Doctor Who_ Earthworld - Jacqueline Rayner [83]
The D– Marlin and I have important matters to discuss with Sir Fitz.’
Lancelet frowned. ‘My Lady?’
Anji put her hands on her hips. ‘Who’s Queen?’ she asked.
‘Actually,’ said the Doctor, interrupting, ‘if I might just ask a favour of Sir Lancelet. . . ’
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EarthWorld
‘Oh yes,’ said Anji, relieved that he was taking charge, ‘of course you may.’
‘Lancelet, would you round up all the knights and assemble them here in, say, five minutes?’
Lancelet was still frowning, but gave the Doctor a short bow. ‘As you wish,’
he said, and left.
Anji collapsed into a chair. ‘I did it!’ she said. ‘I don’t believe I did it! Can we go home now, please?’
The Doctor sat down on the next chair and put an arm around her. ‘I am so proud of you, Anji,’ he said. ‘So very proud. I know it can’t have been easy.’
Anji thought back to Lancelet’s arms around her, and shuddered. ‘No,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t.’
To: cybertron@xprof.net
From: anji kapoor@MWFutures.co.uk
Date: 15/2/01 10:07
Subject: Faithfulness
Dear Dave,
Did you know, I was never once unfaithful to you. I never even drunkenly kissed another man at the office Christmas party (and believe me, I had offers. Some guys can only deal with their power issues in the office by trying to gain power elsewhere. Or I suppose they might have just fancied me. Whatever). Anyway, the point is, I resisted all temptation. Although to tell you the truth, it wasn’t that much of a temptation, not usually. You see, I’d found you. And although we might have had our problems. . . but no. That’s not what we’re talking about right now.
There’s that theory that you can only have a successful relationship with someone you perceive as being on ‘the same level’ as you. So, if you’re rich and ugly you can go out with someone poor but beautiful, but if you’re poor and ugly you don’t stand a chance unless they are too. That sort of thing.
A friend of mine once said, ‘You’re too good for him.’ But that’s not true. If anything, it was the other way around. Oh, you used to wind me up sometimes – well, a lot – and occasionally I got peed off that I couldn’t afford to take risks with my job, because I had to be the main breadwinner for both of us. Seema – my friend – called Nights at the Round Table
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you my ‘kept man’. I just laughed. At least I kept hold of you. You see, you had qualities I didn’t, like patience, and the ability to laugh at yourself. I never had that, I’ve always cared too much what other people think. I’m ashamed now that I let our few problems – tiny, tiny problems – creep into my mind.
I wonder if you were ever unfaithful to me? In thought, word or deed. Thought, possibly, but I really don’t think either of the other two. I’ll never know now, but I think not. I think you really loved me, and I didn’t deserve it. Didn’t deserve you. Because. . . Oh, this is too difficult.
I still love you
Anji xxx
Send now/send later: send later
Sir Lancelet and the knights were sitting around the round table, along with the Doctor, Anji and Xernic. Fitz had been sent off to fetch the President and his guards.
‘Thank you all for coming,’ the Doctor said, for all the world as if he was chairing a local council meeting. ‘As you may have heard on the grapevine, you have all been under an enchantment from the evil sorceresses Morgan, Leigh and Fay. Thanks to the gallant Sir Lancelet they are now under lock and key, along with the treacherous knight, Sir Mort, and with my powerful magicks –
and the help of Queen Gwinnyveer – the enchantment has been lifted. Brave Sir Fitz, the, er, Knight of the Archway, has gone to fetch your King from the place where he was trapped by his wicked sisters. I should warn you that there may still be some residual traces of the spell they cast on him, making his countenance seem strange to you if you happen to bump into him. Now, is there anything I’ve forgotten, My Lady?’ he said, turning to Anji.
‘Not at all, Marlin,’ she smiled. ‘I think that explains everything perfectly adequately.’
The Doctor smiled back, and turned to the knights