Point Blanc by Anthony Horowitz

tonight." Alex took them and
he went on. "If you need to know anything more, just ask. Fiona will be
with you the whole time." He glanced down at his fingertips.
"I'm sure that in itself will be quite an experience for
you."
    The door
opened and a woman came in. She was slim with dark hair, very much like her
daughter. She was wearing a simple mauve dress with a string of pearls around
her neck. "David," she began, then stopped, seeing Alex.
    "This
is my wife," Friend said. "Caroline, this is the boy I was telling
you about. Alex."
    "It's
very nice to meet you, Alex." Lady Caroline tried to smile but her lips
managed only a faint twitch. "I understand you're going to stay
with us for a while."
    "Yes,
Mother," Alex said.
    Lady Caroline
blushed.
    "He has
to pretend to be our son," Sir David reminded her. He turned to Alex.
"Fiona doesn't know anything about MI6 and the rest of it. I
don't want to alarm her. I've told her that it's connected
with my work ... a social experiment, if you like. She's to pretend
you're her brother, to give you a week in the country as part of the
family. I'd prefer it if you didn't tell her the truth."
    "Dinner
is in half an hour," Lady Caroline said. "Do you eat
venison?" She sniffed. "Perhaps you'd like to shower before
you eat? I'll show you to your room."
    Sir David
stood up. "You've got a lot of reading to do. I'm afraid I
have to go back to London tomorrow--I have lunch with the president of
France--so I won't be able to help you. But, as I say, if
there's anything you don't know..."
    "Fiona
Friend," Alex said.

    Alex had been
given a small, comfortable room at the back of the house. He took a quick
shower, then put his old clothes back on again. He liked to feel clean but he
had to look grimy--it suited the character of the boy he was supposed to
be. He opened the first of the files. Sir David had been thorough. He had given
Alex the names and recent histories of just about the entire family, as well as
photographs of vacations, details of the house and stables in Mayfair, the
apartments in New York, Paris, and Rome, and the villa in Barbados. There were
newspaper clippings, magazine articles ... everything he could possibly need.
    A gong
sounded. It was seven o'clock. Alex went downstairs and into the dining
room. The room had six windows and a polished mahogany table long enough to
seat fifteen. But only the three of them were there: Sir David, Lady Caroline,
and Fiona. The food had already been served, presumably by a butler or cook.
Sir David gestured at an empty chair. Alex sat down.
    "Fiona
was just talking about Soloman," Lady Caroline said. There was a pause.
"Soloman is a horse. We have lots of horses." She turned to Alex.
"Do you ride?"
    "Only
my bicycle," Alex said.
    "I'm
sure Alex isn't interested in horses," Fiona said. She appeared to
be in a bad mood. "In fact, I doubt if we have anything in common. Why do
I have to pretend he's my brother? The whole thing is completely--"
    "Fiona...,"
Sir David muttered in a low voice.
    "Well,
it's all very well having him here, Daddy, but it is meant to be my
Easter vacation." Alex realized that Fiona must go to a private school.
Her term would have ended earlier than his. "I don't think
it's fair."
    "Alex
is here because of my work," Sir David continued. It was strange, Alex
thought, the way they talked about him as if he weren't actually there.
"I know you have a lot of questions, Fiona, but you're just going
to have to do as I say. He's with us only until the end of the week. I
want you to look after him."
    "But
he's a city boy!" Fiona insisted. "He's going to hate
it here. And anyway, how can pretending he's my brother help you with
your supermarkets?"
    "Fiona..."
Sir David didn't want any more argument. "It's what I told
you. An experiment. And you will make him feel welcome!"
    Fiona picked
up her glass and looked directly at Alex for the first time since he had come
into the room. "We'll see about that," she said.

    The week