'I was a fool,' said Carrington apologetically, 'but it seemed a bit odd '
'It seemed to you odd that she should be here, in a somewhat intimate family party just at the moment when you and I were to hold an unofficial conference over a discovery that will probably revolutionize the whole problem of air defence?'
Sir George Carrington nodded.
Lord Mayfield said, smiling:
'That's exactly it. That's the bait.'
'The bait?'
'You see, George, to use the language of the movies, we've nothing actually "on" the woman. And we want something!
She's got away with rather more than she should in the past.
But she's been careful - damnably careful. We know what she's been up to, but we've got no definite proof of it. We've got to tempt her with something big.'
'Something big being the specification of the new bomber?'
'Exactly. It's got to be something big enough to induce her to take a risk - to come out into the open. And then - we've got her!'
Sir George grunted.
'Oh, well,' he said. 'I dare say it's all right. But suppose she won't take the risk?'
'That would be a pity,' said Lord Mayfield. Then he added:
'But I think she will...'
He rose.
'Shall we join the ladies in the drawing-room? We mustn't deprive your wife of her bridge.'
Sir George grunted:
'Julia's a damned sight too fond of her bridge. Drops a packet over it. She can't afford to play as high as she does, and I've told her so. The trouble is, Julia's a born gambler.'
Coming round the table to join his host, he said:
'Well, I hope your plan comes off, Charles.'
CHAPTER 2
In the drawing-room conversation had flagged more than once. Mrs Vanderlyn was usually at a disadvantage when left alone with members of her own sex. That charming sympathetic manner of hers, so much appreciated by members of the male sex, did not for some reason or other commend itself to women. Lady Julia was a woman whose manners were either very good or very bad. On this occasion she disliked Mrs Vanderlyn, and was bored by Mrs Macatta, and made no secret of her feelings. Conversation languished, and might have ceased altogether but for the latter.
Mrs Macatta was a woman of great earnestness of purpose.
Mrs Vanderlyn she dismissed immediately as a useless and parasitic type. Lady Julia she tried to interest in a forthcoming charity entertainment which she was organizing. Lady Julia answered vaguely, stifled a yawn or two and retired into her own inner preoccupation. Why didn't Charles and George come? How tiresome men were. Her comments became even more perfunctory as she became absorbed in her (;wn thoughts and worries.
The three women were sitting in silence when the men finally entered the room.
Lord Mayfield thought to himself:
'Julia looks ill tonight. What a mass of nerves the woman is.'
Aloud he said:
'What about a rubber - eh?'
Lady Julia brightened at once. Bridge was as the breath of life to her.
Reggie Carrington entered the room at that minute, and a four was arranged. Lady Julia, Mrs Vanderlyn, Sir George and young Reggie sat down to the card-table. Lord Mayfield devoted himself to the task of entertaining Mrs Macatta.
When two rubbers had been played, Sir George looked ostentatiously at the clock on the mantelpiece.
'Hardly worth while beginning another,' he remarked.
His wife looked annoyed.
'It's only a quarter to eleven. A short one.'
'They never are, my dear,' said Sir George good temperedly.
'Anyway, Charles and I have some work to do.'
Mrs Vanderlyn murmured:
'How important that sounds! I suppose you clever men who are at the top of things never get a real rest.'
'No forty-eight hour week for us,' said Sir George.
Mrs Vanderlyn murmured:
'You know, I feel rather ashamed of myself as a raw American, but I do get so thrilled at meeting people who control the destinies of a country. I expect that seems a very crude point of view to you, Sir George.'
'My dear Mrs Vanderlyn, I should never think of you as "crude" or "raw." '
He smiled into her eyes. There was, perhaps, a hint of irony in the voice which she did not miss. Adroifiy she turned to Reggie, smiling sweetly into his eyes.
'I'm sorry we're not continuing our partnership. That was a frightfully clever four no-trump call of yours.'
Flushed and pleased, Reggie mumbled:
'Bit of a fluke that it came off.'
'Oh, no, it was really a clever bit of deduction on your part.
You'd deduced from the bidding exactly where the cards must be, and you played accordingly. I thought it was brilliant.'
Lady Julia rose abruptly.
'The woman lays it on with a palette-knife,' she thought disgustedly.
Then her eyes softened as they rested on her son. He believed it all. How pathetically young and pleased he looked.
How incredibly naïve he was. No wonder he got into scrapes.
He was too trusting. The truth of it was he had too sweet a nature. George didn't understand him in the least. Men were so unsympathetic in their judgments. They forgot that they had even been young themselves. George was much too harsh with Reggie.
Mrs Macatta had risen. Goodnights were said.
The three women went out of the room. Lord Mayfield helped himself to a drink after giving one to Sir George, then he looked up as Mr Carlile appeared at the door.
'Get out the fries and all the papers, will you, Catlile?
Including the plans and the prints. The Air Marshal and I will be along shortly. We'll just take a turn outside first, eh, George? It's stopped raining.'
Mr Carlile, turning to depart, murmured an apology as he almost collided with Mrs Vanderlyn.
She drifted towards them, murmuring:
'My book, I was reading it before dinner.'
Reggie sprang forward and held up a book.
'Is this it? On the sofa?'
'Oh, yes. Thank You so much.'
She smiled sweetly, said goodnight again and went out of the room.
Sir George had opened one of the french windows.
'Beautiful night now,' he announced. 'Good idea of yours to take a turn.'
Reggie said:
'Well, goodnight, sir. I'll be toddling off to bed.'
'Goodnight, my boy,' said Lord Mayfield.
Reggie picked up a detective story which he had begun earlier in the evening and left the room.
Lord Mayfield and Sir George stepped out upon the terrace.
It was a beautiful night, with a clear sky studded with stars.
Sir George drew a deep breath.
'Phew, that woman uses a lot of scent,' he remarked.
Lord Mayfield laughed.
'Anyway, it's not cheap scent. One of the most expensive brands on the market, I should say.'
Sir George gave a grimace.
'I suppose one should be thankful for that.'
'You should, indeed. I think a woman smothered in cheap scent is one of the greatest abominations known to manhood.'
Sir George glanced up at the sky.
'Extraordinary the way it's cleared. I heard the rain beating down when we were at dinner.'
The two men strolled gently along the terrace.
The terrace ran the whole length of the house. Below it the ground sloped gently away, permitting a magnificent view over the Sussex weald.
Sir George lit a cigar.
'About this metal alloy -' he began.
The talk became technical.
As they approached the far end of the terrace for the fifth time, Lord Mayfield said with a sigh: