Chapter 55

Mark saw Victoria off to work the following morning and went straight to the office. Alison had beaten him to it and welcomed him warmly. He asked her whether the general had anything urgent to deal with.

"No," she said. "Why?"

"I want to borrow his office for half an hour."

"What on earth for?"

Mark told her the story of the Summer Ball. She was utterly appalled.

"I want to be able to discuss it with Colonel Wilson where we won't be disturbed."

"What's going to happen?

"Captain Fitzmaurice will get his marching orders."

"Serve him right. I for one won't be sorry to see the back of him."

Mark smiled. "So I gathered three weeks ago. Anyway keep it under your hat for the moment."

"Of course."

General Anthony came in a few minutes later and greeted them both.

"I assume lover-boy here has told you his news," he said to Alison.

"No," she said curiously."

"Oh golly!" said Mark shamefacedly. "I was so caught up with

Fitzmaurice I quite forgot."

General Anthony grinned delightedly.

"Victoria and I are engaged," Mark went on.

Alison ran to him, hugged and kissed him warmly. "Oh, Mark dear," she cried. "How wonderful! I'm so pleased for you both. When's the wedding?"

"Thanks, Alison. Not until April, I'm afraid."

"That's not too long."

"Yes it jolly well is."

General Anthony snorted and started for his office. Mark followed him.

"Yes, Mark. What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to borrow your office for half an hour to talk to Colonel Wilson, General."

"Oh you would, would you? And what, pray, do you want me to do? Take over your desk in the meanwhile?"

Mark chuckled. "No, General. Alison assures me there's nothing urgent for you so I was going to suggest you going on a wander, sit on a few desks, swing your legs and chat to some of your staff."

"That's actually a very good idea and something I should have done ages ago. Let me drink Alison's coffee and then I'll disappear for an hour or so." He smiled wryly. "I think I might give AQ Branch a miss today under the circumstances though."

Mark smiled. "Thank you, General," he said and went back to his own office.

Ten minutes later Anthony walked into the front office, snapped to attention and said to Mark, "Leave to fall out, Sir, please!"

Mark roared with laughter. "Fall out, General!" he spluttered.

Alison looked between the two of them in amazement and then got the giggles herself. Anthony wandered off.

"Alison," said Mark, "as you see I've got the office. I'm going to give Colonel Wilson a ring and invite him up here. Would you be an angel and serve us coffee and a biscuit?"

"Of course, Mark." She grinned. "Would you like me to give him a general's PA's summons?"

Mark grinned back. "No, my love."

Mark went into the general's office and picked up the telephone.

"Yes, General?" said Alison.

Mark snorted which induced a peal of laughter from Alison.

"Guess," he said.

"Colonel Wilson, General?"

"Alison!"

There were further giggles and then a voice answered.

"Wilson, Colonel AQ."

"Good morning, Sir. Mark Bowers."

"Hello, Mark. What can I do for you?"

"It's a tricky one, Sir. You didn't come to the Summer Ball, did you?"

"No?"

"Well, Sir, your having been on leave like me, you may not have picked up on the gossip if there is any but I have evidence that Charles Fitzmaurice doctored Victoria Collins's drink and I'd like to talk to you about it."

"Shit!"

"Yes, Sir. I've got the general's office to myself for an hour and wondered whether you'd care to come up and discuss the problem without interruption."

"I'll be right up, Mark. Give me a couple of minutes."

He was true to his word. Alison showed him in two minutes later.

"Thank you, Sir," said Mark. "This is all very unpleasant but I'm afraid you're bound to be involved. May I tell you the story and then we can take it from there?"

Colonel Wilson nodded and Mark told him the whole story including his own stupidity. At that stage Alison brought in the coffee and biscuits.

"This is not brought on by jealousy, I promise you," continued Mark, "because Victoria and I are now engaged."

That brought a delighted smile. "Congratulations, Mark. She's a lovely girl. I hope you'll both be very happy."

"Thank you, Sir. I assure you we will." Mark smiled warmly and then moved to a wry look. "The problem is how to deal with Fitzmaurice."

Colonel Wilson smiled. "Tell me," he said.

Mark smiled back. "Well, pretty understandably, the general wants him off the premises." Colonel Wilson nodded. "But he doesn't want publicity for Victoria's sake so he doesn't want a Court Martial or anything like that. He'd prefer it if the whole business was handled in-house but that Fitzmaurice is out of here double quick."

Colonel Wilson nodded again. "I can quite understand that," he said seriously but then smiled, "so what do you want me to do, Oh Master ADC?"

"Well, Sir, what I suggest..."

Colonel Wilson snorted with laughter. "Yes, Mark?"

Mark grinned back. "I think there are two options, Colonel. You can have a formal interview and I will produce all the witnesses or you can call both of us in and I will tell you what I've already told you and you can invite him to explain himself. I think the latter will pass less noticed and I'd be surprised if after some bluster he didn't acknowledge what he'd done. I suggest you might like to mention the possibility at the outset of a Court Martial and all that would entail. The end result would be his immediate departure from here and notifying his personnel branch. I don't know how much detail they would want but I suspect it would be the whole story. Either way his military career is at an end but, without a Court Martial, he would be saved the publicity."

"Hmm! You've clearly given this a lot of thought."

"I could hardly help it, Sir. Apart from my love for Victoria, there's my feelings for and loyalty to the general."

"Yes, Mark. I fully understand. I think the informal approach is the better one but, if he proves difficult, we go for the more formal one. If the bugger wants a Court Martial on his own head be it. From what you tell me, he hasn't got a leg to stand on."

"I don't believe he has, Sir, but I may be wrong."

"I'd be surprised. Are you free all morning?"

"Yes, Sir."

"OK, Mark. Give me an hour at the outside and I'll call you downstairs."

"Thank you, Sir."

"And you thank your master for the use of his office, his PA and his coffee and biscuits."

Mark smiled delightedly. "I will indeed, Sir."

Colonel Wilson smiled, winked and walked out.

Mark picked up the plate and the coffee cups and walked back to the outer office. He put them down on the table beside the kettle.

"Thanks, Mark," said Alison. "How did it go?

"All right, I think. He's agreed to my proposal. It's just a question now of Fitzmaurice's reaction. We'll know by the end of the morning."

Half an hour later Colonel Wilson rang him. Mark took the forensic report and other papers with him and went downstairs.

"Sit yourself down, Mark, and I'll call Fitzmaurice in."

A few minutes later Fitzmaurice came in with a notebook and pencil in his hand. He looked surprised to see Mark but accepted the seat offered to him by Colonel Wilson without a word.

Colonel Wilson launched into the proceedings straightaway. "Charles, it has been reported to me that you appear to have doctored Victoria Collins's drink at the Summer Ball. What have you got to say?"

"Absolute rubbish, Sir."

"Very well. Mark please tell us what you know."

Mark repeated his story. The fact that he had the forensic report and the evidence of the barman shook Fitzmaurice but he still claimed innocence.