Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Nineteen“The telegram”

Mrs. Bracebridge comes to London. She wants to see Wilfred. She goes to his club. She knows that he is usually there during the day.She asks the porter to call her son. She waits. She is very nervous. Wilfred comes to the lobby, and takes his mother to the bar. Women are allowed in the bar, but they are not allowed in the rest of the club. It is for men only.Wilfred orders a glass of sherry for his mother. He has a whisky. Neither of them speaks for a moment. Then Wilfred says, "Mother, I must tell you something. John is not innocent. He is the thief."“What are you saying, Wilfred?” Mrs. Bracebridge asks."Yes, Mother," Wilfred says. "I have proof.""No, Wilfred. You are mistaken. Wilfred, I have something to tell you, something very important."

"What is it?""Wilfred, I was wrong.""What do you mean? What are you talking about?""Fancy and I had a secret. I wanted her to tell you. I thought she would..."

Suddenly the porter comes to Wilfred."There’s a telegram for you, sir," he says and gives Wilfred an envelope.

Wilfred opens the telegram."Mother, this is wonderful!""What does it say?" she asks."The charges against John have been dropped.""Thank God," says Mrs. Bracebridge.

"He's going directly to our house to see Caroline. Oh, Mother, I'm so glad. Waiter, bring us a bottle of champagne. We must celebrate. Mother."

The waiter brings the champagne. He opens the bottle and pours out two glasses."Well, Mother," Wilfred says after a while, "What were you going to tell me about Fancy?” - "No, Wilfred," she says. "I can't tell you. Fancy must tell you. Find her, Wilfred. I think she's in trouble." Back to Index

Chapter Twenty“A letter from

Fancy”

The charges against John Dewey had been dropped because the police know that he is innocent. They know who the thief is. They have received a letter. This is the letter they received.

It said to the Inspector that John Dewey was innocent and that he had not stolen the diamond, and that he went into Mrs. Bracebridge’s bedroom because he had heard a noise. The letter told that when he came in he saw her and that she asked him to promise not to tell anyone. He had to promise because she didn’t think he would get into trouble. She said that she had stolen the diamond but that she hadn’t got it. She gave it to someone. She said that she now had to find that person and get the diamond back.The letter was signed by Fancy Hill.

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Chapter Twenty-One“A great family”

Wilfred drives to Bristol to speak to Fancy's mother. He finds her sitting in a small dark room at the back of the house. She is crying.

"Oh, Wilfred," she says. "Where is my daughter?""Don't you know?" Wilfred asks.

"No, Wilfred. The police were here. They asked me so many questions. I don't understand. Why would Fancy take the diamond? She doesn't need money. If she wants diamonds, her father will give her diamonds. Wilfred, I can't understand why she did it. No, it's not possible. It's just not possible."Wilfred tries to calm her down."Oh, Wilfred, my doctor was here today. He says I am very ill. Look at me. Oh, I'm so worried. Maybe something has happened to Fancy. Wilfred, you must find her."

"Give me the names and addresses of all her friends," Wilfred says.

"The police asked me for the same thing. But I talked to her friends, Wilfred. I talked to everybody." She stops speaking. She takes a piece of paper out of a drawer beside her. "Here, Wilfred. I didn't give this to the police. Nobody knows about this."

"What is it?" Wilfred asks."It's a letter... from a boy, a stupid boy. He was here. I didn't like him. Fancy knew him two years ago. They were in school together. He was a bad boy. He went to prison. I don't know what he did, something terrible, I'm sure. He wrote to Fancy, but she didn't write back. There was nothing between them, Wilfred. Fancy loves you."Wilfred looks at the letter. It's a love letter addressed to Fancy and it's signed Billy."What is Billy's last name?" Wilfred asks."Montdore," Mrs. Hill says. "He lived here in Bristol. His family is very rich. It's a very good name. But he's crazy. I don't know why Fancy liked him. She didn't love him, Wilfred. You must believe me."Mrs. Hill gives Wilfred Billy's address. He leaves her and drives to the Montdore house. It is another big city house like the Hills' house.The butler takes him into a large front room. In a few minutes a middle-aged woman comes in. Wilfred explains why he is there."I don't know where Billy is, and I don't care," she says.Wilfred asks if she knows any of Billy's friends."Criminals. They are all criminals," she says. "Look. Look at this." She hands Wilfred an old photograph.

"This is the Montdore family," she says to Wilfred. "It is a great family. We are very important people. You see the boy standing behind the sofa? That is my son. Billy. He was going to be great, too. He was so intelligent. He was the best student in his class."

"Have you got a more recent photograph of him?"

"I threw them all away. The young man who went to prison is not my son. This is my son," she says, pointing at the little boy in the photograph. "This is my Billy."

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Chapter Twenty-Two “The Empty House”

Wilfred leaves Mrs. Montdore, but as he is walking to the front door the butler stops him."I will give you Billy's address," he says and hands Wilfred a small piece of paper. "He's not a bad boy," the butler says. "It's that girl, that Fancy Hill. Before he met her, he was such a nice young man. She changed him. She made him bad.""Why did Billy go to prison?" Wilfred asks."He hit a man. He was driving. The police say he was drunk. He hit a man on the road, at night. And he didn't stop to help him. He kept driving. That girl was with him. I know she was. Billy told the police that he was alone in the car. But I know she was there. I know it."Wilfred thanks the butler. When he is outside, he looks at the paper. The address is in Manchester. It is late in the day. The sun is setting. But Wilfred doesn't want to wait till the next morning. He gets in his car and drives north.It is dark by the time he reaches Manchester. He goes to the address. It is a small cottage. He parks his car and walks to the house.

There are no lights on inside. He knocks. No answer. He walks around to the back. He tries to open the windows. They are locked. At the back of the house he finds another door. It is locked too, but the lock is old. Wilfred looks around. Nobody is there. He pushes hard against the door. It doesn't open. He tries again. Nothing. He searches the ground for something to help him. It is very dark, difficult to see anything. Finally, he finds a metal bar. He takes it to the door. He slips it in between the door and the door frame. He pushes hard against it. The lock breaks. The door opens.Wilfred goes inside. He doesn't turn on the lights. Someone might see. He lights a match and starts to explore. There are three rooms and a bathroom. The living room is empty except for an old sofa. The kitchen is filled with dirty plates and pots and pans.The match goes out. Wilfred lights another one. He continues his search. In the bedroom, there is a mattress on the floor.

The closet is empty. But on one wall beside the bed there is something interesting. It's a photograph of Fancy Hill.

Wilfred takes the photograph off the wall. The match goes out. He is going to light another one when he hears a noise. There are people coming into the house. Wilfred goes into the closet. He waits. The bedroom light goes on. He hears two voices."Are you sure you saw a light?" one man asks."Yes, I'm sure, officer. I know there was someone in here. It was that Billy Montdore. I'm sure he was here.""Well, there's no one here now.""Maybe we should wait. Maybe he'll come back.""We'll find him. Don't worry.""Oh, you'll find him, I suppose. But I won't get my money back.""Come on. Let's go."When they are gone, Wilfred comes out of the closet and quickly leaves the cottage."Tomorrow," he thinks, "I will come here again. I must find this Billy Montdore." Back to Index

Wilfred finds a hotel. He goes to his room and sits on the bed. He is tired, but he knows he won’t be able to sleep.

Chapter Twenty-Three “The Diamond is Found”

He keeps thinking about the empty house and the photograph of Fancy. He takes the photograph out of his pocket and looks at it for a long time. He wonders what happened between Fancy and Billy Montdore. Were they in love? Is that what his mother was going to tell him? He wants to know. He telephones the Bracebridge house.

"Wilfred,” Mrs. Bracebridge says. "Come home immediately.""Why? What's the matter?"“The police have the diamond, and they have the thief”"Is it Billy Montdore?"

"How did you know?" Mrs. Bracebridge asks."That doesn't matter, Mother. Where is Fancy?""Wilfred. Fancy is gone. She left England.""What? Where is she?""Nobody knows. She told the police about Billy. She called them and told them where he was. And then she called her mother. Wilfred, Fancy says she loves you. But she says she can't marry you now. She says she doesn't deserve you. She says she is going away forever.’

‘Wilfred, you must find her.“ "But Mother, she could be anywhere. I don't know where to begin looking. Maybe we should hire a private detective."

"No, Wilfred. Go to Paris." - "Why Paris?""She has a friend, a French girl, Yvette Manette, who lives in Paris."

"Mother, we're losing time. How can we be sure?"

"I have a feeling, Wilfred. I met this girl a month ago. She and Fancy are very close. I think Fancy would go to her."

“Mother..." - “Trust me, Wilfred. I'm sure I'm right.”

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Chapter Twenty-Four“The Search”

Wilfred wants to believe that his mother is right, but he can't stop thinking that going to Paris could be a waste of time. He can’t call Yvette Manette. She would tell Fancy he was coming, and then Fancy might run away.

So, before he leaves for France, Wilfred goes to the main offices of all the airlines in London. He asks at each one if Fancy Hill bought a ticket there. He wants to be sure she didn't go anywhere else.

Then he goes to Dover."Yes," says the man in the office there. "A Miss Fancy Hill bought a ticket to Calais. She left yesterday."Wilfred buys a ticket for the next sailing. It's at four o'clock. He has two hours to wait. He wanders around the city of Dover. He is very anxious. He doesn’t like waiting. He can't stop thinking about Fancy.

“No,” they all tell him. "No one named Hill bought a ticket from us."

But did she get there? And is she there now? And...? So many questions. Wilfred looks down at the dirty water as the boat moves slowly out into the open sea.

Finally it is time for the boat to leave. Wilfred goes through customs. He gets on the boat.Now he is almost positive that Fancy was planning to go to her friend's.

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Chapter Twenty-Five“Fancy is Found”

When Wilfred reaches Calais, he asks the police at customs if Fancy has been there.

"Ah, sir," says one old policeman, "if we kept a record of every English person who comes to France, we would fill your British Museum with papers."

But one young policeman remembers Fancy when Wilfred describes her to him.

"What a beautiful girl!" he says. "But so sad."On the train to Paris, Wilfred begins to worry again. Yvette Manette will want to protect Fancy. Maybe she won't admit that Fancy is staying with her. Fancy might run away again. She could go anywhere.In Paris Wilfred takes a taxi to the address his mother gave him. It's a big nineteenth-century block of flats in the center of the city. Wilfred pays the driver and goes into the building. The Manette family lives on the second floor.

"And if she's not here, what shall I do?" Wilfred asks himself as he climbs the wide staircase.

He knocks at the door. He waits. It opens. A small, wrinkled old woman is standing there looking up at him. Wilfred asks to speak to Yvette. He tells the old woman he is Yvette's friend. Wilfred speaks French very well. He is sure the woman won't realize that he is English. In a few moments the old woman returns accompanied by a pretty young woman with long dark hair.

“ I'm Wilfred Bracebridge," Wilfred says. Yvette Manette looks frightened.''Don't worry. I know Fancy is with you. I want to help her. Please, let me see her. I know you want to protect her. So do I. I love Fancy. I would do anything for her. How can I prove that to you?"Yvette smiles. "The way you look now is enough proof for me, Mr. Bracebridge," she says. "I love Fancy, too. And I think you can help her. Come with me."Yvette takes Wilfred up to her family's flat. At the end of a long hallway, she leaves him in front of a door. He opens it into a small yellow bedroom with the sun coming in the window through white lace curtains. Fancy is lying in bed, half asleep. She looks up.

''Wilfred," she whispers.

Wilfred goes to her. He sits on the edge of the bed and takes Fancy's hand."My darling."

Fancy smiles up at him. - "You're ill," Wilfred says."No, Wilfred," she says softly."I must get you home.""No, Wilfred. I can't go back to England.""Don't be afraid of going to prison. We'll get the best lawyer in England.""No, it's because...""Don't say anything. Fancy. I don't care about anything now that I have you again."

"But I must tell you, Wilfred. It is because I had a secret that all of this happened."

Wilfred helps Fancy sit up in bed. - "Go over there, Wilfred," Fancy says, pointing to a chair by the window. "I want you to be comfortable. You see, it's a very long story."

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Chapter Twenty-Six"You were just a child"

"Remember, Wilfred," Fancy says, "the first time we met?"

"I was ten years old."

"Yes, of course. You were just a child."

"And I was twenty-three.""You were home from Oxford. It was summertime. I remember everything. My mother and I drove to your house. It was such a warm day. There was a soft breeze, and the air smelled like flowers.My father and your father were in Bristol at the factory. Your mother had invited us for the day. The maid took us into the living room and there you were, sitting beside your mother on the sofa. I fell in love with you the moment I saw you.""And I thought you were a very pretty little girl. It's odd. Fancy, but now that you remind me of that time, I see more clearly how much I am to blame."

"Blame? You? You're not to blame for anything."

"Oh, yes, I am. When I think of you as a young woman of twenty and me as a young man of thirty-three, there doesn't seem to be much difference in our ages. But when I think of you as a child of ten and me as already a man...

Well, it wasn't fair to you to make promises."

"We made the promises much later."

"When you were eighteen." "Yes, I remember. You told me you had loved me for many years, but you had waited to tell me because I was so young.""And you said you had been waiting all that time to hear me say it. Let me say it now, again. I love you. Fancy."

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Chapter Twenty-Seven “I thought I was in love”

“You told me we had to wait to get married till I was twenty years old. I agreed, but it seemed like such a long time. Then you went away to London, and I was alone.““I felt so lonely. I was going to

school, but I didn't have any friends. I read a lot, mostly poetry and always about love. Then I met a boy at school who was different from the other boys. He was mature, like you.““He was quiet. When he talked, he talked about politics, about art, about adult things. We became friends.“

“His name was Billy Montdore. We took drives in the country outside Bristol. He read me poems he had written. I kept thinking about you, Wilfred, but you seemed so far away.“

“And finally, one day when he came to my house, he told me he loved me.“

“I said I didn’t know what I felt. I wasn't sure. I told him I liked him very much, but I was in love with you.“

“Then we were together every day, and finally I decided that I loved him too.”

"I thought I was in love, but it was only loneliness."

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