'All right,' Gregory agreed reluctantly. 'Let's take it that she is guilty. That doesn't alter the fact that she saved me from being very slowly and very painfully done to death.'
'Yes, you loony! Saved you with her tongue in her cheek. Countin' on it that, if she could get you to bring her to England, owing to my friendship with her father I'd give her house room here.'
'No. You are being unjust to her in exactly the same way as Erika. Knowing that I was a British agent she risked her own position to save my bacon. She hadn't the faintest intention of leaving Ribbentrop until Grauber found her out and she was forced to go abroad.'
'You told me yourself that she hated the Russians' guts so much that she'd rather see the housepainter feller win than ourselves.'
'She would. She told me that the first day I talked to her, and she has been honest enough to make no pretence of having altered her views. Obviously that explains her conduct. She happened to meet some other pro Nazis and discovered that through them she could put a spoke in the Russians' wheel. If you or I found ourselves stuck in Germany and were given the chance, wouldn't we do the same sort of thing to help Britain?'
'Um Sir Pellinore grunted. 'Suppose we should! Mark you, I like the gel. Enjoyed having her about the place with that nice scent she uses and her bangles clinkin'. After the way you've put it, I'm almost sorry for her. But she's made us look a fine pair of halfwits; and there is nothing we can do for her. The law must take its course.'
'All right; we'll agree that for the moment. But the least I can do is to let her know that she is not entirely friendless. You have quite enough pull to get me a permit to see her.'
'Maybe I have; but I wouldn't bet on it. Can't see why M.I.5 should let outsiders communicate with spies in prison. Not unless they can give a thunderin' good reason for wantin' to see the prisoner.'
'I can give one. I know more about Sabine than anyone in this country. Naturally they will want to get all the information out of her that they can. She. is much more likely to spill the beans if they allow me to help with her interrogation.'
'Something in that. Very well, then I'll give you a line to a friend of mine that they've nicknamed 'Himmler.' Not that he has anything in common with that Nazi horror who looks like a goofy toad. It's simply that he's the top boy for this sort of thing in M.I.5. If I'd been him I'd have jugged you for bringing that wench into the country; but he seemed to think you were too much of a fool to be dangerous.'
Gregory submitted to the irate Baronet's abuse without comment, and asked, 'What do you think she'll get?'
'How should I know? If this were the Continent her life wouldn't be worth a row of beans; but we're a lot of softies here. I doubt, though, if she'll get off with less than seven years; and for the duration, anyhow, it will be solitary confinement.'
'God, how awful for her!'
Sir Pellinore sighed. 'Yes. What a waste; lovely young creature like that. Another ruined life that Hitler has to answer for. Still, nothing we can do. We must get on with the war.'
When the letter was written Gregory took it straight round to the M.I.5 office, but he was told that the Colonel he wished to see was out and would not be in until the following morning. At nine o'clock next day he went again to the tall building that housed M.I.5. After a wait of half an hour he was taken up in a lift to the top floor and shown into a large bright office, where the man nicknamed 'Himmler' was seated behind a desk on which there was a row of different coloured telephones.
He was dressed as usual in civilian clothes, and was a big, powerful looking man with a full, ruddy face. His manner was courteous but he spoke very quickly. Having read Sir Pellinore's letter he fixed an unwavering gaze on Gregory through the tops of his bifocals and said;
'I had intended to ask you to come to see me, in any case. Tell me all you know about this woman?'
Gregory complied, gave the full story of his trip to Budapest and offered his assistance as an interrogator. The Colonel asked a number of shrewd questions, then he said, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to see her yet. I'd prefer to see what my own people can get out of her first. They are very experienced at that sort of thing. But you may be able to help us later.' After a quick look at his engagement block, he added, 'Come back and see me again on Friday three o'clock suit you?'
'Yes,' Gregory nodded. I can get away pretty well any time by swopping tours of duty with my colleagues in the War Room.' He hesitated a moment, then asked, 'What do you think they will give her?'
The big man shrugged. 'In peace time the maximum is ten years; but as we are at war she is liable to the death penalty. We have never shot a woman yet but we may do in this instance. Women agents are just as dangerous as men if not more so. In the early days foreign women gave us a lot of trouble and they were allowed to get away with internment, or a prison sentence. But the Germans are behaving with complete callousness. They have done in any number of British and French women. As a matter of policy it might be a good thing to show for once that we can be equally tough. That would make some of the other women living here as refugees think twice about trying to ferret secrets out of serving officers. I am not saying I would advocate the death penalty myself; but it might come to that. Anyway, it is not for me to decide. That will be up to the Home Secretary.'
Gregory was about to ask where Sabine was being held, but the Colonel got abruptly to his feet. 'I'm afraid I can't spare you any more time now. I have an I.S.S.B. meeting at the War Office, and I've a number of papers to run through first. See you on Friday.'
His concern for Sabine now graver than ever, and frustrated in his attempt to see her, Gregory had no alternative but to take his leave. For the next two days there was nothing he could do, and in his off duty hours he brooded miserably upon the terrible situation that Sabine had got herself into, and the wrecking of his reconciliation with Erika.
Friday came at last, and after lunch Colonel 'Himmler' received him with his usual briskness. Coming to the point at once, he said:
'Glad to see you. My people haven't got very far; so I've decided to let you try your hand. She is in the Tower and I have here an authority for the Resident Governor to admit you to her. I also have here a list of questions to which I should particularly like answers. Study it carefully and memorize them. Your best chance is to cheer her up as much as you can by recalling pleasant times you had together, then work in these questions at intervals quite casually. I'd like you to report to me here some time before seven thirty.'
Greatly relieved that Sabine had proved stubborn enough to justify his being called in to help in her interrogation; Gregory took the papers and promised to do his best. Outside he picked up a taxi, told its driver to take him to the Tower of London, and on the way there read through the list of questions. Most of them were to do with the Moldavian Embassy and some seemed such straightforward ones he was a little surprised that Sabine had so far refused to answer them.
At the entrance to the precincts of the Tower he paid off his, taxi. The sentry on the iron gate saluted him and a Yeoman Warder, wearing the flat black cap and picturesque red and black uniform dating from Tudor times, opened it to ask his business. He had not realized that the Tower was closed to the public, but the Yeoman told him that in wartime the only unofficial visitors allowed in were Service men who had made a special application to go round in one of the daily conducted tours, between either eleven and midday, or two thirty and three thirty in the afternoon. Gregory produced his letter for the Resident Governor and the Yeoman took him through to the little office where in peacetime the public buy their tickets of admission. There he signed a book and was issued with a temporary pass. Another 'Beefeater' then acted as his escort to the Governor's office.