The Five Tors

by Benjamin Ford

  Rob shook his head solemnly. ‘No. I came to ask if you’ve given my number out to anyone recently. I’ve had two odd phone calls today, one from Virginia Saunders.’

  ‘What did she have to say for herself?’ gasped Jonathan

  Rob could tell instantly that his agent was shocked at the revelation, and knew he was correct in his belief that Jonathan had nothing to do with giving Virginia his telephone number. ‘Nothing that I could be bothered to listen to. I put the phone down on her!’

  Jonathan chuckled. ‘Good for you, Rob. Anyway, the fact that you are here explains why I couldn’t get an answer at your place.’

  Rob’s eyes widened in mock horror. ‘That means Satan hasn’t returned! Honestly, I’m always telling him to answer the phone for me, but he’s always conspicuous by his absence!’

  Jonathan laughed aloud and shivered theatrically. ‘Honestly, it gives me the creeps the way you always refer to that cat as though it’s human!’

  Rob sighed. ‘Well, sometimes he really does seem to understand what I’m saying to him! That’s probably why he actually didn’t eat his food this evening, because he knows he’s got to go on a diet.’

  ‘And about time! I keep telling you that you’ll kill the poor thing with kindness! You cannot make up for the cruelty it suffered before the RSPCA rescued it!’

  ‘I know,’ said Rob with a downcast beat. ‘But I love Satan. I would never do anything to deliberately harm him, you know that.’

  ‘Well, at least you’re taking action now. Better late than never.’

  Rob looked at Jonathan. ‘So anyway, why were you trying to contact me?’

  ‘Oh yes, I have a visitor who wants to see you.’ Jonathan noticed Rob’s apprehensive look, and smiled. ‘Don’t worry, it’s not Virginia.’

  Rob followed his agent into the apartment, waiting as he closed the door, and then lay a restraining hand on his arm. ‘Jonno, this person doesn’t bring bad news, I hope.’

  Jonathan shook his head. ‘Oh no, I think you’ll like the surprise actually. He’s waiting for you in the living room. I’m going to make some coffee.’

  As Jonathan disappeared into the kitchen, Rob stared at the closed door that led to the apartment’s spacious living room, apprehensive about whom he would find waiting for him.

  Steeling his resolve he opened the door and stepped into the cool room, calmed as always by its Californian décor. The cool cream furnishings and walls always had a soothing effect on him, but his heart began beating to a slightly irregular tune as he caught sight of the figure standing by the potted palm.

  The man had his back to the room, staring out of the window into the London gloom, and although Rob could see his own reflection clearly, he could not make out the features of the stranger.

  ‘Hello,’ Rob muttered. ‘I understand you wanted to speak with me?’

  ‘Indeed,’ intoned the man solemnly without turning around, which Rob thought very rude. ‘I have been waiting for this moment for such a long time.’

  ‘Do I know you?’

  ‘My wife speaks of you often.’

  Rob felt a chill creep up his spine. ‘Her name wouldn’t be Virginia by any chance?’

  The man shook his head. ‘No, my wife is Lilly, the receptionist downstairs. You can’t begin to imagine how I felt when she first mentioned you. I kept putting off this meeting, because I wasn’t sure how you’d react to seeing me, but after Mum’s death, I felt I should make the effort.’

  ‘Turn around!’

  The man did as he was bid, and Rob stumbled backwards in shock as he was greeted with a visage that resembled his deceased mother. ‘Gerald?’ he gasped as he recovered from his initial shock. ‘Gerald, is that really you?’

  ‘In the flesh,’ said the man with a slightly relieved grin. ‘I go now by the name Gerry Brosnan.’

  ‘Mother’s maiden name.’

  ‘Yes. I could have carried on using my own surname, but I loved her as much as she loved me, so thought it only fitting to take her maiden name.’

  ‘Why didn’t you get in touch after Dad died?’ snapped Rob. ‘Mum never gave up hope that you’d come back into our lives after that bastard was gone.’ From the look on Gerry’s face, Rob could tell this was news to him, and his own demeanor softened slightly. ‘You didn’t know, did you?’

  Gerry shook his head, taking a couple of steps towards his brother. ‘I had no idea he was dead, but I can’t say I’m sorry. I am sorry I missed Mum’s funeral, though. I didn’t find out about it until Lilly mentioned it afterwards. That was when I decided I should get in touch. I’d left it too long to see Mum, I didn’t want to leave it too long with you.’

  ‘Gerald… Gerry, why didn’t you contact us before now? It’s been twenty years. A card, just to let us know you were all right, or a telephone call.’

  ‘I sent both you and Mum cards every birthday and Christmas for years, but then I got one returned saying you no longer lived there and that the new occupants had no forwarding address.’

  ‘Well, we never got any cards from you. Mum moved after Dad died. She wouldn’t leave him, though I begged her to on numerous occasions, but after he died she decided to sever all ties with the bad memories. I guess the old bastard must have intercepted anything from you.’

  ‘It was only when I married Lilly a couple of months back that I discovered she knew of you. She didn’t say much about you, only that you were pestering one of the occupants of this place.’

  Rob snorted. ‘She doesn’t like me, and I still don’t know why. Jonathan is my agent and my best friend, which is why I am always around. I certainly don’t pester him!’

  ‘You’ll have to forgive Lilly; she has strange ideas about how it’s her job to protect those who live here. She seems under the impression that you are lusting after Mr Carson.’

  ‘He’s not lusting after anyone.’ Jonathan’s voice carried from the doorway as he appeared carrying a tray laden with mugs of steaming coffee and a bowl full of biscuits. ‘He and I are in love.’

  ‘Oh.’

  Rob grimaced slightly. ‘I wouldn’t have been quite so blunt if I’d got around to telling you that first,’ he said, his tone almost apologetic.

  ‘Hey, don’t worry,’ chuckled Gerry. ‘I’m not shocked. I kind of always knew you’d end up with a fella. Even when you were in your early teens it was pretty obvious to me.’

  ‘Well you could have told me. It would have made my life a whole lot easier’

  ‘Little bro, life is a long chain of self-discovery. We can’t go around letting other people tell us everything. We have to learn things for ourselves; it’s how we develop as people.’

  ‘He’s got a point,’ said Jonathan. ‘If Lilly had told me that you fancied me after she first met you then I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you. By keeping that to herself, she allowed us to develop very strong feelings for one another. We should thank her really.’

  ‘I guess you’re right, Jonno. I suppose I should also thank her for bringing Gerry back into my life.’

  Gerry nodded. ‘If she’d told me that Dad was dead, I’d have been in touch weeks ago, but I thought he was still alive.’

  ‘Even after so long, he still fills you with fear?’

  Gerry shook his head. ‘No, the only fear I had was what I might have done to him had I bumped into him. But it’s no use having regrets about not getting in touch sooner; that won’t change anything.’

  ‘No, it won’t. Mum never hated you for not contacting her. Maybe she somehow knew Dad hid the cards from us. Who knows? It doesn’t matter now, anyway. You’re here, and I’m delighted to see you.’

  The two brothers stepped closer as one and hugged one another whilst Jonathan set the tray down upon the low table in between the trio of cream sofas.

  ‘Actually,’ Rob continued with a wry smile as they separated, ‘it’s quite ironic that you should have turned up today, as only a few hours ago I said to Mum that it was about time I started searching for you.�
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  ‘You visited her grave today? We could have bumped into each other. I paid my respects this morning.’

  ‘No, I wasn’t at the grave today. I always speak to her photos; I have lots of them all around the house. It makes me feel as though she’s still with me.’

  ‘Funny you should say that, because I have one photo of the three of us, and I speak to it almost every day.’ Gerry pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and withdrew a crumpled old photo in which two young men and a beautiful woman laughed joyously upon a beach. ‘Brighton, on your sixteenth birthday. Our last holiday together.’

  ‘I remember it well, Gerry. A year later, you were gone from our lives. And I remember only too well the reason for your departure.’

  Gerry pulled up his shirtsleeve, revealing a faded scar across his left forearm. ‘It healed, but I can still feel the blade, slicing across my flesh. I’d have gone to the police, but I knew that would kill Mum. I felt running away was the lesser of the two evils.’

  Rob nodded. ‘I’d have come with you, but losing two boys would have been the end of Mum. I couldn’t do that to her, so I stayed. She wasn’t happy when, a couple of years later, I moved out to live with my girlfriend of the time.’ He noted Gerry’s expression and grinned. ‘Oh yes, Gerry, I had another girlfriend after Andrew. I wasn’t ready for boys back then.’

  ‘Who was the unlucky girl?’

  ‘Virginia Saunders.’

  Gerry’s expression retained a neutral contour. Rob could not tell if his brother recalled the name.

  ‘Do you remember her? Her family lived just round the corner from us for a few years before they moved away.’

  Gerry nodded. ‘I remember her only too clearly. I never liked her. You’re well shot of her. Well done for dumping her. Did you get rid of her when you realised it was a man you needed in your life?’

  ‘No! I was actually very happy with her until she walked out on me one day with no word of warning and no word of explanation. She turned me into an alcoholic.’

  ‘Which is where I stepped in.’

  Gerry glanced at Jonathan. ‘And I’m very glad you did. I’d hate to think of my brother following in our father’s footsteps, and all because of a woman.’ He returned his attention to Rob. ‘You’re so much better off without her in your life. Stick with Jonathan here. He clearly loves you.’

  ‘I thought I was well shot of her too, but just this very evening she called me out of the blue. I don’t know how she got hold of my number, but she wants to meet me. No contact for thirteen years and now she wants to tell me her reasons for walking out.’

  ‘Far be it from me to give advice after I walked out on our family, but I hope you don’t intend to meet her.’

  ‘You’re a different case, Gerry. You had a genuine reason for walking out. Ginny didn’t. We were happy together. I know Mum didn’t like her, but that never bothered Ginny. I could never understand why she disappeared.’

  Passing around the mugs of coffee, Jonathan indicated that they should sit, and as he settled beside Rob, he laid a hand on the author’s arm. ‘You know she’ll only tell you a pack of lies, Rob. She’s had thirteen years to come up with a perfect story. She’s only come back into your life because you’re so rich and famous now. She’s nothing more than a money-grabbing bitch.’

  ‘Maybe, but my curiosity is aroused.’

  ‘So long as that’s all that’s aroused!’

  Rob laughed, spilling his coffee. ‘Don’t worry, Jonno, I have no intention of letting her back under my skin!’

  ‘I’m glad to hear it. But I really don’t think you should meet with her. She’s bad news, Rob. You know it, and I know it.’

  ‘You’re lucky to have someone like Jonathan looking out for you,’ said Gerry. ‘He’s right. Once she gets her claws into you, you’ll never shake her loose again. Don’t meet with her. I’ll stake my life on it that she’s gonna make trouble.’

  Rob glanced from one to the other. ‘I’m sure you’re both only trying to look out for me, but I think I can make that decision for myself.’

  ‘If you meet her you’ll regret it!’

  The warning tone to Gerry’s voice was tinged with a veiled threat that Rob did not care for. Having been out of his life for twenty years, did his brother really think he could just waltz back in and start telling him what to do?

  It struck Rob as very odd that both people he had cared for who had abandoned him should reappear in his life on the same day. Something was awry with the situation, and he could not quite put his finger on it.

  He stood up and set down the mug. ‘I’m not going to be dictated to,’ he snapped. ‘If I want to meet with Ginny, then I shall. You have no right to tell me what to do, Gerry.’ He turned to Jonathan. ‘Don’t try to stop me seeing her if I want to, Jonno, or our friendship is over.’

  ‘Rob, don’t you think you’re over reacting?’ Jonathan said, laughing in an effort to make light of the situation.

  ‘If you think I’m overreacting then you obviously don’t know me as well as you think! I’m going home. I’ll speak to you later.’

  Jonathan made a move to follow as Rob left the living room, but Gerry restrained him. ‘No, let him go. He’ll be back.’

  Jonathan faced him, a worried frown creasing his face. ‘But what about the things you say Lilly told you? You said Rob is doomed unless we can persuade him to stay away from Virginia and that place.’

  ‘For God’s sake, Jonathan, be careful what you say. Lilly told me not to tell anyone what she said. If the others find out that you know I’m married to her and that I’ve spoken to you then we’ll all be in danger, and if more people find out what’s going on then Rob will be in even more danger. Rob must decide for himself. When he’s calmed down, we can try to speak with him again about it.’

  ‘But Virginia has been in touch with him, Gerry. If what you say is true, then that can only mean the time is near.’

  ‘It’s possible she has nothing to do with the danger that awaits Rob there.’

  ‘But if she does?’

  ‘Then we must just hope that Rob doesn’t meet her before we can speak with him. Whatever happens, he must not learn of the Devill’s Tor from someone else!’

  * * *

  Rob went through a tumult of mixed emotions as he walked in the crisp autumn air through Hyde Park until he came upon the Serpentine, staring at it as though seeing it for the very first time. The moon, reflected in the calm water of the lake, had an equally calming effect on him and as he sat there deep in thought, he put everything into perspective and realised he had overreacted – not for the first time in his life.

  There were, however, questions to which he needed answers, and so he returned to the apartment building, pleased to discover that Lilly was off duty and that Ralph had taken her place.

  Ralph Branagh was far more personable than the annoying woman, and Rob had a soft spot for the young man. Ralph was as offhandedly good looking as Rob, who knew the callow youth had fallen in love with him the moment they faced one another across the reception desk for the first time.

  Ralph smiled at him in his usual buoyant manner. ‘Hi, Rob, Mr Carson said you’d probably be back. He said to tell you to go right on up.’

  Rob returned the smile, wishing Lilly could be as pleasant as this personable youth. ‘Thanks, Ralphie. Is Gerry still with him?’

  Ralph frowned. ‘Who’s Gerry? Has Mr Carson got himself a boyfie? Oh the lucky bugger.’

  ‘I know this is going to come as a crushing blow, Ralphie, but yes, Jonathan has got himself a boyfriend, but it’s not Gerry. Gerry is my brother… well, half-brother. We haven’t seen each other for about twenty years. He tracked me down through Lilly, his wife.’

  ‘What, Lilly whose shift I took over half an hour ago?’ scoffed Ralph with such a derisive snort that Rob had to check it was pleasant little Ralph Branagh sat before him and not some imposter. ‘Listen, Rob, this guy Gerry might very well not be Mr Carson’s boyfie, and I
’m sure he is your brother if you say so, but one thing he most certainly is not is Lilly’s husband!’

  ‘What? I don’t understand. Jonno said–’

  ‘I don’t care what Mr Carson told you, Rob, but I’m telling you that Lilly is not married to a man called Gerry. Her husband’s name is Stan, or at least it was. She left him about six months ago, when she came to London to start a new life for herself. This is her first job since coming to the city.’

  Rob had to admit that one of his unanswered questions was why Jonathan had never mentioned the fact that Lilly was married to Gerry Brosnan, a man who resembled Maureen Tyler. It was possible that Jonathan had never met Gerry until that night, but as he thought back, Rob realised there had never been any mention of her surname, and no mention of her having married recently.

  And now it appeared that Lilly was not actually married to Gerry after all, if what Ralph said was true.

  Rob had no reason to disbelieve the young man, but instead of answering any of the lingering questions, it only added to them.

  ‘Isn’t it possible that Lilly has remarried since coming here? I was told they’d only married a couple of months ago.’

  Ralph shook his head. ‘Highly unlikely. If they are married, then Lilly is a bigamist! She keeps going on about how evil this Stan is, and how cruel he is to have not signed the divorce papers after six months.’

  ‘Have you ever met this man?’

  Again Ralph shook his head. ‘No, and from the things Lilly has said about him, I hope I never do.’

  With so many lies, it was hard to know which was the truth. At one point, Rob would have believed Jonathan over Ralph, but now he was uncertain. He could not understand why Jonathan would lie about such a thing, nor why Gerry would go along with the lie.

  ‘Do you want me to ring up to let Jonathan know you’re back?’ asked Ralph as Rob headed for the lift.

  ‘No, don’t bother.’

  Ralph followed Rob to the lift. ‘Before you go, you said Mr Carson has a new boyfriend. Who is it?’

  ‘It was me,’ Rob replied as the doors began to close, ‘but after today it might be a very short lived relationship!’