Chapter 82

Victoria and Mark took separate cars to Harrogate. Before they left Mark took her in his arms.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, darling? It's not too late to pullout."

"I'm sure, darling. I know it won't be pleasant. I wanted to scratch his eyes out last time and after his hurting Patch I'd like to do worse. Anyway, I shall have you and Toby to protect me."

They kissed gently and lovingly.

Victoria drove to Toby's house. He did not want the surgery to have any idea of what might be going on. They walked from there to Woolston Terrace. They did not notice Fitzmaurice shadowing them and then leaving to enter his house from the back.

Mark parked a hundred yards beyond Fitzmaurice's house so that he could see Toby and Victoria approach. He walked towards them so that they arrived outside the front door at the same time. Just short of the door a man appeared at Mark's side, winked but said nothing. He took a recorder out of his pocket and held it up. Mark and Toby nodded. Toby knocked three times and let them in. He went in first followed by Victoria. Mark brought up the rear and held the front door to but with the lock open.

The hall was long and narrow with a staircase on the right. Toby led Victoria to a room on the left at the back of the hall. Fitzmaurice was sitting in an armchair facing the door.

"Ah, Victoria, how nice to see you again," he said rising.

"You!" gasped Victoria in mock astonishment and turned to leave. Toby caught her arm.

"Yes, your old friend, Charles Fitzmaurice," continued Fitzmaurice smoothly. "Do sit down." He indicated a chair almost opposite him. Toby nudged her into it and remained standing beside it.

"This is hardly the happy meeting you led me to believe would happen, Charles," said Toby.

"Yes, very disappointing," replied Fitzmaurice urbanely.

"You appear to have lured us both here under false pretences and I think we should leave."

"Oh no! You would be very foolish to leave, Toby. All sorts of worms would come out of the woodwork, don't you think?" Toby looked at his feet. "Good. Well I won't beat about the bush. My aim is to have the revenge I promised on Mark Bowers and you two are going to achieve it for me. You will have the affair I wanted you to have but I need to speed it up. To do that I need recognisable photographs of you both in flagrante delicto. That will destroy Mark's marriage and therefore him."

"No!" exclaimed Victoria and Toby together.

"Yes!" said Fitzmaurice explosively. "You, Toby, because if you don't I shall expose you and you, Victoria, because if necessary I shall sedate you. I'll make it easier for you both. If it would ease your consciences we can fudge actual penetration but you are both going to act out sexual intercourse. The sooner we start the sooner we finish so get your clothes off."

"No!" cried Victoria. "Never! This is rape."

"Not at this stage it isn't. Get undressed."

"No!"

"I don't wish to use force, ruin your clothes and have to sedate you, Victoria, but you have half a minute to be naked."

In the hall both men nodded simultaneously, the policeman pressed a button on his radio and Mark opened the front door. Two burly men slid in and followed their leader into the back room.

"Charles Fitzmaurice, I arrest you for threatening behaviour. Other charges may follow. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say will be noted down in evidence."

Fitzmaurice went white as a sheet and then as he saw Mark enter the room his face contorted with rage. Toby stepped in front of Victoria.

"You bastard," screamed Fitzmaurice. A knife appeared in his hand and he lunged at Mark. The two burly gentlemen hardly seemed to move but Fitzmaurice dropped his knife with a scream and found both his arms pulled up painfully behind his back. The leading policeman snapped handcuffs on him and he was led away still spitting hateful obscenities.

Mark moved straight to Victoria who fell sobbing into his arms. "My darling, my poor little darling, my brave little darling," he whispered. "It's all over now and you've nothing left to fear." Victoria nodded against his chest but still clung to him as sobs wracked her. Slowly they abated and she eased back. Mark handed her his handkerchief. She wiped her tears, blew her nose loudly and then straightened her shoulders. No one had said anything throughout.