Part 17 (2/2)

Bond handed the weapon to Bill Tanner and descended towards thejust inside the pad He hardly looked at the body What he wanted lay a short way off - a heavy, thick oilskin package, which he picked up with care, tucking it under his ar to walk slowly up the rise towards the old keep There Bond stood for a good twolook at the castle Warlock's Castle

23

Quite a lady

Ja up into Lavender Peacock's bright eyes It had been one of the best su and eventful holiday e of sadness, Bond knew that all good things must end sometime Now, the moment had come

The oilskin packet, recovered at Murik's death, contained a whole folio of interesting items, many of which would take months to unravel Most i Murik's real parenthood and Lavender Peacock's claim to the estates and title These also proved her real na a naally, by her father before he returned to make the claim which had ended in death

Bond had been allowed to extract these documents, and M saw to it that they were placed in the hands of the best possible solicitors in Scotland He was opti on the ain her inheritance

In theleave to recuperate; though Bill Tanner had stayed on duty, his cheek decorated with sticking plaster for over a month

A few days after his return from Murcaldy, Bond had left with Lavender, by car, for the French Riviera To begin with, things had gone according to plan Thinking it would be a great treat, Bond had taken the girl to the best hotels; but she was unsettled, and did not like the fuss

On one occasion, while staying at the Negresco in Nice, Lavender wakened Bond in the night, crying out and screahtmare Later she told him she had dreamed of them both trapped in the Starlifter, which was on fire Jaently cradled her in his arms, soothed her as one comforts a child, and held her close until the sun ca the early strollers along the Proainst the Mediterranean

After a few days of this, they decided onin ses far away from the crowded resorts; or at little-known seaside places, basking in the sun, lazing, eating, talking and loving

Bond explained the new responsibilities that would soon be thrust upon her, and Lavender slowly became more serious and withdrawn She was still fun to be with, but, as the weeks passed Bond noticed she was spendingand receiving cables Then one , out of the blue, she announced that they land

So it turned out that, a week after their return to London, Lavender visited a solicitor in Gray's Inn - acting for a firh - to be told that the Scottish courts had upheld her clai docu that she had inherited the title Lady Murik of Murcaldy

Two days later, Lavender visited Bond with the news that she had ricultural colleges, where she was going to study estateon the sleeper that night, to tie upproperly again,' she told hi through it I think that's what ive the estate, and the title, its good na day, would not have tried to stop her She was right, and he felt proud of having had so future He took her out to dinner, then drove to collect her things and get her to the station

'You'll coain, I mean' She leaned down out of the train , the last- on around them

'You try and stop ht have to hold hosts? Really? It'll be a pleasure, James' Lady Murik leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth, just as the whistle blew and the train started to ain soon Goodbye, ain soon' He stepped back, raising a hand Quite a Lady, thought James Bond, as the train snaked from the platform Quite a Lady