Chapter 1

Veronica Harmsworth was not as happy as she would wish. She had a two bedroom flat in Hampstead High Street, the result of a legacy consequent upon the death of a rich aunt, and a good job in the City. BUT. Times were hard nowadays. Working in the Square Mile was rather like being in the trenches on the Western Front. People all round her were falling. Of course, they did not die when they fell - merely collected handsome redundancy packages, but it was still a sort of death. Her own time might come sooner than she thought.

A year ago her life had been hectic but carefree, a daily round of frenzied dealing and lunchtime and evening conviviality. Now it was different. There was less to do, but no one wanted to look idle. Liquid lunches had been eschewed and all stayed late at the office, despite having so little to do. It was not a nice life. How she longed to be out of it all!

That was why the little notice in the local free newspaper caught her eye. "Independence! Freedom! No more nine-to-five! Be a millionaire/ess!"

There was a telephone number to ring. Veronica picked up the phone and keyed in the number. Engaged. Well, it bloody would be, wouldn't it! She tried three more times with the same result. Oh, well! Probably a hoax anyway! One more go! "Brr Brrrng Brrrng Hello, how can I help?"

"Oh!" Veronica had hardly expected to be successful and was temporarily at a loss.

"I'm phoning about the ad in the Camden News. About being a millionairess! I think it might suit me, actually! I suppose it's all a joke, but I'm so bloody fed up with life right now, I'm game for anything!"

"Game for anything, eh?" replied the thin reedy voice on the other end of the line. It was the kind of antediluvian tone that could be coming from another age.

"Well - I've spoken to a few people already, but I didn't much like the sound of any of them. You sound like a breath of fresh air. Half of those other buggers were bloody foreigners - cheeky sods! May I have your address and phone number? I'll be in touch in the next few days."

She did as the old gentleman requested, giving him her details, and replaced the telephone, her heart aflutter with a strange excitement. She told herself it was all nonsense. But there was something in the back of her mind that KNEW she was on the brink of opportunity and great adventure.

She looked at her antique grandfather clock. It was ten-thirty. Time for a quick one at the "Flask". She pulled on a sweater. It was early in the month of April and the evenings were still a little on the chilly side. In a few minutes she was at her destination.

She pushed her way through the door of her favourite pub. Somehow, as she looked around the familiar bar, the place seemed pregnant with life. The very smoke-filled air around her reeked not only of stale beer and tobacco, but of adventure. Even the ever drunken and ever aggressive Bertha, that raddled blonde with the chip on her shoulder, was unable to jolt her out of the euphoria which she had experienced ever since speaking to the old man on the phone.

As luck would have it, there were none of her usual friends here tonight. She took her drink over to the large round table in the corner and a man asked politely if he might join her. She smilingly assented and he sat in one corner, immediately taking out a book, into which he buried himself, leaving Veronica alone with her thoughts.

Of course this thing was just a hoax of some kind! People just don't go around handing out one million pounds to perfect strangers. She had met a few millionaires in her time and they were as tight-fisted a bunch of skinflints as ever walked the earth! Of course, there were exceptions to every rule. Maybe someone with more money than he/she knew what to do with, or someone with a stricken conscience was finding a way to do a bit of good to someone.

As she continued to muse about the future, she noticed that the man opposite was casting surreptitious glances at her. She began to feel awkward, finished her drink and left, noting that the fellow had returned to his book. Funny. She hadn't seen him before and at this time of night, most of the customers were regulars.