Watching. Jeff Edwards

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ

      ‘They won’t be happy about it, but what can they do — send someone to kidnap you?’

      ‘I wouldn’t put it past them.’

      ‘Do you want to give it a try?’ asked Jade.

      ‘I insist on a formal agreement. I don’t want it said that I tried to cheat you.’

      ‘Of course. I’ll have my solicitors make a contract.’

      ‘Are you sure? Do you realise how much this will cost?’

      ‘Rani, do you realise just how obscenely rich I am? Tell her, Commodore, because I don’t even know,’ Jade requested of her grandfather, keeping her calm gaze on Rani.

      ‘Rani, I can assure you that Jade can afford this indulgence,’ replied the Commodore, trying to keep a straight face.

      Rani looked at the pair of them, their faces watching her expectantly in the candlelight, as she tried to come to terms with the possibility that her dreams might come true. At a loss for words, she just nodded in agreement.

      ‘Wonderful!’ Clapped the Commodore, ‘Now whose turn is it to dance with this old sea-dog?’

      Groom and Son were contacted, and Walter drew up the necessary documents. Gerald Groom had deemed the matter to be of little importance, and turned it over to his son, who greeted the Commodore, and the two girls, before leading them into his small, cramped office.

      ‘You’ll have to excuse the office; I’m just one step above the cleaner around here at the moment.’

      ‘But not for long,’ said Jade, reading the signs of pure ambition in Walter’s manner.

      ‘We all seek something better,’ agreed Walter Groom ... with a grin.

      The papers were signed, and witnessed, with Walter handing Rani a cheque. She took one look at the amount, and felt faint.

      ‘I can’t afford to repay this much money!’ she gasped.

      ‘Not at the moment, you can’t, but just wait until you have patients lined up to get in to see you,’ said Jade.

      ‘I wish I was as confident about this as you are.’

      ‘We all have confidence in you,’ agreed the Commodore. ‘Your school work proves you’re perfectly capable.’

      Walter Groom arose from behind his desk. ‘How about if we all step outside this cupboard I call an office so we can all take a breath? In fact, I insist that you all accompany me to the tavern next-door for lunch.’

      ‘That sounds like an excellent idea,’ said the Commodore.

      During the meal, Walter Groom assessed the young ladies before him. Both were beautiful in their own way, and both were attractive to him in other ways — Rani for her latent sexuality. The mixture of English and Indian blood producing an exotic young woman with a lush body, and eyes that drew one into their brown depths. Plus an intelligence that promised to match his own. She would definitely be a handful for any man. Jade, on the other hand, was not only beautiful, but already wealthy, with the potential to become even more so over the years.

      As he considered the two, he decided that Jade would be the one to whom he would give further attention. A wife with money is always preferable to a wife without, no matter how sexy she was. With money, you can have sex whenever you want. Jade was definitely the best way to get ahead in this world.

      Walter Groom leaned back in his chair, sipping delightedly at a whiskey, his decision made. Janice Green, with her good looks, and lots of lovely money, would definitely be worth pursuing as wifely material. Yes definitely, wifely material.

      

      The next few months were hectic for the girls.

      There were the applications for enrolment at university, the selection of suitable courses, and finally, accommodation to be found.

      The Commodore wanted the girls enrolled in a suitable ladies’ college, to keep them, once again, cloistered from the opposite sex, and able to concentrate on their studies.

      However, the girls had reached the age when the admiring glances of young men, were almost certainly returned with looks of shy appreciation of their own. Rani’s medical books describing the workings of the male and female bodies, had been pored over intently by the girls. They were convinced that they were now prepared for the outside world, and anxious to see if the black and white photos in the textbooks would look as interesting in real life.

      Assisted by the Commodore, accommodation was finally found in a boarding house, close by the university, lorded over by a large woman named Mrs Petri, who, it was reported, slept with one eye open. Legend had it that no errant guest had ever succeeded in smuggling an unwanted visitor past her eagle eye, especially a male visitor.

      The Commodore was very pleased that his charges would be so well chaperoned. The girls felt like they were back in their dormitory at Wilton, under the gaze of Miss Wright, but comforted themselves that Mrs Petri would only be watching them at home, while they had the rest of the day, and the expanse of the university, with its surrounding pubs, in which to cavort.

      Rani’s parents had not been pleased, to say the least. A flurry of telegrams between themselves and the Commodore had taken place. Finally, they realised that no matter what they said, or threatened, their daughter would not be returning home for the foreseeable future. Reluctantly, her father gave up his plans of coming to England to force her to return, and turned his attention to introducing his brother’s daughter to the prospective client. He would not, however, contribute to his daughter’s education, considering it a complete folly, and fully expecting her to return, ‘tail between her legs’, before the end of the first term.

      Rani, for her part, sent her parents long tearful letters, explaining why she had taken the unprecedented action of going against their wishes, discussing at length her hopes and plans for the future.

      Jade and Rani reluctantly bid the Commodore goodbye, as they packed their bags once again, and moved to London.

      Their arrival at the boarding house went quietly, and, overseen by the daunting Mrs Petri, they settled into their rooms. That afternoon, however, they came under the gaze of Mrs Petri once again, as she loomed large in Jade’s doorway, a bunch of red roses in her hand.

      ‘Young men are not permitted under this roof,’ she said, thrusting the flowers in Jade’s direction, ‘no matter how well-mannered they are. I’ll be keeping an eye on you, young lady.’

      Surprised, Jade took the flowers, smelling the gorgeous aroma. ‘I wasn’t expecting flowers from anyone.’

      Mrs Petri looked down her nose at Jade. ‘Well, I’m sure it won’t be the last time. But while you’re under my roof there will be no ‘hanky panky’. Do you understand?’

      ‘Of course, Mrs Petri.’

      Rani had heard the conversation, and entered the room, as Mrs Petri gave Jade one more stare, and wandered slowly back to her kitchen.

      ‘Well? СКАЧАТЬ