
‘Can’t be any worse than our honeymoon. Total disaster!’
‘I enjoyed it,’ said Haresh.
‘Brussels!’ snorted Gita, with feeling, remembering a week of grey streets and high culture. ‘There’s nothing there!’
Outside, Luke waited as the wedding car pulled up on the gravel. The driver went round and opened the back door and Sarah Jane stepped out, looking beautiful in a simple white wedding dress.
‘Mum!’ called Luke proudly. She’d never looked better — or happier. Sarah Jane winked back, with the biggest smile in the world.
Then Rani stepped from the car, carrying a bouquet, and Luke almost took a step back. He’d only ever seen her in jeans or school uniform, but now she wore a cerise skirt, which showed off her long legs.
‘Rani,’ he stuttered, trying to find the right words. ‘You look — good.’
‘I look “good”?’ Rani shared a secret smile with Sarah Jane.
Luke smiled, remembering a time when he wouldn’t have understood why that was the wrong thing to say. ‘You look amazing!’ he said. ‘Both of you.’
Sarah Jane took his arm and they headed into the hotel. Rani followed on behind.
‘Harry Sullivan would have loved this,’ Sarah Jane said a little sadly. She looked heavenwards. “‘Finally tying the knot, old thing.”’
Mention of her old life prompted Luke to say something he’d been meaning to ask. ‘You know, Mum, I thought you might have gone for the Doctor. To give you away.’
‘I need somebody reliable,’ said Sarah Jane. ‘And I’m so very, very glad it’s you.’ She smiled. ‘Besides, where would I send the invite? Metebelis 3?’
Rani watched them go inside — and then, just for a second, she heard something strange. Like machinery, like a very old engine, wheezing and groaning.
She stopped, looked around — but there was nothing.
Then she heard the strains of the Wedding March coming from inside the hotel, and hurried in.
Clyde looked round the hotel ballroom. It looked like any other wedding. Totally normal.
At the front was a table, behind which stood the Registrar, a dignified-looking woman in her forties. There were two empty seats in front of her for the couple to sign the register. Peter was standing nervously there.
In front of the table, chairs were arranged in rows, with the aisle in the middle.
Rani’s mum and dad were at the front on the left. Clyde himself was on the right, in the second row, with empty seats for Luke and Rani in front of him.
It all looked completely ordinary. Clyde found himself wishing he was wrong as the Usher at the back of the room pressed play and a CD of the Wedding March played.
Everybody looked back at the door — as Sarah Jane, led by Luke, entered. Rani was behind them, carrying her bouquet.
He saw Sarah Jane’s
eyes meet Peter’s. They were so much in love. He had to be wrong, didn’t he? Please, let him be wrong.
Across the aisle he saw Gita staring not at Sarah Jane but at Rani. ‘Look at our little Rani. Seems like only yesterday she was in pigtails.’ She wiped a tear from her eye.
‘She’s not the one getting married,’ hissed Haresh.
‘Sarah’s so happy,’ said Gita as Sarah Jane passed them on her way to Peter. ‘It’s like a fairy tale.’
‘Pull yourself together,’ whispered Haresh. But Clyde could see Haresh was on the verge of tears himself, so proud of his daughter.
Sarah Jane reached Peter, and Rani handed her the bouquet. Then Luke and Rani quietly sat down before Clyde.
Clyde decided to make one last check. Just to put his mind at rest. He leant over to a table next to him, which was covered by a large cloth, and whispered, ‘K-9, scan.’
A tinny electronic whisper floated back from under the table. ‘All normal, Master Clyde.’
‘So far,’ said Clyde, crossing his fingers.
Luke turned, and whispered incredulously, ‘You’ve brought the dog?’
‘What do you think was under there, the wedding cake?’ Clyde hissed back. ‘There’s something wrong about this.’
They turned their attention to Sarah Jane and Peter as the music reached its end.
‘Good afternoon, everyone,’ said the Registrar. ‘I am Sandra Cho, the Superintendent Registrar. We are here today to witness the marriage of Sarah Jane Smith and Peter Anthony Dalton. In each other’s company they have found happiness, fulfilment and love. They now wish to affirm their relationship with this marriage.’ She smiled. ‘Now I have to ask this question. If any person can show just cause or impediment why they may not be joined together — let them speak now or forever hold their peace —’
Everybody shuffled, amused.
And at that moment the doors slammed open and a man rushed in, shouting, ‘Stop this wedding! Now!’
Sarah Jane, along with everybody else, turned in shock. But Clyde could see she recognised the stranger — a tall thin man in a long dark brown coat.
‘What?’ she gasped. ‘What?’
[Sarah Jane Adventures 09] - The Wedding of Sarah Jane Page 3
