Best Kept Secret

mother. We must make sure we never discuss what I have in mind while he’s around.’
    ‘But none of us are quite sure what it is you do have in mind,’ said Diego.
    Don Pedro smiled. ‘Never forget that if you want to bring an empire to its knees you start by killing the first in line to the throne.’

45
    T HE FRONT DOORBELL rang at one minute to ten, and Karl answered it.
    ‘Good morning, sir,’ he said. ‘How may I help you?’
    ‘I have an appointment with Mr Martinez at ten o’clock.’
    Karl gave a slight bow and stood aside to allow the visitor to enter. He then led him across the hall, tapped on the study door and said, ‘Your guest has arrived, sir.’
    Martinez rose from behind his desk and thrust out a hand. ‘Good morning. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.’
    As Karl closed the study door and made his way to the kitchen, he passed Bruno, who was chatting on the phone.
    ‘. . . my father’s given me a couple of tickets for the men’s semi-final at Wimbledon tomorrow, and he suggested I invite you.’
    ‘That’s very decent of him,’ said Seb, ‘but I’ve got an appointment to see my tutor in Cambridge on Friday, so I don’t think I’ll be able to make
it.’
    ‘Don’t be so feeble,’ said Bruno. ‘There’s nothing to stop you coming up to London tomorrow morning. The match doesn’t start until two, so as long as you can
get here by eleven, you’ll have more than enough time.’
    ‘But I still have to be in Cambridge by midday the following day.’
    ‘Then you can stay here overnight, and Karl can drive you to Liverpool Street first thing Friday morning.’
    ‘Who’s playing?’
    ‘Fraser versus Cooper, promises to be a sizzler. And if you’re really good, I’ll drive you to Wimbledon in my snazzy new car.’
    ‘You’ve got a car?’ said Sebastian in disbelief.
    ‘An orange MGA, drophead coupé. Dad gave it to me for my eighteenth.’
    ‘You jammy bastard,’ said Sebastian. ‘My pa gave me the complete works of Proust for mine.’
    Bruno laughed. ‘And if you behave yourself, on the way I might even tell you about my latest girlfriend.’
    ‘Your latest?’ mocked Sebastian. ‘You’ve got to have had at least one before you can have a “latest”.’
    ‘Do I detect a twinge of envy?’
    ‘I’ll let you know after I’ve met her.’
    ‘You’re not going to get the chance, because I won’t be seeing her again until Friday, and by then you’ll be on the train to Cambridge. See you around eleven
tomorrow.’
    Bruno put the phone down and was on his way to his room when the study door opened and his father appeared, an arm around the shoulder of a military-looking gentleman. Bruno wouldn’t have
considered eavesdropping on his father’s conversation, if he hadn’t heard the name Barrington.
    ‘We’ll have you back on the board in no time,’ his father was saying as he accompanied his guest to the front door.
    ‘That’s a moment I will savour.’
    ‘However, I want you to know, major, that I’m not interested in the occasional raid on Barrington’s simply to embarrass the family. My long-term plan is to take over the
company and install you as chairman. How does that sound?’
    ‘If it brings down Giles Barrington at the same time, nothing would please me more.’
    ‘Not just Barrington,’ said Martinez. ‘It’s my intention to destroy every member of that family, one by one.’
    ‘Even better,’ said the major.
    ‘So the first thing you must do is start buying Barrington shares as and when they come on the market. The moment you have seven and a half per cent, I’ll put you back on the board
as my representative.’
    ‘Thank you, sir.’
    ‘Don’t call me sir. I’m Pedro to my friends.’
    ‘And I’m Alex.’
    ‘Just remember, Alex, from now on you and I are partners and have only one purpose.’
    ‘Couldn’t be better, Pedro,’ said the major as the two men shook hands. When he walked away, Don Pedro could have sworn he heard him whistling.
    When Don Pedro stepped back into the house, he found Karl waiting for him in the hall.
    ‘We need to have a word, sir.’
    ‘Let’s go to my office.’
    Neither man spoke again until the door was closed. Karl then repeated the conversation he’d overheard between Bruno and his friend.
    ‘I knew he’d find those Wimbledon tickets irresistible.’ He picked up the phone on his desk. ‘Get me Diego,’ he barked. ‘And now let’s see if we can
tempt the boy with