Throughout the ground floor of the house, the secret service pawns infested Wrichtishousis with their presence. Charles had nothing against the men who worked for the intelligence service in general, but the fact that they were posted there made them nothing more than illegal intruders funded by a false kingdom. They had no right to be there, and although they were only following orders, the staff could not stomach their small and sporadic power plays while stationed to keep an eye on the billionaire explorer, acting as if were some common thief.
I still cannot fathom how Military Intelligence could have had this house annexed when there is no international martial threat resident here, Charles thought as he carried the tray up to Purdue’s room. Yet he knew that there had to be some sinister reason for it all to be approved by the government — a notion even more frightening. There had to be more to it and he was going to get to the bottom of it, even if he had to get his information from his brother-in-law again. Charles had saved Purdue the last time he took his brother-in-law at his word. He presumed his brother-in-law could furnish the butler with some more, if it meant finding out what this was all about.
“Hey Charlie, is he up yet?” one of the operatives asked cheerfully.
Charles ignored him. If he was going to be forced to answer to anyone, it would be nobody less in rank than Special Agent Smith. By now he trusted that his boss had firmly established a personal bond with the supervising agent. When he reached Purdue’s door all manner of hilarity had left him — he’d returned to his usual firm and obedient self.
“Your breakfast, sir,” he said at the door.
Purdue opened the door in quite a different guise. Fully dressed in chinos, Moschino Penny Loafers, and a white, button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he opened the door for his butler. When Charles entered, he heard Purdue promptly closing the door behind him.
“I have to speak with you, Charles,” he urged under his breath. “Did anyone trail you up here?”
“No sir, not that I know of,” Charles replied truthfully as he set the tray down on Purdue’s oak table, where he sometimes enjoyed his brandy at night. He straightened up his jacket and folded his hands in front of him. “What can I do for you, sir?”
Purdue looked wild in the eyes, even though his body language implied that he was contained and cogent. Much as he tried to sound proper and confident, he could not fool his butler. Charles had known Purdue for ages. He’d seen him in most ways through the years, from insane fury at the obstacles of science to jovial and suave at the hand of many well-to-do women. He could tell that something was troubling Purdue, something more than just a looming hearing.
“I know it was you who informed Dr. Gould about the secret service being out to arrest me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for warning her, but I have to know, Charles,” he said urgently in a hard whisper, “I have to know how you came to learn about that, because there is more to it. There is far more to it and I need to know anything, anything that MI6 plans to do next.”
Charles understood the fervency of his employer’s request, but at the same time felt terribly inept at the request. “I see,” he said with considerable self-consciousness. “Well, I only heard of it by chance. When visiting Vivian, my sister, her husband just sort of… came out with it. He’d known that I was in the service of Wrichtishousis, but apparently he overheard a colleague at one of the affiliate British government offices mention that MI6 had been given the all clear to pursue you, sir. In fact, I think he didn’t even think much of it at the time.”
“Of course he didn’t. It’s bloody ludicrous. I’m a Scottish goddamn national. Even if I’d been involved in military matters, it would have had to be MI5 that pulled the strings. The international relations in this are rightly cumbersome, I tell you, and it bothers me,” Purdue speculated. “Charles, I need you to contact your brother-in-law for me.”
“With respect sir,” Charles replied quickly, “if you do not mind, I’d rather decline getting my family involved with this. I regret taking this resolve, sir, but honestly, I’m afraid for my sister. I already find myself worrying about her being married to a man affiliated with the secret service — and he is just an administrator. To involve them in an international debacle such as this…” He shrugged apologetically, feeling terrible about his own honesty. He hoped that Purdue would still value his capabilities as a butler and not dismiss him for some lame form of insubordination.
“I understand,” Purdue answered weakly, stepping away from Charles to look out through the balcony doors at the lovely serenity of the Edinburgh morning.
“I am sorry, Mr. Purdue,” Charles said.
“No, Charles, I really do understand. I do, believe me. How many horrible things have befallen my close friends because of being involved with my pursuits? I’m fully aware of the implications of working for me,” Purdue explained, sounding utterly hopeless without the intention of provoking pity. He was honestly feeling the burden of guilt. Trying to be cordial about being respectfully turned down, Purdue turned and smiled. “Really, Charles. I do understand. Will you let me know when Special Agent Smith arrives, please?”
“Of course, sir,” Charles answered with a stiff drop of the chin. He left the room feeling like a traitor, and by the looks of the officers and agents in the lobby, he was considered as one.
4
The Doctor is In
Special Agent Patrick Smith visited Purdue later that afternoon, for what Smith told his superiors was a doctor’s appointment. In consideration for what he had gone through in the home of the Nazi matriarch known as Mother, the board of judiciaries granted Purdue permission to receive medical assistance while he was in temporary custody of the Secret Intelligence Service.
With three men on duty during that shift, not including for the two outside at the premises gate, Charles had his hands full with the housekeeping, feeding his vexation for them. However, he was more lenient in his courtesy towards Smith because of his aid to Purdue. Charles answered the door for the doctor when the doorbell sounded.
“Even the poor physician has to be searched,” Purdue sighed as he stood at the top of the stairs, leaning hard on the banister for support.
“The bloke looks weak, hey?” one of the men whispered to the other. “Look at how swollen his eyes are!”
“And red,” the other added, shaking his head. “I don’t think he is going to recover.”
“Boys, do hurry, please,” Special Agent Smith snapped, reminding them of their task. “The doctor only has an hour with Mr. Purdue, so get on with it.”
“Yes, sir,” they sang in chorus as they concluded their search of the medical professional.
When they were done with the doctor, Patrick escorted him up to where Purdue and his butler waited. There Patrick took sentinel post at the top landing of the stairs.
“Will there be anything else, sir?” Charles asked as the physician held Purdue’s door open for him.
“No, thank you, Charles. You can go,” Purdue replied loudly before Charles closed the door. Charles was still feeling terribly guilty for brushing off his boss, but it seemed as if Purdue was sincere in his understanding.
Inside Purdue’s private sanctum, he and the doctor waited, not speaking nor moving, for a moment to listen for any disturbances outside the door. No sound of scuffling came, and through one of the secret peepholes Purdue’s wall sported, they could see nobody eavesdropping.