Underbelly (26 page)

“
We can’t talk here. Meet me at three pm tomorrow outside the…”

Grey turned away from her, aware that for whatever reason she wanted to pretend that they were not acquainted and he wiped the beaming smile from his face and said quietly “We were going to leave town. We’ve booked tickets for Oklahoma at 12 tomorrow. Can you come with us and we can talk on the coach? We’ll stay here if you’re staying.”

“
No, my business is with you. The coach might not be conducive for the sort of talk I have in mind but we can sort that out in Oklahoma. It goes at noon, you say?”

“
Yeah, to Oklahoma City. If we don’t see you board we won’t go.”

“
You’ll see me, but don’t approach me. I’ll approach you if it’s safe to talk. We’ve said too much already.”

“
Okay. I’d buy you a hot dog but I guess you wouldn’t be able to accept it.”

“
Shush. Nice hat by the way,” she said as Grey let her take his place in the queue and they waited in silence, very hard for Grey who wanted to talk more; Laura made sure he said no more to her by starting a conversation with the woman in front of her. When Grey eventually made it back to Germaine he told her that he had a surprise for her later, filling her in on his encounter once they were alone. They were both curious as to Laura’s need for such discretion and for her purpose in America. When they had left her she expressed no interest in joining them, seeming in her element in Ravensbeck. Grey took the optimist’s view and did not believe there was anything wrong but Germaine imagined dire scenarios, most involving Inge, and before long Grey was very concerned, Germaine’s theories far too convincing.

They both found ignoring Laura very difficult as they waited to board their coach. There were very few passengers and Grey hoped this would encourage her to talk. Grey and Germaine sat at the back and waited for her to join them. She did not, sitting well away from them at first, surveying the scene before she went to join them. No one else was sitting in their vicinity and Laura decided to take her chance to talk to him. She sat in front of them and offered her hand and said, “Pleased to meet you. My name’s Eleanor Griffin.”

“
I’m James Grey and this is my wife, Germaine,” Grey said, playing her game, Laura shaking both of their hands.

“
If you refer to me by name, call me Eleanor. Is that understood?” she said strictly, making sure the importance of this got through to them.

They both nodded and Germaine said, “I love your hair, Eleanor.”

“
This? I’ve had this style for years. What do you think?” she asked Grey.

“
It’s nice. I prefer long hair on a woman but you can carry it off. What do I know though? It’s a very popular style, very Hollywood, a place I can’t take you to at the moment. I’ve reneged on my promise to Germaine and I’ll have to to you too. Can we talk freely?” he said, keen to tell her of the Cecil Winston affair.

“
If we keep our voices down, yes. There’s almost no point in my being discreet, because they seem to know my every move, but old habits die hard. I am currently under investigation by the Catholic Church and their vigil is superior to military operations.”

“
Are you sure?” Grey asked, gravely upset for her, as he knew how much she prized her peace.

“
They tracked me down at Ravensbeck and practically told all of the villagers that I’m a witch. They did something to me that made me ill. The situation is very serious,” she said, her speech capturing the gravity of her predicament.

“
How can I help?” Grey said, keen to do whatever he could to get them off her back. “Do you want me to talk to them and vouch for you?”

“
That would be the last thing I’d want,” she said cuttingly. “I’ve come to you for help, James, not to increase my problems. I know you mean well but if you engage in dialogue with them they’ll ask questions and I don’t want anything more to be revealed – they already know far too much.”

“
You helped in the war – that’s the sort of thing that might impress them.”

“
I doubt you could say anything about me that would impress them. If the Second Coming happened tomorrow and Jesus told them to spare me I doubt that would be enough to sway their minds.”

“
Okay, maybe that idea won’t work. I will think of a solution to this though, I promise you,” he vowed solemnly.

“
I already have one. It’s called a staring contest. At the moment they know they have me running scared because they might be able to beat me. My solution is to make sure that no one, no thing, no organisation, can touch me. Absolute power is the goal – not dominion, not dictatorship before you start worrying, just absolute personal power so that I can outface them and make them scurry away.”

Grey exhaled deeply as he considered this and he said, “Your power’s already immense. Do you really think that it can develop any further?” He had had a recent example of the corrupting nature of power and, while he viewed Laura (as he would always consider her whatever she called herself) as responsible, he did not agree with her plan, which disturbed him. She wanted enough power to be able to decimate them if they attacked her – on the one hand it was self-defence, on the other it was murderous, the sort of activity he associated with her distant past.

“
Undoubtedly. I have the maturity to experiment with certain practices, which might have been hazardous to me in my youth, but not now. I’ve already explored some ideas,” she said, handing him Farid’s dissertation.

“
I think I need a dictionary before I can attempt to make sense of this,” Grey said as he glanced through it. “And you think this could prove useful?”

“
It’s hard to say. I’m looking in many different directions, at cultures I should have researched more. If I had perhaps I would be more powerful than Jemima now, or more powerful than Octavius was.”

Grey explained to Germaine, who looked confused, “In the time before Laura – I know it’s hard to believe that there was a time before Laura – Octavius was the big dog in the yard back then. Did he just rule over Central and Western Europe or did he go further afield?” Grey asked Laura.

“
Who’s Laura?” Eleanor asked coldly.

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If we’re saying this much I thought we could...okay, that name’s taboo, Eleanor.”

“
In answer to your question, he travelled everywhere. He died in your fine country.”

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Mine?” Germaine asked.

“
No, your husband’s. I see why that confused you, Germaine, as your country is fine while James’ is…overdone.”

“
You’re only down on it because you’re not getting the benefit of my tour. Look, you’ve already gained another book for your collection from my homeland.”

“
Typed by an Iranian.”

“
Which just goes to prove how diverse America is with opportunities for all. Wherever he’s from he must be a genius, some of those words.”

“
Verbosity does not equal genius.”

“
No, but knowledge does and I’m guessing he’s got that in spades. This is harder to read than those Olde English texts you have and I proved then that learning is not my forte so I doubt I can help you decipher this. If you want me to try I will but I think we both know that’s not the way forward. Anything I can do to help, with spirits or whatever, you don’t have to ask,” Grey said unconditionally.

“
I was hoping you might say something like that.”

“
At least it’s an area where I’m halfway competent. The rodeo was great, yeah? Well prior to that I had a tryout – if it had gone well you would have seen me riding there. I’ve been wrangling, a cowboy for a day,” Grey said excitedly, glad that he had achieved this boyhood dream.

“
I’m grateful you didn’t make the grade otherwise you’d have been harder to get access to,” Eleanor said, smiling at him. “Not a complete success then?”

“
I’ve not earned my spurs yet, let’s say that. Real bad, so bad I doubt you’d have found it funny – it went beyond that. It was just for the experience and a bit of cash and I loved it so in that sense it was a success. Germaine’s too kind to say but she saw me on the horse and she knows how bad I was.”

“
You rode it well,” she said, looking to the positive side.

“
Not where I wanted to though!” he said, laughing lightly and producing the same reaction in Germaine. “As for the cattle…Sorry, Lau...nice glare, Eleanor. Sorry, I,’m supposed to be helping you.”

“
Well, you’re cheering me up so that’s something, but you know me. I want more than that. You’re right, I need a big favour. It doesn’t involve horses or cattle, don’t worry.”

“
That’s just as well. If I can I will; go on.”

“
It’s nothing too major. You’ve pretty much guessed already. I’d just like you to try and contact Octavius or those that knew him. I’d like to know how he attained such power, what makes him different to me and the other pretenders.” She knew of Grey’s improved finesse, his ability to locate spirits of his choosing, and decided it was time to use this most valuable resource.

“
Don’t be modest, Laura, it doesn’t suit you. Look at my back – you’re powerful, you’re not a pretender.” He noticed that she was staring a hole in him, her expression furious and he said, “What?” knowing her well enough to know that his words would not offend her.

“
Eleanor,” Germaine whispered.

“
Thank you,” Eleanor said to her gratefully.

“
I’ll try my best, Nelly,” Grey said.

“
Nelly’s fine, I can accept that. I know I’m being more of a bitch than usual and I do apologise for that – I hate being outside my comfort zone. Once we get off this coach I’m going to go my own way and I’ll get in touch with you in a couple of months so fill me in now on why you can’t take me to Hollywood – not that I’m bothered anyway, James, you should admit that it’s you who really wants to go there.”

Grey told her the story of Cecil Winston, Eleanor admonishing him for the risks he took, and when quizzed he told her how it had gone with his parents and she proved sympathetic, telling him that it could have been worse and he could have had a rapist for a father and attempted child-killer for a mother like her. Grey asked about Ewan Chapman’s wedding, Eleanor filling him in with a humorous account of the proceedings, giving Sylvia Chapman a verbal battering. With Laura leaving Ravensbeck Grey worried about Stuart Lambert, who had been a good friend to him during his year in Scotland – it was arranged that he would look after both Eleanor and Germaine’s farms and if he had any problems or queries to contact ‘Laura’, which was now no longer an option. Eleanor dismissed his concerns, telling him that Stuart was a very capable, calm and stable young man and would manage fine as caretaker until they contacted him, Stuart having experience at running farms.

Germaine had felt tremendous relief when she had heard that Eleanor’s visit had nothing to do with Inge. As they approached Oklahoma City her nerves were put back on edge as Eleanor mentioned her, using the threat of Inge as a method of ensuring that Grey tried his hardest to find information for her. She felt a little duplicitous as she said that the more power she gained the better her chances of defeating Inge, which was what both Greys wanted desperately. James Grey, who had worshipped her once, loved Germaine now, and by insinuating that Inge was still alive she gave him motivation to aid her quest beyond friendship, a very personal stake. She hoped that they would not hate her if they ever discovered the truth. Eleanor insisted that they part quietly without a fuss, only answering vaguely when Grey asked her where she was going, telling him that her tour was going to be very different to theirs.

Chapter 5 –
DEBUT