Chapter 10 An Extended Holiday

‘It would appear Robert that your relationship with Madamoiselle Royale … or is it Madame King?… Has been revitalised?’

‘And is that an issue?’

‘ No absolutely not, but I have to make assesments about your availability. After the Mount Martha dugs bust you are very much in demand.’

Robert’s controller looked at the form lying on the desk in front of him. ‘And now you are requesting time off, for a holiday?’

‘Well yes,  I have gone two years without a holiday.’

‘And Mount Martha was not a holiday?’

‘No, emphatically not. You know very well. It was  an assignment which you allocated to me.’

The controller smiled. ‘Yes, yes, of course, but because of your position, you had to reveal if you might go overseas whilst on holiday and where. Your answer is Fiji.  It is of interest to the SAS.

‘The SAS! Why?’

‘Depends. When do you intend to go?’

‘What does it say on my leave application. I have not changed my plans.’

‘October. And will Mamoiselle Royale be involved?’

‘Yes she is organising it. Through sme friends she has access to one of the units on Matamanoa.’

Matamanoa?

Robert rose, walked to a computer sitting on a side desk. He raised Matamanoa on Google Earth.

‘Perfect,’ said the controller  ‘Could you persuade her to book the whole of the facility for  November, December and January.’

‘Three months? The whole Facility?Very, very  expensive. Why?’

‘For what we want it is almost perfect , Matamanoa is about as far away from Suva as it can get. We believe there will be a rebellion by the Fiji Military. We have Australian personel empedded in the Fijian police and government administration  who are trying to prevent this happening. If it all goes to custard, we want to provide a safe house for them to vanish into.’

‘Oh! And why pick on me. On Fabienne?’

‘You will be there and now now I know Fabienne will be involved I am quite relaxed about involving her. When she came here  the security check we made was impeccable.’

‘Well this time  don’t forget we will have two companions, two old friends, whose family own a unit on Matamanoa. She has specifically asked me to Fiji so that I have the opportunity to meet them. ‘

‘Hmmm. Give me the names of these friends and we will dcide how to proceed.’

This time the response took more than a week.

‘Slight change of plan Robert. We will get Harry Miller or Micheal Gudinski to book out the whole island from from November to February. Fabienne will become a French film star who wants privacy.It is just another way to use Fabienne to giv you cover.

Find a  helicopter and a large blue water boat.  When you get to Figi hire them in her name. If they are hired in her name it will fragment the expenditure… make it less visible.’

‘Same question as last time…. If I need to, can I tell her what it is all about?

Of course,  She will inevitably know that you are up to something.  tourist do not usualy hire helicopters. You will need her support. But try to leave it until you are on Matamanoa. ‘

Robert nodded and rose to leave.

‘Oh just one more thing…  I understand you have secure communication skills.

Robert replied ‘Not totally up to date but adequate.’

‘Good, someone will ring you later in the week. dont talk on the phone but go and see him or her and let them know what you will need to set up a military class secure link from Matamanoa.’

‘You have just hijacked my holiday..’

‘No I have just given you a much longer one. There is a chance that it will all blow over. Good luck. Enjoy yourself.’

The most dangerous woman in the world

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Extract from The Prisoner of Foix--Chapter 43 -The EntranceNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley-26th April 1355

 

'Looks like we are going to see a bit of excitement, John. The Captain tried to get an agreement from the Prince that if there is surf running across the channel to Arcachon we will turn back to Bordeaux, but the Prince would hear none of it. Instead, he has offered to provide insurance for all three ships. If they are damaged or sunk, the owners will be compensated and every sailor who makes the passage will be given a bounty payment. What none of this seems to take into account is that if we sink in rough, fast-flowing waters we might all drown.'

John raised his eyebrows. 'But that is what we are going to do?'

'Yes, despite the fact that surf running accross the entrance is not uncommon and the deep water channel moves continually. In the end, the Prince attacked their captains on their weakest point, their professional pride! He threw down the gauntlet. He offered to take the Sally first through the channel, and to take control during the passage.' He raised his brow. 'We are going into the Bay of Arcachon, come what may! '

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Extract from The Eagle of Carcassone -- Chapter 24-- A Real GoddessNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley - 22 July 1355

An hour later John walked with Ximene close to the river along the valley below St Feriole. It was the very essence of a summer’s day. The sun was fierce but in the shadow of the trees, it was cool and fragrant. The trees and shrubs along the riverbank hid their progress, from the Château, from St Feriole.

Eventually they reached a point where John thought it was safe to emerge from cover. To his satisfaction the stream extended into a pool with a sandy beach, shaded by trees. Where the stream entered the pool there was a flat grassy area, almost circular. Behind this, the bulk of two mountain ridges provided a splendid backdrop. He looked around once more ‘Not just a good training ground but a great training ground. If the Greek heroes knew about this they might be tempted to join me, to train with me’

Ximene laughed out loud. He turned to look at her. She had removed her outer clothes and was wearing a white chemise, cut short so that it barely reached her knees. Around her waist, she wore a plaited leather belt, obviously fashioned from the multitude of leather straps to be found in the tackle room.

She ran her hands down over her breasts. ‘When you were unconscious I heard you muttering about gods and goddesses, so  I have decided that from now on, for you, I will be the goddess.’

Available February 2020
The Prisoner of FoixVol 1 of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

Aquitaine, an English possession, is in crisis. It is under threat from neighbouring nations and internal dissension.

The Black Prince, King Edward III’s eldest son has been given the task of taking command in Aquitaine.

Suddenly there is an opportunity. Ximene Trencavel is the heiress to the lands of Occitan, to the east of Aquitaine: lands controlled by the Franks. Ximene wants independence, both for herself and for Occitan.

A union between Aquitaine and Occitan would be mutually beneficial. The Black Prince undertakes a secret journey to meet Ximene to negotiate a marriage contract. It is, however, a marriage neither of them really wants.

Meanwhile, the  Franks plot to murder Ximene to prevent ,not just the marriage, but any kind of union between England and Occitan.

The Eagle Of CarcassonneVol II of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

The loose alliance between Ximene Trencavel and the Black Prince is under threat.

The Prince invades Occitan, to show his support for Ximene but it becomes an invasion which creates more problems than it solves.

The Prince has fallen hopelessly in love with Joan of Kent and Joan is now determined to marry him and become the next Queen of England.

Joan is therefore  determined to convince Ximene that she should not marry the Prince.

Part of her strategy is to encourage Ximene’s relationship with John Stanley—one of the Princes bodyguards—not an easy task as both John and Ximene have doubts about their compatibility.

However, John is grievously injured in a battle and Ximene commits herself to nurse him back to health.