38
‘WHERE DO YOU THINK they’ve gone?’ asked Harry, once Giles had described what happened after he had arrived back at the Manor House.
‘I’ve no idea,’ said Giles. ‘I was asleep when they left the house. All I could get out of Jenkins was that a taxi had taken them to the station just after midnight.’
‘And you say your father was drunk when you returned home last night?’
‘As a skunk, and he hadn’t sobered up by the time I came down for breakfast this morning. He was shouting and screaming at anyone who crossed his path. He even tried to blame me for everything. That was when I decided to go and stay with my grandparents.’
‘Do you think your grandfather might know where they are?’
‘I don’t think so, although he didn’t seem that surprised when I told him what had happened. Grandma said I could stay with them for as long as I wanted to.’
‘They can’t be in Bristol,’ said Harry, ‘if the taxi took them to the station.’
‘They could be anywhere by now,’ said Giles.
Neither of them spoke again for some time, until Harry suggested, ‘Your villa in Tuscany perhaps?’
‘Unlikely,’ said Giles. ‘That’s the first place Papa would think of, so they wouldn’t be safe there for long.’
‘So it has to be somewhere your father would think twice about before going after them.’ Both boys fell silent again, until Harry said, ‘I can think of someone who might know where they are.’
‘And who’s that?’
‘Old Jack,’ said Harry, who still couldn’t quite bring himself to call him Captain Tarrant. ‘I know he’s become a friend of your mother’s, and she certainly trusts him.’
‘Do you know where he might be at the moment?’
‘Anyone who reads The Times knows that,’ said Harry scornfully.
Giles punched his friend on the arm. ‘So where is he, clever clogs?’
‘He’ll be at his office in London. Soho Square, if I remember correctly.’
‘I’ve always wanted an excuse to spend a day in London,’ said Giles. ‘It’s just a pity I’ve left all my money back at the house.’
‘Not a problem,’ said Harry. ‘I’m flush. That Atkins fellow gave me a fiver, although he did say I was to spend it on books.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Giles, ‘I can think of an alternative plan.’
‘Like what?’ asked Harry, looking hopeful.
‘We can just sit around and wait for Emma to write to you.’
It was Harry’s turn to punch his friend. ‘OK,’ he said. ‘But we’d better get going before anyone finds out what we’re up to.’