Private Royals

Chapter 3

With Morgan on his shoulder, Knight pushed open the door to his office in Private London’s headquarters.

Neither of them were surprised to see the grey-haired gentleman inside.

He stood at the window, looking out over the city, his hands clasped behind a bespoke tailored suit. His outward appearance suggested calm and confidence, even when standing alone inside a stranger’s office. It was an appearance that would fool almost anybody.

But Jack Morgan and Peter Knight were not just anybody, and they could see the tension in the man’s posture and hear his exaggerated breathing.

They knew who he was, of course — no one could waltz into Private, let alone Knight’s office, without the say-so of someone in a position of authority. Knight had granted his because his workspace was sterile, all files deeply encoded on drives that were unobtainable unless the man at the window had been a master hacker.

And he was not. He was the ageing Duke of Aldershot, and a member of the royal family.

‘Sir,’ Knight said simply, and the man turned towards them.

On the journey from Horse Guards, a quick Internet search had revealed the Duke to be sixty years old. However, with his red eyes and pale skin, the royal looked closer to a hundred.

‘Please, sir, take a seat,’ Knight offered, worried that the man was moments from collapse. Without a word, the Duke complied.

Morgan hung back by the door as Knight poured the Duke a glass of water and pulled his own chair forward so that he was at arm’s length from him.

‘I can get tea or coffee if you like, sir?’ Knight asked. The Duke shook his head and the water remained untouched, trembling in his hands.

‘Your Grace,’ Knight began, patiently, ‘we know who you are, and whatever the problem is, we can help you with it. Why are you here?’

The Duke’s haunted eyes showed the first signs of life.

‘Abbie,’ he mumbled.

‘Your daughter?’ Knight asked, recognising her name from his Internet search on the Duke. ‘Is she in trouble?’

The Duke nodded slowly, a pair of tears racing down his pale cheeks. ‘Yes,’ he gasped.

‘How do you know, sir?’ Morgan asked from the doorway.

The Duke’s eyes widened as he turned towards the American’s voice.

‘I will show you.’