Day Four
The next morning Parker was up early. He picked up the morning newspaper and went towards the kitchen, intending to read it over breakfast.
"Mornin, Lil. H'I could just h'eat h'a plate h'of h'eggs h'an bacon. H'I'm starved h'after yesterday," he said to the cook as he sat down at the large wooden table. "Never 'ad much to h'eat h'all day."
"I know, yer missed yer dinner last night," she answered as she put a plate down in front of him. "Good job I got up early to make breakfasts for all of 'em, too. 'ere you are, I've put a nice sausage on, an' a bit of fried bread, seeing as you like it. I've just boiled the kettle."
"Thanks, Lil. H'I'll h'enjoy this," He said. "H'I 'ave to h'organize some builders to come h'and brick h'up that tunnel h'after h'I've seen to their breakfasts h'upstairs. Then the police might come back. H'I 'ope the press don't come. Mr. Tracy won't want them 'ere."
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Ruth had also woken up early. She had slept very well after her unexpected journey yesterday and the morning sun was shining brightly through her bedroom window. After showering, she put on a new dress that she had bought in London. The bright little flowery pattern matched her cheerful mood. She left her room to find the dining room again and see who else was up.
She tried to remember the route to the dining room John had shown her. After the day in London and all that happened later though, she took a wrong turning somewhere. After going down an unfamiliar corridor she came across a door. Trying to remember if she had been here when Lady Penelope had given her a tour of the house, she opened it. The room was large and toys were neatly placed around one end of the room, four small beds were at the other.
"The nursery suite," she whispered to herself. "Yes, I've been here, now if I go past the old schoolroom, I should come across some stairs that the servants used."
Pleased with herself, she found the stairs and descended down them. She kept on going down until she thought she reached the back of the main entrance hall. Seeing yet another door in front of her she opened it and found herself in the kitchen by a different entrance to the one she had used before.
Parker hastily took his feet off the kitchen stool and put down the paper he'd been reading while drinking his mug of tea. Lil was equally surprised to have an unexpected visitor to her kitchen at this early hour, and dropped Parker's empty plate she had been carrying back to the sink. It broke on the floor sending pieces of it scattering around.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry," Ruth said. "I seem to have gotten lost when I came out of my room and took a wrong turn. This house is just so big. Here let me help you pick that broken plate up."
"H'It's quite h'alright, Madam, h'I'll see to h'it." Parker said as he went to get a brush and dustpan from the cupboard. "Then h'I'll show you h'up to the dining room."
After he had gone out to the corridor Ruth walked over to where Lil was. "I'll help you with the breakfasts if you like dear. There are a lot to make with most of my family here and Lady Penelope. The boys will be hungry as usual. It's such a lot to do for one person."
"It's alright, M'am , I can manage," Lil told her. "'sides you should be taking it easy arfter yesterday. I'm pleased you got back safely, M'am."
"Thanks, dear, so am I. Well, just let me make some pancakes for them and you can do the rest," Ruth answered. "Just show me where you keep the maple syrup and the batter mix and I'll soon have them made."
"We don't keep no maple syrup here, M'am, on account of there's not much call for it." Lil told her. "I only make pancakes for Nos- er Mr. Parker on Pancake Day an 'e likes lemon on 'is. I've done 'em all some toast an they 'ave marmalade on that."
Parker could sense that the presence of Ruth was not going down too well with Lil, and decided to persuade her once again to go to the dining room. "The h'others will be wondering where you h'are, Madam, h'and may be worrying h'about you h'again."
"Oh you're right," she replied. "They will be. I suppose I should go and see them."
"H'I'll show you the way, Madam," Parker told her.
Ruth turned to Lil and said. "I can come back here this afternoon, and do some baking if you like. I got a nice recipe for making some little cakes in France, or I can show you how I make my apple pies. After yesterday I don't want to go very far."
"Yes, we'll see, Ma'm. 'er Ladyship may have other plans for you," Lil replied, trying to keep composed while making a pot of coffee.
The Tracys and Lady Penelope were all assembled for breakfast and were getting concerned about Ruth's non-appearance. "If she's not here in five minutes I'm going up to her room," Jeff said. "She may be sick after yesterday, or suffering from delayed shock or something."
"Grandma may have just gotten lost on the way here," John said. "I showed her the way once but she may have forgotten it again."
Parker appeared with Ruth behind him, "'ere we h'are, Madam, sit down then 'h'I can begin to serve h'up breakfast."
"Where have you been, Mom? We were getting worried about you," Jeff asked.
"I'm sorry, I got lost and ended up in the kitchen," Ruth smiled. "I offered to help with the breakfast but the cook seemed to be able to manage. I told her I can go back later and do some baking if we are not going far today."
Jeff caught Lady Penelope's eye and pleaded for some help with the situation. Lady Penelope thought for a few seconds and said to Ruth, "Oh, but I thought you would want to come down to the stables and see the horses. You never got the chance the other day. I thought we could go down this afternoon. It's such a nice day today."
"That's right we didn't get to see them," Ruth agreed. "Yes, we'll do that then. Will your cook be able to manage to make meals for all of us on her own? It must be hard work."
"Grandma, you're supposed to be having a rest from all of that," Scott reminded her.
"Lily can manage quite well on her own," Lady Penelope assured Ruth. "She has a well equipped kitchen and she enjoys cooking. Her mother was the Earl of Derraville's cook. So she has been well taught in how to prepare meals for a large number of people."
"Well, if you're sure it's okay," Ruth replied. "I told her we could make some of those little French cakes I got the recipe for yesterday, though."
"Save it for when you get home, Grandma," Gordon said. "I'll enjoy eating them."
"It looks like I'll have to," she answered him. Then she added with surprise, "Why are you still wearing your bathrobe? You're not going swimming in Lady Penelope's fish pond are you? I didn't think it was that deep."
"Don't give him ideas, Grandma, he might just do that." Scott laughed. "Gordon has a bit of a problem regarding clothes, or rather the lack of them, you see."
"Didn't he leave any in Thunderbird Two, when he changed into his uniform?" John asked.
"Nope, he cleared his clothes out and put them in the laundry yesterday," Scott told him. "Then he got called out here fresh from his morning swim, so he only has two choices of wardrobe, his uniform or what he's wearing now."
"I was going to put some clean clothes in there after breakfast," Gordon told them. "Just didn't get the chance, that's all."
"So what are you boys going to do today?" Lady Penelope asked to change the subject and spare Gordon's embarrassment. "I know you won't want to leave until it's dark."
"We thought we'd spend some time in the games room this morning," Scott told her and added. "Virgil looks like he could do with some more sleep. It's best to leave him on the nearest sofa."
"Yeah well, you try sleeping with a jackhammer going off in your room all night and see how much sleep you get," Virgil answered glaring at Scott.
"Don't know what you mean, Virg," Gordon remarked with a smile. "I never heard anything."
"All right, you two, that's enough. Here's our breakfast coming now." Jeff told his two sons as Parker returned with the breakfast trolley. After serving everyone he returned to the kitchen.
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Lil was not in the best of moods when he got there. "I arsk you, who does she think she is? Me needing help to make breakfasts indeed," she complained as she gathered up the dishes and pans she had used to put in the dishwasher. "I know she was just trying to be 'elpful. I'm pleased she's not bin 'urt arfter been dragged off with those crooks an' all that, but she belongs up there with 'er and the rest of 'em, not down 'ere."
"Cheer h'up, Lil," Parker laughed. "You complain h'enough h'about not getting 'h'any 'elp now you don't want h'it.
"Not from 'er I don't. Pancakes an' maple syrup, since when 'ave I made that for breakfast in this 'ouse? What's the use when she never eats 'em?" she continued to complain. "An' French cakes she wants to make, too. It'll take all me time to cook lunch an dinner today with all of 'em here without all that. I might make an apple pie for dessert sometime before she goes 'ome and see 'ow she likes it."
"You do that then, Lil," Parker answered. "H'Im h'off to my h'office see h'about some builders coming."
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Later that morning Jeff, his mother and Lady Penelope were sitting out in the Rose Garden relaxing in the sunshine. There had been a brief account of yesterday's events in the newspaper that Jeff had just finished reading. Parker came out and told Lady Penelope that two policemen were waiting to speak to her and Mrs Tracy.
"I'd better come, too, Penny" Jeff told her. "I want to hear what they have to say about those art thieves."
The two policemen were waiting in the same room that Alexander Pennington had distracted Lady Penelope in the previous day while the gang were at work in the library. They introduced themselves as soon Lady Penelope and her two guests entered.
"Good morning, Madam. My name is Inspector Collins and this is Detective Sergeant Rayner. We won't keep you long from your business. We just want to talk to you about your stolen antiques and the abduction of your guest here," he nodded towards Ruth. "I trust you are feeling well after your ordeal, Mrs Tracy?"
"Yes, thank you, I am," she replied, "Now that I'm back with my family and friends. This is my son with me now."
Lady Penelope answered, "Have you finished with my antiques yet? I would so like to get them back."
"It won't be long, Madam," he told her and went on. "The case against all of them is strong enough. It seems you and International Rescue with the help of the French police managed to smash a major ring of art thieves dealing in pieces stolen from all over the world. The people involved here yesterday were only small fish in the pond. Our colleagues in other countries have managed to track down the ringleaders, thanks to the documents our little gang in France were carrying. We can now hope to recover some of the priceless paintings and antiques that have been stolen from countries all over Europe and the United States. Some of the articles have been sold to criminals living on luxury estates in South America and elsewhere. Some of these are still wanted men, who, shall we say, did not come by their wealth by honest means. Our colleagues in the United States and South America are busy making arrests right now."
"Well I'm pleased that we have been such a big help to you," Lady Penelope told him. "All I wanted to do was get both my friend and my antiques safely back. I knew I could trace my antiques and my friend's son was desperate to get his mother back safely. He knew International Rescue could help with the technology they have, and they could get to France much quicker than I could."
"You don't know how we can contact them to say thanks, do you, sir?" the Inspector asked Jeff. "I'm sure there will be a lot of grateful people that would want to."
"No, I can't say I do," Jeff told him seriously. "Just do what everybody else does and contact them by radio. I'm sure they'll get to hear it."
"Thanks for your time, Madam. We'd better be going now. As you can imagine we have a lot of work to do," Detective Collins told her as they stood up to leave.
"I'll just get my butler to show you out," Lady Penelope told him as she rang for Parker. "I have had a telephone call from the local media who wish to cover the story. I have promised to give a press conference in the village hall soon, so I must get ready for that. I don't want Mrs Tracy and her family to be put through all of that stress, so they can stay here in peace while I deal with them."
Half an hour later Jeff and Ruth and the four Tracy brothers were sitting drinking morning coffee in the lounge, served before Lady Penelope and Parker left to go to the press conference. Jeff told them what the police had said. "So we pulled off a different kind of rescue this time boys and a lot of people are pleased with you all."
"Yeah but it's mainly thanks to Brains for inventing the edible transmitter and for Grandma remembering to use it," Virgil answered. "Then Alan for being so alert and
keeping track of Grandma so well."
"We are a great team, even if I say so myself." Gordon answered.
Ruth looked at him still clad in his beach robe. "You know I was waiting to go home before I gave you some little gifts I bought for you all in London, but I think you could do with yours now, darling. If John can show me up to my room and back, I don't want to get lost again. I'll get yours and give it to you now. You other boys can all wait and you'll get them later with everyone else.
Minutes later John and his grandmother were back. She carried a large bag advertising the name of a London store. Gordon had an expression on his face reserved for his birthday or Christmas when presents came his way. "Here you are, Gordon, seeing as you need it, I hope you like it and seeing as it has a blue design you can wear your uniform pants with it, nobody will notice."
He opened the bag to reveal a white shirt with an ocean scene of dolphins on the front and back. Gordon smiled with pleasure and kissed her, "Thanks Grandma, it's terrific. I'll go and get changed now," he told her. Then he found another little article in the bag. Pulling it out he revealed a small book entitled 'One Thousand Jokes About The Sea.' "Wow, Grandma, I love this, too," he beamed and showed his brothers. "Look guys, what else I got," he said to them.
Virgil groaned, "Did you have to get him that, Grandma? I guess I'll be hearing them all the way home now."
"All I can say is I'm pleased I'm staying here a day or two longer," John laughed.
Gordon left to go to Thunderbird Two and change into his uniform pants and put his new shirt on. He was pleased he had something cooler to wear as it was getting quite hot wearing his robe.
After Gordon had left, Scott suggested to his remaining two brothers, "How 'bout going for a walk in the gardens until lunch? Then John can tell us about his trip."
Knowing Scott wanted to miss the beginning of the 'One Thousand Jokes About The Sea' when Gordon returned, John and Virgil were eager to join him.
Jeff watched them all go out and smiled to his mother. "Good job you bought that for Gordon to wear, he'll be more comfortable now."
"I found this little store in London that sold that sort of thing and it catered for everybody's hobbies and interests," she told him. "I couldn't resist buying it for him and the book."
"You know the others will avoid him as much as possible once he starts on those jokes, "Jeff laughed. "I wouldn't be surprised if that's why they've gone out now."
Lady Penelope returned with Parker from the press conference and everybody assembled for lunch.
"How did it go, Penny?" Jeff asked her.
"I think I gave them enough information to keep the media satisfied. There were some other victims of the gang there. Some of the other innocent cleaners were also there, worried in case they were implicated in the thefts. They've worked for the cleaning agency in Crawley for years until Pennington came and forced a take over bid for his own evil intentions. I've used that agency for quite some time and have always trusted their staff. Now that matter is dealt with I think we can all relax this afternoon." Lady Penelope answered.
"Are we still going to see the horses?" Ruth asked. "If you'd rather do something else I can always do some baking instead."
"Of course I would love to show you my horses," Lady Penelope told her. "That's what I mean by relaxing. Why Gordon dear, you've found something to wear after all!" she suddenly said as noticed the new shirt he was now dressed in.
"Yeah, it's what Grandma bought for me," Gordon told her.
"That suits you very well." she told him. "You can go outside now if you want to. It's such a nice day.
After lunch Jeff, Lady Penelope and Ruth prepared to go down to the stables.
"Anybody else want to come with us?" Jeff asked his sons.
"I thought about playing that grand piano in the music room," Virgil said, hoping to get away from Gordon and his sea jokes; he'd heard the first section already.
"We're going to have a game of pool," Scott indicated to John as being the brother who was to be his partner for the game. He hoped too, that Gordon wouldn't be interested in joining them.
"I played pool with Virgil this morning," Gordon said, "I'll go along with you to the stables."
After the four of them had left the house Virgil said. "Where's he left that darned book? Can't we hide it somewhere until it's time to go home?
"Knowing him, he'll have hidden it somewhere safe away from us, "Scott replied. "Why did Grandma get him that, for Pete's sake? If I have to listen to any more sea jokes, I'll feel like drowning him."
John smiled and said. "I'm surprised he's gone with them. I thought the only horses he was interested in were sea horses. Tell you what though guys, we could all go for a ride around the estate later with Gordon. We can use the Land Rover. There's plenty to see that will take his mind off those jokes."
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Down at the stables the two occupants were being introduced to two of Lady Penelope's guests. "This is Goldie and this is Star," she told them, as she fed them each an apple. My deer keeper looks after them for me and exercises them when I am unable to. I keep two to be company for each other. Sometimes I bring FAB 3 down here, too, when she is not being entered for races for a while. Her trainer comes and looks after her when she does."
"I can see why they are named," Gordon replied as he stroked the muzzle of a black horse with a white star shape on her forehead.
"My Katy was a chestnut brown," Ruth told them as she began re-telling scenes of her girlhood while stroking Goldie's muzzle.
Gordon was just as surprised as John was over his grandmother's revelation that she once rode a horse.
"I've never been interested in horse riding," Gordon admitted. "I prefer something that I have complete control over. I mean a horse has its own brain to work its movements even if it's well trained. I guess Alan might like something that he could ride fast on though, if he got the chance."
"Yes, well, I don't think the island is a suitable place to keep a horse, so he can stick to cars," Jeff answered not wanting Gordon to encourage Alan in that direction.
After a while Gordon became restless and decided to go and find his brothers and leave the others with the horses or wherever they wanted to go to next. He wanted to inflict a few more sea jokes on whichever brother he found first.
The unlucky brother was Virgil who had been enjoying playing the fine old grand piano in the music room. He'd found some old music sheets inside the piano stool that dated from late Victorian England. They were probably used for evening entertainments. Now he was having great fun in bringing old songs and tunes back to life after so long.
Virgil stopped playing as soon as he saw his younger brother appear and prepared himself for another bout of jokes being inflicted on him. Gordon surprised him, however, by saying, "That sounds great Virg, different to what you usually play."
"It's just some old music I found," he replied and then asked. "How were the horses? I didn't expect you back so soon."
"Okay I guess. I've left the others down there with them. Did you know Grandma used to have her own horse once?" he answered.
"Grandma, on a horse?" Virgil smiled at the thought. "Somehow I just can't imagine her doing that."
"Speaking of horses, Virg, what has six legs and rides a horse?" Gordon asked his brother.
"I don't know and further more I don't care Gordon," Virgil replied as he stood up to put the music sheets away.
"It's easy, Billy the Squid," Gordon told him, whether Virgil wanted to know or not.
Virgil was about to leave the room to get away from Gordon before more jokes like that were fired at him. Gordon's eyes fell on a guitar sitting on a chair. "How 'bout a duet?" he asked Virgil.
"Sure, it's ages since we did that," Virgil answered with enthusiasm, pleased that Gordon had decided not to tell any more jokes for a while. "How about playing 'Seattle Shadows?'
The musical sounds made by the two brothers could be heard when Jeff, Ruth and Lady Penelope passed the music room while on their way back to the house. "That sounds so nice, Jeff," Lady Penelope remarked. "It's been a while since the music room had real musicians in it. I only play the piano occasionally and I'm nowhere near as good as Virgil is at it."
"Gordon should apply himself a bit more and he would be a good musician, too, instead of messing around playing pranks all the time." Jeff answered, thinking how much those two sons had inherited their mother's musical talent. It always made him feel emotional inside when he thought of how proud she would be to hear them both playing now.
They went around to the main entrance and Lady Penelope saw the Land Rover parked outside. "I wonder why that's there, unless the boys have plans to go out for a drive," she said. "If they do, I think we can just relax for a while. I'm sure you'll feel the benefit, Jeff, you don't get much of a chance. You, too, Mrs Tracy. I insist you rest after yesterday's ordeal. Jeff, we can go in the lounge because I don't feel like using the library much until my antiques are safely back and in their place. We can listen to a little music on the radio or watch some television."
Jeff was thinking how much he could do with being at home and catching up on some work he had waiting for him. He'd already contacted his office in New York to cancel a video conference he'd planned for today. He was a man who rarely relaxed. Even when sitting still, his mind was on his Tracy Aerospace projects when things were quiet on the rescue front. It was no use trying to tell his elegant hostess that, she just never seemed to realize the importance of his business interests to him.
The truth was though, that Lady Penelope realized only too well, but was determined to get Jeff to have a break even if it was a very short one.
John and Scott came down the stairs of the main hall just as the others were coming in from outside. "Enjoy seeing the horses, Grandma?" John asked. "I hope you didn't get any crazy ideas like trying to go riding again."
"It might be hard for us to rescue you if you got into trouble and the horse bolted," Scott smiled as he put his arm around her shoulders. "None of us can ride, you see, and both our 'birds would probably spook the horse even more."
Virgil and Gordon joined them at this point and Virgil asked, "What's up? Has Grandma been riding a horse?"
"No, not yet anyway," Scott answered him.
"You've already had an unexpected trip to France, Grandma," John added. "This time the horse could take you to Scotland at full gallop."
"Now, you boys, don't think because I'm old I'm not above riding a horse, and if I did, I would certainly know how to handle it," she replied smiling at John. She continued saying, "I dare say I could even run and climb up a tree if I needed to John, DEAR."
John went red and clammed up knowing what his grandmother was implying. One thing he didn't want was his encounter with Ruby to be made known. He suddenly changed the subject and said to his brothers, "Come on, Parker's brought the Land Rover down for us. Let's go for a drive around the estate now."
"Be careful, John, read the notices about safe places to stop," Lady Penelope told him.
"Keep Gordon out of the fish pond." Jeff said to Scott and Virgil. "Don't be too late coming back for dinner. You'll need to rest before we go home."
"Okay, Dad, I'll get them back soon enough," John told him as they went out of the door.
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Jeff looked fondly at his mother who had finished drinking her afternoon tea and had begun dozing off in front of the television set.
"She did that yesterday in the library," Lady Penelope whispered, when she also noticed her sleeping guest. "That's when I got distracted by that dreadful man. At least she'll be safe now with both of us here to watch over her."
"Yes she likes to have a little afternoon rest at home," Jeff whispered back to her. "She always tells us that she's going to straighten up her room but we all know why she goes there."
"At least she's not baking. Parker told me that Lily my cook, was a little upset about her going to the kitchen," Lady Penelope told him. "You see the poor girl isn't used to my guests going there and it makes her feel awkward. That sort of thing just isn't done in very formal houses. I know you are a lot more relaxed about such things in America."
They stopped talking as the afternoon news began on the television and yesterday's events were featured. Pictures of the gang flashed on to the screen and International Rescue were praised for their part in the criminals being caught. Then the press conference came on with Lady Penelope relating the events that led to the gang's capture. Some pressmen were clamouring for photographs of Ruth or Jeff and asking for interviews with them. Jeff smiled when one newspaper was offering a large sum of money for her story.
"Good job she's asleep," Jeff said in a low voice. "She might have taken him up on the offer and donated the money to charity."
"I'm not so sure, Jeff," Lady Penelope argued. "Your mother seemed to act very well yesterday regarding security. I noticed that when Scott and Virgil came with me in the farmhouse. Nobody would guess she was their grandmother the way she acted in front of them."
"You missed a better performance between her and Gordon," Jeff laughed
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John had driven his brothers around the roads of the estate he'd been on with his grandmother and Lady Penelope previously. Virgil had borrowed John's camera and took some photographs of the mansion from the distance through the trees, with a view to painting the scene sometime. They had stopped at the Home Farm where more photographs of the fields and surrounding countryside were taken.
"Man, this would have been an interesting farm to have lived on when we were kids," Gordon remarked. "All those animals and buildings. It looks better than just wheat fields and a barn and other outbuildings."
"All that different farm machinery to tinker on with, too," Virgil agreed. "More than just a tractor and a combine harvester."
"Come on let's go through the deer park. You can take some more pictures there, Virg," John told him. "You have to read the notices though and stay in the car. Some of those deer are not as docile as they look. I never did get to see what was at the other end, so it could be interesting."
They drove through and John kept a careful lookout for Ruby but failed to spot her amongst the herd of red deer that they passed. Virgil was enthusiastic at the sight of the creatures and took lots of photographs of them.
"Virg, your piano will be covered in dust by the time you finished painting everything you've seen," Scott laughed.
"I'll just select the best ones," he told his eldest brother. "I can't paint every one of them."
When they reached the other end of the park they found that it opened up to a smaller park. There was a menagerie of birds and small animals, a small cafeteria that was still open and a children's adventure playground. Visitors were sitting around watching their children playing in the afternoon sunshine or sitting on seats eating ice cream.
John parked the Land Rover beside the other cars and the four brothers got out.
"Hey this looks like fun," Gordon said. "I could just eat an ice cream about now."
"Well then you have a problem, don't you?" John told him. "I bet there's no money in your pants pocket."
"I've got some British money," Virgil said. "I like to keep some small amounts on me for when I come to Penny's place. I've got enough for ice cream."
"Me too," Scott added. "I bet you have some, too, John."
"Funnily enough, I have," he answered.
"Aw, come on guys, surely you've enough between you to buy me some," Gordon pleaded.
"What do you think guys, should we donate some of our hard earned money to his cause?" Scott asked Virgil and John.
Virgil smiled and said, "Let's discuss this and see if we can come up with a deal."
Leaving Gordon standing where he was, his three brothers moved away and began whispering amongst themselves. Returning, Virgil informed him, "Okay, we've come up with a deal. Ice cream for free if no more sea jokes are told today. Full repayment of the ice cream cost plus one dollar interest for every joke told if the deal is broken, agreed?"
Gordon smiled, "Yeah, sure I'll agree to that."
"Come on, let's go and get some before the place closes," John told them.
"I hope they have chocolate flavour," Scott said as they walked to the cafeteria.
After eating their ice cream they had a look at the menagerie. There were various small birds in an aviary and rabbits in one large pen and guinea pigs in the other, running around happily. Virgil and Gordon were leaning over watching them. Scott and John sat down on a nearby bench. "You okay, now?" Scott asked his blonde brother. "No more guilty feelings?"
"I guess not," John replied. "It's been good having you all here like this. I thought I'd be getting away from you all but I've enjoyed today. It's been different."
"See, I told you. No one's blamed you or even mentioned your absence when Grandma went missing. You underestimate us all sometimes," Scott told him. "Yes, I've enjoyed today, too, apart from little brother and that darned book."
"I think we should be getting back soon for dinner," John said, looking at his watch. "You and Virg need to rest up for a while before you go home."
"So, what's your plans for the next two days?" Scott asked him.
"I want to go back up to London to do a little sight-seeing," John replied. "I want to go to the old Royal Observatory in Greenwich. Grandma and Lady Penelope can come along if they like. I think Grandma might like a river cruise up the Thames."
"Sounds like she might enjoy that. It won't be too tiring for her either," Scott said.
John's cell phone began to ring. He thought at first it may have been a call from the mansion telling him they were going to be late for dinner but it wasn't. It was John's friend, Steve, who had been watching the news and heard John's father mentioned and was concerned about what had happened to his grandmother.
"Yeah she's fine, thanks, and resting today," John told him. "It was a bit of a shock to come back to, so we've kept clear away from the press. The stress of that wouldn't do her much good."
"You'll be twice as popular when you come back here," Steve told him. "Now that you've been involved with International Rescue, the students will want to know all about it."
"Well I won't be able to tell them much," John answered. "I wasn't involved with International Rescue. I only saw them briefly after they caught the crooks. I was more concerned about getting reunited with my grandmother."
After a few more minutes of general conversation the call ended. John sat staring at his cell phone for a few seconds afterwards lost in thought. 'So, according to Steve, Ms Thompson had been asking after me.'
Scott looked at John quizzically, "Well, you got out of that one, okay. I assume he was asking about International Rescue."
"What? Oh Yeah he was and I hate lying to him, Scott," John told him. "He would love to know what I really do. He asked why I quit NASA when I liked it so much. I had to half lie to him then, too."
"I know how you feel, but what can we do if we want to protect ourselves and our machines?" Scott replied.
John sighed, "Yeah, what can we do? Come on, let's get back now. Yell for those two before Gordon has ideas about wanting a new pet to take home with him."
The four brothers returned to the Land Rover and left the park. It was practically deserted now that it was evening and closing up. John drove back through the deer park and it occurred to him that was why he'd never seen Ruby: it was a public admittance day. They arrived back at the mansion just in time to get ready for dinner to be served.
After dinner Virgil and Scott went to their rooms to get some rest before flying home later. The rest of the family relaxed in the lounge watching television.
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Darkness fell late because of the bright sunny weather all day and a clear sky. When it did eventually become dark enough to leave Jeff hugged his mother and kissed her. He had suggested that she come back home with him after her ordeal but his mother was having none of that, she was determined to stay with John and Lady Penelope as planned. "Now you take care and enjoy the rest of your stay here," he told her adding, "And just forget about cooking, you're here for a break."
"Alright, Jeff I'll try. Have a safe journey home," she told him, as she kissed him and hugged him to her.
After everybody else said their goodbyes to each other the two huge machines were launched high into the sky. John, Ruth and Lady Penelope watched them leave.
"Best to get some sleep now, it's very late, Grandma," John told her.
"Yes I think we all should, John, dear," Lady Penelope agreed.
"I'll come and get you in the morning, Grandma, don't want you getting lost again, do we?" John told her as they walked back into the house.
"Thank you darling, I'll wait for you," she answered him.
Thunderbird Two soon made short work of the journey home. The journey from darkness to daylight as the huge machine crossed the equator into the southern hemisphere was swift. "We're going to spend half the day in bed now," Jeff remarked. Scott will probably be asleep by the time we get home."
"Yeah it's a whole new day," Gordon grinned. "Say, Virg, What lies under the sea and shakes a lot?"
Virgil kept silent, knowing now why Gordon was so keen to make the deal with the ice cream. He just had to wait a few hours to keep his side of the bargain. "You don't know?" Gordon answered for him. "A nervous wreck."
"Keep that up and you'll be a nervous wreck once we get home," Virgil threatened. "Dad, can't you confiscate that book until we get home?" he pleaded with his father.
"Alright, that'll do, Gordon. Go and get some sleep in the living quarters, and let Virgil concentrate on what he's doing," Jeff told his fourth born.
"Sure thing, Dad," Gordon answered. "Then I can go for a swim when we get back."
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