Blackmail in Boravia

[NARRATOR]: Now we are proud to present the latest installment in the Adventures of Laura Luckwell, brought to you by Anderson's Tar Soap. 

[Laura Luckwell]: It's a dirty world out there, I should know! Keep your nose clean, use Anderson's Tar Soap.

[NARRATOR]: Last week we heard the thrilling conclusion to the Case of the Emerald Tiger, this week we start a new adventure: Blackmail in Boravia. We join our heroine at a lavish party hosted by Laura's father, the wealthy industrialist Norman Luckwell.

[FX: Party sounds: low conversation of a roomful of people, clinking of cutlery and glasses, a string quartet can be heard in the background]

[Laura]: Danny you're not backing out!

[Daniel Lane]: I'm not backing out at all El-el, nothing of the sort, I'm just feeling rather poorly and thought I might step out for some fresh air....

[Laura]: Fresh air and a cab ride back to your club you mean. Well I'm not letting you get away with it this time, you totally embarrassed me last month at Blandings and you won't do it again. It took me half an hour of talking about horses and other nonsense for me to get you on Elspeth's dance card and you are not wasting my hard work by being a little coward.

[Daniel]: (sickly) Oh... not Elspeth... come on LL, you know I can't dance.

[Laura]: Nonsense! I taught you myself, remember? You danced superbly back then-

[Daniel]: (cutting her off) We were twelve! Besides... it's different at a big party, with Elspeth, I'll get all muddled.

[Laura]: Well you'll just have to muddle through. No more arguing, Elspeth's next dance is yours. Now hush up, here comes father.

[Norman Luckwell]: Good evening darling, hello Daniel. Are you enjoying yourselves?

[Laura]: Wonderfully daddy, it's a lovely party. Daniel has the next dance with Elspeth Keeble. Don't you think they'd make a sweet couple?

[Mr. Luckwell]: Joseph Keeble's girl? Good stuff my boy, quite a lovely young woman.

[Daniel]: Oh uh, yes sir. Quite delightful.

[Laura]: Sorry daddy, he's just looking forward to it so terribly. Anyway, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?

[Mr. Luckwell]: Of course, rude of me. This is Tõnis Hauser. Mr. Hauser, this is my daughter Laura and her friend Daniel Lane, Lord Briscoe's nephew.

[Tõnis Hauser]: A pleasure Miss Luckwell, Mr. Lane.

[Mr. Luckwell]: Mr. Hauser is the new Boravian ambassador, his government is very interested in working with some local industries. It could be a very... profitable relationship.

[Tõnis]: Ha, yes! The english can-do spirit eh? Your father took me on a tour of one of his factories today. Your modern assembly lines are very impressive, we hope soon to have the same capabilities in Boravia.

[Daniel]: What's keeping you fellows back? I thought that sort of thing was popping up all over the continent now-a-days.

[Tõnis]: We have had some problems. With various shipments of necessary equipment.

[Daniel]: Trucks breaking down eh?

[Tõnis]: Something like that. Let us say that some of our neighbours wish that we were less independent than we are, but no matter. We are a strong people and we have a good friend in England.

[Mr. Luckwell]: Well said! Now I won't have you lot talking anymore politics at my party. Daniel, from the look of Elspeth over there I think you might be overdue.

[Daniel]: What? Oh no. A pleasure meeting you Mr. Hauser, Mr. Luckwell.

[FX: Footsteps hurry off]

[Tõnis]: I would be a terrible guest if I let this young woman be abandoned here by herself. Norman, would you mind if I had the next dance with your daughter?

[Mr. Luckwell]: Not at all, Laura?

[Laura]: I'd be delighted Mr. Hauser. 

[Music: Dance fades up for a short period obscuring other sounds and then fades out]

[Narrator]: We take this moment Luck-Fans to bring you the most important public health development of 1928! Some unethical companies would have you believe that one soap is pretty much like another, this is simply not the case. Exhaustive independent tests have shown Jonson's Tar Soap to provide deeper, more thorough cleansing of all forms of dirt and grime. In addition Anderson's is the only product on the market with proven ant-germ efficacy. Don't chance your family's health! Don't settle for imitators! Use Anderson's Tar Soap. We now return you to Laura Luckwell and Blackmail in Boravia.

[FX: Late night street sounds, a key rattling in a door, slight creak as door opens. Footsteps on wooden floor]

[Laura]: (hushed) Quietly Danny, Mrs Sanders will have been in bed hours ago.

[Daniel]: (drunk) Oooh, the look on Elspeth's face!

[Laura]: You're not still on about that are you?

[Daniel]: You didn't see her face LL, not up close. It was like wasisname and thingamie. Gates of hades opening and so on. I still see it when I close my eyes, I was heel-toeing-heeling and then-

[FX: Body falling heavily on floor]

[Laura]: Yes, it did rather look like that actually. Uuup we get, put your arm over my shoulder and.... there we go. 

[FX: Pair of footsteps start on wooden floor, slow and erratic as Laura helps Daniel along the hallway]

[Laura]: Honestly I can't see what all the fuss was about. It was perfectly ugly dress she was wearing anyway. Now I asked Mrs Sanders to get a room ready just in case, yes here we are, in you go and we'll send over to your rooms for a change of clothes first thing in the morning.

[FX: Door closes. The door mutes a few erratic steps followed by the sound of Daniel falling heavily again]

[Laura]: (to self) Yes, well that's probably as good as we're getting. Sweet dreams Danny. For me too, now... Oh! Mrs. Sanders! You gave me quite a fright.

[Mrs. Sanders]: I apologise Miss Luckwell, I heard Mr. Lane and yourself come in and thought I had best come down to see if you required anything.

[Laura]: No, no, we're alright. or at least I am and Mr. Lane will be by tomorrow. I'm terribly sorry if Danny woke you. 

[Mrs. Sanders]: Not at all. That door's squeak is unforgivable, one of the boys will take a look at it tomorrow. I shall stoke the fire on my way back to my room in case you feel like staying up.

[Laura]: Ah.. yes. A good idea. Thankyou very much, though I think I'm straight for bed. 

[Mrs. Sanders]: Very good. Before I go Miss Luckwell: How did our wager go?

[Laura]: (laughing) Oh yes, I'm afraid you won this one. You shall have to add it to the tally. I did get Danny out there but he didn't make it a full song. 

[Mrs. Sanders]: I'm sorry to hear that, perhaps some more lessons are in order? Goodnight Miss Luckwell.

[Laura]: Goodnight Mrs. Sanders.

[FX: Mrs. Sanders footsteps fade up the hallway. Laura's footsteps move a short way down the hallway. A door closes as she enters her room.]

[Laura]: (to self) Well that was a pleasant enough evening. There's something odd about that Mr. Hauser though-

[FX: Distant glass breaking]

[Laura]: That came from father's office!

[FX: Door opens, hurried footsteps down hallway, door opens, sounds of office being ransacked, paper being thrown around etc.]

[Laura]: You there! You've been caught in the act, hands up!

[Louis Smith]: Caught? Ha! Do you have a gun miss?

[Laura]: No, but I can assure you I'm more than capable-

[Louis]: I do have a gun miss and I'm more than willing to use it against his Majesty's enemies. Now sit down there quietly and there'll be no unpleasantness.

[Laura]: Enemies? I don't know what you're talking about but this is my father's house-

[Louis]: Here, stay back!

[Laura]: -and I won't have you going through his personal effects without so much as a by-your-leave!

[Louis]: I said stay back!

[FX: Gunshot. Body falling to the floor. Theme music fades in.]

[Narrator]: What a nail biting ending folks! Could this have been Miss Luckwell's last adventure? Who is the violent intruder and how does the mysterious Mr. Hauser fit in? Find out next week in Blackmail in Boravia part two: The Remmington Steal. Brought to you by Anderson's Tar Soap.