Sandra went deeper into the murky underworld of deceit, and past a message onto Mr Cheesman, letting him know, she was willing to give him the diamonds back. The reply soon came, and Cheesman was more than willing to discuss matters and asked for a meeting.
Charles found himself sitting in the Range Rover overlooking the river Welland as the early morning mists drifted across the valley. He had agreed to be part of the meeting but was beginning to regret the decision as the cold crept up his bones.
"Here they come." Sandra sat bolt upright in the seat, as the other car came into sight. It made its way through the trees, shrouded in mist and came to a halt.
Bob Tailor and Stan Wigmore were both there, and although Charles hated being in the same vehicle as them, he had to admit they added a sense of safety. They were both trigger happy men, who cared little for the prison sentences which would hang over their heads if this went wrong.
Sandra climbed out of the Range Rover and walked towards the other car. She showed no sense of fear and walked right up to them. Soon Mr Cheesman stepped from his car and they both faced each other. He too was accompanied by two brutish looking men, who seemed well aquatinted with danger and the prison system. One walked over to Sandra's car and held out his hand, to which Charles stepped out and handed over the case of diamonds.
On his return, the case was opened for Cheesman's inspection, to which he nodded agreeably.
"My dear Mrs Draper, what a wonderful pleasure." Cheesman beamed his usual welcoming smile, drawing victims into his confidence.
"It's no pleasure meeting you Cheesman; or should I say, Chesterton?" She looked closely at him, wondering why she had come so far and done so much, just to stand here and look at this man now.
"Oh, that's an old name. Like you, I changed my name to fit in with the modern world, and how wonderfully you have done too?" Cheesman looked around at his guards as if sharing the joke with them, but they stood stony-faced.
"You obviously did well after the war? What do you intend doing now? You realise I cannot let you continue destroying the world this way?"
"My dear Sandra, you have got it all wrong." Then Mr Cheesman did something very strange. He put his hand into his pocket, which prompted Tailor and Wigmore to reach for their guns, but Cheesman produced a ring.
Sandra put her hand out to calm their nerves as she saw what it was, and a massacre was averted. Then she looked at the ring.
"So that is my ring?"
"Yes, I never realised it could be traced through time, so as soon as my money went missing, I realised something was wrong. When I received your phone call, the penny finally dropped. I had been caught in a trap, fair and square. There is only one thing puzzling me Sandra, what do you want now?" Cheesman handed her the ring and acted as if he had not a care in the world. As if none of this bothered him.
"Back in 1745, I wanted revenge, pure and simple. But now, I'm not so sure. What I would like, is an explanation as to why you attacked the village?" Sandra replaced the ring upon her finger and looked at the man, as the mists rose off the river all around them.
"Simple, we were commanded to. Your people were far too powerful to stand in the way of Cromwell and Halifax. We could never run the country knowing you were there to oppose us. It was not my view, however, and I have been proved right and Cromwell wrong. He was a fool and clearly went mad towards the end. We realised we had to live in harmony if we wanted the country to become a place fit to live in."
"Why the massacre?" Sandra wanted to know, a little anger entering her voice now.
"We only killed those who opposed us. Anyone standing to one side was spared. Your parents died by their own hand, not mine or my commanding officer." Cheesman tried to press this point strongly.
"Whom might that be?" asked Sandra, already knowing the answer.
"Why you have met him, and even worked out a wonderful deal with the man. It is the man you now call Councillor Dual. He was never a very good officer, that was why he fled, once he had learnt the Magical skills." Cheesman paused to reflect on the wisdom of that decision.
"He learnt Magic? How?" Sandra found this difficult to believe.
"You Magical Order was very co-operative once we won the war. The Reverend Fanshaw knew there had been collaboration, that is why he raised that creature Gremalgin, to try and stop us. But remember we can travel back and forward through time, and for my part, I have no quarrel with your Order, at any time." Cheesman wondered if she believed him at this point.
"We shall see about that Mr Cheesman, for I intend to go back and ask them." Sandra began to walk back to the Range Rover, but he stopped her.
"Is that wise dear girl?" Cheesman came forward and held out a hand. "You might hear things which could distress you. I have travelled back many times and believe me, it sits uncomfortably on returning to this time."
"This time is riddled with filth and corruption, and the likes of you Sir, are solely responsible for it!" Sandra turned on him and spat the words.
"Now think about what you are saying, Sarah? I had no part in bringing this evil to the world. Truly there have been mistakes, but we can put the balance right. You understand the Tree of Life, so you must understand that balance and harmony are important parts of the cycle of life. Now show some wisdom and act accordingly."
"We shall see. I will visit the Reverent Fanshaw, and we will find the truth. If what you are saying proves to be actually true, then I agree we will find a balance." Sandra still walked to the car, happy with the way things were going.
"Then think on this Sarah? Ask yourself why London is so corrupt, and find out who is behind it? Remember Dual escaped because he was a bad officer. He learnt nothing from that time, and even less from this. The one thing we agreed with your Magical Order, was that corruption should be routed out. After all did we not get rid of Cromwell in the end?"
"He died anyway?" said Sandra.
"Yes but we restored the King. We agreed to add the balance, and life went on. Councillor Dual wants to upset that balance today." Cheesman knew he had caught her attention.
Sandra stopped and turned back towards him.
"What does he intend to do, to upset that balance so much? Tell me?"
"Your village of Ampstwell. He wants to build a motorway through it, a new link road for these highways, that scar the landscape. Half the money from these diamonds are his after all, and he needed that for financing the evil deal."
"If this is true, it is grave news indeed sir!" Sandra was overcome with hate at that moment.
"I agree, and I also oppose the building of such a road. So maybe together we could unite against a common enemy?" Cheesman smiled his sweetest smiled and edged forward.
"What's in it for you?"
"Councillor Dual has made my life very difficult. Look at the business with the protection money? It's no fun any more. So his removal would help us both."
"We shall see. I shall ask the Reverend Fanshaw and make my judgement upon his decision. I have opened a portal to the past in the Maze." She pointed to the Manor House beyond the trees. "I can go back, and find out."
