Dangerous Inheritance Read online

  Now, the writer of the letter suggested that his firm should start proceedings on the Duke’s behalf to claim his inheritance, and that he should come out to Ceylon to see the valuable property which would be his after the legal formalities had been observed.

  It was a long time since de Richleau had travelled outside Europe and over thirty years since he had visited Ceylon. He remembered the island as an exceptionally beautiful place, so the idea of going there again appealed to him. Still toying with the idea, he dropped off to sleep.

  Meanwhile Trusscott and Fleur had settled themselves in a belvedere at the far end of the garden, where its walks, bordered with flowering shrubs and orange and lemon trees in blossom, ended in a steep slope of rocky outcrop. Below them lay the Ionian Straits, an almost unbelievable blue. For many centuries they had been the scene of naval battles between Christians and Turks, for Corfu had been the last great bastion held in turn by the Knights and Venetians against the Infidel hordes in their attempts to conquer southern Europe; but now the placid waters were broken here and there only by the spreading ripples in the wake of half a dozen fishing vessels. Across the Straits, some ten miles away but in the clear air looking far nearer, lay the rugged coast of Albania. Beyond it rose the lofty snow-covered peaks of the Epiros mountains, their chain falling away to lesser heights towards the south where the tip of Corfu curved in almost to meet the coast of Greece.

  The town of Corfu was about five miles to the north, but could not be seen from the villa owing to the high wooded peninsula of Kanoni that lay between them. Yet the view from the belvedere in that direction was breath-taking in its beauty. Far below, from the blue waters of the bay there rose two small islands on which stood ancient monasteries and tall cypresses; and the peninsula itself had the appearance of another, larger island, for, on its landward side to the south of the town, the sea formed a wide, mile-long lagoon.

  As Trusscott had arrived only just before lunch it was the first time the two young people had been alone together and while walking through the garden they had exchanged only platitudes; so now Fleur said:

  ‘I’m so glad you turned up. All this picture-postcard scenery is quite marvellous, I know, but I’m much more interested in people and I’m dying to hear what you’ve been up to all this time. Tell all with no holds barred.’

  He smiled at her. ‘There’s not much to tell. Getting through college is no small undertaking these days. The standard gets higher every year and competition’s fierce.’

  Fleur made a grimace. ‘You’re telling me! I’ve been at it three years longer than you have. Work, work and more bloody work. There were times when I nearly threw my hand in.’

  ‘But you didn’t. And you got your M.A. You must be quite a blue-stocking.’

  ‘Do I look it?’

  He regarded her thoughtfully. She was taller than her mother but only of medium height. Her eyes were the same colour as Marie Lou’s, but neither so large nor so vivid, and although her figure was good she was much slimmer. Her face was longer, ending in a round, aggressive chin indicating her determination to get what she wanted. A good straight nose and a full, beautifully modelled mouth were her best features. Together with her violet eyes and copper-coloured hair, they made her decidedly good-looking.

  After a moment he said, ‘I can’t answer that one. In the past blue-stockings were most always plain Janes, and these days there aren’t any. Care of teeth, hair and skin in childhood and all the beauty aids available afterwards have put an end to the species. Contrariwise, now most girls have to get them a job, some of the prettiest have their little heads crammed full of facts and figures.’

  She nodded. ‘You’re right about all the girls of our generation making the most of what they’ve got both in looks and brains. Being a natural honey-pot doesn’t cut the ice it did; it’s personality that gets the chaps steamed up about one.’

  ‘Well, unless you’ve changed in the last four years you’ve plenty of that, and you’re a good-looker into the bargain.’

  ‘Thanks for the bouquet. But tell me about yourself.’

  ‘As I said, I had to concentrate hard to make the grade, but I felt it was up to me not to let my old man down, and this seven months in Europe is the pay-off.’

  ‘Where have you been so far?’

  ‘Spain, Portugal and Greece; from here I’ll do Italy. Then as the weather warms up I’ll go other places further north: Paris, Brussels, Munich, Vienna; they’ve all got marvellous collections.’

  ‘By the time you’ve done Italy I should have thought you would be sick of the sight of pictures. What were the night spots like in Spain?’

  ‘Not bad; but I didn’t go to many. The señoritas are a pretty poor lot as dancing partners.’

  Fleur raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that the only use you had for them?’

  ‘Well, yes. Going places with that sort of girl in foreign cities can land one in a packet of trouble.’

  ‘That doesn’t stop the chaps I know. Evidently you’re the faithful type and the truth is that you’ve got a sweetie at home. Some poppet you’ve been going steady with at your college.’

  ‘You’re wrong. Dartmouth is not co-ed.’

  ‘What rotten luck that your father should have sent you there. One gathers that at most universities in the States it’s a free-for-all and sex is counted part of the education.’

  ‘Sure; but it was just as well there were no girls at Dartmouth. It was my own choice because I’m pretty good on skis. I was one of the college team in fact, and our team sends several skiers to the Olympic Games. For that you’ve got to keep real fit and girls and ski-jumping don’t go together.’

  ‘I see. But what about the hols? Surely you let up a bit then?’

  He shrugged. ‘Winters we go down to our old home in the South. It’s a lovely place but miles from the nearest town, and I spend most of my time riding or fishing. Summers we spend at Cape Cod, and there’s plenty doing there. The sailing and bathing are super.’

  Fleur gave him a puzzled look. He was six foot two of splendid young manhood, broad-shouldered, slim-hipped, bronzed-skinned. His brown eyes held humour and intelligence; his very ugliness was of the kind that invariably attracts women. Suddenly she exclaimed:

  ‘For heaven’s sake, Truss, don’t tell me you’re a queer!’

  His dark head went back and his big mouth opened wide in a great guffaw. ‘Heavens no! Whatever gave you that idea? Just my not going whoring in Madrid? No, I’m as normal as they come, thank God.’

  ‘But you don’t seem the least interested in girls.’

  ‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that. But I don’t get to know many except when we’re at the Cape. There, of course, I dance every night, and I’m good enough at it to get more or less my pick of partners. I’ve nothing against necking either, for that matter. But being the heir to a mint of money has its liabilities. If I went too far with any of them they’d surely try to fix me, and I’ve no mind to get myself tied up yet. When the pace gets too hot I give them the polite brush-off. There’s always plenty more to choose from.’

  ‘So that’s the form, and you really haven’t got anyone in the States that you care about?’

  ‘No. Keep it light is my motto, then there are no entanglements and no regrets. Naturally there have been three or four I got pretty smitten with, and several times I darn’ near got seduced. But what with stacks of work and lots of vigorous play one can do without that sort of thing. And, after all, I’m only just on twenty-one, so I’ve lots of time ahead of me for leching.’

  ‘Leching,’ Fleur repeated. ‘What a nice old-fashioned word. And, of course, I see your point of view. But it’s very unusual these days. I mean, well, from what you’ve said I suppose you are still a virgin?’

  ‘I am,’ he nodded. ‘And I see no reason to be ashamed of it.’

  ‘No. Oh no, of course not.’

  ‘Fine. And now let’s hear about you.’

  She shook her head rather sadly. ‘I’m afraid you would
n’t approve, Truss. I’m not. But what girl is at twenty-four? As a matter of fact I lost it when I was seventeen, during my season. The first time I hated it and for quite a time it wasn’t much fun, but I was madly in love with the chap so I let him go on; then I came to like it. But after a few months he was posted abroad. When he’d been gone for some time I began to crave for it. The tiger who’s tasted blood, sort of thing, you know. But buried in the country down at Cardinal’s Folly no-one I liked enough came along. That Christmas you spent with us, if you hadn’t been such an innocent you could have had me if you’d wanted, but we got no further than my teaching you how to kiss. Soon afterwards a friend of Daddy’s made a pass at me and I’m afraid I didn’t take much seducing; but it was a rather trying hole-in-the-corner affaire. We used to slip away from the hunt and have jollies in barns, which isn’t a very satisfactory way of doing that sort of thing. Then I went to London U., and shared a flat with three other girls in the Cromwell Road. They were all as hot as mustard and the place was little better than a brothel. Perhaps that’s an exaggeration and, of course, we didn’t get money for it; but some of the parties we threw were pretty hectic, and we had to pay the old caretaker in the basement to keep her mouth shut.

  ‘After a while I got sick of having to fight off men I didn’t like when we were all half tight, so I moved to another place where I was on my own. While there I fell terribly badly for a married man who could get away for week-ends fairly frequently. As I was free to go and come as I liked we had some lovely times at country inns just outside London. But he wouldn’t ask his wife for a divorce; so after eighteen months going steady with him I steeled myself to make a break. While I was working for my thesis I was a good girl. I simply had to be. Since then I’ve had two brief affaires, just physical attraction and the old craving rearing its ugly head again; but no more. And I suppose I’ll do the same with the next man who attracts me. So there you have it, my dear. I’m no better than an old tart.’

  ‘You mustn’t say that,’ Truss smiled. ‘From that full rich mouth of yours anyone could see that you are passionate by nature. It was just your bad luck that you were seduced when still so young and that the only man you really cared about was married.’

  ‘You’re not shocked, then?’

  ‘Why should I be? You are just a product of the age we live in. No better and no worse than those girls I used to team up with at the Cape. I doubt if many of them would have refused to sleep with me if I’d been prepared to play. I would have too if I hadn’t been so scared that afterwards they’d swear I’d put them in the family way in order to force the issue and get their little claws on a share of the Van Ryn millions.’

  ‘Thank you, Truss. I’m glad you feel like that. You see, when we had our boy-and-girl affaire I knew you thought a lot of me; so I felt I had to tell you the truth about myself. It wouldn’t have been fair to let you believe that I’m anything but what I am.’

  His brown eyes smiled into her violet ones. ‘I give you full marks for that. How about us going someplace dancing tonight? I take it one of the hotels in the town runs a band?’

  ‘I’d love to. During the five days since we arrived here I’ve been bored to tears. There’s a big place called the Corfu Palace. We’ll run down there after dinner.’

  At dinner that evening de Richleau told his guests about the strange turn of fortune which, twenty years after it should have done, promised to bring him a jewel mine, and that he was contemplating flying out to Ceylon to see for himself his unexpected inheritance.

  When the surprise, laughter and congratulations had died down, Marie Lou said seriously, ‘We are delighted for you, Greyeyes dear, but you really must not think of going out to Ceylon. To talk to, no-one would believe you to be a day over seventy but you must face the fact that you are eighty-three. You have kept yourself so fit that we who love you have every hope that you’ll live to be a hundred. But you’ll do that only if you continue to take great care of yourself. Such a long flight would prove too great a strain for anyone of your age.’

  ‘Marie Lou’s right,’ Richard chimed in. ‘Living quietly here for the greater part of the year is splendid for you, and an occasional trip to the South of France or England entails no great risk. But going to Ceylon is a very different matter. It’s not only that after such a long flight you would arrive exhausted; but the conditions when you got there. From next month on the heat there will be terrific, and going from it into air-conditioned rooms you might easily catch a chill. There’s the risk, too, that you might pick up one of those awful tropical diseases. Honestly, you must put this idea right out of your mind.’

  The younger people supported their elders and after a while the Duke gave way. But he was so intrigued by the story of the forged will and about the property he had been left that he was eager to secure more particulars than could be sent in a letter. In consequence, as he could well afford it, he decided to cable the solicitor who had written to him and request that he should come to Corfu as soon as possible.

  After dinner Fleur announced her intention of going down to the Corfu Palace with Truss to dance, and asked if they might have a car. In addition to the Duke’s large car in which he sometimes went for drives, he kept a runabout for the convenience of his guests who wanted to make expeditions by the narrow roads up through the mountains. He said that by all means they could take it, and ten minutes later they were on their way.

  The moon was not yet up so the lush vegetation on either side of the steep twisting descent to the coast road was veiled in darkness, but they were soon running past the airport at the inland end of the Kanoni lagoon and between scattered houses to the great sweep of Garitsars bay, south of the town, where the big luxury hotel was ablaze with lights.

  It had been built only three years before and its spacious hall, broad staircase and the masses of exotic flowers in the big first-floor lounge were all impressive. As it was still early in the season there were only a score or so of people sitting about but at one end a three-man band was playing.

  Although only a young man Truss’s physique and well-cut tuxedo gave him the sort of presence to which head waiters always give a smiling welcome; so they were shown to a good table which Truss amply justified by ordering a bottle of French champagne. When he had approved the wine they went out on to the floor and, to his delight, he found that Fleur was a joy to dance with.

  The three hours that followed passed all too quickly for them both, and when the band played the Greek National Anthem they were surprised to find that it was one o’clock in the morning. By then they had consumed a second bottle, and when they went out to the car they were laughing together just a little hilariously.

  A sickle moon was now up, high in a clear sky, its light so strong that by it they could see the outline of the age-old citadel on the big twin-peaked promontory of rock to the east of the town. It was said to have served as a refuge for the townsfolk during the Gothic invasion and, rebuilt by the Venetians, had, a thousand years later, defied the Turks.

  Back at the villa they did not feel like bed so got themselves drinks, took them out on to the terrace and sat there breathing in the heady scent of the moonflowers. But it had now become a little chilly: so when they had finished their drinks Fleur stood up and said, ‘I think now we’d better go in.’

  Coming to his feet, Truss put his big hands on her shoulders, smiled down at her and replied, ‘Surely. But when I take a girl dancing it’s my custom to kiss her good night; and anyhow I’d like to show you I haven’t forgotten what you taught me that Christmas.’

  Fleur smiled back at him, lifting her face to his. ‘Come on then, big boy. Just show me.’

  Her full lips melted under his. Their kiss was long, moist and sweet. As he held her to him he felt her quiver slightly. When at length he took his mouth from hers he gave a little gasp and murmured, ‘I could do with a lot of that.’

  She was breathing fast and remained silent for a moment, then she whispered, ‘Truss; as I told yo
u this afternoon, I’ve been a naughty girl with quite a number of men. That at least gives me one advantage: I’ve learned how to take care of myself, and have never had a slip-up yet. You’d run no risk of putting me in the family way.’

  His voice came huskily. ‘You mean …?’

  Gripping the lapels of his coat she went on tiptoe to give him a swift kiss. ‘Yes. Why not? You’ve got to start some time, and I’m told most men are not too good at their first attempt. If you’re not, knowing you’ve never done it before at least I’ll understand. Whereas if you wait until it’s with someone you’re crazy about it may prove a bitter disappointment to you both.’

  A sudden smile lit his ugly attractive face. ‘It wouldn’t take much to make me crazy about you. Come on, then; let’s.’

  With a swift gesture he put one arm round her shoulders and the other round her thighs. Picking her up without a trace of effort, he carried her into the house.

  3

  Happy Days in Corfu

  Truss had arrived in Corfu on April 18th, and later he looked back on the eight days that followed as the happiest in his life. He was his own master with not a single thing to worry him: perfect health, ample money and time was his servant. As de Richleau’s guest he lived in a household where long years of experience by its master decreed every possible comfort. His companions were intelligent and charming people, all of whom were fond of him. The French chef produced dishes of the first excellence and the Duke’s cellar held wines which it would have been difficult to surpass. The island was an earthly paradise of shimmering mountains, dark olive groves and vistas of tranquil blue seas. Luxurious fruit abounded and on all sides the cottage gardens and woodlands were starred with flowers of every colour in the spectrum. Above all, for the first time in his life, he had a beautiful, interesting and passionate girl as his mistress.

  Fleur’s assumption that his excess of excitement at a first encounter might tend to spoil it had been correct; but Truss proved a quick learner. In his powerful body there lay the virility of a young bull, and out of her experience in the past six years Fleur soon taught him all she knew. After the first night they danced only until they could be reasonably certain that the rest of the household had gone to bed, and as the room next to hers was unoccupied they were able to romp and laugh in hers to their hearts’ content. He had come to adore the feel of the satin-smooth skin of her slender body as a miser loves the feel of gold. She, having had other lovers, and being more interested in older men, felt no real love for him but accepted his caresses with eagerness and delight.