`Have you ever been to a séance, or gone in for table turning and just for a lark called on the Devil to aid your enquiries?'
`No, never.'
`And there is no special episode in your childhood, or anything else you can remember, that might have a bearing on your present state?'
`No. I have already told you everything about my life that I can think of.'
There fell a pause, then John asked, `How about Canon Copely Syle? I wouldn't mind betting that he didn't turn up here by chance, and that the story he told you about your father having had a serious accident was a fake, designed to get you away from your villa. I didn't know it when we met the Marquis de Grasse at Cannes, but Mother has since told me that he is a crook. The fact that the Canon introduced you to him, and his son afterwards tried to get you on to their yacht, makes the case against the Canon pretty black. In fact, it is ten to one that he is at the bottom of the whole business.'
`Yes. I came to that conclusion yesterday; although I then had little more than my instinct to go on. It was that which made me refuse to go on the yacht yesterday afternoon, when Count Jules took me down to the harbour and pressed me to. It was only after I had made an excuse not to, and dug my toes in, that he invited me to dine on board instead; and as he had first made certain that I had no engagement for the evening, I could think of no way to wriggle out of accepting. But I'm afraid I can't help much about the Canon. I told you all I know about him on the morning of his visit.'
`There are two things you can tell us,' Molly said, `although I hesitate to ask you, and I wouldn't if I didn't think it important that we should know them. They are your real name, and your father's address.'
Christina shook her head. `I'd rather not break my promise to him.'
`Just as you like, my dear. But when he asked you for it, neither of you could possibly foresee the sort of thing that has happened since; and if he knew how you were situated at present I feel sure he would release you from it. You see, now that the Canon has discovered your hiding place, and it looks as if he is employing crooks to get hold of you, we have to face the fact that however carefully John and I endeavour to guard against it, you might be taken from us. If that happened our best hope of getting you back would be to call in the police; and it might be a great help to them in tracing you if we could give them your proper name and enable them to communicate with your father.'
For a moment Christina considered the matter, then she said with sudden decision, `All right. My name is Ellen Beddows, and we live at The Grange, Little Bentford, near Colchester. My father is Henry Beddows of Beddows Agricultural Tractors.'
`Thank you, my dear. Of course we shall continue to call you Christina, and you may be sure we will not abuse your confidence. Now, there is just one other thing. Your father must hold the key to both your own peculiar state and the mystery of why the Canon is so anxious to get hold of you. Don't you really think the time has come when we should try to get in touch with him?'
`No!' Christina's voice was firm. `He told me that it was unlikely that his office would know where to find him, and even if they did I ,must not ring him up. I have already broken one promise that I gave him, and there is some reason to believe that he may be in danger himself; so I will do nothing which might bring him here and perhaps place him in greater danger still.'
`Very well then.' Molly, stood up. `I must leave you now, because I have to drive to Nice to meet a friend of mine at the airport. He is coming to stay for a few days, and I do hope you will like him, as it is really you who he is flying out from England to see.'
`Me!' exclaimed Christina with a surprised look.
`Yes. He is not a psycho analyst or anything of that kind; so you have no cause to be frightened that he will try to delve into your sub conscious and drag out the sort of little personal secrets we all prefer to keep to ourselves. But he has had considerable experience of the way in which occultists get young people into their clutches; so I am hoping very much that he may know of a method of countering the evil influence that is being exerted on you.
The plane doesn't get in till one; so I shan't be back much before tea time. But John will look after you while I am away, and I thought you might like to take a picnic lunch out together.'
John and Christina agreed that a picnic was a good idea; so as soon as they had seen Molly off they set about their
preparations. An inspection of the larder revealed a fine choice of good things. Angele prepared a salad for them, while Christina stuffed some crisp rolls with ham and gruyere cheese, and John collected fruit, a bottle of wine and glasses. When they had finished packing the things into a basket, Christina said
`As we are going to walk, I think I will put on a pair of thicker shoes. You don't mind waiting while I slip over to my villa, do you?'
`Of course not,' John replied. `It has not yet gone half past eleven; so we have tons of time. In fact it might not be a bad idea if we didn't start till twelve. That would give you a chance to pack a suitcase with some other things you may want, as Mother was saying this morning that she thought it would be best if you stayed on with us here for the time being anyhow. I'll come across and collect it later.'
`Will there .. ?' she hesitated. `Are you quite sure there will be room for me, now that this friend of your mother's is coming?'
`Oh yes. You needn't worry about that. This villa is slightly larger than yours, I think. Anyhow, I'm giving up my room to Conky Bill Colonel Verney, that is and Angele will move my things into the little slip room at the back, next to the one you occupied last night.'
`All right, then. It really means that you'll be giving up your room for me, though. I'll never be able to repay you and your mother for all your kindness.'
As she turned away, he called after her, `You had better put in a frock for this evening. Not a “knock 'em in the Old Kent Road” effect like you wore the other night; but something simple. Conky Bill is an old fashioned type and likes changing for dinner; so black tie and sea boots will be the order of the day.'
When she had disappeared he went upstairs and carried most of his smaller belongings through to the slip room, then came down and asked Angele to move the rest while he was out. Picking up the basket with the lunch in it, he walked through the sitting room to the French windows, but halted there with a slight frown on his face. Count Jules de Grasse was coming up the garden path.
The Count saw him at the same moment and called out gaily, `Good morning ! You see how prompt I am to repay your call.'
Putting down the basket, John advanced to meet him, a smile now disguising the faint uneasiness he felt. `How nice of you. I am sorry we had to drag Christina away from you last night; but she really was not fit to stay.:
'Oh, we quite understood. How is she this morning?:
'I'm glad to say she is fully recovered,' John replied, as they turned back towards the house. Then, to forestall any further invitation Count Jules might have brought for her, he added, `As a matter of fact you only just caught me. I am about to take her out for the day.'
`Dear me ! Then I fear I have timed my visit badly.'
Feeling that it would be wisest to continue this pretence of friendship, and at least hear what the Count had come to say, John waved a hand towards the French windows. `No. Do come in. We shan't be starting for a little while yet. Can I offer you a drink?'
`Thanks. If you happen to have any pastis I should like one.'
`I expect there is some here. There is usually.' Having found the bottle among the drinks on the side table, John poured from it two good portions of the clear spirit into tumblers, added the water that turned it a cloudy opal, and handed one to his stocky, round faced visitor.