Doctor Who_ The Sea-Devils - Malcolm Hulke [8]
The Master was not reading when Jo and the Doctor entered; instead he had turned to getting some much needed exercise on a shiny new rowing machine. The room was quite large, fitted out with modern furniture, wall-to-wall carpeting, and a colour television set. There was no bed, but let into the opposite wall there was a door, so Jo concluded the Master had another room beyond which was his sleeping-quarters, A slight humming sound indicated the presence of air-conditioning.
The Master glanced up from this rowing machine. ‘Why, Doctor—and Miss Grant. What a pleasant surprise!’ He seemed quite genuinely pleased to see them, and scrambled up from the rowing machine to shake hands.
‘Bit of a surprise for you, eh?’ said Trenchard, very full of himself. ‘Naturally I knew they were coming, but didn’t tell you in case they didn’t make it. Didn’t want ‘ you to suffer a disappointment.’
‘That was very thoughtful of you,’ said the Master, appreciatively. He turned back to regard the Doctor again. ‘It really is good to see you, Doctor.’
‘Well,’ said the Doctor, not a little touched by the Master’s obvious joy at the visit, ‘how are you?’
The Master pointed to the rowing machine. ‘Trying to keep fit, you know.’
Compared with the Doctor, the Master seemed completely at his ease.
Trenchard realised he was not really welcome during this reunion of old enemies. ‘I’ll leave you all together,’ he said, putting on a smile. ‘Give a shout to the guard when you want to leave.’ And with that he hurried out, and the door was closed and locked behind him.
‘I’m afraid I can’t offer you any refreshments,’ apologised the Master, ‘but do sit down.’
They did as he asked. Jo thought it was rather like people saying goodbye at a railway station, when no one knows what to say. The Master broke the silence.
‘He’s not a bad sort, really,’ he said, indicating the door through which Trenchard had just retreated. ‘He was the governor of some British colony before this, so he tells me.’
‘Yes, so I heard,’ said the Doctor, glad to have something to talk about. ‘The colony claimed its independence soon after he arrived.’
Jo said, ‘He seems to be looking after you all right.’ The Master turned to her. ‘I have everything I want, Miss Grant. Except, of course, my freedom.’
‘You were lucky to get away with your life,’ said the Doctor. ‘A lot of people wanted you to be executed.’
The Master smiled. ‘My dear Doctor, don’t think I’m ungrateful.’ He paused for a moment. ‘As a matter of fact, I’ve had time to think in here.’
Jo noticed the Doctor’s immediate warm reaction to the Master’s remark. ‘Have you really? I rather hoped that you would.’
‘To be honest,’ said the Master. ‘and I’d only admit this to old friends, I wish something like this had happened to me a long time ago.’
‘You’re glad to be locked up?’ Jo could hardly believe her ears.
‘Miss Grant, no one in their right mind is glad to be locked up,’ said the Master. ‘But a little enforced isolation gives one an opportunity to reconsider what life is all about.’ He looked down at his carpeted floor. ‘I suppose there’s no chance of the British Government ever granting me parole from here?’
‘The judge ordered life-long imprisonment,’ said the Doctor, more forlornly than with any pleasure at the Master’s situation.
‘He was right, of course,’ said the Master. ‘I have been thoroughly evil. But we must remember that when I was tried, my wrongdoings were still fresh in people’s minds. They felt affronted by what I had done. All I am hoping is that when the dust has, as it were, settled and people are able to think of me with a little less hate, they might be willing to show some humane mercy.’
The Master spoke with such feeling and sincerity that Jo felt very sorry for him. Although this room was comfortable, and was unlike any other cell in a British prison, it seemed to her terrible that anyone should be locked in for the rest of his life. The Doctor also seeemed to be affected by the Master’s plea for mercy.
‘Don’t imagine that I enjoy seeing you detained