CHAPTER ONE
It was the spring of 1940. Tommy Beresford
made sure he was smiling as he walked into
the sitting-room where his wife sat knitting.
Mrs Beresford looked up at him. 'Anything
interesting in the evening newspaper?'
'Things look bad in France,' Tommy said. 'Well,
why don't you ask me how it went?'
'Darling, I don't need to ask,' said Tuppence.
'You are smiling the unhappiest smile I have
ever seen.'
'As bad as that?'
'Much worse!'
'I tell you, Tuppence, it's terrible when
a man of forty-six is made to feel like a
grandfather. Army, Navy, Air Force, Foreign
Office, they all say the same - I'm too old.
They don't want me in any job.'
'It's the same for me,' complained Tuppence.
'They don't want people of my age for nursing.
They'd rather have a schoolgirl who's never
seen a wound than a woman who worked in the
Great War.'
'Well, it is comforting that Deborah has a
job,' Tommy said.
'I could do as much as our daughter,' remarked
Tuppence.
Tommy grinned. 'She wouldn't think so.'
Tuppence gave a cry of anger. 'Are we too
old to do things? Isn't it true that we once
caught a dangerous criminal? Isn't it true
that we rescued a girl and important secret
documents, and were thanked by a grateful
country? Us! That was us! I'm so disappointed
in Mr Carter.'
'But he no longer works in Intelligence. He's
old. He lives in Scotland and fishes.'
Tuppence sighed sadly. 'I wish we could find
a job - any job. I imagine the worst when
I have so much time to think.' As she spoke
she looked at the photograph of a very young
man in an Air Force uniform, with the same
wide smile as his father Tommy's.
The doorbell rang. Tuppence got up. She opened
the door to see a broad-shouldered man with
a large, fair moustache and a cheerful red
face.
'Are you Mrs Beresford? My name is Grant.
I'm a friend of Lord Easthampton's. He suggested
that I visit you and your husband.'
'Oh, come in.'
She led him into the sitting room. 'Tommy,
Mr Grant is a friend of Mr Car... of Lord
Easthampton's.'
Lord Easthampton was the proper title of their
old friend. But Tuppence always thought of
him as Mr Carter - the name he used when he
was Chief of Intelligence and their boss.
For a few minutes the three talked together,
then Tuppence left the room. She returned
a few minutes later with sherry and some glasses.
Then Mr Grant said to Tommy, 'I understand
you're looking for a job? Well, active service
is only for the young men, but I can offer
you some office work, which is better than
nothing. Come to my office one day this week
and...'
The telephone rang and Tuppence picked it
up. 'Hello - yes - what?'
A loud voice, obviously in pain, spoke from
the other end.
'Oh, my dear, of course, I'll come now...'
She put down the phone. 'Tommy, that was Maureen.
I'm so sorry, Mr Grant, but I must go. My
friend has fallen and hurt her ankle and I
must go and help her. Do forgive me.'
'Of course, Mrs Beresford.'
Tuppence hurried out. The door of the flat
shut noisily. Tommy poured another glass of
sherry for his guest.
'Thank you. In one way, your wife leaving
is fortunate for us. It will save time. You
see, Beresford, if you had come to the Ministry,
I would have asked you to do something special.
Easthampton told us you were the man for the
job.'
Tommy was delighted. 'Tell me.'
'This is confidential. Not even your wife
must know. Officially you will be working
in Scotland, in a secret army area where your
wife cannot join you. In fact you will be
somewhere very different. You've read in the
newspapers of the Fifth Column? You know what
that means?'
'The enemy within,' Tommy said.
'Exactly. You know the war started badly for
us. We did not want war and had not prepared
for it. Well, we are correcting our mistakes
and we can win this war - but only if we do
not lose it first. And the danger of losing
it comes, not from Germany, but from within.
The Fifth Column is here, men and women in
positions of power who believe in Nazi aims
and want a Nazi government here.
'And we don't know who they are. We know there
are at least two in powerful positions in
the Navy, one in the army and three in the
Air Force - and several members in Intelligence.
We know because secret information is being
given to the enemy.'
'But what can I do? I don't know any of these
people.'
Grant nodded. 'Exactly. And they don't know
you. But these people do know our agents,
so I cannot use them. That is why I went to
Easthampton and he thought of you. It's twenty
years since you worked for the department.
Your face and name are not known. What do
you say? Will you take the job?'
Tommy could not stop smiling. 'I certainly
will!'
'Well, Beresford, you'll take the place of
the best man we had, Farquhar. He was hit
by a lorry - and that was not an accident.
All he managed to say before he died was,
"N or M. Song Susie."'
'That doesn't seem helpful!'
Grant smiled. 'N and M are two of the most
important German agents. N, we know, is a
man. M is a woman, and they are in England.'
'I see. And Farquhar?'
'Farquhar must have been on their trail. Song
Susie sounds very strange - but Farquhar spoke
French badly. There was a train ticket in
his pocket, to Leahampton, a town on the south
coast. Lots of hotels and guesthouses. There
is one called Sans Souci, which means, of
course, "without worries" in French - a good
name for a guesthouse!'
Tommy said, 'Song Susie - Sans Souci. I see.
And your idea is that I go there and see what
I can find.'
'Exactly.'
Tommy smiled again.
***
Tommy went to Scotland three days later. Tuppence
said goodbye at the station, her eyes bright
with tears. Once there, he took a train back
to England again the next day. On the third
day he arrived at Leahampton.
Sans Souci was built on the side of a hill
and had a good view of the sea from its upper
windows. The owner, Mrs Perenna, was a middle-aged
woman with a lot of black hair and a smile
that showed a lot of very white teeth.
Tommy mentioned that his cousin, Miss Meadowes,
had stayed at Sans Souci two years ago. Mrs
Perenna remembered Miss Meadowes. 'Such a
dear old lady.'
Tommy agreed. There was, he knew, a real Miss
Meadowes - the department was careful about
these details.
'And how is dear Miss Meadowes?'
Tommy explained sadly that Miss Meadowes had
died. Mrs Perenna said the proper words with
the correct sadness. But she was soon talking
happily again. She had a room for Mr Meadowes
with a lovely sea view. She thought Mr Meadowes
was right to leave London. Very unpleasant
these days.
Still talking, Mrs Perenna took Tommy upstairs
and showed him the bedroom. He found himself
wondering what her nationality was. The name
was Spanish or Portuguese, but that could
be her husband's nationality. She might, he
thought, be Irish.
It was agreed that Mr Meadowes should move
in the following day. Tommy arrived at six
o'clock. Mrs Perenna came out to welcome him,
gave instructions about his luggage to a maid,
and then led him into the lounge.
'I always introduce my guests,' said Mrs Perenna,
smiling at the five people there, who looked
at him suspiciously. 'This is our new arrival,
Mr Meadowes - Mrs O'Rourke.'
A very large woman with a moustache gave him
a bright smile.
'Major Bletchley.'
Major Bletchley, obviously retired a long
time ago from the army, nodded.
'Mr von Deinim.'
A young man, very stiff, fair-haired and blue-eyed,
got up and bowed.
'Miss Minton.'
An elderly woman, wearing many necklaces,
was knitting a balaclava. She smiled and laughed.
'And Mrs Blenkensop.'
More knitting. A dark-haired woman lifted
her eyes from another balaclava. Her eyes
met his - polite, uninterested stranger's
eyes. The room seemed to spin round him. Tuppence!
Mrs Blenkensop was Tuppence!
CHAPTER TWO
At dinner four more guests of Sans Souci appeared
- a middle-aged couple, Mr and Mrs Cayley,
and a young mother, Mrs Sprot, who had come
with her baby girl from London. She was placed
next to Tommy and asked, 'Do you think it's
safe now in London? Everyone seems to be going
back.'
Before Tommy could reply, Miss Minton spoke
up, 'You must not risk going back. Think of
your sweet little Betty. You know they say
that the Blitzkrieg on England is coming soon
- and a new type of poisonous gas, I believe.'
After dinner everyone moved into the lounge.
The women started knitting again and Tommy
had to listen to an extremely boring account
of Major Bletchley's experiences in India.
The fair young man went out, bowing at the
door. Major Bletchley interrupted his own
story to say to Tommy, 'He's a refugee. Got
out of Germany a month before the war.'
'He's a German?'
'Yes. His father was in trouble for criticizing
the Nazis. Two of his brothers are in concentration
camps.'
The following morning Tommy rose early and
walked down to the sea front. He saw a familiar
figure coming in the other direction. Tommy
raised his hat. 'Good morning,' he said pleasantly.
'Mrs Blenkensop, is it not? How did you get
here? Tell me how you managed it, Tuppence.'
'The moment Grant talked of our Mr Carter
I knew it wouldn't be an office job - and
that I was not going to be allowed to join
in. So when I went to get the sherry, I ran
downstairs to the Browns' apartment and telephoned
Maureen. I told her to call me and what to
say. She rang. I rushed off. Banged the hall
door, but stayed inside, and then I simply
listened to Mr Grant.'
'And you overheard everything?'
'Everything,' smiled Tuppence happily.
'But why call yourself Blenkensop?' Tommy
asked.
'Why not? Why did you choose Meadowes?'
'I didn't choose it. I was told to name myself
Meadowes. Mr Meadowes has a respectable past,
which I have learnt.'
'Very nice,' said Tuppence. 'Are you married?'
'My wife died ten years ago in Singapore.'
'Why in Singapore?'
'We've all got to die somewhere. What's wrong
with Singapore?'
'Oh, nothing. It's probably a most suitable
place to die. I'm a widow. Not very intelligent
and I sometimes say silly things.'
'Where did your husband die?'
'Probably at home. I suppose he died of too
much alcohol. I have three sons: Douglas,
who is in the Navy; Raymond is in the Air
Force and Cyril, my youngest son, is in the
Army. Now, how are we going to cooperate?'
Tommy said thoughtfully, 'We mustn't be seen
too much together.'
'No. I think chasing is best.'
'Chasing?'
'I chase you. I've had two husbands and I'm
looking for a third. You are the hunted widower.
Every now and then I catch you. Everyone laughs
and thinks it very funny.'
'Sounds perfect,' agreed Tommy. He caught
her arm. 'Look over there.'
Near the pier they saw Carl von Deinim listening
to a girl who was talking forcefully.
'I think this is where you leave me,' Tuppence
murmured.
'Right,' agreed Tommy. He turned and walked
off in the opposite direction.
Tuppence slowly continued her walk. As she
passed the young couple she overheard a few
words.
'But you must be careful, Carl. The least
suspicion...'
Words that suggested something? Yes, but they
could mean anything. She turned and again
passed the two. More words from the girl floated
to her.
'Arrogant English, how I hate them!'
Mrs Blenkensop's eyebrows rose. Carl von Deinim
was a refugee from the Nazis, living in safety
in England. It was not wise of him to listen
to such words. Again Tuppence turned. But
this time the couple had parted, the girl
to cross the road, Carl von Deinim to wait
for Tuppence. He quickly bowed.
Tuppence gave a silly laugh, 'Good morning,
Mr von Deinim, isn't it? Such a lovely morning.'
'Ah, yes. The weather is fine.'
'Yes, it is,' Tuppence said. 'I don't often
come out before breakfast. And this little
walk has given me quite an appetite.'
'You go back to Sans Souci now? If you permit,
I will walk with you.'
'Are you also out to get an appetite?' inquired
Tuppence.
He shook his head. 'Oh no. My breakfast, I
have already had it. I am on my way to work.'
'Work?'
'I am a research chemist. I came to this country
to escape Nazi persecution. I had very little
money - no friends. I do now what useful work
I can.'
He stared straight ahead. Tuppence was conscious
of the strong emotions he was trying to hide.
She answered vaguely, 'Oh, yes, I see.'
'My two brothers are in concentration camps.
My father died in one. My mother died of sadness
and fear.'
Tuppence thought, 'The way he says that - it's
as if he had memorised it.'
They walked in silence for some moments. Two
men passed them. Tuppence heard one say to
his companion, 'I'm sure that man is a German.'
Carl von Deinim's hidden emotions came to
the surface. 'You heard - you heard - that
is what they say - I...'
'My dear boy', Tuppence suddenly returned
to being her real self, 'don't be an idiot.
You can't have it both ways. You're alive,
that's the main thing. Alive and free. But
this country's at war and you're a German.'
She smiled suddenly. 'You can't expect the
man in the street to know whether you're a
bad German or a good German.'
He stared at her. Then suddenly he too smiled.
'To be a good German I must be on time at
my work. Good morning.'
Tuppence stared after him then she said to
herself, 'Mrs Blenkensop, you stopped being
a silly man-chaser then. Pay more attention
in future. Now for breakfast.'
***
Inside Sans Souci Mrs Perenna was having a
conversation with someone.
'And get the cooked ham at Quillers - it was
cheaper last time there, and be careful about
the vegetables...' She stopped as Tuppence
entered.
'Oh, good morning, Mrs Blenkensop, you're
up early. Breakfast is all-ready in the dining-room.'
She pointed to her companion, 'This is my
daughter, Sheila. You haven't met her. She
only came home last night.'
Tuppence looked with interest at Sheila - the
girl she had just seen talking to Carl von
Deinim. Tuppence said a few pleasant words,
and went into the dining-room. There were
three people having breakfast - Mrs Sprot
and her baby girl, and Mrs O'Rourke.
The old woman looked at Tuppence with huge
interest. 'It's a fine thing to be out walking
before breakfast,' she remarked. 'A grand
appetite it gives you.'
'Nice bread and milk, darling,' said Mrs Sprot
to her daughter, trying to put a spoonful
into the child's mouth, but baby Betty cleverly
avoided this by a quick movement of her head
and stared at Tuppence with large round eyes.
She pointed a milky finger at the newcomer,
gave her a brilliant smile and said, 'Gaga
bouch.'
'She likes you,' cried Mrs Sprot, smiling
warmly at Tuppence.
'Bouch,' said Betty Sprot. 'Ah pooth ah bag,'
she added.
And what does she mean by that?' demanded
Mrs O'Rourke with interest.
'She doesn't speak very clearly yet,' confessed
Mrs Sprot. 'She's only just over two, you
know. She can say "Mama", though, can't you,
darling?'
Betty looked thoughtfully at her mother and
said, 'Cuggle bick.'
'It's a language of their own they have, the
little angels,' said Mrs O'Rourke. 'Betty,
darling, say "Mama" now.'
Betty looked hard at Mrs O'Rourke, frowned
and said with great emphasis, 'Nazer.'
'She's doing her best! And a lovely sweet
girl she is.' Mrs O'Rourke stood up with difficulty,
smiled in a frightening manner at Betty, and
walked slowly out of the room.
'Ga, ga, ga,' said Betty with huge satisfaction,
and beat the table with her spoon.
Tuppence asked with a grin, 'What does Nazer
really mean?'
'I'm afraid it's what Betty says when she
doesn't like anyone or anything.' Mrs Sprot
said, her face reddening.
'I thought so', said Tuppence laughing.
'Mrs O'Rourke tries to be kind,' said Mrs
Sprot, 'but she is alarming with that deep
voice.'
The door opened and Major Bletchley and Tommy
appeared. Tuppence began to play the part
of a man-chasing widow. 'Ah, Mr Meadowes,'
she called out. 'I got back before you! But
I've left you a little breakfast!' She pointed
to the chair beside her. Tommy sat down at
the other end of the table. Betty Sprot said
'Putch!' to Major Bletchley, who was delighted.
'And how's little Miss Betty this morning?'
Tuppence who was watching all of them thought,
'There must be some mistake. There can't be
anything suspicious going on here. There simply
can't!'
CHAPTER THREE
On the sunny terrace outside, Miss Minton
was knitting.
'Good morning, Mrs Blenkensop. I do hope you
slept well.' Mrs Blenkensop admitted that
she never slept very well the first night
or two in a strange bed then added, 'What
a very pretty pattern that is you are knitting!'
Miss Minton looked pleased.
'I'm not very good at knitting,' Tuppence
went on. 'I can only do simple things like
balaclavas for the soldiers, and even now
I'm afraid I've gone wrong somewhere. I'd
never done any before this terrible war. But
one feels that one must do something.'
'Oh yes, indeed. And you have a boy in the
Navy?'
'Yes, my eldest. Then I have a boy in the
Air Force and Cyril, my youngest, is out in
France.'
'Oh dear, dear, how terribly worried you must
be!'
Tuppence thought of her son. 'Oh Derek, my
darling Derek... Out there in terrible danger
and here I am acting the part of a worried
mother - when it's what I really am!' She
said aloud, 'We must all be brave, mustn't
we? I was told the other day by someone in
a very high position that the Germans can't
possibly fight for more than another two months.'
Mr and Mrs Cayley had come out on the terrace.
Mr Cayley sat in a chair and his wife put
a blanket over his knees.
'What's that you are saying?' he asked.
'We are saying,' said Miss Minton, 'that it
will all be over by the autumn.'
'Nonsense,' said Mr Cayley. 'This war is going
to last at least six years.'
'Oh, Mr Cayley,' protested Tuppence. 'You
don't really think so?'
'Yes,' he said. 'I give it six years. You
dear ladies are being completely unrealistic.
Now I know Germany very well from my business
dealings before I retired. I can assure you
that Germany can continue practically indefinitely
with Russia behind her...' Mr Cayley went
on, approval in his voice.
Mrs Sprot came out with Betty and sat her
down with a small woollen dog with only one
ear and a woollen doll's jacket. 'There, Betty,'
she said. 'You dress up Bonzo ready for his
walk while Mummy gets ready to go out.'
Betty started talking to Bonzo in her own
language.
'Truckle - truckly - pah bat,' said Betty.
Mr Cayley, noticing that no one was paying
him any attention, continued angrily, 'As
I was saying, Germany has such a perfect system
of...'
Tuppence could feel someone behind her. She
turned her head. It was Mrs Perenna, her eyes
on the group. And there was something in those
eyes - contempt?
Tuppence thought, 'I must find out more about
Mrs Perenna.'
***
Tommy was making friends with Major Bletchley.
'You brought some golf clubs with you, didn't
you, Meadowes? We must have a game together.
The course has lovely views over the sea.
And it's never very crowded. What about coming
along with me this morning?'
'Thanks very much. I'd like it.'
'I must say, I'm glad you've arrived,' remarked
Bletchley as they were walking up the hill.
'There are too many women in that place. It
gets annoying. I'm glad there's another man
to talk to. You can't count Cayley - the man
talks of nothing but his health. If he went
out for a good ten-mile walk every day, he'd
be a different man. And I'm not sure about
von Deinim.'
'No?' said Tommy.
'No. This refugee business is dangerous. I'd
intern the lot of them. We need to be cautious.
Carl von Deinim came over here only a month
before the war began. That's a bit suspicious.'
'Then you think...?' began Tommy.
'Spying!'
'But surely there's nothing of great military
or naval importance around here?'
'But it's on the coast, isn't it? And anyone
could come over here and talk about their
brothers in concentration camps. He's a Nazi
- that's what he is - a Nazi.'
The Major won their game of golf, which delighted
him. 'Good match, Meadowes, very good match.
Come along and I'll introduce you to some
of the others in the clubhouse. Nice lot.
Ah, here's Haydock - you'll like Haydock.
Retired naval man. He has that house on the
cliff next door to us. He's our local Air
Raid Precaution Warden - you know, he patrols
the streets at night to make sure no lights
are showing to attract the German bomber pilots.'
Commander Haydock was a big man with intensely
blue eyes and a habit of shouting most of
the time.
'So you're going to keep Bletchley company
at Sans Souci? He'll be glad of another man.
Rather too many females, eh, Bletchley?'
'I'm not that much of a ladies' man,' said
Major Bletchley.
'Nonsense,' said Haydock. 'Not your type of
lady, my boy, that's all. Old ladies with
nothing to do but talk about other people
and knit.'
'You're forgetting the landlady's daughter,
Miss Perenna,' said Bletchley.
'Ah, Sheila. She's an attractive girl all
right.'
'I'm a bit worried about her,' said Bletchley.
'She's seeing too much of that German fellow.'
'Hmm, that's bad. He's a good-looking young
man, but we can't have that sort of thing.
Making friends with the enemy - we can't allow
that. There are plenty of decent young English
fellows about.'
Bletchley added, 'Sheila's a strange girl
- there are times when she will hardly speak
to anyone.'
'Spanish blood,' said Commander Haydock. 'Her
father was half Spanish, wasn't he?' He looked
at his watch. 'It's time for the news. We'd
better go in and listen to it.'
There was little news that day. After commenting
with approval on the latest activities of
the Air Force, the Commander talked about
his favourite theory - that the Germans would
try to land at Leahampton simply because it
was such an unimportant spot. 'There's not
even an anti-aircraft gun in the place! Terrible!'
Haydock then gave Tommy an invitation to come
and see his house, Smugglers' Rest. 'I've
got a marvellous view - my own beach. Bring
him along, Bletchley.'
It was decided that Tommy and Major Bletchley
should come for drinks on the evening of the
following day.
***
After lunch at Sans Souci, Mr Meadowes walked
down to the pier. There were some children
running up and down screaming in voices that
matched the screaming of the seabirds, and
one man sitting on the end, fishing. Mr Meadowes
stood beside him and looked down into the
water. Then he asked gently, 'Caught anything?'
The fisherman shook his head. 'I don't often
catch anything,' Mr Grant said, without turning
his head. 'What about you, Meadowes?'
'I've nothing much to report as yet, sir.
I've made friends with Major Bletchley who
seems the usual type of retired officer. Cayley
seems to be a genuine invalid. However, he
was in Germany frequently during the last
few years. And of course there's von Deinim.'
'Yes, I'm interested in von Deinim. N or M
may not be at Sans Souci, it may be Carl von
Deinim who is there, reporting to them. Through
him we may be led to them. But I can tell
you in confidence, Beresford, that very nearly
all Germans in this country are going to be
interned.'
'You've had the other guests at Sans Souci
checked, I suppose, sir?'
Grant sighed. 'No. I could ask the department
to check easily enough but I can't risk it,
Beresford. I'm not sure we don't have a traitor
in the department itself. If anyone guesses
that I'm watching Sans Souci, then the organization
may find out. That's why you've got to work
without help from us. They must not know.
There's only one person I've been able to
check up on.'
'Who's that, sir?'
'Carl von Deinim. That was easy enough because
it's routine to check foreigners.'
'And what was the result?'
'Carl is exactly what he says he is. His father,
who was against the Nazis, was arrested and
died in a concentration camp. Carl's elder
brothers are in camps. His mother died a year
ago. He got to England a month before war
began. Von Deinim said he wanted to help this
country and his work in a chemical research
laboratory has been excellent.'
'Then he's all right?'
'Not necessarily. There are two possibilities.
The whole von Deinim family could be deceiving
us. Or else this is not the real Carl von
Deinim but a man playing the part of Carl
von Deinim.'
'He seems a very nice young man,' said Tommy
slowly.
Sighing unhappily Grant replied, 'They nearly
always are. But what about the women in this
place?'
'I think there's something strange about the
woman who runs it.'
'Mrs Perenna?'
'Yes. There's a young mother; an unmarried
woman who knits; the invalid's stupid wife;
and a rather terrifying-looking old Irishwoman.
All seem harmless enough.'
'That's everyone?'
'No. There's a Mrs Blenkensop - arrived three
days ago.'
'Well?' demanded Grant.
'Mrs Blenkensop is my wife.'
'What? I thought I told you not to say a word
to your wife!'
'And I didn't.' With a quiet pride, Tommy
told Grant what Tuppence had done. There was
a silence. Then Grant laughed.
'She's wonderful! Easthampton told me not
to leave her out. I wouldn't listen to him.
It shows you, though, how careful you've got
to be not to be overheard. Yes, she's a smart
woman, your wife. Tell her the department
will consider it an honour if she will agree
to work with us.'
'I'll tell her,' said Tommy with a grin.
'I don't suppose you could persuade your wife
to keep out of danger?'
Tommy said slowly, 'I wouldn't want to do
that... Tuppence and I, you see, we go into
things together, always!'
CHAPTER FOUR
When Tuppence entered the lounge at Sans Souci
just before dinner, the only person in the
room was Mrs O'Rourke, who was sitting by
the window like a gigantic Buddha.
'Ah now, sit here now, Mrs Blenkensop, and
tell me what you've been doing with yourself
this fine day and how you like Leahampton.'
There was something about Mrs O'Rourke that
fascinated Tuppence. She was like a character
from a fairy tale, huge and ugly, with a deep
voice like a man's. Tuppence replied that
she thought she was going to like Leahampton
very much, and be happy there.
'That is,' she added in an unhappy voice,
'as happy as I can be anywhere with this terrible
anxiety that's with me all the time.'
'Ah now, don't you be worrying yourself. Those
boys of yours will come back to you safe and
sound. One of them's in the Air Force, I think
you said?'
'Yes, Raymond.'
'And is he in France now, or in England?'
'He's in Egypt according to his last letter
- well, that's not exactly what he said - we
have a little private code, if you know what
I mean? You see I feel I must know just where
he is.'
Mrs O'Rourke nodded her Buddha-like head.
'I know how you feel. If I had a boy out there,
I'd be fooling the censor in the same way.'
'I feel so lost without my three boys,' Tuppence
said sadly. 'There's always been at least
one of them at home. So I thought I'd come
somewhere quiet.'
Again the Buddha nodded. 'I agree with you
entirely. London is no place to be at the
present. I've lived there myself for many
years now. I used to sell antiques and I had
a shop in Chelsea. I had lovely stuff there
and some good customers. But there you are,
when there's a war on, no one is interested
in buying antiques. But I'm not one of those
that's always complaining - not like Mr Cayley
with his illnesses and his talk of his failing
business. Of course it's going badly - there's
a war on - and there's his wife who never
says no to him. Then there's that little Mrs
Sprot, always worrying about her husband,
Arthur.'
'Is he out at the Front?'
'No! He's a clerk in an office, and so terrified
of air raids he sent his wife down here at
the beginning of the war. Mind you, I think
that's the best thing for the child - and
a nice little girl she is - but Mrs Sprot
keeps saying Arthur must miss her so. But
if you ask me, Arthur's not missing her much!'
Tuppence murmured, 'I'm terribly sorry for
all these mothers. I do understand why they
are sending away the children from the cities
- the Germans won't bomb the countryside,
will they? But if you let your children go
away without you, you never stop worrying.
And if you go with them, it's hard on the
husbands left at home.'
'Ah! Yes, and it becomes expensive running
two homes.'
'This place seems quite a reasonable price,'
said Tuppence. 'Yes, I'd say you get good
value. Mrs Perenna's a strange woman though.
There's been a great drama in that woman's
life, I'm certain of that.'
'Do you really think so?'
'I do. And the mystery she makes of herself!
"And where do you come from in Ireland?" I
asked her. And would you believe it, she said
she was not from Ireland at all.'
'You think she is Irish?'
'Of course she's Irish. I know my own countrywomen.
I could name you the county she comes from.
But there! "I'm English", she says, "and my
husband was a Spaniard".' Mrs O'Rourke stopped
speaking as Mrs Sprot came in, followed by
Tommy.
Tuppence immediately took on a playful manner.
'Good evening, Mr Meadowes. You look very
well this evening.'
'Plenty of exercise, that's the secret,' Tommy
replied.
Then the rest of the party came in and the
conversation during the meal was about spies.
Only Sheila Perenna took no part in the conversation.
She sat there, her dark face angry. Carl von
Deinim was out, so everyone was speaking freely.
Sheila only spoke once. Mrs Sprot said in
her thin voice, 'The biggest mistake I think
the Germans made in the last war was to shoot
Nurse Cavell. It turned everybody against
them.'
It was then that Sheila demanded, 'Why shouldn't
they shoot her? She was an English spy, wasn't
she? She helped English people to escape in
an enemy country. Why shouldn't she be shot?'
'Oh, but shooting a woman - and a nurse.'
Sheila got up. 'I think the Germans were quite
right,' she muttered. She went out of the
glass door into the garden.
Everyone then went into the lounge for coffee.
Only Tommy went out to the garden. He found
Sheila Perenna standing by the garden wall,
staring out at the sea. He offered her a cigarette,
which she accepted.
'Lovely night,' he commented.
In a low voice, the girl answered, 'It could
be...'
'If it weren't for the war, you mean?' he
asked quietly.
'I don't mean that at all. I hate the war.'
'So do we all.'
'Not in the way I mean. I hate the horrible,
horrible patriotism.'
'Patriotism?' Tommy was surprised.
'Yes, I hate patriotism! Betraying your country
- dying for your country - serving your country.
Why should one's country mean anything at
all?'
Tommy said simply, 'I don't know. It just
does.'
'Not to me! Oh, it would to you. You believe
in the British Empire - and - and - the stupidity
of dying for one's country.'
'My country,' said Tommy, 'won't let me die
for it.'
'Yes, but you want to. And it's so stupid!
Nothing's worth dying for. It's all an idea
- talk, talk. My country doesn't mean anything
to me at all.'
'Some day,' said Tommy, 'you'll find that
it does.'
'No. Never. I've suffered. I've seen... Do
you know who my father was? His name was Patrick
Maguire. He - he was a follower of Casement
in the last war. He was shot as a traitor!
All for nothing! Why couldn't he just stay
at home quietly? He's a martyr to some people
and a traitor to others. I think he was just...
stupid!'
'So that's the secret you've grown up with?'
'Yes. Mother changed her name. We lived in
Spain for some years. She always says that
my father was half Spanish. We always tell
lies wherever we go. We've been all over Europe.
Finally we came here, and I think running
this guest house is the worst thing we've
done yet. I hate it!'
'How does your mother feel about - things?'
Tommy asked. 'You mean about my father's death?'
Sheila was silent a moment, thinking carefully
about the question. She said slowly, 'I've
never really known... she never talks about
it. It's not easy to know what Mother feels
or thinks.'
Tommy nodded his head thoughtfully.
'I - I don't know why I've been telling you
this.' Sheila said abruptly. 'I got angry.
Where did it all start?'
'A discussion on Edith Cavell.'
'Oh, yes - patriotism. I said I hated it.'
'Aren't you forgetting Nurse Cavell's own
words?'
'What words?'
'Before she died. Don't you know what she
said?' He repeated the words, 'Patriotism
is not enough... I must have no hatred in
my heart.'
'Oh.' She stood there for a moment. Then,
turning quickly, she ran off into the shadow
of the garden.
***
Mrs Blenkensop stopped at the post office.
She bought stamps and went into one of the
public phone boxes. There she rang up a certain
number and asked for Mr Faraday. This was
how they contacted Mr Grant. She came out
smiling and walked home, stopping on the way
to buy some knitting wool.
It was a pleasant afternoon with a light wind.
Tuppence changed her normally energetic walk
into a slow and easy one, more like the way
someone like Mrs Blenkensop would walk. Mrs
Blenkensop had nothing else to do except knit
and write letters to her boys. She was always
writing letters to her boys - and sometimes
she left them lying around, half finished.
Tuppence came slowly up the hill towards Sans
Souci. Since the road ended at Smugglers'
Rest, Commander Haydock's house, few people
walked there. She noticed a woman standing
by the gate looking inside. It was not until
Tuppence was close behind her that the woman
heard her and turned. She was a tall woman,
poorly dressed. She was not young - probably
just under forty - blonde-haired and beautiful.
Just for a minute Tuppence had a feeling that
the woman was familiar. A look of fear crossed
the woman's face.
'Are you looking for someone?' Tuppence said.
The woman spoke slowly, with a foreign accent.
'This house is Sans Souci? Can you tell me,
please? Is there a Mr Rosenstein staying there?'
Tuppence shook her head. 'No. I'm afraid not.
Perhaps he has been there and left. Will I
ask for you?'
'No, no. I make mistake. Excuse, please.'
Then she turned and walked quickly down the
hill. Tuppence stood staring after her, feeling
suspicious. But following the woman could
make people think that Mrs Blenkensop was
not who she appeared to be.
Inside, the house seemed very quiet and empty,
which was usual early in the afternoon. Betty
was having her sleep, the older residents
were either resting or had gone out. Then
a sound came to Tuppence's ears. The telephone
at Sans Souci was in the hall. Tuppence heard
the sound of someone lifting or replacing
a telephone extension. There was only one
extension - in Mrs Perenna's bedroom. Very
carefully Tuppence lifted the telephone receiver
in the hall and heard a man's voice.
'... everything going well. On the fourth,
then, as arranged.'
'Yes, carry on,' a woman's voice replied.
There was a click as the telephone was replaced.
Tuppence stood, frowning. Was that Mrs Perenna's
voice she had heard? It was difficult to say.
There was movement behind her and Tuppence
put down the receiver as Mrs Perenna spoke.
'It is such a pleasant afternoon. Are you
going out, Mrs Blenkensop, or have you just
come in?'
So it was not Mrs Perenna who had been in
Mrs Perenna's room. Tuppence said something
about having had a lovely walk and moved to
the staircase.
Mrs Perenna moved along the hall after her.
She seemed bigger than usual. Tuppence was
conscious of her as a strong athletic woman.
She hurried up the stairs. As she turned the
corner of the landing, she collided with Mrs
O'Rourke, whose vast body blocked the top
of the stairs.
'Dear, dear, Mrs Blenkensop, you seem to be
in a great hurry.'
There was, as always, a frightening quality
about Mrs O'Rourke's smile. And suddenly Tuppence
felt afraid. The big smiling Irishwoman, with
her deep voice, blocking her way, and below
Mrs Perenna at the foot of the stairs.
And then suddenly the tension broke as a little
figure ran along the top hall - little Betty
Sprot shouting happily as she threw herself
on Tuppence. The atmosphere had changed. Mrs
O'Rourke, a big friendly figure, cried out,
'Ah, the darling!'
Below, Mrs Perenna had turned away to the
door that led into the kitchen. And the atmosphere
on the stairs, thought Tuppence, that tense
moment, might have been just her own overactive
nerves.
CHAPTER FIVE
Commander Haydock welcomed Tommy and Major
Bletchley with enthusiasm and insisted on
showing Mr Meadowes 'all over my little place'.
Smugglers' Rest had been two cottages standing
on the cliff overlooking the sea. A London
businessman had bought them and made them
into one. There was a small cove below, but
the path down to it was dangerous.
'Then, some years ago,' explained Haydock,
'Smugglers' was sold to a man called Hahn.
He was a German, and if you ask me, he was
a spy. The Nazis are methodical. They were
preparing even then for this war. Look at
the situation of this place - it's perfect
for sending signals out to sea. And there's
a cove below where you could land a small
boat without being seen. Oh yes, don't tell
me that Hahn wasn't a German agent.
'He spent a lot of money on this place. He
had a path made down to the beach - concrete
steps - an expensive business. Then he had
the whole of the house improved. And who did
he get to do all this? Not a local man. No,
it was a firm from London, or so they say
- but a lot of the men who came down didn't
speak a word of English. Don't you agree that
that sounds extremely suspicious?'
'A little strange, certainly,' agreed Tommy.
'I was staying in the neighbourhood at the
time and I used to watch the workmen. They
didn't like it. Once or twice they were quite
threatening. Why should they be if everything
was okay? I went to the authorities. And what
response did I get? "Another war with Germany
was impossible," they insisted. There was
peace in Europe - our relations with Germany
were excellent. No one believed me when I
said that the Germans were building the finest
Air Force in Europe!'
Haydock's face was redder than usual with
anger. 'They thought I was just trying to
start another war. But finally I began to
make an impression. We had a new Chief Constable
down here - a retired soldier. And he listened
to me. His men began to investigate and then
Hahn left secretly one night. The police searched
this place carefully. In a safe built into
a wall in the dining-room, they found a wireless
transmitter and big tanks under the garage
for petrol. The end of the story was that
I bought the place when it was put up for
sale. Come and have a look round, Meadowes?'
'Thanks, I'd like to.'
Commander Haydock was as full of energy as
a man half his age. He threw open the big
safe in the dining room to show where the
secret transmitter had been found. Tommy was
taken out to the garage and was shown where
the big petrol tanks had been hidden, and
finally he was led down the steep path to
the little cove and taken into the cave that
had given the place its name because it was
where the smugglers had hidden their goods.
More than ever now Tommy felt that when the
dying Farquhar had mentioned Sans Souci, he
had been on the right track. This part of
the coast had been selected for enemy activity.
His spirits rose. Although Sans Souci seemed
an innocent place, behind the scenes things
were going on.
***
Mrs Blenkensop was reading a letter on thin
foreign paper stamped outside with the censor's
mark. This was the direct result of her conversation
with 'Mr Faraday'.
'Dear Raymond,' she said. 'I was so happy
about him being out in Egypt, and now, it
seems, there is a big change round.
All very secret, of course, and he can't say
anything - just that there really is a marvellous
plan and that I'm to be ready for some big
surprise soon. I'm glad to know where he's
being sent, but I...'
Bletchley frowned. 'Surely he's not allowed
to tell you that?'
Tuppence looked round the breakfast table
as she folded up her precious letter. 'Oh!
We have our methods,' she said with a little
laugh. 'Dear Raymond knows that if I know
where he is, or where he's going, I don't
worry quite so much. It's quite a simple code,
too. Just a certain word, and after it the
first letters of the next words spell out
the place. I'm sure nobody would notice.'
Little murmurs arose round the table. The
moment was well chosen; everybody was at the
breakfast table together for once. Bletchley,
his face red, said, 'Mrs Blenkensop, that's
a very stupid thing to do. It's the movements
of soldiers and airmen that are just what
the Germans want to know.'
'Oh, but I never tell anyone!' cried Tuppence.
'And I'm very careful never to leave letters
around. I always keep them locked up.'
Bletchley shook his head.
***
It was a grey morning with the wind blowing
coldly from the sea. Tuppence was at the far
end of the beach. As she reached the bottom
of the cliff, her attention was caught by
two figures standing talking a little way
up. It was the same fair-haired woman she
had seen the day before and Carl von Deinim.
At that moment the young German turned his
head and saw her. Immediately, the two figures
parted. The woman came quickly down the hill
and crossed the road.
Carl von Deinim waited until Tuppence came
up to him. Then, politely, he wished her good
morning.
Tuppence inquired immediately, 'Was that a
friend you were talking to, Mr Deinim?'
'Not at all,' said Carl. 'She is Polish and
asked me if I knew a Mrs Gottlieb she thinks
lives near here. I do not, and she says she
has, perhaps, got the name of the house wrong.'
'I see,' murmured Tuppence thoughtfully. Mr
Rosenstein. Mrs Gottlieb. She felt a growing
suspicion about the Polish woman.
That evening, before she went to bed, Tuppence
pulled out the long drawer of her dressing
table. At one side of it was a small box with
a cheap lock. Tuppence put on gloves, unlocked
the box, and opened it. A pile of letters
lay inside. On the top was the one received
that morning from 'Raymond'. Tuppence opened
it again and frowned. She had placed an eyelash
in the fold of the paper this morning. The
eyelash was not there now.
Somebody was interested in the movements of
the British armed forces.
***
Who had read her letters? Tuppence thought
about it as she lay in bed the following morning.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Betty Sprot
who opened the door and ran in. Betty had
taken a great liking to Tuppence. She climbed
up on the bed and pushed a torn picture-book
under Tuppence's nose, commanding her to 'read
it'. Only she said 'wead' as she couldn't
pronounce the letter 'r' yet. Tuppence read
obediently.
'Goosey goosey gander, whither will you wander?
Upstairs, downstairs, in my lady's chamber.'
Betty rolled about with laughter - repeating
in delight, 'Upstais - upstais - upstais...'
and then 'Down...' and rolled off the bed
with a thump.
This was repeated several times, then Betty
crawled about the floor playing with Tuppence's
shoes and talking busily to herself, 'Ag do
- bah pit - soo - soodah - putch...' Then
she looked up at Tuppence again and said,
'Ag boo bate? Ag boo bate?'
'Lovely, darling,' said Tuppence, not knowing
what Betty was saying. 'Beautiful.'
Satisfied, Betty started talking to herself
again and Tuppence lay planning what to do
next - with Tommy's help. Suddenly Mrs Sprot
came running in, looking for Betty.
'Oh, here she is! Oh, Betty, you naughty girl
- Mrs Blenkensop, I am so sorry.'
Tuppence sat up in bed and looked at Betty
who, with an innocent face, had removed the
laces from Tuppence's shoes and put them in
a glass of water. Tuppence laughed.
'How funny! Don't worry, Mrs Sprot, they'll
be OK. It's my fault. I should have noticed
what she was doing. She was rather quiet.'
'I know,' Mrs Sprot sighed. 'Whenever they're
quiet, it's a bad sign.' Mrs Sprot carried
Betty away and Tuppence got up to put her
plan into action.
CHAPTER SIX
That day Mrs Blenkensop received a letter
from her son Douglas. Mrs Blenkensop was so
excited that everybody at Sans Souci heard
about it. The letter had not been censored
at all, she explained, because one of Douglas's
friends coming on leave had brought it, so
Douglas had been able to write quite openly.
'And it just shows,' declared Mrs Blenkensop,
'how little we really know of what is going
on.'
After breakfast she went upstairs to her room
and put the letter away. Then she went downstairs
again. She had already told everyone that
she was going up to London for the day to
see her lawyer and do a little shopping. And
although she had no wish to do so, Mrs Blenkensop
had said that she was going to London, and
to London she must go.
***
It was not until the next day that Tuppence
was able to have a meeting with Tommy. Mrs
Blenkensop met Mr Meadowes as he was taking
a walk on the beach.
'Well?' said Tuppence. 'Did you see anyone
go into my room?'
Tommy nodded his head. 'The maids went in
to clean the room, of course. And Mrs Perenna
went in - but that was when the maids were
there. And Betty ran in once and came out
with a woollen dog.'
'Anyone else?'
'One person,' said Tommy slowly. 'Carl von
Deinim. At lunchtime. He came out from the
dining room early, came up to his room, then
went across the passage and into yours. He
was there about a quarter of an hour. That
settles it, I think.'
Tuppence nodded. Yes, it was quite clear now.
Carl von Deinim could have had no reason for
going into Mrs Blenkensop's bedroom and remaining
there for a quarter of an hour, except for
one.
'I'm sorry,' she said slowly.
'So am I,' said Tommy. 'He's a nice boy.'
'Well, I think we can agree that Carl von
Deinim is working with Sheila and her mother,'
said Tuppence. 'Probably Mrs Perenna is in
charge and that foreign woman who was talking
to Carl yesterday must be involved somehow.'
'What do we do now?' Tommy asked.
We must search Mrs Perenna's room. And we
must follow her and see where she goes and
who she meets. Tommy, let's get Albert down
here.'
Many years ago Albert, who had worked in a
hotel, had helped the young Beresfords. Afterwards
he had gone to work for them as a general
servant. Six years ago he had married and
was now the proud owner of The Duck and Dog,
a pub in South London.
Tuppence continued quickly, 'Albert will be
really excited. He can stay at the pub near
the station and he can follow the Perennas
for us - or anyone else.'
'What about Mrs Albert?'
'She has gone to her mother's in Wales with
the children because of possible air raids
on London. It all fits in perfectly.'
'Yes, that's a good idea, Tuppence. Albert
will be perfect. Now another thing - I think
we ought to watch out for that so-called Polish
woman who was talking to Carl. She probably
comes here for orders, or to take messages.
Next time we see her, one of us must follow
her and find out more about her.'
***
Tommy continued his walk and entered the post
office where he phoned Mr Grant. Then he wrote
and sent a letter to Albert and bought himself
a newspaper. He was walking back to Sans Souci
when Commander Haydock, passing in his car,
shouted, 'Hello, Meadowes, want a lift?'
Tommy got in gratefully.
'So you read that awful newspaper, do you?'
demanded Haydock, looking at the red cover
of the Inside Weekly News.
'It's terrible,' Tommy agreed. 'But sometimes
they do seem to know what's going on behind
the scenes.'
'The truth of it is,' said Commander Haydock,
just missing a large van, 'when they're right,
you remember it, and when they're wrong, you
forget it. Do you feel like a game of golf
tomorrow? I've got to go to a meeting about
this Parashot business, getting together a
group of local volunteers - good idea if you
ask me. So, will we have a round of golf about
six?'
'Thanks very much.'
'Good. Then that's agreed.' The Commander
stopped abruptly at the gate of Sans Souci.
'How's the fair Sheila?' he asked.
'Quite well, I think. I haven't seen much
of her.'
Haydock gave his loud laugh. 'Not as much
as you'd like to, I bet! She's a good-looking
girl but she sees too much of that German
fellow. Unpatriotic, I call it.'
Mr Meadowes said, 'Be careful, he's just coming
up the hill behind us.'
'I don't care if he does hear! Any decent
German's fighting for his country - not running
over here to avoid it!'
CHAPTER SEVEN
On the following day Mrs Sprot went up to
London. Various residents of Sans Souci had
offered to look after Betty, and Tuppence
had the morning turn.
'Play,' said Betty. 'Play hide seek.'
She was talking more easily every day and
had adopted a most attractive habit of putting
her head on one side with a lovely smile and
murmuring 'Peese', which was her way of saying
'please'. Tuppence had intended to take her
for a walk, but it was raining, so the two
of them went into Mrs Sprot's bedroom. Betty
led the way to the drawer of the bureau where
her toys were kept.
'Shall we hide Bonzo?' asked Tuppence.
But Betty had changed her mind and demanded
instead, 'Wead me story.'
Tuppence pulled out a book only to be interrupted
by a cry from Betty.
'No, no. Bad...'
Tuppence stared at her in surprise and then
down at the book, which was a coloured version
of Little Jack Horner.
'Was Jack a bad boy?' she asked. 'Because
he pulled out a plum?'
'B-a-ad!' Betty said, and then, with a huge
effort, 'Nasty!' She took the book from Tuppence
and put it back, then took out an identical
book from the other end of the shelf, saying
with a huge smile, 'K-k-klean ni'tice Jackorner!'
Tuppence realised that any dirty, well-read
books had been replaced by new and cleaner
ones. Mrs Sprot was always terrified of germs.
Tuppence had brought up her own two children
in contact with a reasonable amount of dirt.
However, she took the clean copy of Jack Horner
and read it to the child, followed by another
- Goosey, Goosey, Gander. Then Betty hid the
books and Tuppence took an amazingly long
time to find each of them, to Betty's great
delight, and so the morning passed quickly.
After lunch Betty had her rest and it was
then that Tuppence looked out into the garden
and saw that the rain had stopped. At the
bottom of the garden the bushes parted slightly.
In the gap a face appeared. It was the Polish
woman staring up at the windows of Sans Souci.
The woman's face had no expression, and yet
there was something frightening about it.
Turning abruptly from the window, Tuppence
ran downstairs, out of the front door and
down the path at the side of the house to
where she had seen the woman. There was no
one there now. Tuppence went through the bushes
and out on to the road and looked up and down
the hill. She could see no one. Troubled,
she turned and went back into Sans Souci.
Could she have imagined the whole thing? No,
the woman had been there. She felt a strange
sense that something bad was going to happen.
***
Now that the weather had improved, Miss Minton
was taking Betty out for a walk. They were
going down to the town to buy a toy duck to
sail in Betty's bath. Betty was very excited
and the two set off together, Betty saying
happily, 'Byaduck. Byaduck. For Bettibarf.
For Bettibarf.'
Two matchsticks. left crossed on the marble
table in the hall, was the code that told
Tuppence that Mr Meadowes was spending the
afternoon following Mrs Perenna. Tuppence
went to the lounge and sat with Mr and Mrs
Cayley. Mr Cayley was unhappy. He had come
to Leahampton, he explained, for rest and
quiet, and what quiet could there be with
a child in the house? All day long she was
screaming and running about, jumping up and
down.
His wife murmured that Betty was really 'a
dear little girl', but the comment only annoyed
him more.
'No doubt, no doubt,' said Mr Cayley. 'But
her mother should keep her quiet. There are
other people to consider. Invalids, people
who need to rest.'
Quickly, Tuppence changed the subject. 'I
wish you would tell me your views on life
in Germany. You've travelled there several
times and it would be interesting to have
your point of view...'
Mr Cayley smiled. 'Dear lady, in my opinion...'
Tuppence, murmuring an occasional 'Now that's
very interesting,' listened with close attention.
She was quickly convinced that Mr Cayley was
an admirer of the Nazi system. He clearly
thought, though he did not say it openly,
how much better it would have been if England
and Germany had taken sides against the rest
of Europe.
Nearly two hours later they were interrupted
by the return of Miss Minton, Betty, and the
duck. Looking up, Tuppence caught a strange
expression on Mrs Cayley's face. It might
have been simply a wife's jealousy at her
husband paying so much attention to another
woman. It might have been concern that Mr
Cayley was speaking too clearly about his
political views. It certainly expressed dissatisfaction.
Tea came next and soon after that came the
return of Mrs Sprot from London exclaiming,
'I do hope Betty's been good?'
Mrs Sprot then sat down, drank several cups
of tea, and spoke excitedly about what she
had bought in London, the crowd on the train,
what a soldier recently returned from France
had told the people in her train carriage,
and what a girl in a shop had told her of
shortages to come.
The conversation was, in fact, completely
normal. It went on afterwards on the terrace
outside, for the sun was now shining.
Betty rushed happily about, going into the
bushes and returning with a leaf, or little
stones which she placed in the lap of one
of the grown-ups. She would give an explanation
in her own little language, which no one could
understand, of what they represented. Fortunately
she required little response in her game,
being satisfied with an occasional, 'How nice,
darling. Is it really?'
There had never been an evening more typical
of Sans Souci. There was talk about the war
- Can France fight back? What is Russia likely
to do? Could Hitler invade England if he tried?
Will Paris fall to the Germans?
Suddenly, Mrs Sprot glanced at her watch.
'Goodness, it's nearly seven. I ought to have
put that child to bed ages ago. Betty, Betty!'
It was some time since Betty had returned
to the terrace, though no one had really noticed.
Mrs Sprot called her with growing impatience.
'Bett-eeee! Where can the child be?'
Mrs O'Rourke said with her deep laugh, 'Doing
something naughty, I've no doubt about it.
It's always the way when there's quiet.'
'Betty! I want you.' There was no answer and
Mrs Sprot rose impatiently. 'I suppose I must
go and look for her. I wonder where she can
be?'
Miss Minton suggested that she was hiding
somewhere, but Betty could not be found, either
inside or outside the house. They went round
the garden calling and they looked in all
the bedrooms. There was no Betty anywhere.
Mrs Sprot began to get annoyed. 'It's very
naughty of her - very naughty indeed! Do you
think she can have gone out on the road?'
Together she and Tuppence went out to the
gate and looked up and down the hill. There
was no one in sight except a delivery boy
with a bicycle standing talking to a maid
at the door of the house across the road.
Tuppence and Mrs Sprot crossed the road and
Mrs Sprot asked if either of them had seen
a little girl. The maid asked, 'A little girl
in a green dress?'
Mrs Sprot replied eagerly, 'That's right.'
'I saw her about half an hour ago - going
down the road with a woman.'
Mrs Sprot said with amazement, 'With a woman?
What sort of a woman?'
The girl seemed slightly embarrassed. 'Well,
what I'd call a strange-looking woman. I'm
sure she was foreign. She was wearing strange
clothes, like a kind of shawl, and no hat.
Her face was strange too. I've seen her about
once or twice lately, and to tell the truth
I thought she was a bit mad.'
Mrs Sprot almost collapsed against Tuppence.
'Oh Betty, my little girl. She's been stolen.
She - what did the woman look like - was she
dark?'
Tuppence shook her head energetically. 'No,
she was fair, very fair, with a wide face
and blue eyes set very far apart.' She saw
Mrs Sprot staring at her and hurried to explain,
'I've noticed her around here. Carl von Deinim
was speaking to her one day. It must be the
same woman.'
The servant girl agreed. 'That's right. Fair-haired
she was.'
'Oh,' cried Mrs Sprot. 'What shall I do?'
Tuppence put an arm round her. 'Come back
to the house, have a little brandy and then
we'll ring up the police. It's all right.
We'll get her back.'
Mrs Sprot cried out weakly, 'She's some dreadful
German woman, I expect. She'll kill my Betty.'
'Nonsense,' said Tuppence. 'It will be all
right. I expect she's just some woman who's
not quite right in her head.' But she did
not believe her own words - she did not believe
for one moment that the calm blonde woman
was mad.
'Carl!' thought Tuppence, 'Would Carl know?
Had he had anything to do with this?' However,
a few minutes later she started to doubt this
assumption. Carl von Deinim, like the rest,
seemed completely surprised. As soon as the
facts were told, Major Bletchley took control.
'Now then, dear lady,' he said to Mrs Sprot.
'Sit down here and just drink a little of
this brandy. I'll contact the police station
immediately.'
Mrs Sprot murmured, 'Wait a minute - there
might be something...' She hurried up the
stairs and along the passage to her room.
A minute or two later they heard her footsteps
running along the upstairs hall. She rushed
down the stairs and took Major Bletchley's
hand from the telephone receiver, which he
was just about to lift.
'No, no, you mustn't - you mustn't...' And
crying wildly, she collapsed into a chair.
They crowded round her. In a minute or two,
she recovered herself. Sitting up, with Mrs
Cayley's arm round her, she held something
out for them to see. 'I found this on the
floor of my room. It had been wrapped round
a stone and thrown through the window. Look
- look what it says.'
Tommy took it from her and unfolded it. It
was a note, written in big, bold letters.
WE HAVE GOT YOUR CHILD. SHE IS SAFE. YOU WILL
BE TOLD WHAT TO DO SOON. IF YOU GO TO THE
POLICE, YOUR CHILD WILL BE KILLED. SAY NOTHING.
Mrs Sprot was repeating faintly, 'Betty - Betty.'
Everyone was talking at once.
'The dirty murdering criminals,' exclaimed
Mrs O'Rourke.
'Brutes!' shouted Sheila Perenna.
'I don't believe a word of it. It's a silly
practical joke,' declared Mr Cayley.
'Oh, the dear little girl!' murmured Miss
Minton.
'I do not understand. It is shocking,' added
Carl von Deinim.
And above everyone else the loud voice of
Major Bletchley. 'We must inform the police
at once. They'll soon find out what's going
on.'
Once more he moved towards the telephone.
This time a scream from Mrs Sprot stopped
him.
He shouted, 'But my dear Madam, we must. This
note is only to stop you doing anything so
that they can get away.'
'They'll kill her.'
'Nonsense! They wouldn't dare.'
'I won't allow it, I tell you. I'm her mother.
It's for me to say.'
'I know. I know. That's what they're counting
on - your feeling like that. It's very natural.
But you must believe me, I'm a soldier and
an experienced man of the world. The police
are what we need.'
'No!'
Bletchley's eyes went round, searching for
agreement.
'Meadowes, you agree with me?' Slowly Tommy
nodded.
'Cayley?' Mr Cayley nodded too.
'Look, Mrs Sprot, both Meadowes and Cayley
agree.'
Mrs Sprot said with sudden energy, 'Men! All
of you! Ask the women!'
Tommy looked at Tuppence who said, her voice
low and shaken, 'I - I agree with Mrs Sprot.'
She was thinking of her own children. 'Deborah!
Derek! If it were them, I'd feel like her.
Tommy and the others are right, I've no doubt,
but I couldn't do it. I couldn't risk it,'
she said to herself.
Mrs O'Rourke was declaring, 'No mother alive
could risk it and that's a fact.'
Miss Minton said weakly, 'Such awful things
happen. We'd never forgive ourselves if anything
happened to dear little Betty.'
'You haven't said anything, Mr von Deinim?'
noted Tuppence sharply.
Carl's blue eyes were very bright. His face
had no expression. He said slowly, 'I am a
foreigner. I do not know your English police.
How good they are - how quick.'
Someone had come into the hall. It was Mrs
Perenna, her cheeks were red. Evidently she
had been hurrying up the hill. 'What's all
this?' she asked. Her voice was commanding,
not the pleasant guesthouse owner, but a woman
of force.
They told her - a confused story told by too
many people, but she understood it quickly.
She held the note for a minute, then she handed
it back. Her words were sharp and authoritative.
'The police? They'll be no good. You can't
risk their making mistakes. Go after the child
yourselves.'
Bletchley said, 'Very well.'
Tommy added, 'They can't be far away. When
did it happen?'
'Half an hour, the maid said,' Tuppence answered.
'Haydock,' said Bletchley. 'Haydock's the
man to help us. He's got a car. The woman's
unusual looking, you say? And a foreigner?
She ought to leave a trail that we can follow.
Come on, there's no time to lose. You'll come
along, Meadowes?'
Mrs Sprot got up. 'I'm coming, too.'
'Now, my dear lady, leave it to us...'
'I'm coming, too.'
'Oh, well.' He gave in.
***
Commander Haydock, who understood the situation
immediately, drove the car. Tommy sat beside
him, and behind were Bletchley, Mrs Sprot
and Tuppence. Not only did Mrs Sprot cling
to her, but Tuppence was the only one (with
the exception of Carl von Deinim) who knew
the mysterious kidnapper by sight.
The Commander was a good organizer and a quick
worker. In minutes he had filled up the car
with petrol, handed Bletchley a map of the
district and a larger map of Leahampton itself
and was ready to start off.
Mrs Sprot had run upstairs again before they
left, presumably to get a coat. But when she
got into the car and they had started down
the hill, she showed Tuppence something in
her handbag. It was a small pistol.
She explained quietly, 'I got it from Major
Bletchley's room. I remember he said he had
one.'
Tuppence looked a little uncertain. 'You don't
think that...?' Mrs Sprot said, her mouth
a thin line, 'It may be useful.' Tuppence
sat wondering about the strength of a mother's
love for a child, even in an ordinary young
woman. She could see Mrs Sprot, the type of
woman who would normally be frightened to
death of guns, calmly shooting any person
who had harmed her child.
They drove first, on the Commander's suggestion,
to the railway station. A train had left Leahampton
about twenty minutes earlier and it was possible
that the woman and Betty and whoever else
was involved had travelled on it. At the station
they separated, the Commander questioned the
ticket collector, Tommy asked the ticket office
staff, and Bletchley checked with the porters
outside. Tuppence and Mrs Sprot went into
the ladies' bathroom just in case the woman
had gone in there to change her appearance
before taking the train.
None of them discovered anything.
'The kidnappers probably had a car waiting,'
Haydock suggested, 'and they made their escape
in that.'
Tuppence remarked, 'We must put ourselves
in their places. Where would they have waited
in the car? Somewhere as near as Sans Souci
as possible, but where a car wouldn't be noticed.
Now let's think... The woman and Betty walk
down the hill together. At the bottom is the
esplanade. The car might have been waiting
there.'
It was at that moment that a small man stepped
up to them and said, 'Excuse me, I couldn't
help overhearing what you were asking the
porter just now.'
He directed his remarks to Major Bletchley.
'I was not listening, of course, just came
down to see about a parcel and so, you see,
I happened to overhear - and really it did
seem the most wonderful coincidence...'
Mrs Sprot sprang forward. She took him by
the arm. 'You've seen her? You've seen my
little girl?'
'Oh really, your little girl, you say? Now...'
Mrs Sprot cried, 'Tell me!'
Tuppence interrupted calmly, 'Please tell
us anything you have seen as quickly as you
can. We will be most grateful if you would.'
'Oh, well, really, of course, it may be nothing
at all. But the description fitted so well...'
Tuppence felt the woman beside her trembling,
but she herself tried to stay calm. She knew
the type of man with whom they were dealing
- not capable of giving a direct answer, especially
if hurried. 'Please tell us,' she repeated.
Tuppence frowned at Major Bletchley, who was
about to start shouting at him, and asked,
'And you saw the little girl we are looking
for?'
'Yes, I really think it must be. A little
girl with a foreign-looking woman, you said?
It was really the woman I noticed. Because,
of course, we are all on the lookout nowadays
for Fifth Columnists, aren't we? So, as I
say, I noticed this woman. A nurse, I thought,
or a maid, and this woman was most unusual
looking and walking up the road to the hills
beside the sea. She was with a little girl
- and the little girl seemed tired and it
was half-past seven, and well, most children
go to bed then. I looked at the woman very
closely and she hurried up the road, pulling
the child after her. Finally she picked her
up and went on up the path out on to the cliff,
which I thought strange. There are no houses
there at all - nothing - not until you get
to Whitehaven - about five miles away.'
Commander Haydock was back in the car and
had started the engine. The others jumped
in.
Tuppence called out, 'Thank you,' and they
drove off, leaving him staring after them
with his mouth open.
They drove quickly through the town, avoiding
accidents more by good luck than by skill.
The road ended on bare hillside where there
was only a footpath.
'Better get out and walk here,' said Bletchley.
Haydock suggested, 'Why don't we take the
car up? The ground's firm enough.'
Mrs Sprot cried, 'Oh yes, please, please.
We must be quick.'
The car bounced about as it went across the
rough ground but they arrived without any
problem on the top of the hill. Here the view
was clear.
'No sign of them as far as I can see,' observed
Haydock.
He was standing up, looking through some binoculars
that he had brought with him. Suddenly he
focused on two small moving figures.
'Got 'em!'
He fell back into the driver's seat again
and now the chase was a short one. Bounced
up in the air, thrown from side to side as
the car drove over the uneven ground, the
occupants of the car quickly got closer to
those two small figures. They could see them
clearly now - a woman holding a child by the
hand - still nearer, yes, a child in a green
dress. Betty.
Suddenly the woman turned and saw the car
advancing towards her. With a cry she picked
up the child in her arms and began running
towards the edge of the cliff.
The car could not follow; the ground was now
too uneven and blocked with big stones. It
stopped and Mrs Sprot was out first running
towards them. The others followed her. When
they were within twenty yards of her, the
kidnapper turned. She was standing at the
very edge of the cliff and with a cry, she
held the child closer to herself.
Haydock exclaimed, 'No! She's going to throw
the kid over the cliff...'
The woman's face was filled with hate. She
spoke, a long angry sentence that none of
them understood. And still she held the child
and looked from time to time at the sea below.
It seemed clear that she was threatening to
throw the child over the cliff. All of them
stood there, confused and terrified, unable
to move for fear of causing a catastrophe.
Haydock's hand was in his pocket. He pulled
out a pistol and shouted, 'Put that child
down - or I fire.'
The foreign woman laughed.
Haydock whispered, 'I can't shoot. I might
hit the child.' Tommy cried, 'The woman's
crazy. She'll jump over the edge with the
child in another moment.'
Haydock said again, helplessly, 'It's too
dangerous to shoot...' But at that moment
a shot rang out. The woman fell back, the
child still in her arms. The men ran forward,
Mrs Sprot stood still, the smoking pistol
in her hands, her eyes wide open. She took
a few steps forward. Tommy was kneeling by
the bodies. He turned them over gently. The
woman was dead - shot through the head. Unhurt,
little Betty Sprot stood up and ran towards
her mother who was standing completely still.
Then, at last, Mrs Sprot moved. She threw
away the pistol and fell to her knees, holding
the child to her. 'She's safe - she's safe
- oh, Betty - Betty.' And then, in a low whisper
she added, 'Did I - did I - kill her?'
Tuppence said firmly, 'Don't think about it.
Think about Betty. Just think about Betty.'
Mrs Sprot held the child close against her,
crying uncontrollably. Tuppence went forward
to join the men.
Haydock said, 'I couldn't have managed a shot
like that! I don't believe the woman has ever
used a pistol before - it must have been pure
instinct. A miracle, that's what it is.'
Tuppence murmured, 'It was a near thing!'
And she looked down at the sea far below and
shivered.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The police identified the dead woman as Vanda
Polonska, a Polish refugee, and the inquest
on her death opened with the formal identification
of the body by a Mrs Calfont, who worked with
refugees. Polonska, she said, had come to
England with a cousin and his wife who were
her only relatives. She had experienced great
horror in Poland and her family, including
several children, had all been killed. Polonska
talked to herself constantly, and did not
seem normal.
The coroner asked why the woman's relatives
were not present, and at this point an Inspector
Brassey said that the couple had been arrested
for a crime at a Naval dockyard. The whole
family was considered suspicious. They had
had a large sum of money in their possession,
which they could not explain, but there was
no evidence against Polonska - except that
her opinions were believed to have been anti-British.
It was possible that she had been an enemy
agent. The verdict was that Vanda Polonska
had been killed by Mrs Sprot but that Betty's
mother should not be blamed.
***
The following day Mrs Blenkensop and Mr Meadowes
met.
'Goodbye Vanda Polonska,' said Tommy sadly.
Tuppence nodded. 'Yes, and nothing to tell
us who she was working for and no clues about
where the money came from that she and her
cousins had.'
'Do you think Carl von Deinim and Vanda Polonska
were working together?' asked Tommy.
'Yes,' said Tuppence.
'Then Carl von Deinim must have arranged the
kidnapping - but why kidnap Betty? The Sprots
have no money - so it wasn't for ransom, and
neither of them are employed by government.'
'I know, Tommy. It just doesn't make any sense
at all. But I've a feeling that Mrs Sprot
could find the reason if only she'd think
about it. There must be some piece of information
that she discovered without knowing what it
was.'
'"Say nothing. Wait for instructions",' Tommy
quoted from the note found on Mrs Sprot's
bedroom floor. 'That means something.'
'The only thing I can think of is that Mrs
Sprot, or her husband, has been given something
to keep by someone else. And they were given
it simply because they are such ordinary people
that no one would ever suspect they had it
- whatever "it" may be.'
'Have you asked Mrs Sprot to think about why
Betty was taken?'
'Yes, but all she cares about is having Betty
back - that, and having hysterics because
she shot someone.'
'Funny creatures, women,' commented Tommy.
'I wouldn't have risked firing when she did.'
'She wouldn't have either if she'd known more
about it. It was her complete ignorance of
the difficulty of the shot that made her do
it. But you know, the first time I saw Vanda
Polonska, her face seemed vaguely familiar.
I wish I could remember who she reminded me
of.'
***
At Sans Souci, Tuppence went straight upstairs
to her room where a tall figure turned away
from the window.
'Sheila?' said Tuppence.
The girl's face was completely white. 'They've
arrested Carl! What shall I do?'
'Oh, my dear.'
'They've taken him away. I'll never see him
again. What shall I do? What shall I do?'
And falling on her knees, she started to cry.
Tuppence stroked Sheila's dark head. 'Perhaps
they are only going to intern him.'
'That's not what they said. They're searching
his room now.'
Tuppence said slowly, 'Well, if they find
nothing...'
'What might they find?'
'I don't know. I thought perhaps you might
have an idea?'
'Me?'
Her amazement was real. Any suspicions Tuppence
had had that Sheila Perenna was involved in
spying, died. She continued, 'If he is innocent...'
'What does it matter?' Sheila interrupted
her. 'The police will make up a false case
against him and say he was working for the
Germans.'
Tuppence said sharply, 'My dear child, that
isn't true.'
'The English police will do anything. My mother
says so. They'll take him away and lock him
up, and one morning they'll stand him against
a wall and shoot him!'
***
The fisherman on the end of the pier said
to Mr Meadowes, 'There's no doubt whatever,
I'm afraid.' Mr Grant said. 'Among his papers
was a list of people where he worked who should
be approached, as possible Fascist sympathisers.
There was also a very clever idea to mix chemicals
into fertilisers, which would have destroyed
food crops. He also had a supply of invisible
ink.
I've only seen the method once before, and
then it was buttons which had been soaked
in the stuff. When the fellow wanted to use
it, he soaked a button in water. Carl von
Deinim's invisible ink wasn't in his buttons,
it was in his shoelaces.'
As soon as Tommy reported this conversation
to Tuppence, she cried, 'Tommy, that explains
it!'
'What?'
'Betty! Don't you remember what I told you
she did in my room, taking out my shoelaces
and soaking them in water? She must have seen
Carl do it! He couldn't risk her talking about
it, and so he arranged with that woman for
her to be kidnapped. Isn't it nice when things
begin to make sense? Now we can move forward.'
'We need to.'
Tuppence nodded. The news from France was
Very bad indeed. The British Expeditionary
Force was being pushed back by the Germans
and now the talk of an invasion of Britain
had a frightening reality.
Tommy said, 'I think that Carl von Deinim
was only a link in the chain, not N or M who
are probably the most important German agents
in England. So is Mrs Perenna M? And do you
really think her daughter isn't involved in
this, Tuppence?'
'I'm quite sure of it.'
'First, the man she loves is proved to be
a spy - and if her mother is also one, she's
not going to have much left, is she? And supposing
we're wrong - that M or N is someone else?
I've got some other ideas, you know.'
'Which are?'
'I think I'll keep them to myself for a bit.
We'll see which of us is right.'
'Well, I think we've got to find out where
Mrs Perenna goes, who she meets - everything.
You'd better tell our old friend Albert to
follow her this afternoon. He'll be glad to
have something to do at last!'
'You can do that. I'm busy.'
'Why, what are you doing?'
Tommy said, 'I'm playing golf.'
CHAPTER NINE
'It seems quite like old times, doesn't it,
Madam?' said Albert. He smiled happily.
Tuppence asked about his wife.
'Oh, she's all right - just doesn't like being
away from London and me, she says.'
'I'm not sure we should involve you in this
adventure, Albert,' worried Tuppence.
'Nonsense, Madam. I tried to join the Army
but they said, "Wait for people your age to
be called up." And me, perfectly fit and only
too eager to get at those Germans! Fifth Column,
that's what we're up against, so the newspapers
say - and I'm ready to assist you and Captain
Beresford in any way you need me, to.'
'Good. Now I'll tell you what we want you
to do...'
***
After their game of golf, Tommy went to have
supper with Commander Haydock at Smugglers'
Rest. A tall, middle-aged manservant served
them with the skill of a restaurant waiter.
When the man had left the room, Tommy complimented
the Commander on him.
'Yes, I was lucky to get Appledore.'
'How did you get him?'
'He answered an advertisement. He had excellent
references, was far better than any of the
others who applied for the job and asked for
very low wages. So of course I hired him immediately.'
Tommy laughed, 'The war has certainly robbed
us of much of our good restaurant service.
Most good waiters were foreigners. It doesn't
seem to come naturally to Englishmen.'
'Acting like a servant doesn't come easily
to the English bulldog.' said the Commander,
and went on to say that there would be a successful
German invasion in the near future. 'There's
no organization here, no proper co-ordination...'
Appledore brought whisky while the Commander
was talking.
'... and there are spies everywhere. It was
the same in the last war - foreign hairdressers,
waiters...'
Tommy thought, 'Waiters? Appledore speaks
perfect English, but many Germans do.'
All these forms to fill in, with idiotic questions...'
continued the Commander.
Tommy spoke on an impulse - the words fitted
perfectly with what the Commander was just
saying. 'I know, such as "What is your name?"
Answer N or M.'
There was a crash as Appledore dropped a glass.
Tommy's hand was soaked in whisky. The man
stammered, 'S - Sorry, sir.' Haydock was very
angry and shouted at Appledore, 'You clumsy
fool! What do you think you're doing?' Haydock
continued for some minutes with more angry
words. Tommy was embarrassed for Appledore,
but suddenly the Commander's anger passed.
'Come along and wash that whisky off, Meadowes.'
Tommy was soon in the luxurious bathroom.
He washed his hands, then turned from the
washbasin to dry them. He didn't notice that
a bar of soap had dropped on to the floor.
His foot stepped on it and a moment later
he skidded across the floor, arms outstretched.
One hand came up against the right-hand tag
of the bath, the other pushed heavily against
the side of a small bathroom cabinet and his
foot hit the end panel of the bath. Immediately
the bath slid out from the wall and Tommy
found himself looking into a cupboard that
contained a wireless transmitter.
The Commander appeared in the doorway. And
several things fell into place in Tommy's
brain. Had he been blind? That cheerful red
face was a mask. It was really the face of
an arrogant Prussian officer. He remembered
from long ago seeing a Prussian bully shouting
at a soldier just as Commander Haydock had
shouted at Appledore.
And it all fitted in. The enemy agent Hahn
had been sent first in order to prepare Smugglers'
Rest. He then drew attention to himself, allowing
Commander Haydock to unmask him. How natural
that Haydock should buy the place and then
tell the story to everyone he met! And so
N, securely settled in his place with his
secret transmitter and his helpers at Sans
Souci, was ready to carry out Germany's plan.
Tommy knew that he was in deadly danger unless
he could act the part of the stupid Englishman
well enough. He turned to Haydock with a laugh.
'By Jove, was this another of Hahn's little
gadgets? You didn't show me this the other
day.'
Haydock stood as though made of stone for
a minute, then he relaxed. 'Damned funny,
Meadowes. You went skating over the floor
like a ballet dancer!'
With an arm round Tommy's shoulders, Haydock
took him into the sitting room. Half an hour
later Mr Meadowes stood up.
'I really must be going now - it's getting
quite late...'
Still talking, Mr Meadowes walked towards
the door. He was in the hall... he opened
the front door... They were going to let him
get away with it! The two men stood talking,
arranging another golf match for Saturday.
Tommy thought angrily, 'There'll be no next
Saturday for you, Haydock - or whatever your
real name is!'
Voices came from the road. Two men returning
from a walk, men Tommy and the Commander knew
who played at the golf club. Tommy called
to them. They stopped for a few words with
Haydock, then Tommy walked off with them.
He had managed to escape! It was so lucky
that these men had come along. Tommy said
goodbye to them at the gate of Sans Souci
and walked up the drive whistling softly.
He had just turned the dark corner by some
large bushes when something heavy came down
on his head and he fell into blackness...
***
At breakfast the next morning, Tuppence was
aware of a tension in the atmosphere before
Mrs Perenna left the room.
Major Bletchley gave a deep laugh. 'Mrs Perenna
is in a very bad mood,' he remarked. 'Meadowes
has been out all night. Hasn't come home yet.'
'What?' exclaimed Tuppence.
'Oh dear,' said Miss Minton, her face reddening.
Mrs Cayley looked shocked. Mrs O'Rourke merely
grinned.
'Ah, well, boys will be boys.'
Tuppence tried to reassure herself. She and
Tommy had agreed that neither should be worried
if the other was absent for no apparent reason.
She was sure that he would communicate with
her, or just arrive, very soon.
In the evening, Mrs Perenna reluctantly agreed
to ring up the police. A sergeant arrived
and certain facts were noted. Mr Meadowes
had left Commander Haydock's house at half-past
ten. From there he had walked with Mr Walters
and Dr Curtis to the gate of Sans Souci. From
that moment, Mr Meadowes had disappeared.
Tuppence knew that Mrs Perenna had, according
to Mrs Sprot, been out last night, and she
believed her to be the most likely suspect
in Tommy's disappearance. But Sheila and Major
Bletchley had been at the cinema, though separately,
and the way that he had insisted on describing
the whole film might suggest to a suspicious
mind that he was establishing an alibi. And
Mr Cayley had gone for a walk round the garden
and had been out for some time. It was very
unlike him to risk being out in the cool night
air... so, was he really as ill as he claimed?
***
Many miles away, at a secret Intelligence
location, Tuppence Beresford's daughter was
sitting at her desk frowning.
'What's the matter, Deborah? You're looking
worried.' Deborah Beresford looked up at Tony
Marsdon. He was one of the most brilliant
beginners in the coding department.
'It's my mother. I'm a bit worried about her.
She was annoyed because nobody seemed to want
her in this war. So she went down to Cornwall
to stay with an aunt. But I told Charles,
my boyfriend, who was going down to see his
parents who live in Cornwall, to go and visit
her. And he did. And she wasn't there.'
'Wasn't there?'
'No. And she hadn't been there! Not at all!'
'Where's - I mean - your father?'
'Oh, he's in Scotland somewhere.'
'Maybe your mother's gone to join him.'
'She can't. He's in one of those secret areas
where wives can't go-'
'Oh - er - well, I suppose she's just gone
away somewhere.'
'But why? It's so strange. She's been sending
me letters - talking about her aunt and her
garden and everything.'
'I know, I know,' said Tony hastily. 'Of course,
she'd want you to think - I mean - nowadays
- well, people do go away now and again if
you know what I mean...'
'No! If you think Mother's just gone away
with someone, you're wrong. Mother and Father
are devoted to each other - really devoted.
But the odd thing is that the other day someone
said they'd seen Mother in Leahampton. I said
it couldn't be her because she was in Cornwall,
but now I wonder.'
'Leahampton?'
'Yes. It's the last place Mother would go
to. There's nothing to do there and only old
colonels and unmarried ladies live there.'
'Doesn't sound a likely place,' said Tony.
He lit a cigarette and asked casually, 'What
did your mother do in the last war?'
'She was a nurse.'
'I thought perhaps she'd been like you - in
British Intelligence.'
'Oh, Mother would never have been able to
do this sort of work although she and Father
did get involved in searching for secret papers
and spies at one point. Of course, they exaggerate
it and make it all sound as though it had
been very important.' On the following day
Deborah returned to her rooms and was puzzled
by something unfamiliar in the appearance
of her bedroom. It took her a few minutes
to discover what it was. Then she rang the
bell and asked her landlady what had happened
to the big photograph that stood on the chest
of drawers.
Mrs Rowley said she hadn't touched it. Maybe
it had been Gladys, the maid.
But Gladys also denied having removed it.
A man who'd come about the gas had been in
Deborah's room she said. But Deborah refused
to believe that an employee of the Gas Company
would have stolen the photograph. It was more
likely, in Deborah's opinion, that Gladys
had accidentally broken the photograph frame
and had hidden it in the rubbish bin.
Deborah didn't worry about it. She'd get her
mother to send her another photo of herself.
CHAPTER TEN
It was Tuppence's turn to talk to the fisherman
on the end of the pier. She had hoped that
Mr Grant might have had some comfort for her.
But no news of any kind had come from Tommy.
Trying her best to make her voice assured
and business-like, Tuppence said, 'I continue,
of course.'
'Of course. There will be time for tears after
the battle. We're in the middle of the battle
now. And time is short. One piece of information
you brought us has been proved correct. You
overheard a reference to the 'fourth' when
you listened to that telephone conversation
in the hall at Sans Souci. The fourth referred
to is the fourth of next month. It's the date
fixed for the big attack on this country.'
'You're sure?'
'Yes, the fourth is The Day.'
'But if you know that -'
'We know The Day. We know, or think we know,
where. We're as ready as we can be. But it's
the Fifth Column here we want to know about.
A dozen men in high places, in command of
troops in vital areas, can issue conflicting
orders and throw the country into a state
of confusion. This is necessary for the German
plan to succeed. We've got to have inside
information in time.
'We have received information that Mrs Perenna
is a member of the IRA with anti-British sympathies.
But we can't get proof. So keep going, Mrs
Beresford. Go on, and do your best.'
'The fourth,' said Tuppence. 'That's barely
a week ahead!'
'It's a week exactly.'
She frowned and began planning a new form
of attack.
***
'You see, Albert, it's a possibility,' Tuppence
said a few hours later.
'I see what you mean, Madam, of course. But
I don't like the idea very much, I must say.'
'I think it might work.'
'Yes, Madam, but it's exposing yourself to
attack - that's what I don't like - and I'm
sure Mr Beresford wouldn't like it either.'
'Albert, we've done what we could, staying
hidden. It seems to me that now the only chance
is to come out into the open.'
'How were you thinking of managing it, Madam?'
Tuppence said, 'I thought I might lose a letter
I'd written - make a lot of fuss about it,
seem very upset. Then it would be found in
the hall and Beatrice would probably put it
on the table. Then the right person would
take a look at it.'
'What would be in the letter?'
'Oh, that I'd been successful in discovering
the identity of the person in question and
that I was to make a full report personally
tomorrow. Then, you see, Albert, N or M would
have to come out in the open and try to kill
me.'
'Yes, and maybe they'd manage it, too.'
'Not if I was on my guard. They'd have, I
think, to trick me into going to some isolated
place. That's where your part would come in
- because they don't know about you.'
***
Tuppence was just leaving the local library
when she was startled by a voice calling,
'Mrs Beresford!'
She turned to see a tall dark young man with
a slightly embarrassed smile.
'Do you remember me?' he asked. 'I came to
the flat with Deborah one day.'
Deborah's friends! There were so many of them,
and all looked very alike to Tuppence! It
was annoying to have been recognised by one
of Deborah's young men just now.
'I'm Anthony Marsdon,' explained the young
man.
Tuppence murmured, 'Oh, of course,' and shook
hands.
Tony Marsdon went on, 'I'm very glad to have
found you, Mrs Beresford. You see, I'm working
at the same job as Deborah, and something
very awkward has happened.'
'Yes?' said Tuppence. 'What is it?'
'Well, you see, Deborah's found out that you're
not down in Cornwall as she thought, and that
makes it a bit awkward, doesn't it, for you?'
'Oh, no,' said Tuppence concerned. 'How did
she find out?'
Tony Marsdon explained. He went on, 'Deborah,
of course, has no idea of what you're really
doing and it's important that she shouldn't
know. My job, you see, is the same as yours.
I'm supposed to be a beginner in the coding
department. In fact, my instructions are to
express views that are mildly Fascist - admiration
of the German system, suggestions that an
alliance with Hitler wouldn't be a bad thing
- just to see what response I get. There's
a good deal of dangerous talk like that going
on, you see, and we want to find out who's
behind it.'
'Dangerous talk everywhere,' thought Tuppence.
'But as soon as Deb told me about you,' continued
the young man, 'I thought I'd better come
straight down and warn you so that you can
make up a story she'll believe. You see, I
happen to know what you are doing and that
it's of vital importance. It would be fatal
if any hint of who you are was discovered.
I thought perhaps you could pretend you'd
joined Captain Beresford in Scotland or wherever
he is. You might say to Deborah that you'd
been allowed to work with him there.'
'I might do that, certainly,' said Tuppence
thoughtfully.
Tony Marsdon said anxiously. 'You don't think
I'm interfering?'
'No, no, I'm very grateful to you.'
'I'm - well - you see - I'm rather fond of
Deborah,' admitted Tony.
Tuppence smiled at him. After a moment or
two she said slowly, 'My husband isn't in
Scotland.'
'Isn't he?'
'No, he's down here with me. At least he was!
Now - he's disappeared.'
'Oh, that's bad - or isn't it? Has he discovered
something?'
Tuppence nodded. 'I think so. That's why I
don't think that his disappearance is really
a bad sign. I think, sooner or later, he'll
communicate with me - in his own way.' She
smiled a little.
Tony said, with some embarrassment, 'Of course,
you know how all of this works, I expect.
But you ought to be careful.'
Tuppence nodded. 'I know what you mean. Beautiful
heroines in books are always easily tricked.
But Tommy and I have our methods. We've got
a saying,' she smiled. 'Penny plain and tuppence
coloured.'
'What?' The young man stared at her as though
she had gone mad.
'I ought to explain that my family nickname
is "Tuppence" - I won't go into why! So when
Tommy and I want the other to know a letter
is definitely from one of us, we use at least
part of that old phrase, sometimes spelling
"plain" as Playne. Originally you know, it
referred to the cardboard scenes made for
toy theatres which were very popular with
families who put on the plays at home. You
could buy plain scenes for a penny, but coloured
ones cost tuppence.'
'Oh, I see.' The young man grinned. 'Very
clever!'
'I hope so.'
'Can I help in any way?'
'Yes,' said Tuppence thoughtfully. 'I think
perhaps you can.'
CHAPTER ELEVEN
After long hours of unconsciousness. Tommy
woke up with an aching head. Slowly he became
aware of other things - of cold, stiff arms
and legs, of hunger, of not being able to
move his lips. And that his head was resting
on solid stone. Yes, he was lying on hard
stones, and he was in pain, unable to move,
extremely hungry, cold and uncomfortable.
Surely, although Mrs Perenna's beds had never
been soft, this could not be... Then he remembered.
Of course - Haydock! The transmitter! The
German waiter! Turning in at the gates of
Sans Souci... Someone had struck him down.
So Haydock hadn't been quite such a fool!
Either he'd followed him or maybe Appledore
had.
His eyes, accustomed to the darkness, could
just see a small rectangle of pale light.
A tiny window, slightly open. It was cold
and the air smelt damp. He was, he thought,
lying in a cellar. His hands and feet were
tied and there was a gag in his mouth secured
by a bandage.
'I'm really in trouble now,' thought Tommy.
At that moment a door was pushed open. Appledore
came in and set a candle on the ground and
a tray on which was a jug of water, a glass,
and some bread and cheese. He said in a quiet
voice, 'I am about to take the gag off. You
will then be able to eat and drink. If, however,
you make the slightest sound, I will replace
it immediately.'
As soon as Tommy's mouth was free, Appledore
held the glass to his lips. The water did
him the world of good.
He murmured stiffly, 'That's better. I'm not
quite so young as I was. Now for the food,
Fritz - or is it Franz?'
The man said quietly, 'My name here is Appledore.'
He held the slice of bread and cheese up and
Tommy ate it hungrily.
After another drink of water, Tommy asked,
'And what's the next part of the programme?'
For an answer, Appledore replaced the gag
and went out. Tommy was left in darkness.
Sometime later he was awakened from a confused
sleep by the sound of the door opening. This
time Haydock and Appledore came in together.
The gag was removed and the ropes that held
his arms were loosened so that he could sit
up and stretch his arms.
Haydock had a pistol with him. Tommy, without
much inner confidence, began to play his part.
He said indignantly, 'Look here, Haydock,
what's the meaning of all this? I've been
attacked - kidnapped!'
The Commander was shaking his head. He remarked
coldly, 'Don't waste your breath. You play
your role very well, but it's of no importance
to me whether you're a member of the British
Intelligence, or merely a clever amateur...'
'How dare you...'
'That's enough, Meadowes.'
'I tell you...'
Haydock thrust his angry face forwards. 'Be
quiet, damn you. Earlier on it would have
mattered to find out who you were and who
sent you. Now it doesn't. The time's short,
you see. And you didn't have the chance to
report to anyone what you'd found out.'
'The police will be looking for me as soon
as I'm reported missing.'
Haydock showed his teeth in a sudden smile.
'I've had the police here. Good men - both
friends of mine. They were very concerned
about your disappearance, but it's quite clear
that you left this house well and alive. They
would never dream of looking for you here.'
'You can't keep me here forever,' Tommy said.
Haydock said, putting on his most British
manner, 'It won't be necessary, my dear fellow.
Only until tomorrow night. A boat will arrive
at my little cove - and we're sending you
on a voyage for your health - though I don't
think you'll be alive, or even on board, when
it arrives at its destination.'
'Why didn't you kill me straight away?'
'It's such hot weather, my dear fellow. Just
occasionally our sea communications are interrupted,
and if that were to happen - well, in this
heat, if there was a delay, a dead body would
soon become very obvious.'
'I see,' said Tommy.
He did see. He was to be kept alive until
the boat arrived. Then he would be killed
and his dead body taken out to sea. Nothing
would ever connect his body, when found, with
Smugglers' Rest.
'I just came along,' continued Haydock, 'to
ask whether there is anything we could do
for you - afterwards?'
Tommy reflected. Then he said, 'Thanks - but
I won't ask you to take a lock of my hair
to my wife or anything of that kind. She'll
only miss me when I stop paying the bills
- but I dare say she'll soon find a friend
elsewhere.'
He felt he must create the impression that
he was operating alone. If no one became suspicious
of Tuppence, then the game might still be
won.
'As you please,' said Haydock. 'If you did
wish to send a message to - your friend - we
would see that it was delivered.' So he was
anxious to get a little information. Tommy
shook his head.
'Nothing. No message.'
'Very well.' Haydock nodded to Appledore.
The latter replaced the ropes and the gag.
The two men went out, locking the door behind
them.
Tommy felt anything but cheerful. He faced
a rapidly approaching death with no means
of leaving any clue behind him about the information
he had discovered. His body was completely
helpless. His brain felt completely inactive.
There was, of course, still Tuppence. But
whoever Tuppence might suspect, it would not
be Haydock - two witnesses had proved that
Tommy had left Smugglers' Rest alive and well.
Damn it all, if only he had been more on his
guard...
If only he could get his mouth free, he could
shout for help! Somebody might hear through
that tiny window high up in one corner of
the room, though it was very unlikely.
For the next half-hour he tried to loosen
the ropes that they had tied him up with,
and bite through the gag. It was all hopeless,
however. Haydock and Appledore knew their
business.
It was, he judged, late afternoon. Haydock,
he guessed, had gone out; he had heard no
sounds from overhead. He was probably playing
golf, discussing with his friends at the clubhouse
the mystery of what had happened to Meadowes!
'He dined with me that night and seemed quite
normal. Then he just disappeared into the
blue.'
Tommy groaned with fury. That cheerful English
manner! It was wonderful what a first-class
actor could convince people of. So here he
was, a complete failure, tied up like a chicken.
What was that?
He strained his ears listening to a far-off
sound. Only some man singing a song. And here
he was, unable to make a sound to attract
anyone's attention. The singing came nearer.
A most untuneful noise. But the song was recognisable.
It dated from the last war - and had been
revived for this one.
'If you were the only girl in the world and
I was the only boy.'
How often he had sung that in 1917 - but this
fellow simply couldn't sing in tune! Suddenly
Tommy's body grew tense. Surely there was
only one person who always went wrong in that
particular way!
'Albert!' thought Tommy.
Albert, prowling round Smugglers' Rest. And
here he was, unable to move hand or foot,
unable to make a sound... Wait a minute. Was
he? There was just one sound - not so easy
with the mouth shut as with the mouth open,
but it could be done.
Desperately Tommy began to snore. He snored
and snored - short snore, short snore, short
snore - pause - long snore, long snore, long
snore - pause - short snore, short snore,
short snore...
Tommy was snoring the Morse Code.
'Dot, dot, dot, dash, dash, dash, dot, dot,
dot.'
SOS - the international signal that someone
heeded help.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Although Tuppence went to bed in an optimistic
mood, she suffered a severe reaction in those
early morning hours when human hope sinks
to its lowest. Ongoing down to breakfast,
however, her spirits rose with the sight of
a letter sitting on her plate addressed in
awkward handwriting. Tuppence opened the letter.
'Dear Patricia,
Auntie Grace is, I am afraid, much worse today.
The doctors do not actually say she is dying,
but I am afraid that there cannot be much
hope.
If you want to see her before the end, I think
you should come today. If you take the 10.20
train to Yarrow, a friend will meet you with
his car.
Look forward to seeing you again, dear, in
spite of the sad reason.
Yours ever,
Penelope Playne.'
It was all Tuppence could do to control her
joy. Good old Penny Plain!
After breakfast, Tuppence rang up the dressmaker's
and cancelled a fitting for a coat and skirt
for that afternoon. She then went to see Mrs
Perenna and explained that she might be away
from home for a night or two.
She went up to her room to get ready. Betty
Sprot came running out of the Cayleys' bedroom
with a mischievous smile on her face.
'What have you been doing?' demanded Tuppence.
Betty gurgled, 'Goosey, goosey gander...'
Tuppence chanted. 'Whither will you wander?
Upstairs!' She lifted Betty high over her
head. 'Downstairs!' She rolled her on the
floor.
At this minute Mrs Sprot appeared and Betty
was taken off to be dressed for her walk.
'Hide?' said Betty hopefully. 'Hide?'
'You can't play hide-and-seek now,' said Mrs
Sprot.
It was ten o'clock as she left Sans Souci.
She had plenty of time. She looked up at the
sky, and in doing so stepped into a dark puddle
by the gatepost. Without apparently noticing
it, she went on. Her heart was dancing. Success
- success - they were going to succeed.
***
Yarrow was a small country station where the
village was some distance from the railway.
A car was waiting outside the station. A good-looking
young man was driving it. He touched two fingers
to his cap to Tuppence, but the gesture of
respect didn't seem to be one he was used
to making. Tuppence kicked the front tyre.
'Isn't this rather flat?'
We haven't got far to go, Madam.'
She nodded and got into the car. They drove
not towards the village but towards the hills.
After taking a winding road over a hill, they
took a side-track that went down sharply into
a deep valley. From the shadow of a small
group of trees, a man stepped out to meet
them.
The car stopped and Tuppence, getting out,
went to meet Anthony Marsdon.
'Beresford's all right,' he said quickly.
'We located him yesterday. He's a prisoner
- the Fifth Columnists captured him - and
for good reasons he's staying where he is
for another twelve hours. You see, there's
a small boat due in at a certain place - and
we really want to catch it. That's why Beresford's
not escaping - we don't want them to realise
that we know what they're up to until the
last minute.' He looked at her anxiously.
'You do understand, don't you?'
'Oh, yes!' Tuppence was staring at a strange
mass of material that was half-hidden by the
trees.
'He'll be absolutely all right,' continued
the young man seriously.
'Of course Tommy will be all right,' said
Tuppence impatiently. 'You needn't talk to
me as though I was a child of two. We're both
ready to run a few risks. What's that thing
over there?'
'Well...' The young man hesitated. 'That's
just it. I've been ordered to put a certain
proposal before you. But - but well, frankly,
I don't like doing it. You see...'
Tuppence gave him a cold look. 'Why don't
you like doing it?'
'Well - you're Deborah's mother. And I mean
- what would Deb say to me if - if...'
'If I were killed?' inquired Tuppence. 'Personally,
if I were you, I wouldn't mention it to her.
Just tell me about the dangerous and unpleasant
job I have to do.'
'You know,' said the young man with enthusiasm,
'I think you're splendid, simply splendid.'
'Enough compliments,' said Tuppence. 'I'm
admiring myself a good deal, so there's no
need for you to join in. What exactly is the
big idea?'
Tony pointed to the material in the trees
'That,' he said, 'is a parachute.'
'Aha,' said Tuppence. Her eyes shone.
'There was just one parachutist,' went on
Marsdon. 'Fortunately the LDVs around here
are an alert group of men. The parachutist
was seen and they captured her.'
'Her?'
'Yes, her! A woman dressed as a hospital nurse.
Medium height, middle-aged, with dark hair
and with a slim figure.'
'In fact', said Tuppence, 'a woman not unlike
me?'
'Exactly,' said Tony. 'The next part of it
is up to you.' Tuppence smiled. She said,
'Where do I go and what do I do?'
'I say, Mrs Beresford, what magnificent courage
you've got.'
'Where do I go and what do I do?' repeated
Tuppence impatiently.
'We don't have much information, unfortunately.
In the woman's pocket there was a piece of
paper with these" words on it in German. "Walk
to Leatherbarrow - due east from the stone
cross. 14 St Asalph's Rd. Dr Binion."'
Tuppence looked up. On the hilltop nearby
was a stone cross. 'That's it,' said Tony.
'All the signposts have been removed, of course,
in case they helped the enemy. But Leatherbarrow's
quite a big place, and walking due east from
the cross you're sure to find it.'
'How far?'
'Five miles.'
Tuppence grinned. 'Healthy walking exercise,'
she said. 'I hope Dr Binion offers me lunch
when I get there.'
'Do you know German, Mrs Beresford?'
'Just a few tourist phrases. I will have to
be firm about speaking English - and say my
instructions were to do so. Well, lead me
to it.'
'We've got everything here - and a policewoman
who's an expert in the art of make-up,' explained
Tony.
Just inside the trees there was a shed. At
the door was a competent-looking middle-aged
woman. She looked at Tuppence and nodded approvingly.
Inside the shed, seated on an old box, they
put on Tuppence's make-up. Finally the policewoman
stood back and remarked, 'There, now, I think
we've made a very nice job of it. What do
you think, sir?'
'Very good indeed,' said Tony.
Tuppence stretched out her hand and took the
mirror the other woman was holding. She looked
at her own face seriously and could hardly
hold back a cry of surprise.
Her eyebrows had been trimmed to an entirely
different shape, which changed her whole expression.
Her hair, pulled forward over her ears, hid
small pieces of sticking plaster that tightened
the skin of her face and altered its shape.
Skilful makeup had added several years to
her age, with heavy lines running down each
side of the mouth. Her whole face now had
a rather foolish look to it.
'It's very clever,' said Tuppence admiringly.
The other woman produced two slices of thin
rubber. 'Do you think you could manage to
wear these in your cheeks?'
Tuppence slipped them in and moved her mouth
carefully.
'It's not really too uncomfortable.'
Tony then left the shed and Tuppence took
off her own clothing and put on the nurse's
uniform. It fitted quite well. The dark blue
hat added the final touch to her new personality.
She rejected, however, the heavy square-toed
shoes.
'If I've got to walk five miles,' she said,
'it's much better if I do it in my own shoes.'
Both Tony and the policewoman agreed that
this was sensible - particularly as Tuppence's
own shoes were dark blue ones that went well
with the uniform. She looked with interest
into the dark blue handbag - face powder;
lipstick; two pounds fourteen and sixpence
in English money; a handkerchief and an identity
card in the name of Freda Elton, 4 Manchester
Road, Sheffield. Tuppence exchanged her own
powder and lipstick for the ones in the bag
and stood up, prepared to set out.
Tony Marsdon turned his head away. He said
abruptly, 'I feel very bad about letting you
do this.'
'I know just how you feel.'
'But, you see, it's absolutely vital that
we should get some idea of just where and
how the attack will come.'
Tuppence patted him on the arm. 'Don't you
worry, my child. Believe it or not, I'm enjoying
myself!'
***
Rather tired, Tuppence stood outside 14 St
Asalph's Road and saw that Dr Binion was a
dental surgeon and not a doctor. From the
corner of her eye she saw Tony Marsdon. He
was sitting in a fast-looking car outside
a house farther down the street. It had been
thought necessary for Tuppence to walk to
Leatherbarrow exactly as instructed. Tony,
with the policewoman, had taken a different
route before approaching Leatherbarrow. Everything
was now ready.
Tuppence crossed the road and rang the bell.
The door was opened by an elderly woman.
'Dr Binion?' said Tuppence.
The woman looked her slowly up and down. 'You
will be Nurse Elton, I suppose.'
'Yes.'
'Then you will come up to the doctor's surgery.'
She stood back and the door closed behind
Tuppence, who found herself standing in a
narrow hall. The maid went up the stairs in
front of her and opened a door on the first
floor. 'Please wait. The doctor will come
to you.'
She went out, shutting the door behind her.
A very ordinary dentist's surgery - somewhat
old and worn out. Soon the door would open
and 'Dr Binion' would come in. Who would Dr
Binion be? A stranger? Or someone she had
seen before? If it was the person she was
half expecting to see...
The door opened. The man who entered was not
at all the person Tuppence had thought she
might see! It was someone she had never considered
as being N.
It was Commander Haydock.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Would the Commander recognise her? Tuppence
had so prepared herself before this meeting
to show no recognition or surprise, no matter
whom she might see. She felt reasonably sure
that she had showed no signs of surprise when
she recognised Haydock. She rose to her feet
and stood there, standing in a respectful
attitude.
'So you have arrived,' said the Commander.
He spoke in English and his manner was exactly
the same as usual.
'Yes,' said Tuppence, 'Nurse Elton.'
Haydock smiled as though at a joke. 'Nurse
Elton! Excellent.' He looked at her approvingly.
'You look absolutely right. And do you know
what you have to do? Sit down, please.'
Tuppence sat down obediently. She replied,
'I was told to take detailed instructions
from you.'
'Very proper,' said Haydock. There was a faint
suggestion of amusement in his voice. 'Do
you know the day?'
'The fourth.'
Haydock looked surprised. A heavy frown deepened
the lines in his forehead. 'So you know that,
do you?' he muttered. He paused for a minute,
and then asked, 'You have heard, no doubt,
of Sans Souci?'
'No,' said Tuppence firmly.
There was a strange smile on the Commander's
face.
'That surprises me very much - since you have
been living there for the last month.'
There was dead silence. The Commander said,
'What about that, Mrs Blenkensop?'
'I don't know what you mean, Dr Binion. I
landed by parachute this morning.'
Again Haydock smiled - definitely an unpleasant
smile. He continued, 'A few yards of material
pushed into a bush create a wonderful illusion.
Mrs Blenkensop! Or perhaps you would prefer
me to address you by your real name of Beresford?'
Again there was a silence. Tuppence took a
deep breath. Haydock nodded. 'You've lost
the game.'
There was a faint click and the blue steel
of a pistol showed in his hand. His voice
took on a grim note as he added, 'And I should
advise you not to make any noise. You'd be
dead before you made so much as a single cry,
and even if you did manage to scream, it wouldn't
get you any attention. Patients who are under
anaesthetic often cry out, you know.'
Tuppence said quietly, 'You seem to have thought
of everything. Has it occurred to you that
I have friends who know where I am?'
'Ah! You are thinking of young Marsdon. I'm
sorry, Mrs Beresford, but Anthony happens
to be one of our most enthusiastic supporters
in this country. As I said just now, a few
yards of material creates a wonderful effect.
You believed the parachute idea quite easily.'
'I don't see the point of all this acting!'
'Don't you? We don't want your friends to
find you too easily. If they pick up your
trail, it will lead to Yarrow and to a man
in a car. The fact that a hospital nurse,
of quite different appearance, walked into
Leatherbarrow between one and two o'clock
will hardly be connected with your disappearance.'
'Very clever,' said Tuppence.
Haydock said, 'I admire your courage, you
know. I admire it very much. I'm sorry to
have to force you - but it's vital that we
should know just exactly how much you discovered
at Sans Souci.'
Tuppence did not answer.
Haydock said quietly, 'I'd advise you to tell
me everything. There are certain - possibilities
- in a dentist's chair and these instruments
can cause a lot of damage.'
Tuppence gave him an arrogant look.
'Yes,' Haydock observed slowly, 'I imagine
you've got a lot of courage. But what about
the other half of the picture?'
'What do you mean?'
'I'm talking about Thomas Beresford, your
husband, who has lately been living at Sans
Souci under the name of Mr Meadowes, and who
is now very conveniently tied up in the cellar
of my house.'
Tuppence declared, 'I don't believe it.'
'Because of the Penny Plain letter? Don't
you realise that that was just a clever bit
of work on the part of young Anthony. You
fell into his trap nicely when you gave him
the code.'
Tuppence's voice trembled. 'Then Tommy - then
Tommy -'
'Tommy', said Commander Haydock, 'is where
he has been all along - completely in my power!
It's up to you now. If you answer my questions
satisfactorily, there's a chance for him.
If you don't - well, he'll be knocked on the
head, taken out to sea and thrown overboard.'
Tuppence was silent for a minute or two - then
she asked, 'What do you want to know?'
'I want to know who employed you, what your
means of communication with that person or
persons are, what you have reported so far,
and exactly what you know?'
Tuppence shrugged her shoulders. 'I could
tell you what lies I choose,' she pointed
out.
'No, because I will proceed to test what you
say.' He drew his chair a little nearer. 'My
dear woman - I know just what you feel about
it all, but believe me when I say I really
do admire both you and your husband immensely.
You've got strength and bravery. It's people
like you that will be needed in the new State
- the State that will arise in this country
when your present weak government is destroyed.
We want to turn some of our enemies into friends
- those that are worthwhile. If I have to
give the order that ends your husband's life,
I will do it - it's my duty - but I will feel
really bad about having to do so! He's a fine
fellow.
Let me explain what so few people in this
country seem to understand. Our Leader does
not intend to conquer this country. He intends
to create a new Britain - a Britain strong
in its own power - ruled, not by Germans,
but by Englishmen. And the best type of Englishmen
- Englishmen with brains and education and
courage. A brave new world, as Shakespeare
puts it.
'We want no more confusion and inefficiency.
And in this new state we want people like
you and your husband - brave and intelligent
enemies - to be our friends. You would be
surprised if you knew how many there are in
this country, as there are in other countries,
who have sympathy with us and believe in our
aims. Between us all we will create a new
Europe - a Europe of peace and progress. Try
and see it that way - because, I assure you
- it is that way...'
His voice was mesmerizing and he looked the
perfect picture of an honest British sailor.
Tuppence stared at him and searched her mind
for an appropriate phrase. She was only able
to find one that was both childish and rude.
'Goosey, goosey gander!' said Tuppence, reciting
the nursery rhyme she had last repeated while
playing with Betty.
***
The effect on Haydock was so intense that
she was quite amazed. He jumped to his feet,
his face went dark purple with anger, and
in a second all resemblance to a cheerful
British sailor had vanished. She saw what
Tommy had once seen - an angry Prussian officer.
He swore at her fluently in German. Then,
changing to English, he shouted, 'You dangerous
little fool! Don't you realise you give yourself
away completely answering like that? You can't
be allowed to live now - you and your precious
husband.'
Raising his voice he called, 'Anna!'
The woman came into the room. Haydock pushed
the pistol into her hand. 'Watch her. Shoot
if necessary.'
He went out of the room. Tuppence looked at
Anna, who stood in front of her with an expressionless
face. 'Would you really shoot me?'
Anna answered quietly, 'In the last war my
son was killed, my Otto. I was thirty-eight,
then - I am sixty-two now - but I have not
forgotten.'
Tuppence looked at the broad face. It reminded
her of the Polish woman, Vanda Polonska. She
had that same frightening determination.
Something came to Tuppence's brain - some
vague memory. Something that she had always
tried to remember. Something that she had
known but had never succeeded in bringing
into focus in her mind.
The door opened. Commander Haydock came back
into the room. He shouted out, still very
angry, 'Where is it? Where have you hidden
it?'
Tuppence stared at him. What he was saying
did not make sense to her. She had taken nothing
and hidden nothing. Haydock said to Anna,
'Get out.'
The woman handed the pistol to him and left
the room at once. Haydock threw himself into
a chair and seemed to be trying hard to control
himself. He said, 'You can't escape, you know.
I've got you - and I've got ways of making
people speak - not pretty ways. You'll have
to tell the truth in the end. Now then, what
have you done with it?'
Tuppence was quick to see that here, at least,
was something that gave her the possibility
of bargaining. If only she could work out
what it was she was supposed to have in her
possession!
She said cautiously, 'How do you know I've
got it?'
'From what you said, you silly little fool.
You haven't got it on you - that we know,
since you changed completely into this nurse's
uniform.'
'Suppose I posted it to someone?' said Tuppence.
'Don't be an idiot. Everything you posted
since yesterday has been examined. You didn't
post it. No, there's only one thing you could
have done - hidden it in Sans Souci before
you left this morning. I give you just three
minutes to tell me where that hiding-place
is.'
He put his watch down on the table. 'Three
minutes, Mrs Thomas Beresford.'
The clock above the fireplace ticked. Tuppence
sat quite still with a blank expressionless
face. It didn't show the thoughts racing behind
it. In a flash of understanding she saw everything
- and realised at last who was the centre
of the whole organisation.
It came as quite a shock to her when Haydock
said, 'Ten seconds more...'
As if in a dream she watched him, saw the
arm holding the pistol rise, heard him count.
'One, two, three, four, five...'
He had reached eight when the shot rang out
and he collapsed forward on his chair, a puzzled
expression on his broad red face. He had been
so focussed on watching his victim that he
had been unaware of the door behind him opening.
In a flash Tuppence was on her feet. She pushed
her way past the uniformed men in the doorway,
and took hold urgently of an arm belonging
to someone she knew. 'Mr Grant!'
'Yes, yes, my dear, it's all right now - you've
been wonderful...' Tuppence ignored these
reassurances. 'Quick! There's no time to lose.
You've got a car here?'
'Yes.' He stared at her.
'A fast one? We must get to Sans Souci at
once. If only we're in time. Before they telephone
here, and get no answer.'
Two minutes later they were in the car and
it was making its way through the streets
of Leatherbarrow. Then they were out in the
open country, moving fast.
Mr Grant asked no questions. He was content
to sit quietly whilst Tuppence watched the
speedometer in an agony of fear. The driver
had been given his orders and he drove with
all the speed the car was capable of.
Tuppence only spoke once. 'Tommy?'
'He's quite all right. He was rescued half
an hour ago.'
She nodded. Now, at last, they were nearing
Leahampton. The car raced and twisted through
the town, then up the hill. Tuppence jumped
out and she and Mr Grant ran up the drive.
The hall door, as usual, was open. There was
no one in sight. Tuppence ran lightly up the
stairs. She glanced inside her own room as
she passed it, and noted the open drawers
and untidy bed. She nodded to herself and
passed on, along the upper hall and into the
room occupied by Mr and Mrs Cayley.
The room was empty. It looked peaceful and
smelt slightly of medicines. Tuppence ran
across to the bed and pulled at the coverings.
They fell to the ground and Tuppence put her
hand under the mattress. She turned triumphantly
to Mr Grant with a well-worn child's picture-book
in her hand.
'Here you are. It's all in here!'
'What on earth...?'
They turned. Mrs Sprot was standing in the
doorway staring at them.
'And now,' said Tuppence, 'let me introduce
you to M! Yes. Mrs Sprot! I should have known
all along.'
It was left to Mrs Cayley, arriving in the
doorway a moment later, to introduce the appropriate
anti-climax.
'Oh dear,' said Mrs Cayley, looking with dismay
at her husband's bed. 'Whatever will Mr Cayley
say?'
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
'I should have known it all along,' exclaimed
Tuppence.
She was calming her nerves with a large glass
of brandy, and was smiling broadly at Tommy
and Mr Grant and Albert, who was sitting with
a pint of beer and grinning from ear to ear.
'Tell us about it, Tuppence,' urged Tommy.
'You first,' said Tuppence.
'There's not much for me to tell,' said Tommy.
'A complete accident in Haydock's bathroom
led me to the secret wireless transmitter.
I tried to pretend I thought it must have
belonged to Hahn, the previous owner of Smugglers',
but Haydock was too clever for me.'
Tuppence nodded and said, 'He telephoned Mrs
Sprot at once. And she ran out into the drive
and waited for you.'
'After that,' said Tommy, 'the credit belongs
entirely to Albert. He was investigating around
Haydock's place because it was the last place
I'd been. I did some intense morse-code snoring
and he understood it immediately. He went
off to Mr Grant with the news and the two
of them came back late that night. I did some
more snoring! The result was that I agreed
to remain in the cellar so that we could catch
the people in the boat when it arrived.'
Mr Grant added his part of the story, 'When
Haydock went off this morning, our people
took charge at Smugglers' Rest. We captured
the boat this evening.'
'And now, Tuppence,' said Tommy. 'Your story.'
'Well, to begin with, I was the biggest fool
all along! I suspected everybody here except
Mrs Sprot! Then Tommy disappeared. I was just
getting a plan together with Albert when suddenly
Anthony Marsdon arrived. He seemed all right
to begin with - he was the usual sort of young
man that Deborah often has around. But two
things made me think a bit. First, I became
more and more convinced as I talked to him
that I had never seen him before and that
he had never been to the flat. The second
thing was that, though he seemed to know all
about my working at Leahampton, he assumed
that Tommy was in Scotland. Now, that seemed
all wrong. If he knew about anyone, it would
be Tommy since I wasn't here officially. That
seemed very strange to me.
'Mr Grant had told me that Fifth Columnists
were everywhere. So why shouldn't one of them
be working in Deborah's department? I was
suspicious enough to lay a trap for him. I
told him that Tommy and I had fixed up a code
for communicating with each other. I told
Anthony we used the saying Penny plain, tuppence
coloured in letters and said we spelt plain
as Playne.
'As I hoped, he believed it completely! I
got a letter this morning, which gave him
away totally. I'd worked out all the arrangements
with Albert beforehand. All I had to do was
to pretend to be ringing up a dressmaker to
cancel a fitting but really I was phoning
Albert to let him know that Anthony was a
traitor and that N or M, or both of them,
wanted to know more about me and what I knew.'
'It gave me a shock,' said Albert. 'I drove
up with a baker's van and we poured a pool
of aniseed just outside the gate.'
'And then...' Tuppence took up the story,
'I came out and walked in the aniseed. Of
course it was easy for the baker's van to
follow me to the station and then someone
else, who was also following me, came up behind
me and heard me book a ticket to Yarrow. It
was after that that it might have been difficult.'
'The dogs we'd brought followed the smell
of the aniseed well,' said Mr Grant. 'They
picked it up at Yarrow station and again on
the track the tyre had made after you kicked
your shoe on it. It led us down to the trees
and up again to the stone cross and where
you had walked over the hills. The enemy had
no idea we could follow you easily after they
had seen you set off walking and had driven
off themselves.'
'All the same,' said Albert, 'it made me very
worried, knowing you were in that house and
not knowing what might be happening to you
there. We got in a back window and caught
the foreign woman as she came down the stairs.
We came in just in time to save you.'
'I knew you'd come,' said Tuppence. 'The thing
was for me to keep things going as long as
I could. What was really exciting was the
way I suddenly saw the whole thing and what
a fool I'd been.'
'How did you see it?' asked Tommy.
'Goosey, goosey, gander,' said Tuppence promptly.
'When I said that to Commander Haydock he
went absolutely mad. And not just because
it was silly and rude. No, I saw at once that
it meant something to him. And then there
was the expression on that German woman's
face - Anna - it was like the Polish woman's,
and then, of course, I thought of King Solomon,
who ruled Israel thousands of years ago, and
I saw the whole thing.'
Tommy gave a sigh of exasperation. 'Tuppence,
if you say that once again, I'll shoot you
myself. Saw all what? And what on earth has
Solomon got to do with it?'
'Do you remember that two women came to Solomon
with a baby and both said it was hers, but
Solomon said, "Very well, cut it in two."
And the false mother said, "All right." But
the real mother said, "No, let the other woman
have it." You see, the real mother couldn't
face her child being killed. Well, the night
that Mrs Sprot shot the other woman, you all
said what a miracle it was and how easily
she might have shot the child. Of course,
it ought to have been quite clear then! If
it had been her child, she wouldn't have risked
that shot for a minute. It proved that Betty
wasn't her child. And that's why she absolutely
had to shoot the other woman.'
'Why?'
'Because, of course, the other woman was the
child's real mother.' Tuppence's voice shook
a little. 'Poor thing - poor hunted thing.
She came over to England as a refugee, with
nothing, and so she was grateful when Mrs
Sprot asked if she could adopt her baby and
gave her money.'
'But why did Mrs Sprot want to adopt the child?'
'Camouflage! It would be hard to believe that
a master spy would involve her child in the
business. That's the main reason why I never
considered Mrs Sprot seriously. Simply because
of the child. But Betty's real mother had
a terrible longing for her baby and she found
out where Mrs Sprot was living and came down
here. She waited around for her chance, and
at last she got it and went off with the child.
'Mrs Sprot, of course, was terribly worried.
At all costs she didn't want the police to
get involved. So she wrote that message and
pretended she'd found it in her bedroom, and
she made sure Commander Haydock was brought
in to help. Then, when we'd tracked down the
poor woman, Mrs Sprot couldn't risk being
discovered, so she shot her. She pretended
not to know anything about firearms when,
in fact, she was a very fine shot! Yes, she
killed that poor woman - and because of that,
I've no pity for her. She was bad through
and through.'
Tuppence paused, then she went on, 'Another
thing that ought to have given me a hint was
the likeness between Vanda Polonska and Betty.
It was Betty the woman reminded me of all
along. And then the child's strange play with
my shoelaces. How much more likely that she'd
seen her "mother" do that - not Carl von Deinim!
But as soon as Mrs Sprot saw what the child
was doing, she placed a lot of evidence for
us to find in Carl's room and added the master
touch of a shoelace soaked in secret ink.'
'I'm glad that Carl wasn't involved,' said
Tommy. 'I liked him.'
'He's not been shot, has he?' asked Tuppence
anxiously, noting the past tense.
Mr Grant shook his head. 'He's all right,'
he grinned. As a matter of fact I've got a
little surprise for you there.'
Tuppence's face lit up as she said, 'I'm terribly
glad - for Sheila's sake! Of course we were
idiots to suspect Mrs Perenna.'
'She was mixed up in some IRA activities,
nothing more,' said Mr Grant.
'I suspected Mrs O'Rourke a little - and sometimes
the Cayleys...'
And I suspected Bletchley,' put in Tommy.
And all the time', said Tuppence, 'it was
that silly creature we just thought of as
"Betty's mother".'
'Not exactly silly,' said Mr Grant. 'A very
dangerous woman and a very clever actress.
And, I'm sorry to say, English by birth.'
Tuppence said, 'Then I've no pity or admiration
for her - it wasn't even her own country she
was working for.' She looked at Mr Grant.
'Did you find what you wanted?'
Mr Grant nodded. 'It was all in that old collection
of children's books.'
'The ones that Betty said were "nasty"!' Tuppence
exclaimed.
'They were nasty,' said Mr Grant dryly. 'Little
Jack Homer contained very full details of
our naval operations. Johnny Head in Air did
the same for the Air Force. Details of the
Army were appropriately hidden in There Was
a Little Man and He Had a Little Gun.'
'And Goosey, Goosey, Gander?' asked Tuppence.
Mr Grant said, 'That book contains, written
in invisible ink, a full list of all the important
people who have agreed to assist in an invasion
of this country. Among them were two chief
constables, an air vice-marshal, two generals,
the head of an armaments works, a cabinet
minister, many police superintendents, commanders
of local volunteer defence organizations,
and various military and naval junior officers,
as well as members of our own Intelligence
Force.'
Tommy and Tuppence stared at him.
'Incredible!' said Tommy.
Grant shook his head. 'You don't understand
the force of the German propaganda. It appeals
to something in a man, some desire for power.
These people were ready to betray their country
not for money, but in a kind of superior pride
in what they themselves were going to achieve
for that country. In every other country it
has been the same. And you can see that, with
such people able to issue contradictory orders
and confuse operations, the invasion would
have had every chance of succeeding.'
'And now?' said Tuppence.
Mr Grant smiled. 'And now,' he said, 'let
them come! We'll be ready for them!'
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
'Darling,' said Deborah, as they sat at a
table in the ballroom of the Ritz Hotel in
London, 'do you know I almost thought the
most terrible things about you?'
'Did you?' said Tuppence. 'When?'
Her eyes rested lovingly on her daughter's
dark head.
'That time when you went off to Scotland to
join Father and I thought you were with Aunt
Gracie. I almost thought you were having an
affair with someone.'
'Oh, Deb, did you?'
'Not really, of course. Not at your age. And
of course I knew you and Father are devoted
to each other. It was really an idiot called
Tony Marsdon who put it into my head. Do you
know, Mother, they discovered he was a Fifth
Columnist.'
'Did you like him at all?'
'Tony? Oh no - he was always so boring. Oh,
I must dance to this tune - I love it.'
She floated away in the arms of a fair-haired
young man, smiling up at him sweetly. Tuppence
followed their movements for a few minutes,
then her eyes looked over to where a tall
young man in Air Force uniform was dancing
with a slim, fair-haired girl.
'I do think, Tommy,' said Tuppence, 'that
our children are rather nice.'
'Here's Sheila,' said Tommy.
He got up as Sheila Perenna came towards their
table. She was dressed in a bright green evening
dress which showed up her dark beauty. It
was an unhappy beauty tonight and she greeted
her host and hostess rather ungraciously.
'I've come, you see,' she said, 'as I promised.
But I can't think why you wanted to ask me.'
'We have a nice partner for you to dance with,'
said Tommy smiling.
'I don't want to dance.'
'You will like the partner we've asked to
meet you,' said Tuppence grinning.
'I...' Sheila began. Then stopped, for Carl
von Deinim was walking across the floor. 'You!'
'I, myself,' said Carl.
There was something a little different about
Carl von Deinim this evening. Sheila stared
at him. The colour had come to her cheeks,
turning them a deep glowing red. She said
breathlessly, 'I thought they would keep you
interned?'
Carl shook his head. 'There is no reason to
intern me. You have got to forgive me, Sheila,
for lying to you. I am not, you see, Carl
von Deinim. I took his name for reasons of
my own.'
He looked questioningly at Tuppence, who said:
'Go ahead. Tell her.'
'Carl von Deinim was my friend. I knew him
in England some years ago. I renewed my friendship
with him in Germany just before the war. I
was there then on special business for this
country.'
'You were in British Intelligence?' asked
Sheila.
'Yes. And I had some very near escapes. My
plans were known when they should not have
been known. I realised that the service had
traitors in it. Carl was not a Nazi. He was
interested only in his job - a job I myself
had also worked at - research chemistry. He
decided, shortly before war broke out, to
escape to England. His brothers had been sent
to concentration camps. There would, he thought,
be great difficulties in the way of his own
escape, but in an almost miraculous way all
these difficulties were resolved rather effortlessly.
That fact, when he mentioned it to me, it
made me suspicious. Why were the authorities
making it so easy for von Deinim to leave
Germany? It seemed as though they wanted him
in England for some reason. My own position
was becoming increasingly dangerous. Carl's
lodgings were in the same house as mine and
one day I found him, to my great sadness,
lying dead on his bed. He had become depressed
and had taken his own life, leaving a letter
behind which I read and kept.
'I decided then to pretend to be Carl. I wanted
to get out of Germany - and I also wanted
to know why Carl was being encouraged to do
so. I dressed his body in my clothes and laid
it on my bed. His face was disfigured by the
shot he had fired into his head.
'With Carl von Deinim's papers I travelled
to England and went to the address to which
he had been recommended to go. The address
was Sans Souci. While I was there I played
the part of Carl von Deinim. At first I thought
that I should be made to work for the Nazis.
I realised later that the part for which my
poor friend had been chosen was that of scapegoat.
'When I was arrested on false evidence, I
said nothing. I wanted to reveal my own identity
as late as possible. I wanted to see what
would happen.'
'You should have told me,' Sheila complained.
He said gently, 'If you feel like that - I
am sorry.'
His eyes looked into hers. She looked at him
angrily and proudly - then the anger melted.
'I suppose you had to do what you did...'
'Darling, come and dance.' They moved off
together.
Tuppence sighed. 'Why did he search my room
that day? That led us in completely the wrong
direction.'
Tommy gave a laugh. 'I believe he thought
Mrs Blenkensop wasn't a very convincing person.
In fact - while we were suspecting him, he
was suspecting us.'
'Hello, you two,' said Derek Beresford as
he and his partner danced past his parents'
table. 'Why don't you come and dance?' He
smiled encouragingly at them.
'They are so kind to us, bless them,' said
Tuppence, praying to herself, 'Oh keep them
safe - don't let anything happen to them...'
She looked up to meet Tommy's eyes. He said,
'About that child - will we?'
'Betty? Oh, Tommy, I'm glad you've thought
of it, too! I thought it was just me being
motherly. You really mean it?'
'That we should adopt her? Why not? She's
had a very bad start in life, and it will
be fun for us to have someone young growing
up with us.'
'Oh Tommy!'
She stretched out her hand and squeezed his.
They looked at each other.
'We always do want the same things,' said
Tuppence happily.
Deborah, passing Derek on the floor, murmured
to him, 'Just look at those two - actually
holding hands! They're rather sweet, aren't
they? Poor things - they are having such a
boring time in this war. I think we really
must try to put more fun and excitement into
their lives...'
