Microbes of Power (Wallace of the Secret Service Series) (6 page)

‘You wish to see me?’ she asked.

He swung round to face a small, demure, pretty girl with fair hair and sparkling blue eyes.

‘By Jove!’ he exclaimed. ‘Aren’t you like your cousin Mary? I’m Hugh Shannon,’ he added, as he held out his hand. ‘You’ve surely heard of me? I’ve dozens of messages for you.’

‘Of course I’ve heard of you,’ she returned, losing her little hand completely in his huge paw. ‘How perfectly nice of you to come and see me!’

‘It would have been jolly churlish if I hadn’t. Besides, I’ve always heard such a lot about you. Funny we never met before, when we have so many mutual friends. Now what about dinner with me at the Palace, and a dance or something to follow?’

‘I should love it,’ she replied enthusiastically.

‘Right! Then I’ll call in a car for you at seven-thirty. That’s not too early, is it? We can’t rush cocktails, you know – bad for the digestion.’

She smiled.

‘You’ll get me a very bad reputation,’ she declared, ‘if you talk about cocktails here.’

‘I don’t believe it,’ he chuckled. ‘I’m sure the sweet-faced lady, who admitted me, would never have an objection to a little cocktail or two.’ Her brows puckered a little in perplexity, but he had seen an inch or so of dress showing at one side of the door, and had guessed that the housekeeper was standing there listening to the
conversation. ‘The girls here are jolly lucky,’ he went on. ‘What with that nice housekeeper and you, I guess they’re spoilt. You both look so good-natured. Are the other members of the staff as jolly?’

She did not quite understand, but she responded to his mood.

‘We’re quite a happy crowd here,’ she told him.

‘Splendid! Well, cheer-ho for the present, Barbara – I simply have to call you that, everybody talks of you as Barbara at home.’

She felt inclined to laugh outright, but controlled her features to a demure smile.

‘Au revoir, Mr Shannon. I’ll be ready at half past seven.’

‘Good,’ he said as they strolled out of the room together; ‘but none of that mister business. Since we’ve known about each other for so long, it’s got to be Barbara and Hugh. Don’t you think so?’ he added to the housekeeper, who was standing close by pretending to arrange flowers on a table.

She actually smiled at him. Barbara was astonished. It was a very unusual event for her to smile at anyone, but Shannon seemed to have captured her imagination. At her request he explained what had prompted his question. She agreed that it seemed very fitting and proper that, since they had so many mutual friends who called them by their Christian names, they should do likewise. She remained chatting with them in the hall for some minutes, then Shannon departed. He returned to the Palace, and went into conference with the maître d’hôtel about a secluded table, flowers, and other important items of a like nature. As soon as he had dressed, he sent for a car, and drove back to the high school. Sir Gordon Stevenson had invited him to dine at Government House, but he had declined, giving as an excuse that he had some important business to do. The governor had naturally not enquired what that business was, but Shannon chuckled to himself at the thought that he would certainly
be a trifle puzzled if he saw him dining tête-à-tête with Barbara Havelock.

He found her waiting demurely for him, attended by the housekeeper. In the car she confided that the latter had been very much attracted by him, and, in consequence, had fluttered round her in a most embarrassing fashion; had even offered to help her to dress.

‘It was my remark about her sweet face that did it, I expect,’ he laughed. ‘I knew she was listening outside the door, but I didn’t expect her to take what I said seriously. Does she generally hang about like that?’

‘Yes; she’s a regular nosy parker,’ replied the girl. ‘Several times I’ve had my belongings searched. It rather worried me at first, because – well, you know why. But the same thing has happened to all the others, so I don’t mind much now. She is not likely to find anything.’

‘You’re sure of that?’

‘Positive.’

‘You don’t think she suspects you of being – well, not quite what you seem to be?’

She laughed.

‘Good gracious, no! Why, most Cypriots are inquisitive like that.’

‘How long has she been housekeeper at the school?’

‘Oh, not very long. About three months, I should think. She is some sort of relation to Paul Michalis, the landowner, but hates him like poison. I believe she went to him when she was down on her luck, and he refused to help her.’

Shannon became thoughtful. That item of information interested him immensely, but he made no further reference to the housekeeper just then.

‘Shall we get over formalities while we are here?’ he suggested. ‘We cannot be overlooked, which saves the necessity of any sleight of hand.’

She nodded, and from somewhere in her clothing produced her Secret Service symbol which she showed to him, at the same time catching a glimpse of the replica, but with a different number on it, which was cupped in the palm of his hand. Satisfied, those very valuable and secret symbols disappeared again from view.

‘That’s that,’ he observed. ‘Now, you and I, Barbara, are going to give ourselves up to enjoyment for a few hours. Afterwards we talk. I understand the band of the Palace is good and the dance floor excellent. When we have dined, we dance,
n’ est ce pas
? Don’t be terrified! I won’t crush you or crash my elephantine hoofs upon your little feet. I may be large, but even my wife admits that I can dance.’

‘It will be lovely!’ she decided. ‘I feel certain I am going to have a perfectly scrumptious evening.’

‘Good word “scrumptious”,’ he commented, ‘though for some reason it seems to be reserved for the use of females only. Helen uses it a lot.’

‘Who’s Helen?’ she asked.

‘Just my wife!’ he told her. ‘You must meet her some day. You’ll love each other.’

She caught the look in his eyes, and sighed a little. It must be rather wonderful, she reflected, to be loved by a man like the great, splendid fellow by her side, for she had already formed her opinion of him. When a little later they stood together in the lounge, she, exquisitely dainty in a rose pink, daringly low-cut evening gown, which showed off her white shoulders and neck to perfection, her fair hair shimmering in the light, her blue eyes sparkling, he, tall,
broad, good-looking, essentially masculine, every inch a man, they felt a great admiration for each other. He never forgot her as he saw her then – his memory appeared to take a photograph that time could not efface.

‘Shall we sit?’ he suggested, as he relieved her of her cloak.

They lingered over their cocktails, talking frankly and animatedly about a variety of subjects, but never touching on the one that had brought them together. Shannon’s conference with the maître d’hôtel had certainly borne fruit. When they entered the restaurant, they were conducted, with every appearance of deference, to a table in an alcove screened by palms, and far enough from the band to render the music delightful. The girl gave a little cry of sheer pleasure, when she saw the masses of blooms tastefully arranged on the table. She buried her face in them, glorying in the perfume. Afterwards she looked up at him with shining eyes.

‘It is fortunate you don’t come often to Nicosia,’ she remarked. ‘You would utterly spoil me, which would be exceedingly bad for a hard-working schoolmistress.’

‘I don’t think it would be possible to spoil you,’ he returned soberly.

‘How nice of you,’ she murmured, ‘to say that.’

The dinner had been chosen with care, the wines were excellent, the champagne being of a particularly good vintage and served at exactly the right temperature. Barbara enjoyed herself immensely, though she drank very sparingly. She did most of the talking, Shannon being quite content to listen to her gay, vivacious chatter. He learnt that her father had been an army officer who had been killed during the War, and, although she did not mention his name, he knew she referred to Major Brien, when she spoke of a man who
had been a great friend of her father’s, and had kept an eye on her since his death.

‘I owe so much to him,’ she remarked softly. ‘Dad left Mother and me rather badly off, and he took full responsibility for my education. It was difficult to persuade him to let me join the SS – that stands for “School Service” in case you don’t know –’ she smiled up at him – ‘but I succeeded in the end, and here I am.’

‘And do you like your work?’ he asked quietly.

‘I love it,’ was her enthusiastic response. ‘There is not a great deal of scope for one’s talents here, but I hope one day to be given a more important post. I have yet to achieve my greatest ambition.’

‘What is that, Barbara?’

She glanced round her; then leant towards him.

‘I have never met the chief,’ she whispered. ‘I have not even seen him. I am longing for the time to come, when I shall be able to see him and speak to him.’

‘The time will come all right,’ Shannon assured her, also in a very low voice. ‘Although B. does the actual selecting of agents abroad, and travels round from time to time on tours of inspection, L.W. keeps in very close touch with even the routine work. He generally is too occupied with major matters to have time for tours of inspection, but he carries out surprise visits sometimes. If you are not recalled to fill another post – as I believe you will be – you may be sure he’ll turn up here sooner or later.’

‘He must be marvellous,’ she breathed, clasping her hands together in her ardour.

He smiled at her enthusiasm.

‘That’s the spirit I like,’ he approved. ‘He is certainly brilliant, altogether charming and, in many ways, amazing. But, on first acquaintance with him, you’ll probably be terribly disappointed.’

‘Oh, why?’

‘Because he appears so utterly casual and uninterested. He’ll make you wonder how the man you see before you can have possibly performed the feats he has.’

‘Forewarned is forearmed,’ she smiled. ‘I know now what to expect, and I
won’t
be disappointed. My toes are simply itching to dance, Hugh. Shall we?’

He rose promptly to his feet.

‘We certainly shall,’ he declared.

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.