‘I suppose so. Still, it might be managed. He’s an attractive young man, you know.’
‘Meaning, the girls will tell him things? But what girls? No Generals’ or Admirals’ daughters floating around here. Perhaps he walks out with a Company Commander in the ATS.’
‘Be quiet, Tommy. We ought to be taking this seriously.’
‘I am taking it seriously. It’s just that I feel we’re on a wild-goose chase.’
Tuppence said seriously:
‘It’s too early to say that. After all, nothing’s going to be obvious about this business. What about Mrs Perenna?’
‘Yes,’ said Tommy thoughtfully. ‘There’s Mrs Perenna, I admit—she does want explaining.’
Tuppence said in a business-like tone:
‘What about us? I mean, how are we going to cooperate?’
Tommy said thoughtfully:
‘We mustn’t be seen about too much together.’
‘No, it would be fatal to suggest we know each other better than we appear to do. What we want to decide is the attitude. I think—yes, I think—pursuit is the best angle.’
‘Pursuit?’
‘Exactly. I pursue you. You do your best to escape, but being a mere chivalrous male don’t always succeed. I’ve had two husbands and I’m on the look-out for a third. You act the part of the hunted widower. Every now and then I pin you down somewhere, pen you in a café, catch you walking on the front. Everyone sniggers and thinks it very funny.’
‘Sounds feasible,’ agreed Tommy.
Tuppence said: ‘There’s a kind of age-long humour about the chased male. That ought to stand us in good stead. If we are seen together, all anyone will do is to snigger and say, “Look at poor old Meadowes.”’
Tommy gripped her arm suddenly.
‘Look,’ he said. ‘Look ahead of you.’
By the corner of one of the shelters a young man stood talking to a girl. They were both very earnest, very wrapped up in what they were saying.
Tuppence said softly:
‘Carl von Deinim. Who’s the girl, I wonder?’
‘She’s remarkably good-looking, whoever she is.’
Tuppence nodded. Her eyes dwelt thoughtfully on the dark passionate face, and on the tight-fitting pullover that revealed the lines of the girl’s figure. She was talking earnestly, with emphasis. Carl von Deinim was listening to her.
Tuppence murmured:
‘I think this is where you leave me.’
‘Right,’ agreed Tommy.
He turned and strolled in the opposite direction.
At the end of the promenade he encountered Major Bletchley. The latter peered at him suspiciously and then grunted out, ‘Good morning.’
‘Good morning.’
‘See you’re like me, an early riser,’ remarked Bletchley.
Tommy said:
‘One gets in the habit of it out East. Of course, that’s many years ago now, but I still wake early.’
‘Quite right, too,’ said Major Bletchley with approval. ‘God, these young fellows nowadays make me sick. Hot baths—coming down to breakfast at ten o’clock or later. No wonder the Germans have been putting it over on us. No stamina. Soft lot of young pups. Army’s not what it was, anyway. Coddle ’em, that’s what they do nowadays. Tuck ’em up at night with hot-water bottles. Faugh! Makes me sick!’
Tommy shook his head in melancholy fashion and Major Bletchley, thus encouraged, went on:
‘Discipline, that’s what we need. Discipline. How are we going to win the war without discipline? Do you know, sir, some of these fellows come on parade in slacks—so I’ve been told. Can’t expect to win a war that way. Slacks! My God!’
Mr Meadowes hazarded the opinion that things were very different from what they had been.
‘It’s all this democracy,’ said Major Bletchley gloomily. ‘You can overdo anything. In my opinion they’re overdoing the democracy business. Mixing up the officers and the men, feeding together in restaurants—Faugh!—the men don’t like it, Meadowes. The troops know. The troops always know.’
‘Of course,’ said Mr Meadowes, ‘I have no real knowledge of Army matters myself—’
The Major interrupted him, shooting a quick sideways glance. ‘In the show in the last war?’
‘Oh yes.’
‘Thought so. Saw you’d been drilled. Shoulders. What regiment?’
‘Fifth Corfeshires.’ Tommy remembered to produce Meadowes’ military record.
‘Ah yes, Salonica!’
‘Yes.’
‘I was in Mespot.’
Bletchley plunged into reminiscences. Tommy listened politely. Bletchley ended up wrathfully.
‘And will they make use of me now? No, they will not. Too old. Too old be damned. I could teach one or two of these young cubs something about war.’
‘Even if it’s only what not to do?’ suggested Tommy with a smile.
‘Eh, what’s that?’
A sense of humour was clearly not Major Bletchley’s strong suit. He peered suspiciously at his companion. Tommy hastened to change the conversation.
‘Know anything about that Mrs—Blenkensop, I think her name is?’
‘That’s right, Blenkensop. Not a bad-looking woman—bit long in the tooth—talks too much. Nice woman, but foolish. No, I don’t know her. She’s only been at Sans Souci a couple of days.’ He added: ‘Why do you ask?’
Tommy explained.
‘Happened to meet her just now. Wondered if she was always out as early as this?’
‘Don’t know, I’m sure. Women aren’t usually given to walking before breakfast—thank God,’ he added.
‘Amen,’ said Tommy. He went on: ‘I’m not much good at making polite conversation before breakfast. Hope I wasn’t rude to the woman, but I wanted my exercise.’
Major Bletchley displayed instant sympathy.
‘I’m with you, Meadowes. I’m with you. Women are all very well in their place, but not before breakfast.’ He chuckled a little. ‘Better be careful, old man. She’s a widow, you know.’
‘Is she?’
The Major dug him cheerfully in the ribs.
‘We know what widows are. She’s buried two husbands and if you ask me she’s on the look-out for number three. Keep a very wary eye open, Meadowes. A wary eye. That’s my advice.’
And in high good humour Major Bletchley wheeled about at the end of the parade and set the pace for a smart walk back to breakfast at Sans Souci.
In the meantime, Tuppence had gently continued her walk along the esplanade, passing quite close to the shelter and the young couple talking there. As she passed she caught a few words. It was the girl speaking.
‘But you must be careful, Carl. The very least suspicion—’
Tuppence was out of earshot. Suggestive words? Yes, but capable of any number of harmless interpretations. Unobtrusively she turned and