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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFF50ctajA
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4l1NKk8JNJ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVrZSeEMea
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpAsEJbtH1
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrLAaQBt8x
It was the afternoon of the 10th of January, a cold and windy day, when I was fixing a patient of mine.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrv06PTZ56L
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoegtifiBgL
"It is cold then, which depresses you?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYzAeVbIZu
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZ1NkdbyM0
" Ah, what can I say," my patient began," It is cold. But it is the knee too."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDdTLtBCvw
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcOY8nQlz7
"Knee?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iBfR8rNKb
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3VgSQGoEB
" Yes. I have been travelling much. From here to there. You comprehend?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErEQ1HtplU
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8CY7sAAKl
I didn't. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmoYRsuTXv
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLQXhmY2qU
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FjtPG1Tee
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1GZwL3ZFX
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1WcMLqvWI
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ010rqZBUAq
"You see mon ami, it is your friend who gave me this knee."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQp6LOhGkU
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uT5PapWZa
I looked at him. Trying not to laugh at his ridiculous face, I asked, " My friend?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5oJmgCq4m
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBn6dhU0IC
"Oh yes. Vera."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXU4DgBSo7
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjUd5iqxaC
"Oh."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpa8q6Z0D6K
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChDY07yHM8
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxLyAO7GfH
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZldGDhNMgd
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSe2mG6JyEh
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuvez6FbNv
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DyJO23cpV
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. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1LNwuQU7o
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRZ7xfVGit
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJV5r9zeVs
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQR6r7WJnC
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0x7mZIkY2
I unfolded the letter he had brought me. With sceptical eyes, I read:374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkv33UwOYe
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgHQhd5FOs
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kScMRScKK
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjDcw5CgLA
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1Gv9LfSpl
Dear Jim,374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJ79UVqEQK
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcwzy4f9GG
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPMW8HovGE
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1objvowCz
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnAnjU8BYc
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANvieKuQmP
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqATL4lYkBA
Yours, Vera.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVvLHPNt0Y
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7qHiAy5nc
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4sJfCGLug
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJStzfwslg
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnccn5uUohh
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMs6DcOMxI
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BbDtGQhyf
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1t2JnjGnw
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzv7qwmdaTu
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8NjqGF0T2
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EmrVwqYsF
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDdMKRLc5n
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDepIGGGHvK
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOt15uu6D9b
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtUfFMnXun
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOjj7mm8lp
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLPZDBPWbx
I walked inside.
The sight I saw did not surprise me.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHspB2PdnO
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2a7Cp52XZk
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDn6JhM3qY
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcad2Ri4hMs
It was then that she took notice of me and, without looking up, greeted, " Hallo Jim."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTSiqaEa7N
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBobNGd3Y0Z
I went straight to the point.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGmtDGHU10
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVO36lnQk7
" Vera, you didn't write that letter, did you?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflWmCVB1kZ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDaziQnWEQ
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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ41WCUIrp7T
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiw8VCNhCTx
I laughed and sat on a chair.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3BF5IDTFj
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ExhHkojnW
"Was it so obvious though?", Vera asked after a while.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwwwE82DK5
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6MNxiUSOq
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!"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIOqef2T24
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciQmCbn64p
I advanced to calm her, but stopped as I realised it wasn't necessary.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqzlD0z9iE
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBB96AaKpF
Instead, I asked," What's the experiment?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUngvnvA8s
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJnWqd25VQ
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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjGdxJH6GN
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3d2lY041it
"And?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0gGFwkCNx
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxEXOOxNhw
" They turned out to be the fingerprints of the Sheriff himself."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRgfhkKhGl
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWf0t0pmQ0H
"Isn't that good? You got your man."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgAJoQDJBV
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwMIQi9dwK
"No. He can't have robbed."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpmTt1YCQM
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3YU6WTLVh
"Why?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWK3BSD943
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJWKsX8Zfd
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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVbqC7RjnjN
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMkZPiPCcT
I frowned and replied satirically," Well that makes perfect sense."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG92yQIaCR
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbozvRqAq16
"Doesn't it?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3M0xCdXpC
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOtNy04KgG
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?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzABf8XsD3S
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGL5dD21qn
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xKaruw1Jm
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJLrVWA7Mo
"Few people take him seriously."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfotQfhOvR
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21bs1zGBgC
She went off into the kitchen, and I followed her.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjG7g3RNgA8
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2R6FNmaGx
"Weren't you going to show me something interesting?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUYW4rFvkM
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2hAvFpnyC
She turned to me and smiled, excited.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgBidMebDr
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhvKxSnHEN
She said, " Glad you mentioned it."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhYuxqm0df
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Nx5nRZKeG
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFPbjpw1Tl
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wOAr11maM
She frowned and said, " You didn't ask."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mhkXiQgxX
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljR2DdSMIp
Call me imprudent if you like, I thought.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0avLpRXuCQ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGbt5eu7s0
"On my table in the hall, there's a package. Bring it."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFlKJrW5rz
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjINtiy86tz
I did so. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qj5eB4wnb
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9kqkNBZiY
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIl0t7rfhgM
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0iDgUzWmI
Then I looked more closely at the package and notice a red tulip and gasped.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHh8bxvCD2z
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPOeS56dyT
"Why, it's the....the....Royal Mark!"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqQ7tD614N
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQ1tWWEgtz
My voice shook as I fluttered like a fish out of water.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jCgOiDIoO
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ooPZvrlWf
Vera smiled.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUBtsbIvbI
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnntzkFJJ1K
"It arrived today, and I have a feeling I know what's in it."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eIZ5d81on
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjcsdNlSFp
At once, I opened the letter and found in my hand an inexplicable blank note, much to my amusement.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLTcnquGjQ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmGbLoz7Dc
I laughed as I remarked," Well Vera. What do you make of this?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjxgzAvLXY
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bukE6rsIT
I half - expected her to frown and not chuckle as she did.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjKPHjqax7
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMrK1YuL3J
" Blank note isn't it? How boring."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAm991LI1Ev
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVF5bBTEu6F
"What is it about?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7BlCjDimo
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWmS09F54c
"You shall know - now."
Right at that moment, a man appeared at the door.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a7aqt5vQJ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8iKt6R4qH
"You knew he would come?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwClu54eXP3
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVEofpT8Nw
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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wxOhOMx9T
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIa7FzQhZbn
I went and opened the door.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDI3rRCl0td
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GVmVdQpF1
"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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz573Bh7fEX
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ31Vre3m6DA
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExYBLTI9vP
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYTph1ti8O
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxJpSsz5q4
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z9YoCAnYl
We nodded.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDuk9BQJT3
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaVAJtQ1y3
Vera said:374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVUbB4N6aN
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzuGB0W6bW
" I believe, Monsieur, that you came by here a bit earlier today, say, a little after seven in the morning?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXt9Vka897b
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCSR5fdWD8
The Colonel said, " Yes I did. I saw M. Shepperd coming here, so I assumed you had returned."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWXZHFFnZb
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXN9Q7zOjnN
" And is it safe to assume that you broke the plate over there?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvw6hSbjhyz
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyR9RzSDgD
She pointed to a broken plate kept neatly on one of the chairs.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GtsoPpz0R
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9q7l5qYUo1
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9p1YKsCnH
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPaDPoPKBVE
"How did-"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwVdqGF5EJ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgOZdAUeJC
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WpmTNmOZM
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoujZXBUAwR
Vera nodded.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnsyU8hx4K
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0LVTTcmUB
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyxiQQEJhY
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4udum3Rzhw
"Yes."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCamUoIwpc
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdCH8qI28V
"Well then, the Ball is on Thursday. Today is Tuesday. You have two days to prepare."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp8nKyIWFD
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxAtWxxWbPc
Colonel Rose stood up.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW01jY6Bbe
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMahYYsPUE
"I must be off now."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3rEv3uWuZ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2J1tNS29ru
He looked at Vera strangely again, eyeing me in the process too. Off he went.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9BhTBnNXg
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzSRcMQiau
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?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mceoZ5lJg
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPoX6bIjRi8
She frowned.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPs85PgYQNh
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXs1gwfckGS
"Why, John? Of course I am."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIL0bZBnNZ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbqQ2nelEK
"You do understand that there are going to be real people there. People you are going to have to talk to."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Nke3pCJpD
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGP79TMu1q
"Don't be silly, John. I do know how to talk."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qzqvgEySN
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKY3cLF8Xj
"No. No you don't ", I said simply.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymiRgyeQy5
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrlQtHEAUQ
"Well then, I'd just hover in the background."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiotzLM3hE
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLVABc3Wh8
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwekDNsAdw8
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ3LLtpy1lp
I did.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8DUsKpRyx
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7044nkdSq
She began, " John, do you know the Royal Family?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwwpmR5FNB
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDL9grLnXR
I shrugged.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBzb3MzCF0
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxF473zQlh
"Well I have read about them in some magazines and journals."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWr3nuBzAGc
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXYEK9jhPj
"That is not enough."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsVJCyMdIO
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXMM8mm6SI
"Tell me then."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbCjU6FsKv
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWINqQIVSX
" 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. "374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UPQAZPk8l
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Nh3NKi4my
"That's some diversity."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZJ4NN9Ikh
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzCJNs8cYa
"And what happens when all such high - class diverse people are brought together under one estate?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HivM0QxGI
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6h0a17oWy1
"Let me guess, scandals, controversies?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvpqy2cOoD
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKktn9z2xs
"Exactly. But more so. A violent clash of egos. Fights. Rivalries in everything - sports, poetry, music, women - you name it. Especially between the twins."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRy48ToXjxW
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeXwxfCgfi
I smirked.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2nhomv2vp
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiWj2AN557
"But you aren't interested in that, are you?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSDXPdjQCx
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9szZTFQvP
"Of course not. No. I am interested about one particular thing. Only one. Something which may change the Family forever."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mvnh7gMUU
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWw6agHmXOB
"And that thing is...?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQV3WDGorHI
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeUN8C52tR
"John, do you know the patient who delivered to you my letter today?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMFLZjyc8s
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNHgymMQpC
"The egg faced, old man with that glorious moustache? I don't know him, but I fancy he's a hairdresser."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROeOkF9Guq
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPa0g5x36A9
"He's a world famous Belgian detective. Earlier this morning, I answered a summons from him and he told me about this matter."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrqmjzhl8SY
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbH9XuwCfB
"What?"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1xvc4IJoQ
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHqobEhQYu
"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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PB6zpe2d8
374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPN7IlKK3X
