"That's true," Gregory agreed, "but we arrived by plane and our machine is still at the airport, so if we drive out there at once I think we ought to be able to get away in that. Owing to the raid it's certain that there will be a great evacuation from Helsinki and I doubt if they'll bother neutrals who wish to get out quickly about such formalities as visas."
Freddie and Angela had been talking together in low voices on the sofa but they had followed what Gregory said, and Freddie suddenly turned to Fordyce. "Now the Russians have shown their hand, and that they're out for wholesale murder, this morning's raid may have been the first but it certainly won't be the last. I want you to let me take Angela with me."
Fordyce considered for a moment. "Yes. We must certainly expect other raids now and I'm very anxious that Angela should leave the country as soon as possible. What do you feel about it, my dear?"
She hesitated. "I should hate to leave you, Daddy, at a time like this."
"I'm sure you would, darling. But think of the strain that your presence here is going to be on me if you remain. In every raid I shall be terrified not for myself, I hope but certainly for you; whereas if I only know that you are safely out of it my mind will be at rest and I shall be able to do my job much more efficiently."
"Do you really mean that, Daddy?"
"Of course I do, my dear. Try and put yourself in my shoes for a moment. If I had no duties which necessitated myremaining here, would you rather have me out of it or prefer me to stay and keep you company for the purely selfish reason that you like to have me with you?"
"You know I'd want you to go."
"Then since you have no duties here I think you should accept Freddie's offer. I know that I can trust you to him, and if by any chance he is caught before he gets out of the country the Finnish police have nothing against you; so you might be of great use to him by getting in touch with me and letting me know as soon as possible what has happened. Where do you propose to fly to, Mr. Sallust?"
”Stockholm," replied Gregory. "It's less than three hundred miles from here and if we can get off by two o'clock we should be there in time for tea. Freddie can then overhaul the plane and see if he considers it up to flying standard for flying home tomorrow. If not, we'll go on by the Imperial Airways service which I understand has started up again."
Mr. Fordyce nodded and looked at Angela. "In that case, darling, you'd better pack at once. The whole essence of the plan is that the plane should leave before the Finnish authorities have had time to turn their attention to civil matters and notify the airport people that Freddie and Mr. Sallust are wanted for murder."
"You will be as quick as you can, won't you?" Gregory added. "Just one suit case should be enough as I have plenty of money on me and we can get anything else you want in Stockholm."
"I'll be moderate just a dressing case," Angela smiled at him, and kissing her father quickly on the forehead she hurried from the room.
When she had gone Erika said: "I'm sure your daughter will be perfectly safe with Flight Lieutenant Charlton, Mr. Fordyce, but in case she's air sick or anything it may comfort you to know that she'll have another woman with her I'm going too."
"Do you mean, darling that you'll come to England with me?" Gregory exclaimed.
She shook her head. "No, I don't say that. I wouldn't when you wanted me to before because my country was still at war with England and, although I hate the Nazis, I felt that I ought to stay in Germany and see the business through. The situation hasn't changed materially since; but there's no point in my remaining in Helsinki to be bombed and I want to be with you as long as possible, so I'll come to Stockholm."
Gregory gave a rueful grin. "I was afraid the conclusion I jumped to was too good to be true, and in any case I meant to insist on your leaving Helsinki with us; but the situation has changed since I last tried to persuade you to come to England with me. Then you were in Germany and thought it your duty to stay there, but you had to leave it in order to escape being arrested and executed."
"Yes," she said quickly. "But I went to Finland which, as far as we're concerned, is neutral; and Sweden, too, is neutral, so for me to go there is very different from my going to live in England, my country's enemy." And Gregory saw that it was no use pressing her for the moment.
While they had been talking Fordyce had pressed a bell and given an order to a servant, who now brought in a bowl of biscuits and a decanter, the contents of which Gregory took to be sherry, but as Fordyce poured the wine into the glasses he said:
"One of the amenities of being stationed in the Nordic countries is that one gets such excellent Madeira a wine we very rarely see at home."
Gregory sipped from his glass and smiled appreciatively. "You're right. This is grand stuff. I wonder why it is that although such quantities of Madeira were drunk in England in Victorian times it has now been practically relegated to the kitchen."
Fordyce shrugged. "Heaven knows. People hardly ever offer sherry in these parts, but the countries round the Baltic take nine tenths of the Madeira that is vintaged every year, including all the finest. They'll pay up to £160 a butt for some of the rich dessert wines and, although I don't know much about such things, I'm told that's big They talked for a little of the possible effects of the Russo
Finnish War upon the international situation; then Angela rejoined them, Looking very pretty in her tweeds and furs and carrying only a bulging dress dressing case.
Fordyce had already ordered his car to take them to the airport and he accompanied them downstairs to the front door. The father and daughter were devoted to each other but with the usual British dislike of any display of sentiment their parting was almost as brief as though Angela had been going out shopping. Fordyce shook hands with the others, wishing them the best of luck, and the car drove off.
Gregory felt that for Freddie and himself to call at the hotel and attempt to collect their belongings was much too risky. It was a bore to have to abandon the things they had bought on he Tuesday morning but they were still wearing their furs and he other items were of no great consequence. What did perturb him, however, was that the police had disarmed them both when hey had been arrested. It had become second nature to him to carry a weapon when travelling anywhere outside Britain; so he asked the chauffeur to drive them to a gunsmith's where, by pulling a bluff that they were neutral Englishmen who were proceeding into Russia on. Finland’s business, he succeeded in persuading the shopman to sell him two Luger automatics, spare clips and a hundred rounds of ammunition, without a permit.
Having divided the spoils with Freddie they drove on to the von Kobenthals'. Fredeline was out so Erika left a note for her and ran upstairs to get her passport and pack a bag. Into it she: crammed the most useful things that came ready to hand, stuffed a flask of brandy and her own small pistol into the pockets of her furs and was back in the car within fifteen minutes.
They had left the Consulate at about eleven thirty but it was now after half past twelve, and they were still some distance from the airport when the sirens began to wail again. The Finnish chauffeur drove on for another half mile until he reached a large stone building, the entrance to which was heavily sandbagged; then turning to Gregory, who was seated reside him, he said calmly, in excellent English: