Peregrine.
The next morning, Earnest heard a peremptory knock on his study door, and Cluan Cheap strolled into the room with a downcast-looking Montana on his arm.
"Good morning to you, my esteemed uncle," he said breezily. "The clerks have been busy for once and drawn up an official Declaration of Intent. We must all sign it."
He laid the document on the desk, and Earnest stared at it sullenly.
"My dear," he said, "will you be the first to sign?" said Cheap, handing the pen to Montana, and she signed her name in the place indicated.
"And now, sir, would you be good enough?"
Cheap turned the document to Earnest and indicated the place for him to sign his consent. Earnest took up his pen and, after glancing briefly at Montana, signed in the appropriate box.
"Excellent!" said Cheap.
"Now I sign my name, and the matter is concluded."
He turned the page and leaned over with his pen in his hand, but he got no further. I had been watching and listening unseen, and now I swung the door open and stormed in.
"Stop!"
Cheap jumped back from the table in alarm, still clutching the contract. Earnest gave me a relieved smile, and Montana dropped to the floor in a dead faint.
"Beginning to doubt you, old chap," murmured Uncle Earnest. "I thought you had left it too late. I was about to knock the pen out of the blighter's hand."
"Sorry, Mr Earnest," I said, "unavoidable delay."
Albert and Aunty now came into the room, and Aunty immediately rushed over to Montana, who was beginning to come round.
I knelt by her side. "Sorry to shock you like that, Montana, but there was no other way. I'm back now, and I promise never to leave you again. Unless you throw me out of course."
My weak attempt to get her to smile failed miserably.
"Peregrine, I am so glad you are alive, but…"
She burst into tears.
"What a touching little scene," said Cheap, now recovered," but I am afraid you are too late, my friend. Montana and I have entered a joint 'Declaration of Intent,' and we have pledged to be married. While you were looking into each other's eyes, I took the opportunity to complete my signature."
He held up the contract.
"Signed, sealed, and delivered."
"And should we decide not to honour it?" said Earnest grimly.
"You will, Uncle, you will," said Cheap. "I have told you the consequences of a refusal. Certain documents in my possession will be handed over to the police. Now let's not hear any more of this."
"Those documents are forgeries," said Earnest.
"My dear Uncle, tut, tut, what an unkind thing to say. Do you have proof of your malicious allegation?"
"Don't worry, Cheap, "you shall have your proof," I said, and I drew a red folder from my cloak.
"Perhaps you would like to glance at the contents?"
Cheap snatched it out of my hand and began to read the documents one by one.
"The file!" said Albert, "where did you find it?"
"Behind the painting. In the place where Miss Sharpe hid it sixteen years ago."
"But I looked there myself," said Albert, "and the space was empty."
"You looked behind the wrong painting, Albert. The one behind your desk was an identical copy that your father had commissioned to hang in his study. When staff removed the original copy from the old office, it was unfortunately damaged, and Mr Earnest temporarily hung the copy behind his desk.
"I always meant to get it repaired," said Earnest, "but it quite slipped my mind. Fortunate in a way. We don't know who might have got their hands on the file."
"But why didn't you tell me, Earnest? "Albert said.
"You were unwell at the time, and I thought it best not to bother you. Then I just forgot all about it."
Cheap had finished reading the papers and had turned quite pale. But he had no intention of giving up.
"This makes very little difference; the D.C. has been signed, and Montana and I are legally committed to each other."
"I will have you in court for fraud and attempted blackmail," said Earnest, his face puce with anger.
"And bring disgrace to your family by prosecuting the soon-to-be husband of your Ward? I think not, Uncle."
"There is no contract, Cheap," said Earnest, now, icy calm, "perhaps you would be good enough to look at the consent section and inspect my signature?"
Cheap turned over the pages and read aloud the signature from the box.
"Mrs Norris the Second."
"What is this nonsense?"
"It's our kitchen cat. We named it after the Caretaker's cat in Harry Potter. Albert got the pick of the litter when he went over on a goodwill visit to Hogwarts before the present troubles. Albert said that Filch wasn't such a bad chap when you got to know him. The cat takes after her mother, Mrs Norris, and is always snooping around. She's a clever little thing, but I didn't know that she could write," said Earnest with a chuckle.
"Your contract isn't worth a fig, Cheap without my official signature, and you are not going to get it."
Earnest adopted a serious tone.
"Get out of here, Cheap. Your little game is over."
"No, Uncle!" said Montana.
Earnest turned to her in surprise. "What is it, my dear?"
"I gave my word, Uncle. I swore that once I had signed the D.C. I would go through with it, whatever the circumstances and I will."
Montana was visibly holding back her tears, but her face was set, and her mind made up.
"Montana," I said, "you signed under the threat of extortion, not willingly, and the contract is not legal without your uncle's signature."
"I gave my word, Peregrine. I swore an oath to go through with it."
I turned to Cheap in desperation. "Surely you will not hold her to an oath made under duress. She has not the slightest affection for you, Cheap, and it would be a miserable marriage for both of you."
"I disagree," said Cheap, "she comes with a dowry of sorts in that I will become part of a respected family. That is something I have never possessed before and have always wanted. I will become a person of standing in the community, and under my control, this firm will achieve remarkable success.
"No, it is a good match. I ask nothing of Montana, but she keeps my house, entertains valuable clients, and bears me children. I am inclined towards a large family, my dear," he said, looking at Montana. I do so hope you agree."
"Cheap, I offer you ten thousand state dollars in cash if you forget this whole business and leave here by the night coach," said Earnest, shaking with anger.
"Not for fifty thousand, uncle, but I am pleased to know you have access to ready cash. I will require a substantial advance to cover my forthcoming wedding expenses."
"Is there nothing I can offer you?" said Earnest.
"Only your consent for me to take your ward's hand in marriage. Now, please sign your genuine signature below the unfortunate joke entry, and I will have one of the clerks erase the discrepancy."
"I cannot," said Earnest. "You ask too much."
"But Uncle, you must. I cannot break a solemn oath. I would rather die. I give you my word that I will neither eat nor drink until you sign the contract," said Montana.
"You must do it, Earnest," said Albert. "She will do as she says. You have no choice."
There was a long silence.
"Very well," said Earnest, "I will do it. Give me the contract."
"Wait a little longer, Mr Earnest," I said.
"I have somebody who might yet change your mind, even at this late hour."
I opened the study door and called for my four companions. They came in, and I asked them to sit in the upholstered chairs Mr Earnest kept for visiting clients.
I waited until they took their seats and then addressed everybody in the room.
"I would like to introduce you all to my friends. Three of them are refugees from the occupying armies in The World of Fiction, and the fourth is the boy Jack, who was of great service to me in the alternative London from which we have recently fled. A city where our friends from The World of Fiction had taken temporary refuge."
"Very interesting, I'm sure," said Cheap. "But we have urgent business to discuss."
"If you would be patient, Mr Cheap, these people have great relevance to the business at hand," I said.
Cheap glanced furtively at the new arrivals. His animal instincts of self-preservation cut in, and I knew that he would remain silent until he knew exactly what was going on.
"Thank you," I said, "if I may continue. The journey I took before I locked The Green Door was meant to make me understand what it meant to be part of a multi-reality universe. I had to find out for myself that the distinction made between events classified as 'factual,' meaning that they have an objective reality, or 'fictional,' meaning an imaginary construct of the mind, is entirely false. There is no objective reality to call upon; multiple realities exist equally, and no one reality can claim precedence.
No single life exists in isolation; our conscious lives become intertwined, and it is common for two lives to run in close parallel in two quite separate worlds or dimensions. They are seldom identical in every feature but often have significant similarities that impinge on the lives of others."
"All very interesting, again," said Cheap, "but I have no time to waste listening to your lectures; my bride-to-be has more important matters to think about than I do myself. Now, Uncle, do your duty and sign the contract. I wish to discuss my pre-nuptial settlement."
"One moment, Cheap."
I turned to face the group of people I had brought into the study.
"Mr Wickfield, would you come forward, please?"
The old gentleman got to his feet. I stood beside him, facing Earnest, who sat behind his desk.
"Mr Earnest, may I introduce Mr Wickfield?"
The two men shook hands.
"You two gentlemen, unknown to yourselves, have much in common: being the same age, men of business, honourable men, and each of you has had the responsibility of raising a child, now a young woman, whom you care for deeply.
"Would you step forward, Agnes? And you, too, Montana, if you please.
"Both you, Mr Earnest, and you, Mr Wakefield, have a clerk in your employ, a dishonest man who, despite his oft-pleaded 'humbleness,' attempted to secure the hand of these young women in marriage by fraudulent means.
"In your case, Mr Wakefield, your daughter Agnes, and for Mr Earnest, your Ward Montana, in both cases, the clerk in question has attempted to blackmail each of you into forced acceptance of this arrangement through a deception punishable by law.
Mr Wickfield has already resolved his problem, and the clerk has received his just desserts from the courts.
"Mr Uriah Heap, step forward!"
The clerk got to his feet and shuffled over.
"Mr Cluan Cheap, step forward!"
Cheap looked startled but obeyed my command.
"Cheap, I want you to look upon your twin, for, without doubt, your lives and destiny run so parallel a course that his fate will certainly be yours if you attempt to see out your fraudulent scheme to its end.
"Heap, you will oblige me by removing your coat."
Uriah Heap unbuttoned his long black coat and, without a word, took it off. Cheap gasped, and his face turned ashen. Uriah Seep was wearing the striped garb of a convict, and on his wrists were angry red marks where iron shackles had burned into his skin.
"This will be your destiny, Cheap, unless you mend your ways," I said. "You can start by immediately withdrawing from this fraudulent marriage contract. You can see that in my hand is a police whistle. There is a black Maria on the forecourt at my request, and should I blow the whistle, the police will enter here and place you under arrest for fraud and extortion."
"But Peregrine, I gave my word!" Montana sobbed.
"I have spoken to a lawyer, Montana, and if Cheap voluntarily withdraws from his commitment to you, the D.C. is invalid, and since you took your oath under duress, it is also morally and legally unenforceable. Furthermore, should Cheap attempt to continue with his deception, he will end up in prison. He will be unable to claim he has any relationship with this family; the only scandal will be his own.
I turned to Cheap.
"Well?"
Cheap looked at him like a hunted animal, and his face contorted with anger and fear.
"I think prison will be good for you," said Uriah Heep unexpectedly. "I have become what the authorities describe as a model prisoner,' and I intend to spend the long years ahead of me in quiet repentance of my sins. I think you would be wise to join me, Cheap. We are all sinners, and that includes the present company."
Seep could not keep up his pretence of humility any longer or the bitterness out of his tone, and picking up his coat, he returned to his seat.
"The Devil take you all," said Heep, "and you too, you fool," he said to Cheap.
"May you rot in jail."
Seep sat in silence, chuckling to himself. He was quite mad.
"I will never go to jail," said Cheap.
He turned to me and said, "Do I have your word that I will face no prosecution and am free to go if I withdraw from this marriage contract?"
I turned to the two brothers and Aunty, and they nodded their consent.
"You have my word," I said.
Cheap picked up the contract and tore it to shreds. "That is the end of the matter, and now I leave this place for good," he said and hurried out of the door.
I went over to Montana. "Do you accept all that has been said and understand that you have not broken your word?"
She said, "I do. And thank you, Peregrine, for all that you have done."
"You deserve all our thanks, "said Aunty, who gave me a great motherly hug.
Agnes came over to Montana.
"How pretty you are, my dear. We each had a lucky escape and are equally indebted to Peregrine."
She turned to me, and her eyes were shining.
"You remind me very much of my David," she said, taking my hand. Deep in thought, I returned her gaze, unaware that everybody in the room was looking at us with rapt attention.
Neither was I aware that Montana had risen to her feet with her face drained of all colour. Agnes and I were oblivious to the attention we were receiving; both our minds were elsewhere, and we had each forgotten the presence of the other.
"It looks as if I'm going to have to miss that date after all," said Montana, who had appeared by our side. Good luck, Peregrine. Maybe I will see you in the shop, and thanks again for your help. All this drama has made me feel quite faint," she said, with a wry grin.
"I need to go for a lie-down. I seem to have become quite the swooning Victorian lady in my old age."
She opened the door and said, "I'll talk to you later, Uncle Earnest. See you soon, everybody, and thank you. Aunty, could I speak to you?"
Aunty followed Montana out and closed the door behind her.
Mr Wickfield had asked Ernest to excuse him from any further part in the proceedings, and Agnes accompanied him to his room.