Microbes of Power (Wallace of the Secret Service Series) Page 8

‘We certainly shall,’ he declared.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Kidnapped in Nicosia

  Barbara Havelock was very nearly in a state of ecstasy for the next couple of hours. She and Shannon danced almost continuously. The band and floor she knew well, having very often danced at the Palace – both were generally considered to be excellent – but Shannon was quite a new experience. She had never possessed a partner of such massive proportions before, and had rather expected her small, slim form to be entirely enveloped by him. She was amazed to find that, instead of there being any awkwardness in their combination, they moved together with ease and in perfect harmony. For such a big man, Shannon was a beautiful dancer; the sense of rhythm was in his bones, and he was astonishingly light and graceful in his movements. Before they had been dancing long, Barbara felt that she had never had such a partner. Being expert herself in her almost ethereal way, she was a very good judge. She was quite content to lose herself in blissful enjoyment, and listen to him now. He talked mostly about his wife, and she grew to admire him more than ever in consequence; began to look forward to meeting one day this Helen of his for whom he obviously had such great devotion.

  ‘Do you know,’ he confided once, ‘you and she dance very much like each other. You’re both fairylike. I have to keep looking down at you to make sure you’re there.’

  At first the pair had created a certain amount of suppressed amusement among the other dancers in the room. They had appeared ill-matched; he was so enormous, she so small and slender. But, before long, they had become the admiration of the room, and remarks were passed in their hearing which brought a flush of embarrassment to Shannon’s face and a smile of frank pleasure to the girl’s. It was approaching midnight when, at last, with a sigh of mingled happiness and regret, she declared that she could dance no longer. He procured her cloak, and they wandered out into the beautiful hotel gardens lighted picturesquely by myriads of little lamps hanging from the trees. Finding two cushioned wicker chairs and a table in a secluded spot, they sat down. His order for liquid refreshment was quickly obeyed by an attentive waiter and, with glasses pleasantly tinkling with ice before them, the enchanting perfume of violets and narcissi enrapturing their senses, they spoke for the first time of the matter that had brought them together. There was nobody within hearing, but to make doubly sure they talked in little above a whisper.

  She repeated more or less what she had put in her coded report to headquarters, describing more fully, of course, the excitement that had prevailed in Nicosia on the arrival and during the stay of Plasiras and Bikelas.

  ‘Work seemed to be completely suspended by all except the Muslim part of the population,’ she stated. ‘The people congregated in groups in the streets and public gardens, talking excitedly. As soon as any English people approached, they dropped their voices, looked thoroughly mysterious and rather like a lot of sheepish conspirators. Some of them scowled. I don’t think they are very clear themselves what they expect the two Greeks to do for them, but it is quite obvious that they are expecting some great benefit. I am afraid my channels of enquiry have not produced a great deal, but the reason for that is, as I have said, that the Cypriots themselves are so vague about the conspiracy. What it really amounts to is that a report was circulated by some mysterious agency that, if they were prepared to throw in their lot with Bikelas and Plasiras, when called upon, great benefits would be conferred upon them which might include deliverance from the British yoke.’

  ‘By Jove!’ exclaimed Shannon. ‘That certainly is something to get a grip on, and you say your channels of enquiry have not produced a great deal! I think that’s quite a lot myself.’

  ‘But it’s so frightfully indefinite, isn’t it? After all, nobody apparently knows from where the rumour originated.’

  ‘But the people have obviously taken it seriously.’

  ‘Yes; they have taken it seriously enough. I found out about this, after I had sent in my first report.’

  ‘You sent another, I suppose?’

  She nodded.

  ‘Yes; it went on Wednesday. As you probably know, all I was able to say in my first cable was that Plasiras, Bikelas, the two Bulgarians and the Italian had arrived, describe the extraordinary reception they had received, and the tension that was prevailing here. I was also able to state that the people were speaking of the Greeks as deliverers, though I had been unable to find out what they meant by that. As I say, they were, and are, rather uncertain themselves. Now I have been able to add, as I have told you, that they expect great benefits, which might include deliverance from what is called the British yoke; that is, if they throw in their lot with the Greeks. What the Greeks are intending to do I don’t know, and I don’t think the Cypriots do either – neither do I, nor they, know what throwing in their lot exactly implies. Most of them think it means an organised rising.’

  ‘And are they prepared to rise?’

  ‘I think they must be – they are so enthusiastic, you see.’

  ‘You mentioned that also in your cable?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Good girl. L.W. will have put the Colonial Office wise by now, and instructions will be received by the governor to make preparations quietly. You have done jolly good work, Barbara, in spite of your assertion that your investigations have not produced a great deal.’

  ‘It seemed so little to me,’ she confessed. ‘I should have liked to have discovered all that is happening, for there is obviously a great conspiracy brewing.’

  ‘My dear girl,’ he laughed, ‘don’t be greedy! Leave something for me to find out. Are the people who are working for you quite reliable?’

  ‘Quite. They are both Syrians, and entirely devoted to Major B. It was he who sent them here.’

  ‘Oh, that’s good hearing. I should hate you to be in danger. You haven’t been conducting any investigations yourself, have you?’

  She was silent a moment; then she nodded slightly.

  ‘I have been doing a little – when I thought it was quite safe,’ she confessed. ‘I haven’t taken risks.’

  ‘But, my dear girl, you mustn’t do things like that. Apart from the danger in which you might involve yourself – that, in our game, doesn’t count, of course, if it is necessary – you might render your position here useless. If it was suspected that you were collecting and giving information to the British Intelligence Department, your usefulness would cease at once. Don’t let your keenness get the better of your discretion, Barbara. The men placed under your orders must be left to conduct investigations, while you must be content to receive their information, send it home, and give them instructions. Remember always that by keeping in the background you will accomplish the best work and more thoroughly earn L.W.’s approval. Besides, you must not run your pretty little head into danger.’

  ‘Why shouldn’t I take my chance of that like you and the rest, who do the big things?’ she murmured.

  ‘So you do, simply because you are the SSA here,’ he reminded her gently, ‘but it is your duty not to do anything that might involve you in discovery. For God’s sake, Barbara,’ he added hastily as he noticed her woebegone expression, ‘don’t think I’m preaching. I’m not. I’m trying to be big brotherly, and give you a little advice. I’ve been in the game for several years now, and you won’t resent it, I know. You’ve done such jolly good work that I don’t want you to spoil it by taking needless risks.’

  She turned and smiled at him.

  ‘I understand – and thank you. I promise to be more careful in the future, Hugh.’

  ‘Splendid!’ he returned, and gave her hand a little pat. ‘I suppose,’ he asked, lowering his voice again, ‘you did not find out where Radoloff, Doreff and Bruno come in?’

  ‘No,’ she told him regretfully; ‘that seemed to be a puzzle to everybody. It was also a great puzzle why they all departed so suddenly with Paul Michalis on Wednesday. They booked their passages for Marseilles.’

  ‘Yes; I’m aware of that, and
I’m hanged if I can guess why. I’ll know before morning whether or not they changed their minds and disembarked at Constantinople. If they remained on board, I’ll leave here for Naples by air tomorrow, and I shall be on the boat with them to Marseilles.’

  ‘You’re leaving – tomorrow?’ she asked, and he caught the note of regret in her voice.

  ‘I must,’ he declared, giving her hand a brotherly little pat again, ‘but I’ll be back with Helen before long. I’m due for a spot of leave – we’ll spend it here. She’ll badly want to know you, when I’ve told her about you.’

  ‘That will be lovely,’ she cried enthusiastically. ‘I’m awfully keen to meet her, too. By the way, do you know that Monsieur Bikelas and Signor Bruno are accompanied by their wives?’

  ‘Yes. That seems like a blind to me. They are carting the wives about to give their trip an appearance of innocence. I believe there’s a lady companion and a couple of secretaries as well.’

  ‘Yes, but I don’t suppose they are connected with the conspiracy.’

  ‘One never knows, Barbara. I’ve found more than once that the most innocent-looking and innocent-seeming people are the most dangerous. Did you learn the names of the secretaries and companion by any chance?’

  ‘I – I’m afraid I didn’t,’ she replied, rather as though she thought she had failed to do something she should not have neglected.

  ‘It doesn’t matter. I’ll find them out soon enough when I’m on the boat from Naples to Marseilles.’ He leant towards her. ‘You are quite sure,’ he asked earnestly, ‘that the housekeeper at the school is not watching you for a purpose; that is to say, that she has not been put in by the opposite party, because they suspect you?’

  ‘I am convinced that that is not so,’ she assured him. ‘Why should I be suspected? Besides, she hates Paul Michalis. She is hardly likely to work on behalf of a cause he supports.’

  ‘The hate may be all pretence – in fact, the whole business, her ill luck, his refusal to help her, may have been arranged for the very purpose of throwing dust in the eyes of others. It may sound imaginative, but in our job, you know, Barbara, we can’t afford to take anything for granted. We have to be on our guard all the time, and suspect every darned circumstance and person we come up against.’

  ‘You make me feel a terrible tyro,’ she sighed.

  ‘Sorry! I don’t mean to. But do be careful of that woman. I hate the look of her. Do your Syrians come to you in the ordinary way of business? I mean to say, have their visits to you the appearance of complete innocence? You don’t meet them surreptitiously?’

  ‘Oh, no. One is a laundryman and the other a gardener who looks after the school gardens. As I am in charge of the gardens, any conversation I have with him is a perfectly natural event, isn’t it?’

  ‘Quite. Well, that’s a relief.’

  ‘Hugh,’ she accused him, ‘I believe you think I have no common sense at all.’

  ‘Good Heavens!’ he returned in a tone of alarm, ‘don’t get ideas into your head like that. I think you’re splendid. And now we’re going to have a final little drink before I take you back to the school. Will you have something stronger than lemon squash this time? Can I recommend a gin sling or a horse’s neck?’

  ‘Dear me, no!’ she laughed. ‘I believe I’d like a cup of coffee.’

  ‘What, this time of the night! You won’t sleep.’

  ‘I will. Nothing keeps me awake.’

  He looked round to find the waiter; suddenly stiffened. In a moment he was on his feet.

  ‘Doesn’t seem to be about,’ he murmured to Barbara by way of explanation, and in order not to alarm her. ‘I’ll go and fetch him.’

  Standing by a tree a few yards to their rear he had thought to see the housekeeper. There was no sign of the person now, but he walked quickly to the place, rounded the tree, and came suddenly upon a table at which were seated two people, a man and a woman. The woman was the housekeeper at Barbara’s school. She looked up at him with easy assurance.

  ‘I was right,’ she remarked. ‘It was the big Englishman sitting with the little Miss Havelock.’

  Shannon gave no indication of his feelings.

  ‘I recognised you standing by the tree, as I rose to call the waiter,’ he told her. ‘I thought perhaps you might join us, but I see you are not alone. Your pardon, madame.’

  She laughed.

  ‘There is not the need to apologise,’ she returned. ‘I thought it was you, when we took our places here, so I went by the tree to make certain. This is my brother. He called for me to come to the dance. I say I am getting too old, but he insist.’

  Shannon bowed to the dark-visaged, oily-looking man sitting by her side. He looked the typical gigolo type, though he certainly lacked the excessive politeness of the breed. He had not even troubled to rise from his chair, when the Englishman addressed his supposed sister. Shannon remained chatting casually for a minute or two; then passed on. He was wholly unconvinced by the explanation of her presence; felt decidedly troubled. He scented danger, and resolved to warn Barbara, even if it meant alarming her. Having given the necessary order to a waiter he found close by, he returned to the table, sat down, and took out his cigarette case with an appearance of smiling unconcern. Eyes, he felt, would be watching him intently. Barbara accepted a cigarette, blew a thin spiral of smoke into the air. At that moment she looked thoroughly happy and content. It was a pity, he reflected, to be forced to spoil her enjoyment.

  ‘Keep on smiling, Barbara,’ he murmured, a smile on his own face, ‘but I’m afraid I’m going to give you a shock. We are being watched.’ Her hand, he noticed, shook a little as she raised the cigarette to her lips, but she gave no other sign that she was startled. ‘Your housekeeper friend is seated at a table a little way behind us with a greasy-looking bounder wearing a dress suit that I’ll swear was borrowed. She told me that he is her brother, and called for her to come to the dance. Most unconvincing, of course; for one thing it is too much of a coincidence.’

  ‘People like that don’t come here to dance,’ she whispered. She continued to smile, but he read the trouble in her eyes. ‘It was rather an absurd explanation.’

  ‘She had to say something. I must say I admire her sang froid. She greeted me in the coolest manner possible, without a trace of embarrassment, and my action in going straight to her must have been a bit of a shock. I caught sight of the woman as I looked round for the waiter. I’m afraid, old girl, that your faith in her will have to undergo revision. I am pretty certain now that she is in league with Michalis and company. Something must have made them suspicious of you, and she was installed in the school to watch.’ He saw her underlip tremble, and, in his generous, sympathetic way, took hold of her hand.

  ‘It seems that, after all, I have failed to make good,’ she whispered, and something in her tone went straight to his heart. ‘Oh, Hugh, I feel awful about it.’

  ‘Don’t be silly!’ he laughed. ‘Because they suspect you, doesn’t mean to say that they have anything particular to go on.’

  ‘Even if they haven’t, my usefulness here as L.W.’s agent is gone completely. You know it is – you said as much a little while ago.’

  They were silent, while the waiter placed his whisky and her coffee on the table. Shannon took such little heed of the amount of soda the man poured into his glass that he was given more than he desired, but his thoughts were very far from whisky and soda at that moment. He signed the chit, and waited until their attendant had departed then:

  ‘I may be altogether wrong,’ he pronounced. ‘The appearance of that woman here may be quite innocent, and—’

  ‘You know it is not,’ she interrupted, ‘and I know it is not. I have been too confident, and this is the result. What makes me feel so terrible is that I have not only proved myself useless as a secret agent, but I have brought you under suspicion also. If they think that you are on their track they may – may attempt to kill you.’ She shivered slightly. ‘Can’t you imagine how
I feel?’

  ‘You’re being a baby now,’ he returned, giving her hand, which he still retained, an encouraging little squeeze. ‘What I should like to know is what first caused them to suspect you.’

  ‘My own foolishness, I suppose,’ she replied bitterly. ‘I can see it all now. You know perhaps that Plasiras and Bikelas came to Nicosia last November, a few weeks before they made their disastrous attempt to overthrow the Greek government?’ He nodded. ‘When they had departed, there seemed a good deal of unrest here, and I tried to find out what caused it. I not only had the two Syrians investigating, but I did a certain amount of private enquiry work myself. I thought I was being very careful and prudent, but I can see now how injudicious it was. It was after that that Madame Malampos was appointed housekeeper.’

  ‘I see,’ he nodded. ‘Yes; it does look as though you made a mistake then. But don’t worry, Barbara; we all make mistakes sometimes. You won’t fall into the same error again.’

  ‘I shall not have the chance. L.W. is hardly likely to trust me again.’

  ‘Nonsense.’

  ‘Do you think she has overheard our conversation tonight?’

  ‘Not a chance. I have been on the watch all the time. Nobody could have approached without my knowing. I rather suspect the dear lady was doing her utmost to catch what we were saying when she was standing by that tree. She couldn’t have heard a sound, however, which must have riled her a lot. There’s another possibility, of which we must not lose sight. On my arrival in Nicosia, I went to call on the governor, and stayed for lunch. Afterwards I was taken to the aerodrome in one of the official cars by his ADC. Perhaps my movements were watched and regarded with suspicion. It is quite likely, you know. In that case it may be I who am bringing danger upon you, by associating with you.’

  She smiled at him, and shook her head.

  ‘I believe you are trying to console me,’ she declared. ‘Englishmen are continually arriving on the island, and calling on Sir Gordon Stevenson. There is nothing strange in that. Neither is the fact that you lunched with him, and went to the air force depot in his car. In fact your movements were calculated to allay suspicion. I quite realise that. Anybody who was taking an interest in you would at once conclude that there was nothing sinister in your appearance here. They would naturally think that a man who was in Cyprus on a mission of investigation would do his utmost to avoid notice. He would not go about in the open manner you have adopted. No, Hugh, I am the villainess of the piece. Mrs Malampos would not be watching you.’