Mulch Ado About Nothing by Jill Churchill Read Free Book Online Page A

England.”
    Jane cleared her throat. "Uh. . wasn't the Dauphin French?" She almost added,
And wasn't the Virginia Company set up several centuries earlier?
But she was curious about where this was leading.
    “By birth, of course, but he'd been rescued by Englishmen and owed his allegiance to them. So this trust has operated with the consent and encouragement of the Windsor family ever since then. The Queen of England actually owns most of Colorado, you know. Under a false name, of course. And she owns the land the Denver airport is on.”
    Shelley mumbled through the hand she was holding to her mouth to keep from laughing, "What's the false name?"
    “Nobody knows," Ursula said. "Probably there are many false names for her.”
    Jane was having trouble keeping a straight face as well. "Does the IRS know about this?"
    “Naturally. They're part of the conspiracy. As is the CIA. And the Masons. They've been involved ever since the Templars were killed in France in the fifteenth century. But a few escaped and went to Ireland and started the Masonic order. The King of France wanted to kill them to get their fortune, and the fortune disappeared as well."
    “I think you mean the fourteenth century," Jane said. "Thirteen oh nine or so?"
    “Fourteenth or fifteenth, whatever. The capstone at the airport is a Masonic symbol, just like that one that is on our money. I don't know why people can't see the connection. All our so-called Founding Fathers were Masons. On the original architectural drawings of the airport, it said it was a 'control center for New World control.' "
    “An awkward sentence to be sure. You've seen the plans?" Jane said. This was spinning out of control and no longer funny.
    “Not personally," Ursula said, picking up a barrette that had worked its way out of her hair, "but I know people who know other people whohave seen them. And then when you put this together with Cecil Rhodes—”
    Shelley made a choking noise and hurried into the kitchen.
    “Cecil Rhodes?" Jane repeated dimly.
    “Yes, that was the whole idea of the Rhodes scholarships. To train Americans to think like Brits."
    “I never knew," Jane said. "Ursula, it's awfully nice of you to have visited, but you'll have to excuse me. I have some letters to write and a couple birthday cards that have to go in the mail this evening."
    “I'll run you to the post office — and speaking of the post office, they're part of it, too. Do you have any idea how many postal workers are Masons?”
    Shelley was back, still pretending she had a little coughing fit. "I don't think Jane should really go anywhere right now. She needs to rest. I'll take her mail for her.”
    Ursula took this with good grace. Gathering up the huge purse and only dropping two cigarette lighters and a receipt, she said, "Get a good night's sleep and I'll see you two in the morning at class." She barged out, forgetting to even close the kitchen door.
    Jane and Shelley sat back, not speaking, only sighing in unison.
    A few seconds later, the screen door opened again and Ursula was back with three of the scrappiest paperback books Jane had ever seen. One was held together along the spine with strap- ping tape. All were stained and creased with crumbling covers.
    “Here, ladies, read up. You'll find them fascinating." She dumped them on the coffee table and went off again, tossing a remark over her shoulder about needing to get them back someday.
    This time Shelley followed her and, when Ursula's battered vehicle was out of sight, closed and locked the door.
    “I've heard of people like her," Shelley said, sitting back down by Jane, "but never really believed the descriptions of them. Now we know that there are true nutcases roaming our very own neighborhood."
    “She's really sort of frightening, isn't she?" Jane said seriously. "I mean, isn't she exactly the kind of nut who decides that a bunch of Boy Scouts are Nazi spies and poisons their milk to save the world?"
    “I'm not sure. But