The Secret Adversary Page 10

  CHAPTER IX. TUPPENCE ENTERS DOMESTIC SERVICE

  WHEN Tommy set forth on the trail of the two men, it took all Tuppence’sself-command to refrain from accompanying him. However, she containedherself as best she might, consoled by the reflection that her reasoninghad been justified by events. The two men had undoubtedly come from thesecond floor flat, and that one slender thread of the name “Rita” hadset the Young Adventurers once more upon the track of the abductors ofJane Finn.

  The question was what to do next? Tuppence hated letting the grass growunder her feet. Tommy was amply employed, and debarred from joining himin the chase, the girl felt at a loose end. She retraced her stepsto the entrance hall of the mansions. It was now tenanted by a smalllift-boy, who was polishing brass fittings, and whistling the latest airwith a good deal of vigour and a reasonable amount of accuracy.

  He glanced round at Tuppence’s entry. There was a certain amount of thegamin element in the girl, at all events she invariably got on wellwith small boys. A sympathetic bond seemed instantly to be formed. Shereflected that an ally in the enemy’s camp, so to speak, was not to bedespised.

  “Well, William,” she remarked cheerfully, in the best approvedhospital-early-morning style, “getting a good shine up?”

  The boy grinned responsively.

  “Albert, miss,” he corrected.

  “Albert be it,” said Tuppence. She glanced mysteriously round the hall.The effect was purposely a broad one in case Albert should miss it. Sheleaned towards the boy and dropped her voice: “I want a word with you,Albert.”

  Albert ceased operations on the fittings and opened his mouth slightly.

  “Look! Do you know what this is?” With a dramatic gesture she flung backthe left side of her coat and exposed a small enamelled badge. It wasextremely unlikely that Albert would have any knowledge of it--indeed,it would have been fatal for Tuppence’s plans, since the badge inquestion was the device of a local training corps originated by thearchdeacon in the early days of the war. Its presence in Tuppence’s coatwas due to the fact that she had used it for pinning in some flowers aday or two before. But Tuppence had sharp eyes, and had noted the cornerof a threepenny detective novel protruding from Albert’s pocket, and theimmediate enlargement of his eyes told her that her tactics were good,and that the fish would rise to the bait.

  “American Detective Force!” she hissed.

  Albert fell for it.

  “Lord!” he murmured ecstatically.

  Tuppence nodded at him with the air of one who has established athorough understanding.

  “Know who I’m after?” she inquired genially.

  Albert, still round-eyed, demanded breathlessly:

  “One of the flats?”

  Tuppence nodded and jerked a thumb up the stairs.

  “No. 20. Calls herself Vandemeyer. Vandemeyer! Ha! ha!”

  Albert’s hand stole to his pocket.

  “A crook?” he queried eagerly.

  “A crook? I should say so. Ready Rita they call her in the States.”

  “Ready Rita,” repeated Albert deliriously. “Oh, ain’t it just like thepictures!”

  It was. Tuppence was a great frequenter of the cinema.

  “Annie always said as how she was a bad lot,” continued the boy.

  “Who’s Annie?” inquired Tuppence idly.

  “‘Ouse-parlourmaid. She’s leaving to-day. Many’s the time Annie’s saidto me: ‘Mark my words, Albert, I wouldn’t wonder if the police was tocome after her one of these days.’ Just like that. But she’s a stunnerto look at, ain’t she?”

  “She’s some peach,” allowed Tuppence carelessly. “Finds it useful in herlay-out, you bet. Has she been wearing any of the emeralds, by the way?”

  “Emeralds? Them’s the green stones, isn’t they?”

  Tuppence nodded.

  “That’s what we’re after her for. You know old man Rysdale?”

  Albert shook his head.

  “Peter B. Rysdale, the oil king?”

  “It seems sort of familiar to me.”

  “The sparklers belonged to him. Finest collection of emeralds in theworld. Worth a million dollars!”

  “Lumme!” came ecstatically from Albert. “It sounds more like thepictures every minute.”

  Tuppence smiled, gratified at the success of her efforts.

  “We haven’t exactly proved it yet. But we’re after her. And”--sheproduced a long-drawn-out wink--“I guess she won’t get away with thegoods this time.”

  Albert uttered another ejaculation indicative of delight.

  “Mind you, sonny, not a word of this,” said Tuppence suddenly. “I guessI oughtn’t to have put you wise, but in the States we know a real smartlad when we see one.”

  “I’ll not breathe a word,” protested Albert eagerly. “Ain’t thereanything I could do? A bit of shadowing, maybe, or such like?”

  Tuppence affected to consider, then shook her head.

  “Not at the moment, but I’ll bear you in mind, son. What’s this aboutthe girl you say is leaving?”

  “Annie? Regular turn up, they ‘ad. As Annie said, servants is some onenowadays, and to be treated accordingly, and, what with her passing theword round, she won’t find it so easy to get another.”

  “Won’t she?” said Tuppence thoughtfully. “I wonder----”

  An idea was dawning in her brain. She thought a minute or two, thentapped Albert on the shoulder.

  “See here, son, my brain’s got busy. How would it be if you mentionedthat you’d got a young cousin, or a friend of yours had, that might suitthe place. You get me?”

  “I’m there,” said Albert instantly. “You leave it to me, miss, and I’llfix the whole thing up in two ticks.”

  “Some lad!” commented Tuppence, with a nod of approval. “You might saythat the young woman could come in right away. You let me know, and ifit’s O.K. I’ll be round to-morrow at eleven o’clock.”

  “Where am I to let you know to?”

  “_Ritz_,” replied Tuppence laconically. “Name of Cowley.”

  Albert eyed her enviously.

  “It must be a good job, this tec business.”

  “It sure is,” drawled Tuppence, “especially when old man Rysdale backsthe bill. But don’t fret, son. If this goes well, you shall come in onthe ground floor.”

  With which promise she took leave of her new ally, and walked brisklyaway from South Audley Mansions, well pleased with her morning’s work.

  But there was no time to be lost. She went straight back to the _Ritz_and wrote a few brief words to Mr. Carter. Having dispatched this, andTommy not having yet returned--which did not surprise her--she startedoff on a shopping expedition which, with an interval for tea andassorted creamy cakes, occupied her until well after six o’clock, andshe returned to the hotel jaded, but satisfied with her purchases.Starting with a cheap clothing store, and passing through one or twosecond-hand establishments, she had finished the day at a well-knownhairdresser’s. Now, in the seclusion of her bedroom, she unwrappedthat final purchase. Five minutes later she smiled contentedly at herreflection in the glass. With an actress’s pencil she had slightlyaltered the line of her eyebrows, and that, taken in conjunction withthe new luxuriant growth of fair hair above, so changed her appearancethat she felt confident that even if she came face to face withWhittington he would not recognize her. She would wear elevators in hershoes, and the cap and apron would be an even more valuable disguise.From hospital experience she knew only too well that a nurse out ofuniform is frequently unrecognized by her patients.

  “Yes,” said Tuppence aloud, nodding at the pert reflection in the glass,“you’ll do.” She then resumed her normal appearance.

  Dinner was a solitary meal. Tuppence was rather surprised at Tommy’snon-return. Julius, too, was absent--but that to the girl’s mind wasmore easily explained. His “hustling” activities were not confinedto London, and his abrupt appearances and disappearances were fullyaccepted by the Young Adventurers as part of
the day’s work. Itwas quite on the cards that Julius P. Hersheimmer had left forConstantinople at a moment’s notice if he fancied that a clue to hiscousin’s disappearance was to be found there. The energetic youngman had succeeded in making the lives of several Scotland Yard menunbearable to them, and the telephone girls at the Admiralty had learnedto know and dread the familiar “Hullo!” He had spent three hours inParis hustling the Prefecture, and had returned from there imbued withthe idea, possibly inspired by a weary French official, that the trueclue to the mystery was to be found in Ireland.

  “I dare say he’s dashed off there now,” thought Tuppence. “All verywell, but this is very dull for _me!_ Here I am bursting with news, andabsolutely no one to tell it to! Tommy might have wired, or something. Iwonder where he is. Anyway, he can’t have ‘lost the trail’ as they say.That reminds me----” And Miss Cowley broke off in her meditations, andsummoned a small boy.

  Ten minutes later the lady was ensconced comfortably on her bed,smoking cigarettes and deep in the perusal of _Garnaby Williams, the BoyDetective_, which, with other threepenny works of lurid fiction, she hadsent out to purchase. She felt, and rightly, that before the strainof attempting further intercourse with Albert, it would be as well tofortify herself with a good supply of local colour.

  The morning brought a note from Mr. Carter:

  “DEAR MISS TUPPENCE,

  “You have made a splendid start, and I congratulate you. I feel, though,that I should like to point out to you once more the risks you arerunning, especially if you pursue the course you indicate. Those peopleare absolutely desperate and incapable of either mercy or pity. I feelthat you probably underestimate the danger, and therefore warn youagain that I can promise you no protection. You have given us valuableinformation, and if you choose to withdraw now no one could blame you.At any rate, think the matter over well before you decide.

  “If, in spite of my warnings, you make up your mind to go through withit, you will find everything arranged. You have lived for two years withMiss Dufferin, The Parsonage, Llanelly, and Mrs. Vandemeyer can apply toher for a reference.

  “May I be permitted a word or two of advice? Stick as near to the truthas possible--it minimizes the danger of ‘slips.’ I suggest that youshould represent yourself to be what you are, a former V.A.D., who haschosen domestic service as a profession. There are many such at thepresent time. That explains away any incongruities of voice or mannerwhich otherwise might awaken suspicion.

  “Whichever way you decide, good luck to you.

  “Your sincere friend,

  “MR. CARTER.”

  Tuppence’s spirits rose mercurially. Mr. Carter’s warnings passedunheeded. The young lady had far too much confidence in herself to payany heed to them.

  With some reluctance she abandoned the interesting part she had sketchedout for herself. Although she had no doubts of her own powers to sustaina role indefinitely, she had too much common sense not to recognize theforce of Mr. Carter’s arguments.

  There was still no word or message from Tommy, but the morning postbrought a somewhat dirty postcard with the words: “It’s O.K.” scrawledupon it.

  At ten-thirty Tuppence surveyed with pride a slightly battered tin trunkcontaining her new possessions. It was artistically corded. It was witha slight blush that she rang the bell and ordered it to be placed in ataxi. She drove to Paddington, and left the box in the cloak room.She then repaired with a handbag to the fastnesses of the ladies’waiting-room. Ten minutes later a metamorphosed Tuppence walked demurelyout of the station and entered a bus.

  It was a few minutes past eleven when Tuppence again entered the hallof South Audley Mansions. Albert was on the look-out, attending to hisduties in a somewhat desultory fashion. He did not immediately recognizeTuppence. When he did, his admiration was unbounded.

  “Blest if I’d have known you! That rig-out’s top-hole.”

  “Glad you like it, Albert,” replied Tuppence modestly. “By the way, am Iyour cousin, or am I not?”

  “Your voice too,” cried the delighted boy. “It’s as English as anything!No, I said as a friend of mine knew a young gal. Annie wasn’t bestpleased. She’s stopped on till to-day--to oblige, _she_ said, but reallyit’s so as to put you against the place.”

  “Nice girl,” said Tuppence.

  Albert suspected no irony.

  “She’s style about her, and keeps her silver a treat--but, my word,ain’t she got a temper. Are you going up now, miss? Step inside thelift. No. 20 did you say?” And he winked.

  Tuppence quelled him with a stern glance, and stepped inside.

  As she rang the bell of No. 20 she was conscious of Albert’s eyes slowlydescending beneath the level of the floor.

  A smart young woman opened the door.

  “I’ve come about the place,” said Tuppence.

  “It’s a rotten place,” said the young woman without hesitation. “Regularold cat--always interfering. Accused me of tampering with her letters.Me! The flap was half undone anyway. There’s never anything in thewaste-paper basket--she burns everything. She’s a wrong ‘un, that’s whatshe is. Swell clothes, but no class. Cook knows something about her--butshe won’t tell--scared to death of her. And suspicious! She’s on to youin a minute if you as much as speak to a fellow. I can tell you----”

  But what more Annie could tell, Tuppence was never destined to learn,for at that moment a clear voice with a peculiarly steely ring to itcalled:

  “Annie!”

  The smart young woman jumped as if she had been shot.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Who are you talking to?”

  “It’s a young woman about the situation, ma’am.”

  “Show her in then. At once.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Tuppence was ushered into a room on the right of the long passage. Awoman was standing by the fireplace. She was no longer in her firstyouth, and the beauty she undeniably possessed was hardened andcoarsened. In her youth she must have been dazzling. Her pale gold hair,owing a slight assistance to art, was coiled low on her neck, her eyes,of a piercing electric blue, seemed to possess a faculty of boring intothe very soul of the person she was looking at. Her exquisite figure wasenhanced by a wonderful gown of indigo charmeuse. And yet, despite herswaying grace, and the almost ethereal beauty of her face, you feltinstinctively the presence of something hard and menacing, a kind ofmetallic strength that found expression in the tones of her voice and inthat gimlet-like quality of her eyes.

  For the first time Tuppence felt afraid. She had not feared Whittington,but this woman was different. As if fascinated, she watched the longcruel line of the red curving mouth, and again she felt that sensationof panic pass over her. Her usual self-confidence deserted her. Vaguelyshe felt that deceiving this woman would be very different to deceivingWhittington. Mr. Carter’s warning recurred to her mind. Here, indeed,she might expect no mercy.

  Fighting down that instinct of panic which urged her to turn tail andrun without further delay, Tuppence returned the lady’s gaze firmly andrespectfully.

  As though that first scrutiny had been satisfactory, Mrs. Vandemeyermotioned to a chair.

  “You can sit down. How did you hear I wanted a house-parlourmaid?”

  “Through a friend who knows the lift boy here. He thought the placemight suit me.”

  Again that basilisk glance seemed to pierce her through.

  “You speak like an educated girl?”

  Glibly enough, Tuppence ran through her imaginary career on the linessuggested by Mr. Carter. It seemed to her, as she did so, that thetension of Mrs. Vandemeyer’s attitude relaxed.

  “I see,” she remarked at length. “Is there anyone I can write to for areference?”

  “I lived last with a Miss Dufferin, The Parsonage, Llanelly. I was withher two years.”

  “And then you thought you would get more money by coming to London,I suppose? Well, it doesn’t matter to me. I will give you£50--£60--whatever you want. You can come
in at once?”

  “Yes, ma’am. To-day, if you like. My box is at Paddington.”

  “Go and fetch it in a taxi, then. It’s an easy place. I am out a gooddeal. By the way, what’s your name?”

  “Prudence Cooper, ma’am.”

  “Very well, Prudence. Go away and fetch your box. I shall be out tolunch. The cook will show you where everything is.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  Tuppence withdrew. The smart Annie was not in evidence. In the hallbelow a magnificent hall porter had relegated Albert to the background.Tuppence did not even glance at him as she passed meekly out.

  The adventure had begun, but she felt less elated than she had doneearlier in the morning. It crossed her mind that if the unknown JaneFinn had fallen into the hands of Mrs. Vandemeyer, it was likely to havegone hard with her.