Chapter 10
South Africa 1907
Nothing is as it May Seem...
A conscious feeling stirred in him. It may have only been due to the vivid memories which were recalled so clearly. It may have been the return to Port Elizabeth itself. Whatever it was, it sat uncomfortably on his shoulders and from the comment his appearance roused in Theo, it appeared painfully across his face as well.
'Are you going to tell me what is wrong?' he asked.
'With what, exactly?' Arthur asked in reply, his eyebrows remained crumpled inwardly and both hands clenched on his lap.
'Well, by the look on your face, we are heading to a dinner with the devil, and not a beach holiday in Port Elizabeth,' he chide.
When Theo accepted Arthur's offer to holiday with him in Port Elizabeth, he was unaware of the catalyst for heading south. Theo thought he was going to be journeying to the Eastern Cape to have a beach vacation similar to what he had experienced as a younger man with several members from his college days: when they would leave Boston in the early summer, and head to an extravagant beach house owned by the parents of one of the boy's on Long Island or the Jersey Shore. He remembered one year, in particular, when they travelled to Ocean Grove, New Jersey and had a whale of time at the Palace Merry-Go-Round on the corner of Lake Avenue and Kingsley Street in Ashbury Park. Although he did not say so to Arthur, he remembered the exact time, date and spot where he lost his virginity.
'I am sorry, Theo,' said Arthur. As they steamed southward, he informed, Theo, of all the details and the real reason why he was going to Port Elizabeth. Arthur took time to explain the correct order of events and why he was confused about the situation.
'So, let me get this correct... Paul... the fellow whose house at which we are going to stay has sent you that letter – he pointed to the letter Arthur was now holding in his hand - to tell you that you have someone impersonating you. And that person is trying to get hold of a package in your safety deposit box. That box no one, apart from you and I, know about. And you have no idea what the package contains. You have not had word from Professor Romins for over three years,' he summarised in his usual, loquacious fashion.
'More or less,' confirmed Arthur with a slight nod of his head.
Theo sat stunned for several minutes before he spoke again, 'There is never a dull moment with you, Arthur McCrae.'
'I am sure there is a logical explanation to it all. Paul has sent me his address and we will go directly to his house and await his return to from work.' advised Arthur.
Even though Arthur may have suggested that a logical explanation would be forthcoming, that unsettling feeling, which he had felt since the previous week did not leave him.
