I will start my story with an apology to my daily journal readers. Though this account of mine is quite different from medical discoveries, it might clear up many theories and conspiracies regarding the famous case of the English Duke, which has been branded false by some and incredulous by many. As my dear friend Vera says, it is the conspiracy which interests people, far more than the truth. Yet I hope that this story will finally give rest to any other versions of it.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxO7M4r1ON
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It was the afternoon of the 10th of January, a cold and windy day, when I was fixing a patient of mine.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡML1Y4bCiBF
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkCz49Gnrp
"It is cold then, which depresses you?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgQqbowHyi
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQdeRiDXQA
" Ah, what can I say," my patient began," It is cold. But it is the knee too."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD7Tq0EIS4
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaGi4CyOS3
"Knee?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4UUxro1nO
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9NvDW4cOe
" Yes. I have been travelling much. From here to there. You comprehend?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDi9zEbuH7
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRhf8DxMFP
I didn't. 581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0os7E6fwHu
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErZi1y37qG
Before I spoke anything, my patient stood up, and for the first time, I was able to see his face that was hidden under his hat earlier.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkhf42rjmk
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR21j6bFSuX
He had an egg shaped face, a glorious moustache and sparkling eyes. He reminded me of someone I had seen in the papers, but who, that I couldn't tell.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5NHk2hxLY
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCPa1CzYbl
"You see mon ami, it is your friend who gave me this knee."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPzZwjjcV3
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2a403Ma4i
I looked at him. Trying not to laugh at his ridiculous face, I asked, " My friend?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx35ubCMNLY
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeerYTDkK4
"Oh yes. Vera."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwfbtYyg5N
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZLIEFcBqn
"Oh."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFS4QJiyUc
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWTlSaIINP
Vera. My closest friend. She had a very odd job in this world. But her life was thrilling. Running here and there, chasing after this person and that person - oh what a life.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly0Q52N48Z
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8OAyYk6QO
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX508JVcx7
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWf0vAlrgog
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaGgvfqiY4
The man put his hand in his pocket and clasped his cane with the other. As he turned around, he handed me a letter and bowed, signalling the end of our time and went out of my clinic.
I sat on my chair and gazed out of the door the man had gone out through. There was utter confusion on my face. 581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cOTHUL8RI
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVZn72KGWc
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nsXTn9zZ1
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXC0sxTV5wS
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJAahN6Mjv
I unfolded the letter he had brought me. With sceptical eyes, I read:581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZ521CEIZN
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTUd2jMVuf
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSxD6tXgVs
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZ7z37dABv
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk1UrWOa0bF
Dear Jim,581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT20qjbFwP5
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4ldX4477a
How are you? I am fine. Listen. Come and meet me on the 27th of this month. I have a very interesting thing for you to look forward to. It might knock you off the chair you are currently sitting in and also change your sceptical look to a look of awe.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLq3JxBDfF8
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPPfejcCVY
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfyD2ps5dR
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejIGkU4yEn
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunUMWoQ3al
Yours, Vera.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuTr5NpPKx
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo2BM9dUUy5
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXxRlMr8iI
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IP9VojWxJ
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQmgpOcrg4
That was her. Vera Clay, a friend of mine. She was a detective. I had first met her when I had stumbled upon a murder case involving a relative of mine.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdp8hdETes
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1W9HLP3DBq
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5hFT38Ri0
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AU8BjW5Nn
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsD8YJBTIJA
I knew of her smart brain and so didn't care to think how she had accurately written in her letter that I would be sitting on my chair, with a sceptic look.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRARXprVUqS
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGrZT8wkTI
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581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNg8sK0P0W
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnT0pJdaM8I
The 27th arrived and I repaired myself to Vera's house in East London. It was a small flat, a rented one. I had lived in it with Vera for ten years before I had moved out to continue with my practice. The door was a little rusted and was unbolted.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jUmQC48xz
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJnCzOrsHU
I walked inside.
The sight I saw did not surprise me.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjyHkNGTov
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRaVV5bNkc
Vera was leaning over her table, looking into her microscope, examining a sample.
I quietly walked over to her and placed my coat on the table beside her.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOi7a3BGIgs
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1szOhKbGxS
It was then that she took notice of me and, without looking up, greeted, " Hallo Jim."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEWfwsBpUE
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHM3I0OYBov
I went straight to the point.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ypOVZOPCy
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstkjtZySgh
" Vera, you didn't write that letter, did you?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5v3SnJiZGy
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqqkyjrpep
She dived even deeper in her microscope and just replied impassively, "Hmm...what? Oh the letter. No i didn't. I just dictated it to young Dave living across the street. I fancy he might've added some of his own bits, considering i had just dictated him one line."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2urLDzqIqy
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwI1a9blbGX
I laughed and sat on a chair.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCz0D00fju
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMEsKCFSo4
"Was it so obvious though?", Vera asked after a while.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiL88oWC5hh
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuE7GpEBKh
I smiled and replied, " Of course. I've known you for ten years. I know your style."
None of us spoke for a few minutes after that. It was typical of her. She only spoke if the other person did. She was not the type to start a conversation.
The silence was unnerving me. She was so engaged in her scientific work that I thought she had forgotten that she had called me here.
Frustrated, I asked, anything to get her to talk, " How did you know that i would be "sitting on my chair with a sceptic look"?"
She replied in a bored voice, " It was so obvious. I have know you for ten years as you say so yourself. Even young Dave got it."
The silence continued.
She perched herself back and slammed her fist on the table. The action was enough to surprise me, but not much - I was used to it.
Vera yelled, " Awful! Amazingly, brilliantly, boringly awful!"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtcu2Jw7JZ
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2NgzBdtTi
I advanced to calm her, but stopped as I realised it wasn't necessary.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWrU32M0uI
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnuD2pGKRXz
Instead, I asked," What's the experiment?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ15hN2eUPtu
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkaMpAXn5q
She looked at me for the first time and replied, " Oh Jim. You're still here. I thought you were off. The experiment? Nothing. Just the old sheriff who commissioned me to match fingerprints for a robbery case."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVeKgfsNDH
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRv5HoGGFX
"And?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFm1Rjzs9F5
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJegacqEi7e
" They turned out to be the fingerprints of the Sheriff himself."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkT4Hpgsqb
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlBo1UemSv
"Isn't that good? You got your man."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQKtHW5aDL
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvPAgcBzbS
"No. He can't have robbed."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1EoCXs9AO
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfFXi60eoF
"Why?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETl9VIb0KI
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpETHPQeyz
She frowned and replied, Oh why can't you just think Jim? He can't have robbed. That's because identifying fingerprints is something which is fairly simple. Surely a man as intelligent as the Sherrif won't turn himself in. Also, he was wearing boots on the day of the robbery."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyaRKZntdyY
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlkAtw5lcm
I frowned and replied satirically," Well that makes perfect sense."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMYOXIx2fd
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2700YTELx5
"Doesn't it?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMh9gzL7yT
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxSw4g4CNP
I have to say, sarcasm is wasted on Vera. All she wants is talk of business. Nothing else.
So I asked, " Who was that man you sent the letter with?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtltdzJAWrE
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOqY2ISKIz
"Oh just an old friend of mine. He is a detective too. Might be the greatest detective of today's times."
" He looks rather ridiculous to me."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWW4SjmOem
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8N0obwKwK
"Few people take him seriously."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYCqtSCsaz
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ju5xlxeWh
She went off into the kitchen, and I followed her.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qOO44iVyF
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0KGg9Bu4E
"Weren't you going to show me something interesting?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaRQJS554G
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEhj5Tp93o
She turned to me and smiled, excited.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtIMHRNzs1
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She said, " Glad you mentioned it."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWEpTBTetO
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tHrt08H4K
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxCO227PkJ9
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhGJRvQye8
She frowned and said, " You didn't ask."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGniXtn3nV
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4v4nSwMKa
Call me imprudent if you like, I thought.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kZ3jKsXQY
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLLnHuGr1B
"On my table in the hall, there's a package. Bring it."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt086YCU4lt
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdQ6vshqd6
I did so. 581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIwlyl7fIs
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kq0CnLg1X
I handed it over to her, expecting a reaction, but all I got was nothing. Her eyes were uninteresting and bored, as if it was obvious what she was going to say next. Knowing her, she wouldn't say it in such a case.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSTIYS9BXH
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrFipngW96
Then I looked more closely at the package and notice a red tulip and gasped.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnOc9U46X5
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxjPLdcYWT
"Why, it's the....the....Royal Mark!"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJr88s77tF
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGbEuEtcAZ8
My voice shook as I fluttered like a fish out of water.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEONe1UmEIb
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnluoBHbcmC
Vera smiled.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKNgKtilLK
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaKWrWwOvM
"It arrived today, and I have a feeling I know what's in it."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhgz6G7etx
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslNnw89Cx8
At once, I opened the letter and found in my hand an inexplicable blank note, much to my amusement.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2LQZe2BK2
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuET0cpwbr
I laughed as I remarked," Well Vera. What do you make of this?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXoaKfrKH7
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiQSu4CGRV
I half - expected her to frown and not chuckle as she did.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40d115LLR0
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRaeXF955l
" Blank note isn't it? How boring."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwT020NuKzm
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7x6NgaqEM
"What is it about?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKiB8X6HY2
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhMp7Owqdd3
"You shall know - now."
Right at that moment, a man appeared at the door.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI2FZEwZqq
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE8lI7KKM7
"You knew he would come?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsGYzUjq5p
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQm3eppswum
Vera looked away to her work and said," Indeed. I see that you didn't notice the walking stick our visitor has left in the corner of the room. Indeed, our man has come back."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcmYQDxAla
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDoaemUmnTd
I went and opened the door.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXDviZSpOp
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡexK6SMHNzt
"Good morning sir," said the man, scratching his faint beard," You must be Vera Clay, the detective..."
I corrected my identity and assured him that he had indeed come to the right place.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv2sHEoCVQ
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsgAzX6RsP
When he met Vera, his face shined with surprise. It was not unusual. People hardly believed that she was the detective and I was not, owing to the fact that she was a woman, a fact that I found mildly absurd.
Nevertheless, our man sat down.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuzoK36hNF
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCagMsb4Y81
"Madamoiselle, I have come to you on strict orders from the Royal Family. My name is Sanders Roy. That's Colonel Roy to you two."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GBCN1O4Tu
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyhfb3SRkM
We nodded.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpZGyHP75X
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQu647WNa6m
Vera said:581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4UpjLRNJC
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JNAKafWuK
" I believe, Monsieur, that you came by here a bit earlier today, say, a little after seven in the morning?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4Olyb2RGb
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtY6nSXIgv
The Colonel said, " Yes I did. I saw M. Shepperd coming here, so I assumed you had returned."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSw9p6iJmga
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLC5us96NHM
" And is it safe to assume that you broke the plate over there?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWkoUHcZrC
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWEKs0HzTo
She pointed to a broken plate kept neatly on one of the chairs.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NMCrUir49
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYS4YV4dlZZ
Colonel nodded," My apologies."
Vera smirked and said, " Don't be sorry. As it is, I am going to take my money from you. I believe you still have your change of €2 from the coffee you just had in the coffee shop opposite this flat?"
Colonel gasped.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYJf7XMq1o
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcO4mp2hxXg
"How did-"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxwhD4B43m
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yw95Gh7DJ
"You came here two hours ago and left your cane. I assumed it was purposely done so as to notify me of your visit. You belong to the Royal Family meaning you'd have a long way to go back. So I assumed that you were taking lodging nearby. Look at the time now. It's 9:30. Most people would pass their time drinking a beverage. So I thought you'd be having coffee at the shop opposite. You mentioned just now that you saw my friend Jim coming here, confirming my assumption that you were at a place nearby. The cost of the coffee is €5 and I thought that you wouldn't take much money out with you, to not attract much attention. The €2 was just a wild guess."
For a moment there was silence. I, who knew of Vera's methods gave no reaction but just looked at the Colonel. He was speechless. His mouth was open as he looked at Vera as if she were an alien.
He cleared his throat and destroyed the silence.
"Well", he said with dignity," let us go back to our purpose of the conversation. I, as you know, am from the Royal Family and I have brought with myself a letter from them - which you have already received."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYj3yCAomq
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgDRWs2BPI
Vera nodded.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyO03TATFF
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXRTvd0Aem
"On behalf of Duke George, I would like to invite you, Madamoiselle Vera Clay, to the Royal Ball. You may invite a companion to come with you, and I assume it's going to be M. Shepperd here."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrN1LKi0Qb
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdTKspMoez
"Yes."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0nlr4wuL6
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagIokQmX6N
"Well then, the Ball is on Thursday. Today is Tuesday. You have two days to prepare."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1zyhPoE8b
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYi7AIjpia
Colonel Rose stood up.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbUCz4wx9F
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYA2mj8Eur
"I must be off now."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirvnMcP7V5
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8g7ScgNdl
He looked at Vera strangely again, eyeing me in the process too. Off he went.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePE6O30hD2
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiCWiwMfTL
Vera, being herself, went into the kitchen without saying a word to me. I followed.
"Vera," I beckoned,"you aren't seriously going to the Ball, are you?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuye6TWokDb
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaXil4kE6S
She frowned.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0Wb0offGz
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6wcbHqD8y
"Why, John? Of course I am."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaN0Rq9mxi
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4hpW4vtca
"You do understand that there are going to be real people there. People you are going to have to talk to."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bDwmcO12r
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jtmrdSjwb
"Don't be silly, John. I do know how to talk."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13xkSK3msJ
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2cPL7HYNH
"No. No you don't ", I said simply.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgUcutnnv0
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcb1tS2MZdI
"Well then, I'd just hover in the background."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwViv1QV10
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9KCQNk9GG
"Vera," I said," why do you want to go to this party? You don't usually go to such things. Why a sudden interest?"
Vera sighed. She pulled out a chair and ordered," Sit."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjWO6ccb0W
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuMJ8WWGcw
I did.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmGxTYLM6x
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkOZx9n6KO
She began, " John, do you know the Royal Family?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy47JPNZdpc
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsdwgcaJY9
I shrugged.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡox62TW1aLs
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6WEMMz6eH
"Well I have read about them in some magazines and journals."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GK1VbJqcK
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2oA4vMcsO
"That is not enough."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBOjnrBflH
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB65f4mhmPp
"Tell me then."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VBb8n4JOo
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzo0eIaTzXu
" John, the Royal Family is large. There's the Duke, the twin sons - Micheal and Roger, the mother, the Aunt, the Colonel, the governess, the hunter, the writer, etc. "581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOQkclR1wh
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSExkYjtWwZ
"That's some diversity."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0QNVVlD6r
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFIG7H3OmP
"And what happens when all such high - class diverse people are brought together under one estate?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSMzGWD8XI
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaFkqzOFNN
"Let me guess, scandals, controversies?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfhWbwGL6d
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMtIyq1FjL
"Exactly. But more so. A violent clash of egos. Fights. Rivalries in everything - sports, poetry, music, women - you name it. Especially between the twins."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPT58X7DEz
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFB5egMYl7
I smirked.581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRF2qCNsS2V
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdlSOJBtqS
"But you aren't interested in that, are you?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgBpI4dUiM
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9XU0v9zPD
"Of course not. No. I am interested about one particular thing. Only one. Something which may change the Family forever."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjE3Wfe22Q
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhve4eds3gc
"And that thing is...?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifmvCyZhGx
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrveO2yKNu
"John, do you know the patient who delivered to you my letter today?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF1KUqTHIp
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaS4DefuoaU
"The egg faced, old man with that glorious moustache? I don't know him, but I fancy he's a hairdresser."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1lYVVch0Z
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrI2eYrKHEK
"He's a world famous Belgian detective. Earlier this morning, I answered a summons from him and he told me about this matter."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzTHkWq9If
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X0WiZt39g
"What?"581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAxey39Fse
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8lfpxejI2
"The Royal Family is a plethora of secrets and controversies. According to the great detective, whom you just met in your clinic, one such secret is the planned murder of one member of the Royal Family."581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUje21bs6n
581Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDzohkaWE7
