by such bad names.’ Seefan’s face betrayed pure terror.
Sarah frowned. ‘Seefan, he’s not even here for heaven’s sake. Why are you so afraid of him? You sleep with him yet you’re afraid of him. What kind of relationship is that?’
‘The kind that allows for my survival.’
Sarah stared at Seefan in horror. ‘I don’t want to talk about it, Seef - any of it. Right now I’m in the mood for a good time. Let’s see if I can get it working. I love these things!’
Ten minutes later the library rocked with the music of the fifties. As the unit warmed, bubbles began to percolate upwards through brightly coloured glass tubes set in chrome. Sarah was delighted as she danced around the room, lost for a moment of time in another era.
Suddenly the music stopped. When she spun around to see why, Carl Emery stood just a few feet from her. ‘This machine is Mr. Develin’s personal property, Miss Churchill. Also, I very much doubt if he would approve of you cavorting around his library in bare feet.’ He stared at her fixedly.
‘Igor, how wonderful to see you although I don’t remember sending out invitations. What a pity, we were just about to play The Monster Mash if you would care to stay and listen ... maybe cavort a little?’
‘No thank you, Miss Churchill. I’m pleased to see that you are in such good humour although I doubt it will last. It is now nearly six o’clock. Chef would care to know what you would like him to prepare for you, and Miss Penjan, of course.’
‘Do you like pizza, Seef?’ Sarah asked.
‘I do not know. I have never had such a thing.’
‘Never had a pizza!’ Sarah was scandalized. ‘Igor - I mean Carl - would you see if Chef could manage a double cheese, pepperoni and pineapple pizza, Coke and maybe some popcorn too?’ She smiled sweetly. ‘Ladies night out tonight.’
Carl bowed and retreated. Sarah rubbed her hands in glee while tee-heeing triumphantly. She leapt onto the sofa beside Seefan and tickled her quickly in the ribs. ‘Oh come on, Seef, he’s not so bad. Who knows, a few more days away from Develin and old Carl might just turn into a human being. Relax, will you.’
But Seefan’s attention was on the wall behind them, her eyes carefully and methodically searching for the hidden camera she felt sure was recording their every word, their every gesture.
Sarah watched her for a moment then slid down below the level of the back of the sofa, pulling Seefan with her. ‘I know what you’re looking for,’ she whispered into Seefan’s ear. ‘How about we play a trick?’
‘A trick?’
‘See those screens behind the desk?’ Sarah nodded towards a pair of folding Chinese lacquered partitions, used perhaps to give extra privacy to someone using the library. ‘I think that between the two of us we can just about handle them, one at a time. Come on.’
As Sarah was about to move the left-hand panel, she noticed another door. ‘Where does this lead?’ She tried turning the handle but this door too was locked.
‘To Mr. Develin’s private rooms,’ Seefan replied.
‘Oh.’ Sarah backed away. ‘Here, Seef, give me a hand.’
A few minutes later the panels were in place. Each six feet high and covering a total length of twelve feet, Sarah, with Seefan’s help, positioned them immediately behind the sofa. Satisfied, Sarah curled up on the sofa once more, pulling Seefan down beside her. ‘Now, this is the plan. When Carl comes back, bringing our pizza I hope, watch him carefully. With a bit of luck, he’ll tell us at a glance exactly where the lens is.’
‘Then what will happen?’
‘Then, my dear, I will personally shut it down permanently.’
‘Mr. Develin, he will be angry. No, you must not do this!’ Seefan began to panic.
‘Seef, I understand and I promise you I’ll take all the blame. Up to now it’s just a silly game with no harm done. If I succeed in destroying the camera, it’ll be recorded that I did it. You needn’t be held in any way responsible.’
‘But ... why do you do this thing?’ Seefan asked, horrified.
Sarah paused, considering. ‘I’m not like you, Seefan. Without question or thought you do whatever he asks of you, right?’
Seefan nodded, biting at her lower lip in fear and confusion.
‘Yeah well, that’s the way it is in your culture, but not in mine. He has taken away from me everything that’s important to me. I’ve lost my father, friends, the life I once knew. All of it has ceased to exist because of him. Most of all he’s taken away my freedom and now he seeks to control my future. He has no right to do that, Seef. It belongs to me, not to him. I have to fight back in any way I can. I fully appreciate the fact that you feel that you owe him some measure of loyalty, but I don’t.’
Seefan’s eyes glistened with tears. ‘He will hurt you.’
‘He already has,’ Sarah replied in a voice harsh with emotion.
*****
When Carl returned, Sarah was ready for him. ‘You did it!’ she shouted in glee as the kitchen maid followed immediately behind, pushing a mobile table heavy with cutlery, dishes, serviettes, a massive double cheese, pepperoni and pineapple pizza, a large bottle of Coca-Cola and a bowl of popcorn. The only extras were two large glasses of milk and two bowls of strawberry ice cream.
She watched carefully as Carl surveyed the room in undisguised horror. ‘Bingo!’ She mentally exclaimed as Carl measured the angle upwards to an oil painting - an eighteenth century hunting scene. ‘How appropriate,’ she thought derisively.
‘Do I smell pizza?’ Laird stuck his head in through the open door. Carl turned swiftly, angry at this unexpected intrusion.
‘Doctor Laird!’ Sarah shouted. ‘Come in. Smells wonderful, doesn’t it? Carl organized the whole thing. What a sweetie. Thank you, Carl.’
Her saccharine smile was lost on him as he neared the partitions. ‘These must be removed! Laird, help me get these back to where they belong.’
Sarah and Seefan retreated while their little barricade was dismantled.
‘Everything in this room is as Mr. Develin has ordered. Nothing is to be changed or rearranged. Miss Churchill, you will eat your meal. In thirty minutes I will return to escort you to your rooms.’ His anger bordered on the explosive.
‘Don’t worry Carl,’ Laird cut in, ‘I’ll see that everything is put back just so. I trust you will have no objection if I stay and enjoy this feast?’
‘By all means, Doctor Laird.’ He smiled thinly as he exited the room, slamming the door behind him.
As soon as
