Casino Royale : Vesper Lynd

Chapter 4

I am shaken awake by the movement of the train. I look at my watch and realize that we will soon be arriving at the station. I gather my items and exit the train as it comes to a halt. I look for James but the man has already started walking in my direction from his car. 

"Let me take your bag, Miss Lynd." he says as he takes my suitcase and pulls it himself, "Did you have a good sleep?" he asks.

"Yes, only occasionally disturbed by nightmares of political and financial ruin." I answer sarcastically.

"It's so assuring, as a citizen, to know that you are concerned about my taxes." he replies, playing my game.

"Do secret agents pay taxes?" I ask curiously.

"As unfair as it seems." he answers.

I smile to myself.

"What's that in response to?" he asks, amused.

"Picturing you filling out your tax form. Can one deduct for bullets and poison darts?" I joke.

"Under standard business expenses." he answers with a grin.

I give him a quaint smile and we walk together to a car that has been sent for us. We walk out from the station and wait for the car to arrive. I look around and admire the wonderful city we are in. It is old, traditional and I growing very much to like it. I am snapped back to reality when James gives me a slight nudge. 

"Hotel Splendid, sir?" asks the driver.

"Thank you." answers James and we get into the car, James letting me go in first while the driver stows away our luggage. 

I sit on his left side, looking out the window at times. I feel him take out an envelope and I presume that this is what they call briefing, learning to become someone you are not. I am not thrilled about this whole mission because it is dangerous despite the luxury life I will live for the next days. James smiles as he finds what he is looking for.

"Last minute details. We are apparently very much in love." he says. I roll my eyes since I know that he is playing his trick about which Mrs. Mansfield told me about.

"Do you usually leave it to the porters to tell you this sort of thing?" I ask him.

"Only when the romance has been necessarily brief. I am Mr. Arlington Beech, professional gambler. You are Miss Stephanie Broadchest." he says.

I make a grab for it to see the papers if it is true. He turns around and keeps them away form me.

"Oh, I am not." I say.

"You need to trust me on this." he says, giving me a wise look, filled with admiration. He looks back at his papers and I cross my arms in minor rage. "We've been dating for several months, hence the shared suite." he says.

"However, we are trying to keep up appearances because of my strict Roman Catholic family, so it will be a two bedroom suite." I say sternly.

He seems amused as he answers me "I hate it that religion is coming between us."

I am getting slowly sick of his humor and semi-clever speech and I decide to shut him down, just as I am renowned to do in the office when others don't follow my orders.

"Religion and a securely locked door. Am I going to have a problem with you, Bond?" I say.

"No, don't worry, you aren't my type." he answers, once again amused.

"Smart?" I ask.

"Single." he replies.

I turn away from him and regret to have sent myself on this mission. Except that if the others were compatible to go on this mission, they would go. I screwed myself royally now: having to be part of some organisation or poker-playing madmen and pretend to be some sort of woman who adores the arrogant agent sitting next to me. Speaking of him, I have to deal with someone who is so clearly interested in getting into bed with me that he must clearly lie and deny the fact that I am the perfect match for him. He might be attractive and witty but no secret agent's wits will beat mine.

As soon as we walk through the doors of the hotel, I am in awe. It must be the fanciest hotel I've ever been in. James leads us to the reception where a very beautiful lady is working. He might as well get her into bed, but not me. 

He recklessly gives him his real name, as if the information he was given was of no use at all and with the greatest non-nonchalance, makes me sign the check, playing on the fact that I represent the Treasury. I sign the paper and throw the pen in fury as I glare at him. I take my key and don't bother waiting for him as I make my way to the lift.

I let my rage at him, asking him what the hell was that. He simply answers that this guy called Le Chiffre already knows everything about him and that there is no use of playing the game he was given but that him making me sign and giving his real name will only make Le Chiffre distracted and wonder why he did that. I look at him in the greatest fury since he engaged me into his little secret agent game and the only thing I hope for is that I won't get attacked or better yet, killed.

"But he doesn't play his cards, he plays the man across from him. And now he knows something about you. He knows you are reckless." I spit and the doors open. I walk in and press the button before he can enter. "Take the next one. There isn't enough room for me and your ego." I reply wittily and the doors close while I give him a sarcastic smile.

I give myself some credit for the witty phrase I just said. He must feel so stupefied by my clever wits that he wouldn't even be able to invent a valid response. I get out of the lift and walk to the suite. I cross some men looking at me curiously but I don't bother to pay much attention to them, I just keep walking.

I open the door and take in the lavish room. Ornate as it is, there is a certain beauty to it. I choose my room and see my bags already standing in it. I decide to unpack while waiting for my lousy suite-mate to return from sort of scavenge. I arrange my garments nicely in the wardrobe and take out my makeup bag. 

I walk to the bathroom and set my things on the sink as I take off my clothes and take a nice hot shower after this fatiguing trip. I locked the doors before and I relax under the hot water. As soon as I am done, I dress into my nightgown and let my hair dry. I walk into my room and lock the door before I walk to the bed and pick up a book I brought with me. How could he be so reckless? I ask myself. Just as you don't share a credit card number, you don't give out personal data like this to anyone, especially in his case, where some people will probably be after him.

And if they are after him, they will be after me.

I thought gives me instant chills and I recoil under the sheets. I decide to push the thought away and I return to me leisurely reading. A long holiday I did deserve, but this is not a normal one. 

I hear the door to the suite click open an hour later but I ignore it and decide to look at the clock instead. It is pretty late and the only way to avoid Bond is to sleep. So I turn off the lamp, curl up under the sheets, and let myself drift off into a well-deserved sleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

HE-LLO! 

First of all, I am really sorry for making the wait long and the chapter short. I love writing this story but the everlasting problem is that I do not know all of Vesper and Bond's lines by heart, even though I would love to (and eternally quote them haha). Therefore, I always have to look at the official script and it is just tiring. 

I love Vesper's character in the series!! She is by far my favorite Bond Girl of all time and no one will beat her, sorry Madeleine Swann but I hate you. 

Okay so, speaking of which, tell me who is your favorite Bond Girl? Is it from the Sean Connery days and Honey Rider, to Daniel Craig ones with many to choose from?

I love hearing from you!!! Check out my other stories: Sylvertounged if you are a Harry Potter fan, Strong if you are into the Hunger Games and like Johanna Mason as a character , or Blood and Drugs if you are into sci-fi !!

Thank you for your votes, comments, and reads and I hope for more!

xxIng