The Second Son Read online

  Grenville smiled at Sara and said, “Don’t worry, I am sure Hugo and Jonathan will help.”

  “Absolutely,” said Hugo.

  “Without question,” Jonathan said.

  Sara smiled at them all and said, “Thank you both so much.”

  “So,” Grenville said, “anyone got anything they want to add?”

  “Yes,” said Sara. The three looked at her. “Next meeting can we pick somewhere more spacious?” and this made everyone roar with laughter.

  “Next meeting at Hampton Hall, shall we say next Wednesday?” said Grenville, smiling at Sara. Both Hugo and Jonathan looked in their respective diaries and both nodded.

  “Seems fine by me,” said Jonathan.

  “Super,” said Hugo, smiling.

  Leaving the office and saying goodbye to both Hugo and Jonathan, Grenville turned to Sara and said, “What you want to do now, my lady?”

  Sara smiled at Grenville and said, “I could do with a little lay down.”

  Grenville was just about to say something and noticed the smile on Sara’s face. “Will go and urgently flag down a taxi,” said Grenville, smiling.

  Grenville and Sara spent the rest of the week in London at Sara’s flat, not venturing out much, only for supplies or urgent purchases. One thing Grenville did have in the front of his mind was to purchase a laptop, the same type he had obtained for Tom from the British Embassy.

  As Grenville was deep in thought on how best to procure a laptop, Sara walked in and said, “Penny for them.”

  “Sorry, deep in thought with a problem,” replied Grenville, smiling.

  “Tell me, after all a problem told is a problem halved,” said a smiling Sara.

  “Well, it’s this bloody laptop. I need urgently to get a message to Tom, so I can let him know everything is going to plan. I feel conscious as the days go by I am letting him down without any contact,” Grenville said.

  “I am sure Tom will understand, by the way you talk about him and if I have judged him correctly,” replied Sara.

  “I know, Sara, but I do worry sometimes,” Grenville said.

  Smiling, Sara went over and sat next to Grenville and put her arms around him. “Don’t worry Grenville, together we will sort it. Don’t suppose you took the model number of Tom’s laptop?” Sara asked.

  “To tell you the truth, Sara, the last few day in Belize were manic. We had so much to arrange and sort out, it never entered my head,” replied Grenville.

  “We could always ask the FO where they get their embassy laptops from,” said Sara.

  “Could do, but I don’t really want to draw any attention to it, as it is Tom’s lifeline to me. Plus, shall we say, I did not come by it via a legitimate source,” said Grenville.

  “I understand that,” said Sara. “Oh dear, why did I not think of this before?” said Sara, jumping up.

  “What?” asked Grenville, looking confused.

  “Carole Burke,” said Sara.

  “Sorry Sara, you lost me,” said Grenville, laughing.

  Sara sat back down again and took Grenville’s hand. “Let me explain,” said Sara, smiling. “Carole Burke is my closest and dearest old school friend, and a total wizard at technology. She was refused entry to Oxford to study her doctorate in computer science, even though she was top of her class.”

  “Why was she refused?” asked Grenville.

  “Let’s say she is rather outspoken, and I think she rubbed the male egos of Oxford up the wrong way too much for their liking,” replied Sara, smiling. “But if it’s technology we are after, she is your woman,” said Sara.

  “Can we trust her?” asked Grenville.

  “With my life,” said Sara, quietly.

  “Good enough for me,” said Grenville.

  “OK, I will give her a ring to see if she is free for lunch.”

  “Excellent,” said Grenville. “I will make us a coffee while you do,” said Grenville.

  When Grenville returned from the kitchen with the coffee, Sara was just finishing her phone call. “Excellent news,” said Sara. “Carole is free and coming here for lunch at about one.”

  Looking about, Grenville said, “We better do some house work.”

  Sara smiled and said, “Better had. Let’s start in the bedroom,” she said over her shoulder as she slipped off her dressing gown and walked toward the bedroom.

  At one sharp the doorbell rang. Sara went to open it and all Grenville heard from the hall was girly shrieking, which made him laugh. Finally, Sara and her friend Carole entered the lounge arm in arm.

  “Grenville, this is my best friend in all the world, Carole,” said Sara. Grenville stood. “Carole, this is Grenville,” said Sara.

  Grenville shook the offered hand of Carole and said, “Nice to meet you Carole, Sara has told me a lot about you.”

  “Only the good bits, no doubt,” said Carole, laughing.

  Grenville laughed and said, “Are there any bad bits?”

  Still laughing, Carole said, “Sara, you certainly landed a charmer here.” Sitting down, Carole said, “So where did you two meet?”

  “Carole, this is Stephan’s brother,” said Sara. Carole looked shocked. Sara placed her hand on Carol’s arm, and went on, “Don’t worry, he is totally opposite from Stephan, and we do not have any secrets.”

  Carole looked at Grenville seriously and said, “Grenville, if you treat my lovely Sara and make her as unhappy as your bloody awful brother Stephan did, this time,” she looked at Sara, “despite her plea not to get involved, I will castrate you, Earl or no Earl.”

  Grenville smiled and said, “Carole, I believe you would,” giving a nervous laugh.

  Taking Sara’s hand, Carole said softly, “Your brother nearly drove my best friend to end it all, and this world would have been a duller world without her.”

  Looking at both Sara and Carole, who had tears in their eyes, Grenville said, “Carole I love Sara, and promise you I will always keep her safe.”

  Sara said, “You love me?”

  Smiling, Grenville nodded and said, “Since the second time I saw you,” which made them both laugh. Not getting the joke, Sara explained to Carole their first and second meetings.

  After lunch, Sara said, “Carole, we need your advice on something.”

  “Ask away.”

  Grenville and Sara both looked nervous.

  Carole said, “Come on, you two, out with it.”

  Grenville turned to Sara and said, “I guess if you trust her that much we can let her in on the team.”

  “Thank you, Grenville,” said Sara. Taking Carole’s hand, Sara said, “I am going to tell you something but before I do, I want you to promise me that whatever you hear in this room you will never divulge to anyone apart from the team.”

  “You know you can trust me, Sara,” said Carole softly.

  Sara went on to explain part of Grenville’s story and his plan for S&T Imports, and during Sara speaking Carole kept looking at Grenville and smiling. After Sara finished, there was a long quiet pause. Eventually Carole said, “Grenville Hampton, you are a dark horse,” which made them all laugh.

  “So, you in?” asked Sara.

  Carole looked at both Sara and Grenville, smiled, and said, “Count me in.”

  All three stood and hugged, and started laughing. Carole leaned into her bag and took out a laptop. “This is what I think you need, a top-of-the-range encrypted laptop all done by a biometric algorithm programme, enables you to send and receive encrypted emails from one email address to another without being intercepted and read.”

  “Exactly,” said Grenville, smiling.

  “But will Tom in Belize have the same software to open and send emails?” asked Sara.

  “Let’s give it a go,” said Carole.

  “Really?” said Grenville looking shocked.

  “No time like the present, if Sara has paid her bill and the connection works,” said Carole, laughing.

  “What is Tom’s email address?” asked Carole
.

  “I think I need to set up an email name first,” said Grenville.

  “Of course, I understand,” said Carole, “so what do you want it to be?” After she had explained the composition of the email address, Grenville thought then smiled and gave Carole the email address. Carole smiled. “Excellent choice, Grenville,” said Carole. Carole then took ten minutes to program the laptop with Grenville’s new email address. “OK, Grenville, what is your friend’s email address?”

  Grenville extracted the telegram from his wallet and passed it to Carole. Carole passed the telegram back to Grenville and said, “Best if you do it Grenville, for the practice.”

  Grenville took the laptop from Carole and said, “I hope I can remember what to do.”

  “Don’t worry, I am here to guide you,” said Carole, laughing.

  “While you two techno kids are having fun, I will make a coffee,” said Sara, laughing. After ten minutes with Carole’s guidance Grenville had produced his email:

  Hi Pirate

  Everything going well here, plans are progressing as well as can be expected, S&T Imports will be up and running soon, getting together a good trusted team, trinket sales going well, bank account set up and has funds coming in, apologise for the delay in contacting you, but had a few family problems to sort, email again soon.

  Duke

  “Sent,” said Carole, “just wait for a reply now.”

  “Not sure how quick, depending if Tom is at home or away on business,” said Grenville.

  “In that case, you keep the laptop,” said Carole.

  “You sure?” said Grenville.

  “Just call it a gift to the cause,” said Carole, smiling.

  “Thank you so much,” said Grenville.

  Sara returned from the kitchen with the coffee, and said, “Everything sorted?”

  “Absolutely,” said Grenville, holding the laptop to his chest.

  “Boys and their toys,” said Carole, laughing. Carole turned to Grenville and said, “So what’s next?”

  “Wednesday, Hampton Hall, where you can meet the other two in the team,” said Grenville.

  “Looking forward to it,” said Carole.

  After Carole, had left, Sara said, “A weight off your mind.”

  “It was a worry and I feel so much better now I have contacted Tom,” replied Grenville.

  “So, what do you think of Carole?” asked Sara.

  “Most impressed,” replied Grenville.

  “You think she will be a good addition to the team?” asked Sara.

  “I think we can safely say she will be a top asset, well done you,” said Grenville, taking Sara in his arms and smiling.

  “Now earlier,” said Sara, “You told Carole something about me.”

  “Did I?” said Grenville, smiling.

  “Yes, you did,” said Sara, poking Grenville in the ribs and laughing.

  “I love you,” said Grenville, quietly.

  “I love you too,” replied Sara. “Now take me to bed and prove it,” said Sara, standing and holding out her hand to Grenville.

  On the Tuesday Sara and Grenville returned to Hampton Hall. As the taxi drove away and before Grenville had time, the front door opened and Preston stood smiling. “Welcome back My Lord, Lady Sara,” said Preston, bowing.

  “Nice to be home,” said Grenville. “Are the parents home, old man?” asked Grenville.

  “Both in the lounge, my Lord,” replied Preston.

  “Any chance you can rustle up some coffee, old bean?” asked Grenville.

  “My pleasure,” said Preston, smiling.

  Entering the lounge, Grenville said, “Mother, father, how are you both?”

  Standing, the Duke came over and kissed Sara on the cheek and shook Grenville’s hand. “Lovely to see you both, and I must say you both look well,” said the Duke smiling, which made Sara turn a light red. The Duchess was watching the exchange and smiled, as she knew that things had progressed between them both since last time she had seen them.

  “Mother, how are you?” said Grenville, going to his mother and kissing the offered cheek.

  “Very well now you are home, my darling,” said the Duchess, smiling. “Sara, come sit next to me and let me look at you,” said the Duchess. Sara did as she was asked, and sat next to the Duchess. Taking her hand, the Duchess said, “Sara, I do believe I have never seen you look so radiant, you are positively glowing,” which made Sara giggle and go red. “My son must have a good effect on you,” she went on. Leaning in, she whispered to Sara, “Sometimes I love being correct about people.” Sara smiled. Just then, Preston entered with coffee.

  Once Preston returned to collect the coffee tray, Grenville said, “Preston, dear chap, can you show Sara to her room?” Grenville winked at Sara.

  Sara looked puzzled but played along with it, and said, “Thank you, Preston, most kind.”

  After Preston and Sara had left, Grenville said, “Mother, father, I love Sara and would like your permission to ask for her hand in marriage.”

  The room fell silent. Eventually, the Duke said, “Grenville, if Sara will consent, I think your mother and I could not think of a better match.”

  Grenville looked at his mother, who was nodding. Grenville went and shook his father’s hand, and kissed his mother. As he did so, she said, “Well done my son, you made us both proud. Do you mind if I ask a question?”

  “Please ask away mother.”

  “When you going to ask Sara?” she asked.

  “I need to get a ring first, it was a kind of the spur of the moment decision,” replied Grenville, laughing.

  “Thought as much,” said Sofia, pulling the bell cord.

  Finally, Preston arrived and said, “You rang, Your Grace.”

  “Preston, please can you ask Mary to go and fetch the little purple box on top of my dressing table and bring it to me.”

  “At once, your Grace,” said Preston, bowing before closing the door again.

  Once Preston returned and had passed the purple box to Sofia, he bowed and departed.

  “Come sit next to me, Grenville.” Handing the purple box to Grenville, he looked puzzled. “Open it,” she said. Inside was the most beautiful large diamond ring Grenville had ever seen. “It was your grandmother’s, on your father’s side,” said his mother. “I had it sent down the other day from the bank.”

  Grenville looked astonished.

  The Duke said, “Once we realised what your brother was up to, we had a few choice family items removed to our safety deposit box at the bank.”

  “Clever you,” said Grenville, which made them all laugh.

  “But how did you know, mother?”

  “Grenville, once I saw you and Sara together the other day, I knew,” she said, leaning over and kissing him.

  “I don’t know what to say to you both,” said Grenville.

  “Let’s hope she says yes,” said the Duke.

  “Never in doubt,” replied the Duchess, smiling.

  After Grenville, had left, James went and sat next to his wife and said, “I am please he is going to do right by the girl.”

  “I am just pleased it’s our Grenville she will marry and not Stephan,” she replied. “I nearly offered him that ring once,” said Sofia.,

  “Oh, you never said.”

  “I said nearly. But when I mentioned it to Stephan all I could see was pound signs in his eyes instead of love, as I saw in Grenville’s eyes.”

  Taking her hand, James said, “Where did we go wrong with Stephan?”

  Smiling, she said, “We never did. They were both treated equal, Stephan’s failures were his own making, he never let anyone close. Your father once told me,” she continued, “Stephan would never make as good a Duke as Grenville would.”

  “I think out of everyone he understood the situation. He was a wise old buzzard,” said James, smiling.

  After dinner that evening they all gathered in the drawing room for coffee. The air was electric with expectation. Every
one noticed it; eventually the Duke said, smiling, “Is it warm in here or is it me?”

  “You OK, Grenville? You look worried,” said Sara.

  Grenville took a deep breath and went and knelt in front of Sara. “Sara, I know we have only known each other for a few weeks, but that second meeting, that’s all it took for me to know. I fell in love with you, and I know in my heart I will always love you. I know you have not had a happy association with my family, and I hope you know I am so different from my brother Stephan, and I promise to always love and respect you. So, will you consent and become my wife?” Pulling the ring box from behind his back, he opened it and showed her the ring.

  Sara’s hand flew to her mouth and she started to cry, but managed to say, “I will, I will.” Leaning over, she hugged Grenville. Grenville gently pushed her away, and taking the ring from the box placed it on her finger. As he did, both his parents clapped.

  The Duke went and slapped Grenville on his back and said, “Well done, my boy.” The Duke hugged Sara, and said, “This time I am very pleased to welcome you to our family.”

  The Duchess hugged and kissed her son and hugging Sara, said in her ear, “I am so happy for you both.”

  Next day, they were having breakfast, when Grenville smiled at Sara, who was every so often looking at the ring on her finger and smiling. “You will wear it out if you keep looking at it,” said Grenville, laughing.

  “Never will get tired of looking at it,” said Sara, laughing as well.

  “Taxi arrived,” said the Duke, looking out of the windows.

  “Showtime,” said Grenville.

  “Have fun you two,” said the Duke, as they got up and left the dining room.

  Just as Hugo and Jonathan got out of the taxi, Sara and Grenville were coming down the steps. They all hugged. “Just waiting for one more person,” said Grenville. Just then another taxi came up the drive.

  “Come on you two, let’s go in, Sara can meet our guest.”

  “Intriguing,” said Hugo, smiling. Grenville led Jonathan and Hugo into the library where coffee was waiting for them. Just as they were having coffee Sara entered with Carole, arm in arm.