Meet The Baron
Page 26
He had known that apart from the bullet the only possible source of trouble was the Rosa pearls, and when he had regained consciousness and had seen Lorna alone with him he had told her where to find the key and the pearls. She had done the rest, coolly and capably. The Ramon jewels he had left at the New Arts Hall; the case had been locked, and was safer there than anywhere else. He did not think that Bristow was likely to look for them there.
So he had those gems and the Rosas. They would bring enough to keep him going for several months; if he could sell the Rosas, enough for a year or more. But in future he’d be more careful.
More careful!
He opened his eyes suddenly. A shock that was almost physical ran through him. He had realized, almost without thinking about it, that he had no thought of giving up the game: the idea hadn’t occurred to him . . .
The Baron was still free.
But there was Lorna, he realized, and he smiled at her, speaking slowly of the things he had been tempted to ask many times before until.
“If I drop it,” he asked, “will you marry me?”
There was short, tense silence. Her eyes, dark, sometimes mocking and mysterious, held nothing but deep sorrow.
“But I can’t,” she said, in a voice which he could hardly hear. “I’d give half my life to, John, but I can’t.” As she finished speaking there was an absolute silence in the room for a period that seemed as if it would never end. Then Mannering stretched out his arms and took her hands in his. There was a soft smile on his lips, and a gleam in his eyes that she had seen so often and loved so much.
He was thinking, as he looked into her face, of the things she had said and done in the last few months - since the day when they had first met and she had appealed to him as ‘different.’ He remembered her reputation; he knew that no men had interested her, that Fauntley had despaired of her ever marrying. Then he reminded himself of the hopelessness that had shone from her eyes sometimes, of the fits of depression she had, even though she had managed to lose them when they had been together. He recalled the time when he had discovered that she wanted money badly, yet dared not approach her father.
And now she said, “I’d give half my life to, John, but I can’t.”
It could mean only one thing, he knew, and now he felt that he had suspected it for a long time. He spoke at last, slowly, smiling, and giving her a confidence enough to repress the tears that were so close to the surface.
“So - you’re married?”
Lorna nodded, and said nothing. What could she say?
“And you’re paying - him - money to keep the marriage secret?
She nodded again, but spoke this time.
“Yes.” Her voice was very low, but he heard every word clearly. “I’ve been married for a long time. Oh, it seems a century ago! He went away soon afterwards, and we agreed to keep it a secret until he returned - God, what a fool I was!”
“Steady,” murmured Mannering, and his pressure on her hands increased.
“Thanks,” she said, and a smile flashed in her eyes, to disappear swiftly. “I don’t know what the past year would have been like without you, John. He came back just after I’d met you. He wanted money, and he was prepared to keep silent if I gave it to him. So” - she shrugged her shoulders, and her smile was gone now; she looked tragic, he told himself, but more beautiful than he had ever seen her - “I did all I could. That’s why I tried to take the Overndon necklace – ”
Mannering had told himself a few minutes before that he knew all there was to know. Now, as her words came out slowly …they took several seconds to impress themselves on his mind. She had tried to take the Overndon necklace!
“Good God!” he gasped. “At the wedding - so the dummy pearls were yours!”
“Yes,” she said steadily; her gaze did not move. “I even bought the dummy pearls to match the real ones as near as I could. I’d been with Emma to buy them in the first place, and I knew what they were like. But when I was there my nerves went. I slipped the dummies into Gerry’s pocket, never dreaming there would be any trouble . . .”
She broke off, and there was silence for a few minutes.
Mannering was trying to get this new fact out of his mind; it was amazing enough, but it didn’t matter now. True, it cleared up the mystery of the dummies, but everything other than the fact of Lorna’s marriage was unimportant.
“It’s all right,” he said at last. “Nothing happened that wasn’t soon put right. But - ”
She flung her head back and ran her fingers through her hair.
“The marriage can’t be put right,” she said. “Oh, I could let it be known; I could get a divorce. But it would break Dad - he’s so scared of scandal. Mother too. Somehow I don’t think I could find the courage to - to let it come out.”
“You’d rather pay him - and have your life a misery,” said Mannering, but there was no sting in his words, and his voice strengthened suddenly. “We’ll find a way out, my dear. We must find one. A year or two won’t matter, while we’re waiting; and meanwhile we can work.”
Lorna smiled; her eyes held real humour, and he marvelled at the way she could forget the thing that must have made her wish, often enough, that she was dead,
“The Baron can work,” she said, and they laughed together.
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
&
nbsp; ‘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.
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