Storm Music (1934) (10 page)

We knew neither what had happened nor what to do; we only knew that we had to take some action and take it at once.

At eleven o'clock that Thursday I led the way into the kitchen, took my seat at the table, and opened the map.

"I must leave you, Nell," I said quietly. "There's no other way."

Helena nodded, and a hand went up to her head.

"What will you do, John?"

"I must get a lift at Witchcraft and hire a car where I can." I considered the map. "I should think I'd get one at Sabbot. From there I must drive to Salzburg for all I'm worth." I drew some paper towards me and started to make some notes. "If I leave Sabbot at one, I ought to be at Salzburg by—"

An exclamation from Helena snapped the sentence in two.

I looked up sharply.

There was horror in her beautiful eyes— and these were fast on the paper on which I was making my notes.

"What is it, Nell?" I cried, rising. She clapped her hands to her face. "Oh, John," she wailed, "that paper ..."

For an instant I stared at the sheet— one of a cheap grey packet which, when we had asked her for notepaper, the forester's wife had produced. Then I stepped to my darling and put my arms about her, for the blood was out of her face and I thought she had seen some terror of second sight.

She strove to keep her voice steady. "Listen, John. I think that paper has told me why Geoffrey isn't here. You wrote to him in pencil; the pencil was blunt, and you pressed." She pointed a trembling finger. "There on that sheet's the impression of what you wrote."

This was true. The sheet which I had been using bore the impression of the letter I had written three days before.

"That's very true, my darling. But what of that? No one's been here to—"

"D'you remember our last patrol how, when we parted, I offered to wire to your cousin? And you said yes, and I did. But I wrote out the wire on a pad of writing-paper— and the pencil was blunt."

"You mean—"

"The pad was on the library table. If Pharaoh saw it and read it, it gave him your cousin's address. Supposing he wired the next morning, while we were talking to Freda, here in this room ... Supposing he wired, as I did, using your name ... Supposing he said Return ..."

Return. The word seemed to sear my brain. Return— to Plumage, of course.

The sweat came out on my forehead. I could see them alighting on the apron— to be greeted by Bugle and Rush ...

"I must go at once," I said, and picked up the map.

"To Plumage, John?" I nodded.

"I must get a car somehow and drive there as fast as I can. I can hide the car near the high road and go through the woods to the farm. There's not an instant to lose— we're three days late. God knows where Freda is— I can only hope and pray that she's missed her train."

Together we studied the map.

From Sabbot to Plumage was roughly fifty-five miles.

I glanced at my watch.

"With average luck," said I, "I ought to be there not later than half past three."

"And then," said Helena quietly.

"My sweet, I don't know. I've got to find out something and to act on what I find out. And now for you. You mustn't stay in the cottage; you must spend the day in the forest and keep out of sight. And I'll come back, my darling, as soon as ever I can."

Helena cupped her face in her hands. "Oh, John, must you go?"

"Yes, my sweet." I said quietly. "In view of what may have happened, I can't wait here. We banked on Freda's coming— you know we did. And she's more than three hours overdue. It scares me stiff to leave you alone like this! It frightens me so much that if I knew that Freda'd be here this evening I'd wait till then. But supposing the sun goes down, but she doesn't come ..."

Helena closed her eyes.

"You're right," she said. "You must go. But, oh, for God's sake be careful!"

Chapter 12.

BEFORE I left her installed in the bower from which we had watched for my cousin two evenings before, I carried the cradle thither and all that she and the baby might need that day, and I made her give me her word that, even though Freda should come, she would not enter the cottage if she could avoid so doing by any possible means.

While I spoke she stood very quiet with her eyes on the ground. When I had done:

"Until you come back, you say. And supposing ... you don't ... come back?"

She was close in my arms and her cheek was tight against mine.

"I shall come back, my darling. You see, I've got to, because I belong to you. I mustn't be hurt or taken because I'm your man."

Two minutes later I was treading the path to Witchcraft, and the bracken which veiled my lady was out of my sight.

At half-past six that evening I made the woods behind Plumage, and five minutes later I was lying just clear of their foliage, surveying the back of the farm. The stars had fought against me, and my journey had taken far longer than I had hoped, but now I saw very clearly that all I could do was to watch, for that I must go no closer until it was dark.

From where I now lay there was nothing at all to observe: I therefore re-entered the woods and cautiously moved round their fringe, stopping from time to time to peer at the farm, but all I saw were the farm-hands about their business and a groom that was not Axel cleaning a bit. Still moving south, I came to the sturdy stream which flowed in front of Plumage and watered the meadows beyond: if I was to view the apron this water had to be crossed, but a hundred yards up I found a little footbridge which, since I could see no movement, I ventured to use. I then turned west and followed the water down till I saw before me the bushes that were squiring the last of the trees. A moment later I was parting the undergrowth.

I WAS now not far from the lane which led up to the farm, and for one who was content to observe I could not have been better placed, for while I was over the water and very well hid, I could see the stone bridge and the apron and all the front of the house and could hear every car that was coming a long time before it arrived. But from here I could not have approached as I could from the north, for the stream was an obstacle and the ground to be traversed was very much more exposed.

The apron was empty, and though doors and windows were open, there was no one at all to be seen; but since near two hours must go by before I could leave the woods, I decided to stay where I was till the sun went down.

So I picked a spot in the bushes and settled down to observe.

It was forty minutes later that Bugle came out of the house.

I think that he had been sleeping, for he yawned and stretched and looked about him, as a man that has only just waked. Then he took his seat on a bench by the side of the door and a servant brought out a tankard and set it down by his side.

It was eight o'clock and the light was beginning to fail when I heard the sigh of the Rolls on the road of approach.

A moment later the car swept over the bridge, and Bugle laid down his pipe and got to his feet.

I saw that Dewdrop was driving and that Pharaoh sat by his side.

Pharaoh stayed but two minutes. For that time he spoke to Bugle, who listened with evident interest to what he said. Then he nodded to Dewdrop, who instantly let in his clutch. Bugle stood watching till Pharaoh was out of sight; then he turned on his heel and went into the house.

And that was all.

As I made my way back to the footbridge I tried my best to believe that the visit which I had just witnessed was Pharaoh's evening call. He had been out scouring the country for news of my lady and me and was now returning to Yorick with empty hands. It was no doubt his practice to visit Plumage like this, to see that Rush and Bugle were doing as they had been told. And yet—

I had crossed the water when I heard the sound of a car. This seemed to come from the farm. I heard the engine started, and as I stood still, listening, I heard her move off in low gear. Almost at once she was stopped. Then another low gear was engaged and she moved again.

The sounds for me were pregnant. I had made them too often myself. Bugle or Rush was withdrawing their car from the coach-house and driving her on to the apron ready for use.

Sure enough, after a moment the car came to rest.

I hastened on desperately.

The light, I have said, was failing, but dusk would not come in for another half hour. Yet to wait so long might well be to throw away a chance that was already passing. . . . Two minutes later I was flat against the trunk of a lime that was standing twelve feet from the window of what had been my bedroom four days before.

One of the lower windows belonged to the primitive bathroom which Geoffrey and I had used; and since this was sure to be empty at this time of day, here was as safe an entry as the faintest of hearts could desire.

I whipped from the lime to the window and swung myself over the sill.

Now had the car left, I should have heard her, for she was by no means silent and the evening was very still; it was therefore clear that the rogues were somewhere at hand, and I wondered if they were at table, for Bugle had not eaten between seven and eight o'clock.

I made bold to open my door, which gave to the hall.

It was half-past eight now, and the hall was dim.

The front door was still wide open, and beyond, on the apron, I could see the rear of the car. Its engine was not running, but it was facing the bridge. I could hear no sound of talking, but I knew that Rush was yet in the sitting room.

Then Bugle, pacing the apron, strolled into and out of my view.

It occurred to me that he was waiting for Rush to finish his meal; then the two would go off together and I should be left. Meanwhile Pharaoh was in action ... I very nearly decided to let the reconnaissance go and return to my car. Unless I did that, there was nothing to do but wait as I had already waited— for more than two hours.

Rush was moving— I heard the scrape of his chair as he thrust it back. An instant later he opened the sitting-room door.

For a moment he stood in the doorway, lighting a cigarette. Then he let out a filthy belch, lounged to the head of the steps and made his way out of the house.

I heard him say something to Bugle and I saw him turn to the right.

As neither reappeared or started the car it looked very much as though they were sitting down on the bench to the right of the steps. If I was right, then a man at the sitting-room window would be above and behind them and able, if they were talking, to overhear every word.

It seemed that my chance had come.

Trembling with excitement, I began to steal down the passage, over the flags.

"YES, I know that bit," said Rush. "I've 'eard it before. But if he's such a — marvel, where's Bohun gone? Bohun was boun' to be here on Monday night. 'Cos why? 'Cos Pharaoh'd wired him— 'cos Pharaoh desired 'is presence. Well, that's three days ago, an' he ain't here yet."

"What's Bohun matter?" said Bugle. '"Er grace the Duchess of Sheba is what we want."

"Who said he mattered?" said Rush. "I never said he mattered. Wot I said was that Pharaoh knows 'ow to slip up. 'Oh, don't talk silly,' you says. 'Pharaoh's a — genius, and geniuses don't slip up.' 'All right,' I says. 'Where's Bohun?'" In manifest dudgeon he sucked his cigarette. "Pharaoh said he'd be here on Monday night. He — near told us the soot of clothes he'd have on. Well, he' isn't here, is he? I don't say Bohun matters, but I'd just as soon know where he is. He may be a — artist, but he knows how to use a gun."

"Now, look 'ere, Rush," said Bugle, crossing his legs. '"Ow many you can mention could of done wot Pharaoh's done. Oh, —," said he, and spat on the flags. "He crooked his finger at you, an' you came to heel."

The other sprang to his feet with a filthy oath, but before he could answer Bugle was standing, too.

"Sit down," he ordered. "You know why I was took on. If I was to hit you once, you wouldn't open no doors for the nex' three weeks." Rush subsided, muttering, and Bugle resumed his seat. "Tell the tale if you like, but don't try an' tell it to me. You was, took on as I was, just as glad of the job. 'I want you,' says Pharaoh— that's all."

"All?" yelped Rush. "Why—"

"All right, all right," said Bugle, as though he were sick and tired of the other's complaints. "Call it a game. Sign on with 'im, an' you've got to take wot's comin'— that's all I meant."

Encouraged by this surrender—

"Yes, an' wot is comin'?" said Rush. "That's wot I want to know. I judge a man by results. Three weeks tomorrow we've been here, an' wot's your Napoleon done? I'll tell you." Bugle groaned. "In the firs' place he's been beat by a girl an' a groom. He knew they was comin', an' he knew they was carryin' gold: an' they got away.

"IF we'd roped the road, we'd of had them; but when I made the suggestion he tells me to shut my face. An' wot else has he done— that counts? He's let us all in for murder— that's wot he's done. As long as young Arthur walks, there's a rope round each of our necks."

"He won't walk long," said Bugle.

At this Rush let himself go. A jet of blasphemous filth seemed to spurt from his lips— to play on the absent Pharaoh and all his works, but I think all three of us knew that for all its force and fury, if Pharaoh had stepped from the shadows, the fountain would have stopped dead.

At length Bugle got to his feet and crossed to the car. Then, to my great surprise, he opened a door and sat down in the driver's seat. I watched him start the engine and switch on his lights, while Rush sat still below me, winding his watch. Bugle drove the car slowly forward, as though to go down to the bridge. Then he brought her to rest and got out, leaving his engine running and both of his headlights on.

As he sat down again below me, I understood his action and saw why the car was there.

The stone bridge was bathed in brilliance. No one could possibly cross it without being seen.

Rush yawned luxuriously.

"Ten minutes more," he announced, "an' I'm goin' off. I've 'ad enough o' late nights. When I've nothin' to do, I like to do it in bed."

"I should keep your boots on," said Bugle. "He's comin' back."