I will start my story with an apology to my daily journal readers. Though this account of mine is quite different from medical discoveries, it might clear up many theories and conspiracies regarding the famous case of the English Duke, which has been branded false by some and incredulous by many. As my dear friend Vera says, it is the conspiracy which interests people, far more than the truth. Yet I hope that this story will finally give rest to any other versions of it.264Please respect copyright.PENANAc5YIHRjgYD
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It was the afternoon of the 10th of January, a cold and windy day, when I was fixing a patient of mine.264Please respect copyright.PENANAonzNrYM4TW
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"It is cold then, which depresses you?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAgW7mt08hOY
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" Ah, what can I say," my patient began," It is cold. But it is the knee too."264Please respect copyright.PENANAjXNgLA8A0s
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"Knee?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAIfCUy9XOKj
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" Yes. I have been travelling much. From here to there. You comprehend?"264Please respect copyright.PENANA0Unw4FOM2o
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I didn't. 264Please respect copyright.PENANAPRFyLu7EdE
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Before I spoke anything, my patient stood up, and for the first time, I was able to see his face that was hidden under his hat earlier.264Please respect copyright.PENANADggo4f5Ljg
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He had an egg shaped face, a glorious moustache and sparkling eyes. He reminded me of someone I had seen in the papers, but who, that I couldn't tell.264Please respect copyright.PENANA1bWe5sG244
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"You see mon ami, it is your friend who gave me this knee."264Please respect copyright.PENANAFcHvJnT7bL
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I looked at him. Trying not to laugh at his ridiculous face, I asked, " My friend?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAkC7fopNNnT
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"Oh yes. Vera."264Please respect copyright.PENANACLymoUWrF1
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"Oh."264Please respect copyright.PENANAcy0sZiAJSU
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Vera. My closest friend. She had a very odd job in this world. But her life was thrilling. Running here and there, chasing after this person and that person - oh what a life.264Please respect copyright.PENANA0kK6NKPP6l
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The man put his hand in his pocket and clasped his cane with the other. As he turned around, he handed me a letter and bowed, signalling the end of our time and went out of my clinic.
I sat on my chair and gazed out of the door the man had gone out through. There was utter confusion on my face. 264Please respect copyright.PENANAs2gIA4tu6N
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I unfolded the letter he had brought me. With sceptical eyes, I read:264Please respect copyright.PENANAqiH12BPlFR
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Dear Jim,264Please respect copyright.PENANAkw7P7MigYx
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How are you? I am fine. Listen. Come and meet me on the 27th of this month. I have a very interesting thing for you to look forward to. It might knock you off the chair you are currently sitting in and also change your sceptical look to a look of awe.264Please respect copyright.PENANAsVqqyUICe2
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Yours, Vera.264Please respect copyright.PENANABxrdb4D3SA
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That was her. Vera Clay, a friend of mine. She was a detective. I had first met her when I had stumbled upon a murder case involving a relative of mine.264Please respect copyright.PENANAK1HfKG5O0C
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I knew of her smart brain and so didn't care to think how she had accurately written in her letter that I would be sitting on my chair, with a sceptic look.264Please respect copyright.PENANA1kzy2OVoNL
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The 27th arrived and I repaired myself to Vera's house in East London. It was a small flat, a rented one. I had lived in it with Vera for ten years before I had moved out to continue with my practice. The door was a little rusted and was unbolted.264Please respect copyright.PENANA1iCNkfyCZl
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I walked inside.
The sight I saw did not surprise me.264Please respect copyright.PENANAq7zmDrbkU2
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Vera was leaning over her table, looking into her microscope, examining a sample.
I quietly walked over to her and placed my coat on the table beside her.264Please respect copyright.PENANAXqydPDi8vX
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It was then that she took notice of me and, without looking up, greeted, " Hallo Jim."264Please respect copyright.PENANAR1VQBKmDgo
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I went straight to the point.264Please respect copyright.PENANALBoRraMKp8
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" Vera, you didn't write that letter, did you?"264Please respect copyright.PENANABl9Vm6dMd6
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She dived even deeper in her microscope and just replied impassively, "Hmm...what? Oh the letter. No i didn't. I just dictated it to young Dave living across the street. I fancy he might've added some of his own bits, considering i had just dictated him one line."264Please respect copyright.PENANAU5OW2G4yxI
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I laughed and sat on a chair.264Please respect copyright.PENANAhBuKEh4uE7
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"Was it so obvious though?", Vera asked after a while.264Please respect copyright.PENANAxMLBYsdSTj
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I smiled and replied, " Of course. I've known you for ten years. I know your style."
None of us spoke for a few minutes after that. It was typical of her. She only spoke if the other person did. She was not the type to start a conversation.
The silence was unnerving me. She was so engaged in her scientific work that I thought she had forgotten that she had called me here.
Frustrated, I asked, anything to get her to talk, " How did you know that i would be "sitting on my chair with a sceptic look"?"
She replied in a bored voice, " It was so obvious. I have know you for ten years as you say so yourself. Even young Dave got it."
The silence continued.
She perched herself back and slammed her fist on the table. The action was enough to surprise me, but not much - I was used to it.
Vera yelled, " Awful! Amazingly, brilliantly, boringly awful!"264Please respect copyright.PENANAF89w7GL3ia
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I advanced to calm her, but stopped as I realised it wasn't necessary.264Please respect copyright.PENANAUMTSP6Suxp
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Instead, I asked," What's the experiment?"264Please respect copyright.PENANANGrGsVmbnE
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She looked at me for the first time and replied, " Oh Jim. You're still here. I thought you were off. The experiment? Nothing. Just the old sheriff who commissioned me to match fingerprints for a robbery case."264Please respect copyright.PENANA1s7QBupYki
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"And?"264Please respect copyright.PENANA2yjrgVLvws
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" They turned out to be the fingerprints of the Sheriff himself."264Please respect copyright.PENANAQvg03qGxdQ
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"Isn't that good? You got your man."264Please respect copyright.PENANAqhQM2qKSEP
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"No. He can't have robbed."264Please respect copyright.PENANAg7uFBTLpkU
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"Why?"264Please respect copyright.PENANA8RyuyNqgK9
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She frowned and replied, Oh why can't you just think Jim? He can't have robbed. That's because identifying fingerprints is something which is fairly simple. Surely a man as intelligent as the Sherrif won't turn himself in. Also, he was wearing boots on the day of the robbery."264Please respect copyright.PENANAHPhsoqWuFX
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I frowned and replied satirically," Well that makes perfect sense."264Please respect copyright.PENANAH12PSD9FkD
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"Doesn't it?"264Please respect copyright.PENANACCExOATYM4
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I have to say, sarcasm is wasted on Vera. All she wants is talk of business. Nothing else.
So I asked, " Who was that man you sent the letter with?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAJDOrCq8VKP
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"Oh just an old friend of mine. He is a detective too. Might be the greatest detective of today's times."
" He looks rather ridiculous to me."264Please respect copyright.PENANAESG9fTx1Y3
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"Few people take him seriously."264Please respect copyright.PENANA4HpY4ALPtf
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She went off into the kitchen, and I followed her.264Please respect copyright.PENANAAGMOiaOtKb
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"Weren't you going to show me something interesting?"264Please respect copyright.PENANANjUGQazYPa
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She turned to me and smiled, excited.264Please respect copyright.PENANAPAOq16Kzkj
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She said, " Glad you mentioned it."264Please respect copyright.PENANAdVz71cE8yB
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"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAoa39aZrTVe
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She frowned and said, " You didn't ask."264Please respect copyright.PENANAR5fE0rn23n
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Call me imprudent if you like, I thought.264Please respect copyright.PENANARkXXFQomap
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"On my table in the hall, there's a package. Bring it."264Please respect copyright.PENANAXAzz7xMuRr
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I did so. 264Please respect copyright.PENANAHwg6t0qrSr
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I handed it over to her, expecting a reaction, but all I got was nothing. Her eyes were uninteresting and bored, as if it was obvious what she was going to say next. Knowing her, she wouldn't say it in such a case.264Please respect copyright.PENANAUHegJ3YFmP
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Then I looked more closely at the package and notice a red tulip and gasped.264Please respect copyright.PENANAeUa7zTSkLL
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"Why, it's the....the....Royal Mark!"264Please respect copyright.PENANAGd24Eh5TTU
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My voice shook as I fluttered like a fish out of water.264Please respect copyright.PENANAeIHYtuWctd
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Vera smiled.264Please respect copyright.PENANAKbbJy0r5rQ
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"It arrived today, and I have a feeling I know what's in it."264Please respect copyright.PENANAxTftSfsRmh
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At once, I opened the letter and found in my hand an inexplicable blank note, much to my amusement.264Please respect copyright.PENANAsWWt7zEwJh
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I laughed as I remarked," Well Vera. What do you make of this?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAeu9I6UruLm
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I half - expected her to frown and not chuckle as she did.264Please respect copyright.PENANAHHFbYpijjz
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" Blank note isn't it? How boring."264Please respect copyright.PENANADcbGF76PQx
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"What is it about?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAEKeHMpGQpn
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"You shall know - now."
Right at that moment, a man appeared at the door.264Please respect copyright.PENANAOJGWULmjj1
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"You knew he would come?"264Please respect copyright.PENANA6rXe2r9Zos
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Vera looked away to her work and said," Indeed. I see that you didn't notice the walking stick our visitor has left in the corner of the room. Indeed, our man has come back."264Please respect copyright.PENANA1yoH9RApvs
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I went and opened the door.264Please respect copyright.PENANAhEs0C2sN6Y
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"Good morning sir," said the man, scratching his faint beard," You must be Vera Clay, the detective..."
I corrected my identity and assured him that he had indeed come to the right place.264Please respect copyright.PENANA3bncSq0Lqn
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When he met Vera, his face shined with surprise. It was not unusual. People hardly believed that she was the detective and I was not, owing to the fact that she was a woman, a fact that I found mildly absurd.
Nevertheless, our man sat down.264Please respect copyright.PENANAuVtf0ysh5I
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"Madamoiselle, I have come to you on strict orders from the Royal Family. My name is Sanders Roy. That's Colonel Roy to you two."264Please respect copyright.PENANAYme7aNPsTO
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We nodded.264Please respect copyright.PENANAt9RBKPy0gr
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Vera said:264Please respect copyright.PENANAEu2K2rt1tX
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" I believe, Monsieur, that you came by here a bit earlier today, say, a little after seven in the morning?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAIxokK0OuMU
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The Colonel said, " Yes I did. I saw M. Shepperd coming here, so I assumed you had returned."264Please respect copyright.PENANAYPTSWyS6P1
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" And is it safe to assume that you broke the plate over there?"264Please respect copyright.PENANACjNsS9i5ms
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She pointed to a broken plate kept neatly on one of the chairs.264Please respect copyright.PENANAte9VoZw3fq
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Colonel nodded," My apologies."
Vera smirked and said, " Don't be sorry. As it is, I am going to take my money from you. I believe you still have your change of €2 from the coffee you just had in the coffee shop opposite this flat?"
Colonel gasped.264Please respect copyright.PENANABNVqZUfJTe
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"How did-"264Please respect copyright.PENANAz1f80W04Uh
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"You came here two hours ago and left your cane. I assumed it was purposely done so as to notify me of your visit. You belong to the Royal Family meaning you'd have a long way to go back. So I assumed that you were taking lodging nearby. Look at the time now. It's 9:30. Most people would pass their time drinking a beverage. So I thought you'd be having coffee at the shop opposite. You mentioned just now that you saw my friend Jim coming here, confirming my assumption that you were at a place nearby. The cost of the coffee is €5 and I thought that you wouldn't take much money out with you, to not attract much attention. The €2 was just a wild guess."
For a moment there was silence. I, who knew of Vera's methods gave no reaction but just looked at the Colonel. He was speechless. His mouth was open as he looked at Vera as if she were an alien.
He cleared his throat and destroyed the silence.
"Well", he said with dignity," let us go back to our purpose of the conversation. I, as you know, am from the Royal Family and I have brought with myself a letter from them - which you have already received."264Please respect copyright.PENANAgsojwlNBaG
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Vera nodded.264Please respect copyright.PENANAKBnlE1H3o1
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"On behalf of Duke George, I would like to invite you, Madamoiselle Vera Clay, to the Royal Ball. You may invite a companion to come with you, and I assume it's going to be M. Shepperd here."264Please respect copyright.PENANAHS3FMrODfl
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"Yes."264Please respect copyright.PENANADoQCAYnbur
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"Well then, the Ball is on Thursday. Today is Tuesday. You have two days to prepare."264Please respect copyright.PENANAv9BRMojFvv
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Colonel Rose stood up.264Please respect copyright.PENANAjV9yy4663U
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"I must be off now."264Please respect copyright.PENANAkUmhj9a8vJ
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He looked at Vera strangely again, eyeing me in the process too. Off he went.264Please respect copyright.PENANA4TOx504E5V
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Vera, being herself, went into the kitchen without saying a word to me. I followed.
"Vera," I beckoned,"you aren't seriously going to the Ball, are you?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAwMGsh6sCHK
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She frowned.264Please respect copyright.PENANAj8LdxO6Jno
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"Why, John? Of course I am."264Please respect copyright.PENANAD5nuKnlOfa
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"You do understand that there are going to be real people there. People you are going to have to talk to."264Please respect copyright.PENANAPlU7eI3m1C
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"Don't be silly, John. I do know how to talk."264Please respect copyright.PENANA2lYKBDr3Mi
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"No. No you don't ", I said simply.264Please respect copyright.PENANAnSVpHanOs1
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"Well then, I'd just hover in the background."264Please respect copyright.PENANAvuBrY5UT8u
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"Vera," I said," why do you want to go to this party? You don't usually go to such things. Why a sudden interest?"
Vera sighed. She pulled out a chair and ordered," Sit."264Please respect copyright.PENANAR8HkWeBvqR
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I did.264Please respect copyright.PENANAlhduyoYi44
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She began, " John, do you know the Royal Family?"264Please respect copyright.PENANADpzYLLRpvB
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I shrugged.264Please respect copyright.PENANA4lqN7TKDeo
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"Well I have read about them in some magazines and journals."264Please respect copyright.PENANAbkAUW5SHhy
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"That is not enough."264Please respect copyright.PENANAEDzWzSe30Q
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"Tell me then."264Please respect copyright.PENANA9qV06NwT49
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" John, the Royal Family is large. There's the Duke, the twin sons - Micheal and Roger, the mother, the Aunt, the Colonel, the governess, the hunter, the writer, etc. "264Please respect copyright.PENANA6JYJBDUuWp
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"That's some diversity."264Please respect copyright.PENANAAmjRDSQvAG
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"And what happens when all such high - class diverse people are brought together under one estate?"264Please respect copyright.PENANACoG4h7ctfF
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"Let me guess, scandals, controversies?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAXML6eVpYCD
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"Exactly. But more so. A violent clash of egos. Fights. Rivalries in everything - sports, poetry, music, women - you name it. Especially between the twins."264Please respect copyright.PENANAbFrSbKZTNo
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I smirked.264Please respect copyright.PENANAkn6cQr0zQY
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"But you aren't interested in that, are you?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAwkdsSoe97V
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"Of course not. No. I am interested about one particular thing. Only one. Something which may change the Family forever."264Please respect copyright.PENANAMriNoaDMfj
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"And that thing is...?"264Please respect copyright.PENANA1pP8FFxvKN
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"John, do you know the patient who delivered to you my letter today?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAb3wIJY3sQn
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"The egg faced, old man with that glorious moustache? I don't know him, but I fancy he's a hairdresser."264Please respect copyright.PENANAvV2ulzzlku
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"He's a world famous Belgian detective. Earlier this morning, I answered a summons from him and he told me about this matter."264Please respect copyright.PENANARPFFxh3q8q
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"What?"264Please respect copyright.PENANAh1C1Q6BldE
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"The Royal Family is a plethora of secrets and controversies. According to the great detective, whom you just met in your clinic, one such secret is the planned murder of one member of the Royal Family."264Please respect copyright.PENANAXa7Aiz0a5a
264Please respect copyright.PENANAHd5OMgm168