“She’s a bomber,” said Rex, gazing skywards through the branches.
“Um — I bet she’s carrying troops, though,” Simon laughed jerkily. “A couple of pilots wouldn’t be much good if they spotted us and landed!”
“When do we make the big get-away?” Rex inquired.
“Not till tonight,” said the Duke. “That innocent-looking wood has probably got sentries posted in it at every fifty yards if I know anything about friend Leshkin. We must lie low here today. I’ve had a talk with the farmer and I think he can be trusted — in any case I do not mean to let him out of my sight”
Richard laughed for the first time that morning. “If I make good going, and Marie Lou is still at the hotel, I could be back here in the ’plane before nightfall. I’m feeling much better now. I think I’ll make a start.”
“Before you do that, Richard, I would like a word with you.” De Richleau took him gently by the arm, and led him farther into the orchard.
“Listen,” he went on, when they were out of earshot of the others. “It is quite useless for you to try and take that car, Richard. You will not be able to move it from the shed.”
“Why?”
“Because, my friend, I removed the sparking-plugs before breakfast!”
“What the devil do you mean?”
“Simply that I will not allow any of you to venture your necks in this idiotic way.”
“Look here,” said Richard, angrily. “I’m quite as anxious to get over the frontier as anybody, but you might remember that none of you would be here at all, if it were not for Marie Lou!”
“Thank you.” The Duke’s voice had a trace of asperity. “If you were not so young, Richard, and I was not so fond of you, I should resent intensely your imputation on my honour. As it is I merely ask you not to be a fool.”
“Well, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”
“No, I am certain that you did not — but surely you have the sense to see that you would not get farther than Vinnitsa. The car would be recognized. There is a bullet through the mudguard, and another through the rear window. They would have you in prison before midday.”
“Yes, I suppose that’s true,” Richard agreed, reluctantly, “but I can’t leave Marie Lou in Kiev. God knows what will happen to her. I’ll tell you the truth — I’m in love with her, and I’m half crazy with anxiety!”
De Richleau patted him on the arm. “I understand, my friend. I have known love myself, but in this case you can do nothing. You must be a good fellow and cross the frontier with the others tonight.”
“No, I’m damned if I will.”
“Yes, Richard — I wish it. Hasten to Bucharest and get in touch with the British Consul at Kiev as soon as you can. She is a British subject now, and that will stand her in good stead if she is in trouble.”
“But that will take days. Anything may happen to her in the meantime. She must be frantic with anxiety.”
“Don’t worry, my son, I am going back to Kiev to look after her.”
“You!”
“Yes, and I am the only one of you all who can do this thing successfully. I know the language, the people, the country. I shall buy clothes from this peasant — drive the car as far as the outskirts of Vinnitsa tonight, and then abandon it — walk into the town, and take a fourth-class ticket on the train like any kulak; tomorrow morning I shall be in Kiev. If Marie Lou is still at the hotel I will place her under the protection of the British Consul immediately — if not, I will find her for you.”
For a moment Richard was silent — then he turned and faced the Duke. “I say — that’s splendid of you, but I just can’t leave Russia without Marie Lou; let me come, too?”
De Richleau shook his head. “No, Richard. I would rather go alone.”
“Please — ? Hullo — what’s that?”
“Only the big ’plane again.”
“No, it’s not!” Richard was peering up through the trees. “It’s a different one — quite different.”
“Well, what of it?”
“But it’s extraordinary. It’s got a note just like my own ’plane. Look! There she is!” Richard pointed excitedly. “By Jove — it is!”
They ran back through the orchard to the meadow where the others were standing.
“Are you sure?” asked the Duke.
“Certain. She’s got the same markings. Look! She’s coming down!”
Above them in the clear blue of the early morning sky the little ’plane was slowly circling towards the earth.
“Say — who’ll this be?” asked Rex, anxiously.
“Marie Lou,” said the Duke.
“Ner...” Simon shook his head. “She can’t fly a ’plane.”
“It must be...” Richard laughed excitedly. “No one but Marie Lou knew about my ’plane and where to meet us.”
The machine was down to five hundred feet now; in a long sweep it curved into the wind and ’planed down towards them.
“Two people in her,” murmured De Richleau.
“Clever kid,” grinned Rex. “She’s squared a pilot to bring her along.”
They began to run across the meadow to the place where the ’plane would stop. “Best be careful,” panted Simon. “We’ll be in a muddle if it’s not her.”
“It is,” shouted Richard. “I can see her in the back.”
In another minute they were crowding round the ’plane and Marie Lou, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright from the swift flight through the early morning air, had jumped to the ground.
Richard could see that despite the colour in her cheeks, her face was drawn, and her eyes swollen by crying. She gave him a long searching look as she said, quickly:
“Richard — what happened? Why did you leave me behind?”
He seized her hands and for a moment could hardly speak, it was such an enormous relief to see her safe and sound. “Marie Lou...” he stammered, “Marie Lou ... Simon bungled things, he thought you were going by train... and I was hit on the head, so they brought me with them, unconscious, in the car.... I’ve been through agonies this morning!”
“Oh, Richard,” she gave a little sob. “I thought I should go mad last night. I waited in the aerodrome till three this morning. I was terrified. I thought you had been killed or captured — and then when I heard that you had all been seen on the road in the car... I thought... oh, I do not know... it was awful!”
“You heard that — but how?”
“When it seemed that there was no more chance that you should come I went back to the hotel — the lounge was almost in darkness and I ran straight into Valeria Petrovna — she had been walking up and down all night waiting for news.”
“Good God! I wonder she didn’t give you up to the police.” As Richard spoke he followed Marie Lou’s glance, and realized that the tall pilot in breeches and field boots, standing near Simon, was Valeria Petrovna.
Marie Lou nodded. “She was nearly off her head because Simon had left her. One moment she was threatening to have me arrested, and the next pleading with me to let her know where Simon would cross the frontier, that she might see him again. At last we make a bargain — I agree to tell her the place, but she should take me with her.”
“You clever child.”
“No — it was an awful risk — because she might have betrayed you, but I have my little revolver still, and I said that I would shoot her dead if she should try to trick me.”
“What luck that she could fly a ’plane.”
“Yes, her friend taught her — you remember, the tall officer at the air-park in Moscow. But tell me about your hurt — my poor Richard, you look so ill and haggard!”