Audacity

Audacity

Noun: Rude or disrespectful behaviour. 

The police sergeant Eddie Edwards got out of his vehicle and took his time strolling down the hard shoulder of the motorway to the now parked up Ducati Multistrada. He could see the stress in the shoulders of the driver as he removed his black helmet and shoved his hand through his thick dark hair. 

"Morning Sir, in a bit of a hurry, are you?" Sergeant Edwards asked as he rested his iPad on his arm, ready to take the details of the driver.

Jasper Neyve sighed if only he could have got in front of the Eddie Stobart truck he would've been home by now.

"Actually I am in a great hurry," he said, looking up at the policeman hoping that he would recognise him. Unfortunately for Jasper, there was no recognition whatsoever. "And where might you be going?" The sergeant said, getting his typing finger ready.

"I'm going to Shettleham Manor, and I need to get there very soon, or I will be late and cause everyone huge problems."

"Oh going to the manor are you, what are you, one of the serving staff, big funeral up there today. Late for your shift, are you?"

"No I'm not, but I will be late for the funeral if we stand here much longer."

The policeman chuckled. "License please, I hope you're insured for this death trap?"

"Yes, of course, I am. What do you take me for?" Jasper asked, sounding aggrieved and reaching into his inside pocket for his wallet.

"I take you for what you are, Sir, a speeding motorist." 

The policeman carried on typing on his iPad and then took the breathalyser machine out.

"Have you been drinking Sir?

Jasper's heart dropped, he'd been drinking last night, and it was the early hours of the morning when he'd gone to bed. No doubt the alcohol was still in his system.

"Last night I had a drink."

"Blow into this please Sir, keep blowing until I tell you to stop."

Jasper blew into the machine, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he would turn the light red.

The radio crackled on the sergeant's shoulder. All Jasper heard was the name of the person who owned the bike, and it wasn't his.

Eddie looked at the license.

"So you are not the owner of this motorbike Sir?"

"No Sergeant I'm not, it belongs to a very good friend mine, and I borrowed it because I thought it would get me to my father's funeral on time."

"Your father's funeral?"

"Yes, he was the 10th Duke of Shettleham."  

"So you are…?" Eddie looked at the license again. 

"I am…" Jasper stopped and hitched a breath. He'd never actually voiced his new title to anyone yet, it just seemed to be an odd thing to say out loud, and it brought home the godawful fact that his father had indeed died and that his life was now full of enormous responsibilities.

"Yes, I am the 11th Duke of Shettleham, and I need to get home to comfort my mother and see to my guests, who I might add, includes your boss, the Chief Constable. Would you like to phone him?" Jasper held his phone out with the chief constable's private number showing on the screen. 

"No Sir, I don't think that will be necessary. Do you have a lock for the bike?"

Jasper nodded and pulled the pillion seat up to retrieve the heavy bike lock and secured it to the railing on the hard shoulder.

It wasn't far to the manor, less than ten minutes, and the Sgt had put his blue light on while they were on the motorway. He sat in the back of the police car, feeling very awkward. He had been arrested and handcuffed. The Sgt had been embarrassed about the cuffs, but he said rules were rules.

"Sgt would you mind releasing the cuffs before my mother sees them, the fact that I am arriving in a police car will be awkward enough."

Unfortunately, it was too late. 

The police car pulled up at the front of the house, Jasper's mother, the Chief Constable, and the Lord Lieutenant of the county came out of the house.

"Jasper!" his mother gasped, seeing the police car. "Oh my god, what's happened to him?"

"It's alright, my dear, he's in the back of the car." Samuel Chichester, the chief constable, assured her. He gently put his arm around her to comfort her as they watched the driver unlock the handcuffs and help Jasper out of the car.

Rosslyn shrugged the CC's arm off her and stormed over to her son.

"Your audacity is incomparable!" she exclaimed before Jasper could get a single word of his sorry explanation out.

"You have five minutes to get changed and meet me in the hall, ready to take on your duties and bury your father." Rosslyn turned on her heel and went back into the house.

Samuel Chichester and Gerry Mortimer glared at Jasper as he came towards them. 

"Now look here Jasper this is not…"

Jasper stopped in front of Samuel Chichester, he'd never liked the man, and now that he had put his arm around his mother, he liked him even less. 

"You seem to have forgotten how to address me appropriately," he said with a voice that could cut glass. He looked down at the now blustering man. "In case you need reminding Chief Constable the correct term when addressing a Duke of the realm is 'Your Grace'."

Jasper pushed past him and vanished through the massive oak door kicking it with his foot, so it slammed closed.

Francis, his butler, was waiting for him inside, he followed him up the grand staircase collecting the clothes that Jasper was taking off and dropping as he made his way to his bedroom.

"Get in the shower Jasper you stink like a brewery." Francis barked, knowing that he was the one person who Jasper would never turn on. He

Jasper ran for the bathroom his hand clamped over his mouth.