Chapter Twenty

Queer Hand

One card short of a Straight.

o

Klaus sat back and rubbed his eyes. He felt as if he'd been watching video tapes forever rather than just a couple of days. It would be much easier if he actually learned something more than he knew already. He could not help feeling sorry for the real Earl of Gloria, who had obviously spent innumerable hours before the camera in order for his star pupil, John Marshall, to learn his voice, accent, and mannerisms.

With a heavy sigh, Klaus made a notation of the tape number on the lined pad beside him before putting it into the VCR. He had been making notes steadily as he watched, but had yet to learn anything Earth shattering.

There was a moment of static followed by the image of the Earl sitting on a sofa watching someone off camera. "What's the plan for today?" he asked. Not for the first time did the real Earl's voice cause the watching officer's heart to jump. Agent Marshall had been able to duplicate the Earl's tone and accent perfectly.

"Background. They want me to study your mannerisms in person," came John's voice in reply. It was a mixture of American and English accents that Klaus had heard changing steadily as he watched the tapes. In fact, this blended accent was similar to the one Marshall had in the interview room.

A moment later, John appeared before the camera, sitting down beside the Earl. Obviously, these had been taped prior to Marshall's plastic surgery. He looked like he could be the Earl's brother rather than a total stranger who had been plucked up by the CIA. Not quite a twin… Well, perhaps like the Jones boys. Fraternal twins.

"Really?" Dorian's eyebrows went up and he started to play with one of his curls. "Do I have mannerisms that require study?"

John grinned and then mirrored the Earl's action, playing with one of his own slightly longer curls. It took a few seconds for Dorian to realize what he was doing. Then he laughed self-consciously and put his hands in his lap.

"No, don't do that," John said with a frown.

"Now you've got me all self-conscious."

John sighed heavily and thought a moment. "Background, they said. So…tell me some things about yourself that I don't know."

"Such as?"

"Um… Are you sad that you'll never be able to go back to Castle Gloria again?"

This was obviously an unexpected question. Dorian sat back, a startled look on his face. "So, they really did buy it back?"

"Yes."

Dorian nodded approvingly. "I'm glad. It's been empty ever since my parents divorced. I'd hate to think of it turning into another ruin. It's such a beautiful…" He broke off and turned away a moment, obviously struggling to stay in control of himself.

John leaned over, only to jump when the other man suddenly turned back to face him.

"Promise me something, John," the Earl said in an earnest tone.

"If I can," came the bewildered reply.

"Castle Gloria. Don't let them turn it into one of those ridiculous exotic zoos."

John sat back, the request obviously having taken him aback. "Zoos?" he said firmly. "Like…with zebras and peacocks, things like that?"

"Oh, peacocks are alright, I suppose. Oh! Or worse, don't let them put one of those hideous English mazes in the back garden." Dorian gave way to an involuntary shudder.

"English mazes…" John repeated dully. He had no clue what Dorian was talking about, but was prevented from saying so as the Earl went on.

"Castle Gloria's rose garden has been a jewel in the North Downs for centuries, going back to the time of the War of the Roses."

John gave him a blank look. "War of the Roses." Suddenly he felt very stupid. He knew he should know what this meant, but could only imagine warring gardeners dueling with pitchforks.

Apparently sensing the other man's confusion, Dorian said in way of explanation, "House of York—white rose? House of Lancaster—red rose?"

"I'm from New York and lived near the Village of Lancaster," John joked feebly. "Does that count?"

"I thought you said your mother was an Englishwoman."

"She is!" John said defensively. "But she didn't exactly sit everyone down and give us history lessons."

Dorian heaved an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. "You're an actor, for pity's sake! Please tell me you are at least familiar with Richard III?"

Finally, the penny dropped and John's eyes lit up. "Ah! That War of the Roses!"

Dorian made a show of rolling his eyes this time, causing John to laugh. "The Glorias are descended from the Lancastrian side. That's where the Red in Red Gloria comes from."

There was more than a hint of pride in this declaration and John tried to be serious. "With such an illustrious heritage to live up to, I'll see what I can do when I'm…um, you."

A dazzling smile lit up the Earl's face. "It's silly, I know. I never bothered much about it before." He waved an elegant hand in the air. "It was Mother's domain, you see. But I'd like to be able to think of it as it used to be in high summer. Hundreds of roses in full bloom. You could get drunk on the fragrance."

John's eyebrows went up. "I'm supposed to meet some of the team that'll be getting the Castle in order. I'm sure they'll want everything as authentic as possible."

"Splendid! I can see my ancestral home is going to be in good hands."

John shifted uncomfortably at "ancestral home." Sometimes he felt as if he were stealing Dorian's identity from him and decided to change the subject. "Where will you go when all this training is over?"

Dorian sat back and started playing with his hair again. "Australia, I think," he said breezily.

"Why Australia?"

"Oh, I don't know. I hear it's quite nice there." Dorian started to play with the ring on his right hand, adopting a look of cool indifference. "Your government has paid me rather handsomely for my name, title, and whatnot, you know. They're going to give me a new identity and set me up in the place of my choosing."

"It doesn't bother you, losing all that?" John asked cautiously.

"John, you seem to be under the impression that I'm giving up more than my title."

"Aren't you?"

"Not really. When my father died, I got his title and nothing else." Dorian paused, looking at the ring he was twisting on his finger. "Not unless you count this."

"An heirloom?"

"It was my Grandmother's wedding ring. I'm not sure when Father gave it to me. I think it was my sixteenth birthday." A pause. "Anyway, the land and everything else was sold off years ago when my parents divorced. I have three sisters who will be more than happy to produce the next Earl of Gloria."

"Your sisters?" John frowned. "You…don't think you'll be doing that yourself? Just because I'm…well, I mean…I'd never…"

"John, you are amazingly naïve at times, have I told you that?" The look Dorian received in reply made him laugh. "I've read Eroica's bio, you know."

"And you're not upset that I'm turning the Earl of Gloria into the world's most outrageous homosexual?"

"I believe that honor will belong to Elton John when he finally comes out of his see-through closet."

"You know what I mean."

Dorian studied the other man's serious expression and shook his head. "Oh dear, I think there's a small detail that has eluded you up until now." The Earl gave him a steady look, a small smile creeping onto his face. "John, I happen to be as gay as a Maypole, just not as obvious."

"What?"

"It isn't something that I flaunt, but there it is."

John sat back, a hand going to his head. "Bugger."

This made Dorian laugh. "Your expletives are sounding more English by the day." He received a dark look in reply. "Don't worry. All my friends know. It's taken years, but I finally came to terms with it, and the fact that my homosexuality wasn't the reason my parents divorced."

John nodded but did not reply, causing Dorian's eyes to narrow. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but…I hope you're not a hard core straight."

John's eyes snapped up, his mouth dropping open. "Dorian, you do know I was engaged once."

"Yes. That could just mean that you were trying to prove something to yourself. Or that you're bi. Until this operation—or whatever they're calling it—is over, you won't be able to indulge with women anymore. Surely you've realized that?"

"What if I dress in drag and say I'm a lesbian?"

Dorian collapsed into laughter. "No, that's won't work, either," he said once he could speak. Then he grinned at the other man's obvious discomfort. "You haven't told anyone, have you?"

"Why?" came the defensive reply.

"Why?" More laughter burst forth from the Earl. "Because, my darling Doppelgänger, while I'm starting my new, quiet life in Australia, you will be coming out of the closet in the biggest way possible."

o

Klaus stopped the tape at this point. Australia. Finally, a concrete lead. And from the real Earl himself. With his men already in Indonesia, there would be little delay in starting the search.

The Major was on his feet and walking toward the bridge before he even realized.

John Paul looked up, glanced at the clock, and put on the headset before the Major even opened his mouth to order, "Contact Bali."

Every eye in the room turned in his direction when he went on to say, "We have a starting point on the real Earl."

oOoOoOo

Within hours of contacting Agent A, Klaus was notified that Agents Q and R were on a plane heading for Australia. Agent P, assisted by James who turned out to be first-rate at hacking government networks, was searching the records. Hopefully they would have something by the time the team arrived.

Klaus was surprised at the level of excitement rippling through the assembled thieves onboard the sub. It was as though they had embraced the missing Earl of Gloria as their own, despite the fact that none of them had ever met him. Klaus wondered if this meant that they were also shifting their loyalty away from the man they had known as the Earl for more than twenty-five years.

With Eroica still in Lebanon with D, E, and Z, he would not learn of this latest development right away. The Major felt it was unlikely the man could get into any trouble with three of his agents with him. Unlikely, but not impossible.

oOoOoOo

NEXT: Chapter Twenty-One - Marked Cards