Read Online The Call of Destiny (The Return of Arthur Book 1) by Unknown - Free Book Online

prolonged fit of
coughing. ‘Come now,’ he wheezed, red in the face, ‘I wasn’t born yesterday, my
dear.’ Elaine stood up to go. ‘I knew you wouldn’t believe me. No one does.’
She extended her hand with quiet dignity. ‘Goodbye.’
    Ferdinand Tozer prided himself
on being a good judge of character. ‘Sit down. Tell me more.’
    Elaine did as she was told.
‘Her name is Bertha Mason. Well, Bertha Mason Pendragon. She’s the baby and dad
picks on her. She howls and moans a lot, and she’s a bit, well, simple. But
she’s quite harmless really.’
    ‘How long has she been locked
up?’ ‘Ever since she was a baby.’ ‘Where?’
    ‘In the attic.’
    ‘In the attic!’ Ferdinand
Tozer was shocked. ‘That’s outrageous! What does your mother say about all
this?’
    ‘She says this is the
twenty-first century and people don’t do things like that any more. Daddy wont
listen. He says it would ruin his career if people knew he had a mad daughter.’
    ‘But . . . but . . . ’ Though
Tozer was horrified, his brain was feverishly active, calculating how he could
turn this extraordinary situation to his advantage. ‘Why doesn’t he put her in
a home?’
    Elaine’s voice faltered. ‘He’s
afraid someone might sell the story to the press.’
    ‘Why are you telling me all
this?’ Tozer was suddenly suspicious again. ‘Me, a complete stranger.’
    ‘It’s only a stranger I can tell. Father’s friends won’t listen
    to me.’
    Tozer nodded. That certainly
made sense, considering what he knew about Pendragon and his cronies. ‘But what
can I do?’
    ‘You’re rich, so I expect
you’re important. You can talk to father, make him set her free. She has a
right to lead her own life and be happy.’ Elaine gulped. ‘Or as happy as she
can be.’
    ‘Of course she does.’ This was dynamite. What
would Uther not give to keep his secret safe? ‘Show me, my dear,’ he said
decisively. ‘I want to see her.’
    Elaine seemed a bit surprised. ‘Now?’
    ‘Now,’ insisted Tozer, thrusting out his chest.
    Elaine pondered a moment or
two. ‘I’ll need a couple of minutes to make sure the coast is clear.’
    It was considerably more than
a couple of minutes before she returned, and as the seconds ticked by, the less
believable her story seemed to Ferdinand Tozer.
    Elaine was breathing heavily
when she rushed in. ‘Come quickly!’ she hissed, grabbing his hand and pulling
Tozer out into the hall and up three flights of stairs. It was the most
exercise he had had in years. The top of a fourth flight of much narrower
stairs was blocked by a low door. Elaine knocked a special knock. Rat – tat,
tat, tat! Rat – tat, tat, tat! Ferdinand Tozer leaned against the wall wheezing
and gasping for air. Elaine turned the handle and opened the door cautiously.
‘Come!’ she whispered, beckoning Tozer to follow her.
    As his eyes adapted to the
gloom he made out first a network of wooden beams supporting the roof and then
a confusion of objects; a pile of suitcases, a few lamps and lampshades, a
birdcage, a child’s rocking horse, a baby’s bath. The attic smelled musty.
Ferdinand Tozer sneezed loudly, and as he did there came a low moan from the
shadows somewhere to their right.
    Finger to her lips Elaine
whispered, ‘She’s very timid.’ In a low voice she called, ‘Bertha!’ At first
there was no response, and then came a faint scraping sound as of a chain being
dragged across the floor. The sight that met Ferdinand Tozer’s eyes was one he
would never forget; a small figure crouched on the filthy attic floor, wrapped
in a torn shawl, trembling arms outstretched, begging for who knew what? Food
or drink, or simply love and understanding? The little mite’s tired eyes were
rimmed with what looked like blue and red welts; they were the frightened eyes
of some tortured spirit that had never known peace of mind.
    ‘Poor girl! Poor little girl!’
Ferdinand Tozer’s eyes moistened. It was a long time since