by John Creasey
Lorna’s voice was just above a whisper.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean he has a sense of perception, a feeling for beauty and antiquity, but something more. He not only wants the best, he yearns for it and loves it, in fact he almost worships it. Nothing but the best is good enough. He is that rare creature, the absolute perfectionist, stretching out beyond his own reach and capacity for something he knows exists out of reach.” When Lorna didn’t speak, he went on: “Don’t you agree?”
“Yes,” she said, very quietly.
“Melbury House and all that’s in it is the best he can do here,” Mannering went on.
“If you’re sure, then I’m sure.”
“He ought to buy it,” Mannering said. “But. . .”
“Yes?”
“He probably won’t.”
“Why not?”
Very carefully, Mannering said: “Because of you.”
“John! What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that if you were to say to him what Venella said, that you go with Melbury House, he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.”
Lorna opened her lips, but didn’t speak; she watched Mannering with an expression almost of horror, as if she could not, and yet was forced to, believe this intuitive knowledge.
“You know that’s true, don’t you?” Mannering went on.
“I-I don’t know what to say,” said Lorna. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I shouldn’t have asked such a question, yet I had to,” Mannering said. “Lorna, will you do something for me?”
“If-if I can.”
“I believe you can,” Mannering said. “I really believe you can, but that no one else in the world could. After dinner, talk to Brutus, alone. Persuade him to take Melbury House and persuade him to take Venella with it.”
Mannering stood up and went across to his wife, bent over her and held out his hands. As she rested hers in his and looked into his eyes, he felt a deadening fear of utter loss.
He said: “I love you so much, so very much. Losing you would be like losing part of me.”
It was late.
Somewhere, out in the moonlit grounds, walked Lorna and Nathaniel Brutus. In the big room overlooking the dark land, Mannering sat listening to a Liszt Sonata. At a small table, Venella sat looking through some English magazines.
Dinner had been over for three hours. Then, Brutus had been lively and almost excited, as if stimulated by the challenge. An hour afterwards Lorna had said: “John, I started a portrait of Brutus this morning.” She always said ‘Brutus’ as if it were a first name.
“Did you?”
“And it’s as good as anything Picasso could do,” Brutus declared.
“Nonsense. But I’d like to finish it.”
That was the way she had made it seem natural for her and Brutus to go off on their own. Mannering wasn’t sure whether to be glad or sorry that he didn’t know where they were; he only accepted the fact that he felt a gnawing anxiety which grew deeper with every passing minute. Surely it wasn’t possible that Lorna could have fallen in love with this man? It couldn’t be.
Yet he knew it could.
“John,” Venella said.
He didn’t hear her.
“John.”
He heard. “What’s that?”
“You’re not a very entertaining companion. Not like you were last night.”
“Last night was last night,” he said.
“And tonight is different,” Venella said. After a pause she went on: “Do you think he’ll do what you advise about Melbury?”
“He might.”
“Isn’t there any way you can influence him?”
“No more-no more than I’ve tried,” Mannering said. “How well do you know him?”
“I don’t think I know him well,” Venella admitted reluctantly. “Not really well. In a few minutes Lorna knew him better than I, who have known him for ten years, and been in love with him practically all that time.” As Mannering moved, she said quietly: “Don’t worry, I’m not going to embarrass you with a lot of mawkish sentiment, but facts are facts. You know my well-known habit of throwing myself at the head of any attractive man, don’t you? Especially if he happens to have something I want. There isn’t a way I haven’t tried to get Nathaniel. I’ll take him on any terms. The worst of it is, he knows it.”
She broke off.
There was a movement outside, as two figures moved across the patio. Mannering saw Lorna’s face in the light of the room-and she was radiant. His heart seemed to thunder in his ears. Then Brutus appeared, carrying a canvas with great care. Lorna opened the mesh door. Mannering sprang across and opened the glass one, Lorna stood aside and Brutus came in.
He was like a man transformed.
He walked across to the Picasso, rested the canvas on the floor, took Black Day down, and put the canvas in its place. Taking a hammer and some tacks out of his pocket, he tacked the canvas into the wooden wall, corner by corner.
Then he stood back, and said in a penetrating whisper: “That’s what I call a miracle!”
And in it’s way it was a miracle, for Lorna had captured the very spirit of him, even to the fire which burned in his eyes. It was almost as if the picture lived in him, and he in it.
“My God,” Venella breathed.
Mannering thought despairingly: I’ve lost her.
Then Lorna came to his side, and caught his hand, and passed on a message which drove the fear away. He put his arm round her waist, and felt her yield, as Brutus cried: “How about that, John? How about it, Venella?” He turned to Venella and caught her hands. “Are you sure the man in that picture is what you want? Because that’s the way I am.”
One morning two months later, Mannering was in the office behind Quinn’s when he heard Lorna’s voice. Immediately he pushed aside the papers in front of him, waiting for her to come. Bright with excitement, her cheeks flushed, her eyes alight, she thrust her face forward for a kiss.
“John, they’re married!”
“They-oh! Venella and Nathaniel?”
“Yes,” Lorna said, opening a crocodile handbag and taking out a folded cablegram. “Yesterday, at Melbury House-but look.” There was something else she hadn’t yet told him, something she wanted him to read for himself.
The first words made him chuckle.
Hallo, miracle workers. First stone moved from here to site near War Museum Canberra today. Great enthusiasm everywhere. Every newspaper calls me a public benefactor. Make a date twelve months from today for official opening Sport. We will kill the fatted sheep for you. Oh, yes, Venella and I were married by the side of the hole in the wall made by taking away the first stone. No wedding gifts by request.
Goodbye miracle workers.
Signed: The Living Miracle.
By the time he had finished, Mannering was laughing.
A minute or two later, he was saying: “I’ve just been going through Toby Plender’s settlement of the Duke of Alda affair. The Globe’s apologized and paid five thousand pounds to a named charity, and I’m to pay the same to any charity I wish. The Duchy accepts it as a misunderstanding, and will continue to use me to sell for them.”
“Happy about it?” Lorna asked.
“Perfectly happy.”
“As a topic of interest the whole affair soon died down in the newspapers. I doubt if anyone thought twice about it,” Lorna said. “Though at the time I felt it was a tragedy.”
“At the time,” Mannering said, “it almost threatened to be.” He was smiling a little tensely as he went on: “Do you ever wish you’d stayed in Australia?”
“Not for a moment,” Lorna said. “But. . .”
“But?”
“I’m very glad we went,” Lorna said. “In a strange way it started us on a new life.” After a moment she went on, laughing rather shyly: “Shouldn’t I have said that?”
“It needed saying,” Mannering said. “It needed saying. I only hope we never have
to say it again.”
Series Information
Published or to be published by
House of Stratus
Dates given are those of first publication
‘The Baron’ Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Title Also Published as:
1 Meet the Baron The Man in the Blue Mask 1937
2 The Baron Returns The Return of the Blue Mask 1937
3 The Baron Again Salute Blue Mask 1938
4 The Baron at Bay Blue Mask at Bay 1938
5 Alias the Baron Alias Blue Mask 1939
6 The Baron at Large Challenge Blue Mask! 1939
7 Versus the Baron Blue Mask Strikes Again 1940
8 Call for the Baron Blue Mask Victorious 1940
9 The Baron Comes Back 1943
10 A Case for the Baron 1945
11 Reward for the Baron 1945
12 Career for the Baron 1946
13 The Baron and the Beggar 1947
14 Blame the Baron 1948
15 A Rope for the Baron 1948
16 Books for the Baron 1949
17 Cry for the Baron 1950
18 Trap the Baron 1950
19 Attack the Baron 1951
20 Shadow the Baron 1951
21 Warn the Baron 1952
22 The Baron Goes East 1953
23 The Baron in France 1953
24 Danger for the Baron 1953
25 The Baron Goes Fast 1954
26 Nest-Egg for the Baron Deaf, Dumb and Blonde 1954
27 Help from the Baron 1955
28 Hide the Baron 1956
29 The Double Frame Frame the Baron 1957
30 Blood Red Red Eye for the Baron 1958
31 If Anything Happens to Hester Black for the Baron 1959
32 Salute for the Baron 1960
33 The Baron Branches Out A Branch for the Baron 1961
34 The Baron and the Stolen Legacy Bad for the Baron 1962
35 A Sword for the Baron The Baron and the Mogul Swords 1963
36 The Baron on Board 1964
37 The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle 1964
38 Sport for the Baron 1966
39 Affair for the Baron 1967
40 The Baron and the Missing Old Masters 1968
41 The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait 1969
42 Last Laugh for the Baron 1970
43 The Baron Goes A-Buying 1971
44 The Baron and the Arrogant Artist 1972
45 Burgle the Baron 1973
46 The Baron - King Maker 1975
47 Love for the Baron 1979
Series by John Creasey
Published by House of Stratus
‘Department ‘Z’’ (28 titles)
‘Dr. Palfrey Novels’ (34 titles)
‘Inspector West’ (43 titles)
‘Sexton Blake’ (5 titles)
‘The Baron’ (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)
‘The Toff’ (59 titles)
along with:
The Masters of Bow Street
This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey’s account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel’s Act in 1829.
Select Synopses
Gideon’s Day
Gideon’s day is a busy one. He balances family commitments with solving a series of seemingly unrelated crimes from which a plot nonetheless evolves and a mystery is solved. One of the most senior officers within Scotland Yard, George Gideon’s crime solving abilities are in the finest traditions of London’s world famous police headquarters. His analytical brain and sense of fairness is respected by colleagues and villains alike.
The Case Against Paul Raeburn
Chief Inspector Roger West has been watching and waiting for over two years - he is determined to catch Paul Raeburn out. The millionaire racketeer may have made a mistake, following the killing of a small time crook. Can the ace detective triumph over the evil Raeburn in what are very difficult circumstances? This cannot be assumed as not eveything, it would seem, is as simple as it first appears .....
Introducing The Toff
Whilst returning home from a cricket match at his father’s country home, the Honourable Richard Rollison - alias The Toff - comes across an accident which proves to be a mystery. As he delves deeper into the matter with his usual perseverance and thoroughness, murder and suspense form the backdrop to a fast moving and exciting adventure.
www.houseofstratus.com
Table of Contents
Copyright
About the Author
1: “Hey, Sport”
2: Millionaire or Windbag?
3: The Disappointed Bidder
4: Mistrust
5: Flight 701
6: Riverside
7: “Stuck with It”
8: Flight
9: “Go Home”
10: Love or Hate?
11: Quick Work
12: Preview
13: Crack of the Whip
14: Surprise, Surprise
15: “What Brought You?”
16: The Portrait
17: The Picasso
18: Miracle
Series Information
Select Synopses
