Crooked adam, p.17
Crooked Adam, page 17
Adam was silent for he had felt Mr Taylor’s charm and he saw the little scene might easily take place.
‘He tells everyone that I’m mentally unbalanced,’ she continued in a hopeless voice. ‘Sometimes I begin to wonder if he’s right.…’
‘Oh, no.’
‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘You don’t know how dreadful it is to be surrounded by people who speak to you cheerfully and watch you with suspicion – you begin to doubt yourself. That day when you came to lunch I could see you were sorry for me. You thought I was mad, didn’t you?’
‘He said – he hinted – ’ began Adam uncomfortably.
‘I know,’ she nodded. ‘I know exactly what he would say and how he would say it. Just a few words and then a pause … and then in a more cheerful voice: “but I mustn’t bore you with my troubles, Southey” … Oh, yes, I know.’
‘But you,’ said Adam, ‘you never spoke – ’
‘I thought you were one of them – another tool. I thought I would live up to my reputation. Then when I saw you at Yowe Farm, hiding behind the door, I began to wonder about you.’
Little by little the pieces were falling into place. Adam’s knowledge fitted in with all that she had told him and the picture was taking shape.
Brenda sighed. ‘If only I could tell you more!’ she said. ‘If only I knew what he does or how he sends his information to the enemy. If only I knew what it is that Cheller is trying to find out for him.’
‘I know that,’ Adam said. ‘It isn’t information. He’s trying to get hold of some plans – ’
‘Plans!’ she cried, looking at Adam aghast. ‘I knew it was vitally important! Plans of fortifications, I suppose, so that they’ll know where our guns are hidden when they try to invade us!’
Adam did not enlighten her for he saw no need, and it was safer for her not to know too much. He thought for a moment and then he said: ‘Your uncle is expecting someone to arrive shortly. Someone called “E.” Do you know anything about him?’
‘It must be the Baron,’ she replied. ‘Yes, Baron Ehrling von Brum. Uncle Roland said he was coming.’
‘Can you tell me anything about him?’
Brenda nodded. ‘He’s a Dutch refugee.… At least that’s what he’s supposed to be, but there’s something rather mysterious about him. He’s tall and fair – rather good-looking in his own way – and he’s very polite and friendly but somehow one feels that he’s an important person. I mean he has an air of authority, and even Uncle Roland is just a little in awe of him.’
‘Where does he live?’
‘He’s supposed to live in London, but we’ve never seen him there – only at Tinal. He’s been to stay with us several times and each time he has appeared quite suddenly.’
‘Unexpectedly?’ asked Adam.
‘No, not exactly,’ she replied. ‘Uncle Roland tells me that he’s coming and to have his room prepared … and then, one morning when I go down to breakfast, he is there. He said he had come by the night train from London, but surely if that were so Uncle Roland would have sent the car to meet him.’
‘How do you know that he didn’t?’
‘I asked the chauffeur,’ replied Brenda simply.
Adam was silent for a few moments and then he said: ‘You’ve told me a great deal, but we’ve got to find out more before we can do anything.’
She nodded: ‘Yes, I see that. I’d do anything to help.’
‘Do you mean that?’
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes, I mean it. I’ll do anything you say. I’ll go back to Tinal if that’s what you want me to do.’
‘Would you really?’
‘Yes,’ she repeated. ‘I can go back. I can get back to my room without anyone knowing. Tell me what you want me to do.’ Adam looked at her. There was something in her small determined face that moved his heart; he felt it turn over in his breast. There was fear in her eyes, but her mouth was firm and steadfast. How could he send her back? … And then he saw that he must, for the affair was so desperately important that he must use every weapon in his power.
‘Yes,’ said Adam slowly. ‘I know it’s terribly difficult, but I think you must go back. I wouldn’t ask you to do it if I could see any other way.’
‘It won’t be so bad,’ she said. ‘I mean I shall know that you believe in me.’
Adam took her hand and her fingers clung to his. He was surprised – almost dismayed – by the smallness and the softness of her hand.… It seemed a dreadful thing to send her back to that house, all the more dreadful because so much depended upon her.
‘You can bear a lot if you have a friend,’ Brenda continued in a low voice. ‘I shall know that you’re – somewhere – ’
‘I shan’t be far away.’
‘You want me to find out more, don’t you?’
‘That’s only part of it,’ said Adam. ‘I want a friend in the enemy’s camp.’
‘You shall have one,’ she said, gravely.
By this time it was quite dark and the sky was full of stars. It was time to get Brenda back to the Castle before her absence was discovered. Adam inquired anxiously how the foot was feeling.
‘Much better,’ she replied. ‘I told you it was nothing.’
‘I could carry you,’ Adam said. It would not have been difficult, but Brenda would not hear of this.
They went down the slope together, slowly and carefully, Brenda leaning on his arm. He was sure by her hurried breathing that the foot was giving her pain, but she would not give in, and presently when they reached the path which wound along beside the river it was easier going and they were able to mend their pace. They did not talk much for they had done all their talking and the night was very quiet – the river flowed softly and there were stars in every pool.
‘How lovely!’ Brenda whispered. ‘How peaceful! It makes war and treachery and wickedness seem worse.’
Adam squeezed her arm to show that he understood.
‘There will be peace,’ she continued. ‘There will be real peace in the world, but not until men are able to understand this – this peace of mountains and rivers.…’
‘Yes,’ said Adam softly. He wanted her to go on talking for her voice was part of the beauty of the night.
‘Yes,’ said Brenda. ‘So many people see these things with their eyes – Uncle Roland, for instance – but they don’t see it with their hearts.…’
‘Blind hearts.’
‘Blind hearts,’ repeated Brenda.
They had reached the little hog-backed bridge and here Brenda stopped. ‘You had better not come any farther,’ she said. ‘I can manage now. How shall I send you a message? I can’t trust anyone in the house.’
Adam took out his cigarette case and slipped it into a crevice between two stones. ‘That’s our pillar-box,’ he said, trying to speak lightly. Now that the moment had come to part, he felt miserable for he was risking this girl’s life and if anything happened to her he would never forgive himself.
Once more her hand lay in his, soft and confiding. ‘Be careful, won’t you?’ he said. ‘I can’t tell you how much I admire your courage. I shall be thinking of you all the time.’
He stood there for a few minutes after she had gone and then he turned and walked back the way they had come. As he went he tried to sort out all that Brenda had told him, and to make some sort of plan, but it was difficult to think of plans. Brenda’s face rose before his eyes, her voice rang in his ears, he felt the touch of her soft fingers on his hand. He had never met anyone like this girl before, never anyone who had moved his heart as she had. She was so small and yet so determined; she was frightened and yet she was brave. Oddly enough Adam had not felt shy and awkward with her, he had not thought of his lameness – no, not once. Perhaps he had been too busy thinking about her to think of himself.
Chapter Eleven
There was a greyness in the sky and the stars were growing pale when Adam reached the cave, for, although he had memorised the contours of the hills, the cave was so well hidden that it had been difficult to find. He had shot a rabbit on the way and was carrying it in one hand with Ebby’s gun over his shoulder. Adam parted the hazel bushes and stepped over the burn. It was very dark in the little clearing, but a dim glimmer showed from the fire and beside the fire sat Ebby with his back against the rock and his head drooping sideways on his shoulder. He started up as Adam approached; he awoke all of a sudden just as animals do.
‘Mr Southey!’ he exclaimed in reproachful tones. ‘I’ve been here for hours. You said you would wait for me!’
‘I couldn’t help it, Ebby.’
‘I’ve been wondering if something had happened to you!’
‘I know,’ said Adam. ‘I meant to be back.’ He sat down as he spoke and put the rabbit on the ground.
‘Have you had your supper?’ Ebby inquired, looking at the rabbit in surprise.
‘That’s our supper,’ replied Adam with a smile. ‘It’s more like breakfast time but it isn’t my fault. I’ve lots to tell you, Ebby.’
He began to tell Ebby all that he had heard and Ebby, while he listened, skinned and cleaned the rabbit and began to prepare a meal. It seemed to Adam that Ebby’s hands worked of their own accord for his attention never wavered from the story.
‘… so you see I couldn’t let you know,’ said Adam at last. ‘I had to find out all that I could, and I had to get Miss Taylor back to the Castle.’
Ebby did not answer that, for he was not one to waste words upon what was self-evident. Instead he said slowly: ‘It’s dangerous work for a woman.’
‘D’you think I don’t know that?’ cried Adam. ‘D’you think I didn’t see the danger? I may have sent her to her death.…’
‘It’s pretty grim.’
‘It’s frightful, but I had no choice, had I?’
‘Not much,’ agreed Ebby. ‘We’ve got to do what we can. I’m not as surprised as you to hear about Taylor for, to tell the truth, I thought it might be him at the bottom of it. I thought so all along but you wouldn’t have it.’
‘I liked him so much,’ said Adam regretfully. ‘Even now I can scarcely believe it.…’
‘It all fits in,’ declared Ebby.
Adam agreed. He said: ‘Well, what now? Are we to go to Mr Brownlee or not?’
There was a little silence. Ebby straightened his back and gazed out over the trees. ‘Have we any proof?’ he said. ‘Have we anything at all that couldn’t be explained away? We’ve nothing but our own suspicions and the story of a girl that’s supposed to be half-crazy … and Taylor is a J.P. and the head of the Home Guard. Who would listen to us, Mr Southey?’
‘I hoped you would be able to think of something,’ said Adam in disappointed tones. He was tired and dispirited and his brain felt like cotton wool; there was no shadow of a plan in him.
‘See here,’ said Ebby. ‘Let’s get things straight. Let’s see how Taylor’s plans are going to work and then we can decide where we’re to butt in. We know that the fellow you saw is to get hold of the plans and pass them on to Cheller, and then Cheller takes them to his master. Now supposing we butt in at the farm when the plans are changing hands – how would that do?’
‘Friday night,’ said Adam thoughtfully. ‘That’s what the fellow said, but Cheller might get after him and hurry him up. Mr Taylor has got to have the plans before Ehrling arrives on the scene.’
‘You think Ehrling – ’
‘Well, don’t you think so?’ asked Adam. ‘I mean here’s a mysterious man arriving in a mysterious manner just at the critical moment.… I wouldn’t mind betting that Ehrling is to get the plans and take them back to Germany.’
‘How does he come – and go?’
‘I’ve thought about that, but I can’t see it, somehow.’
‘By air,’ suggested Ebby.
‘No, not by air – at least I don’t think so. You can’t land just anywhere in a plane, besides it’s far too risky. Someone might see the plane and shoot it down.’
‘By parachute, like Hess?’
‘How could he get away again?’
Ebby shook his head hopelessly. ‘I’d like to lay my hands on that man Ehrling,’ he said. ‘Him and Taylor, that would be a good bag.’
‘Well, why not?’ inquired Adam in eager tones. ‘That’s an idea, Ebby. Why not wait till Ehrling comes and bag the lot? Miss Taylor could let us into the castle, she could leave a window open or something.… There’s Cheller, of course; we should need one or two hefty fellows to help us.’
Ebby nodded. His eyes were shining. ‘You’ve said it,’ he declared. ‘That’s just what we’ll do. I can lay my hands on a couple of trusty lads – they’re fishermen from Balfinny; maybe I’d better go over and see them to-day before I’m any older.’
‘Fishermen!’ Adam exclaimed.
‘Aye, fishermen. We could depend on them if there’s to be any trouble, for they’re made of the right stuff.’
PART THREE
Chapter One
Adam was dreaming. He was standing at the end of the avenue at Rockingham and the boys were running past. It was a cross-country race and Adam was counting them in … Turner was leading as usual … ‘Turner, Yates, Bingham,’ said Adam to himself and he was marking the time in his notebook. Curiously enough Turner was dressed in the blue uniform of the RAF and looked somewhat out of place amongst the others, who were all in running shorts. Turner waved to Adam as he passed and shouted that he had been to Cologne … and with that Adam awoke. He found himself in the cave lying on his bed of heather. There was a heavy feeling in the air and the sky was overcast. Between the dark thunder clouds which were gathering over the hills there was a gap of tawny-coloured sky. Rain was falling in slanting rods, copper-coloured with the eerie light; the heavy drops, pattering upon the ivy leaves at the mouth of the cave, sounded like running feet. Adam yawned and turned over and, stretching out his hand, he threw some dry wood on the fire … and as the flames sprang up he saw Ebby sitting at the other side of the fire smiling at him.
‘So you’re back!’ exclaimed Adam, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. ‘Why didn’t you wake me?’
‘You needed sleep,’ replied Ebby.
‘Did you see the men?’
‘I saw them. They’re on for anything. There’s old Ben and his three sons. I said two would be enough, but they all want to come – what do you think about it?’
Adam laughed. ‘Four of them!’ he exclaimed. ‘Never mind – the more the merrier.’
‘I think so, too,’ agreed Ebby. He took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it across. ‘There’s a letter for you,’ he added.
‘A letter!’
‘From your private box,’ explained Ebby with a grin. ‘I went down to the bridge on the way back from Balfinny just to see if there was any message for us.’
‘Did you read it?’ Adam inquired.
‘Yes, I did. It might have been something urgent.’
Adam unfolded the paper. There was one short sentence written on it in a firm decisive hand:
He has gone away for two nights so we have a little time.
‘She doesn’t waste words,’ said Adam, looking at the paper thoughtfully.
‘I was thinking the same,’ said Ebby. ‘Two nights brings us to Friday; it gives us a little breathing space.’
‘I think I had better go down to the Castle and see her,’ said Adam slowly.
‘To the Castle!’
‘Why not? I ought to see her and tell her what we mean to do.’ It was curious how his heart rose within him at the thought of seeing her.
‘Now then,’ said Ebby. ‘Now then, Mr Southey, you just stay quietly where you are. You’re safe here and you want to stay safe until the time for action arrives.’
‘I must see Miss Taylor, Ebby. There are all sort of things to arrange.’
‘But, Mr Southey – ’
‘I want to find out where we can get in,’ explained Adam. ‘I must, really. We can’t go groping about in the dark.’
‘And what’ll I do if you don’t come back?’ asked Ebby, looking at him gravely.
‘Carry on, of course. You could carry on perfectly well without me. I’m a passenger, Ebby.’
‘No,’ said Ebby, shaking his head. ‘You’re not a passenger. Maybe I know a bit more about the hills, but then you think of other things; we’re a good team, Mr Southey.’
‘You do most of the collar-work – but never mind, Ebby, I’ll come back, all right.’
It was five o’clock when Adam set out from the cave; the rain had stopped, but the sky was grey and watery and the clouds were low on the hills. Everything was very wet, the heather, the grass, the very mountains were so soaking with moisture that it seemed as if you could squeeze them like a sponge; and the burns, which had been mere trickles, had swollen to powerful torrents racing down the sides of the hills. Strange how a few hours of heavy rain had altered the whole character of the land. It had seemed a holiday-land, a sort of modern Eden as it lay dreaming beneath the sun, but now it was wilder, louder, lonelier. Adam found it more bracing.
He walked across the bridge and up the avenue to the Castle and across Mr Taylor’s drawbridge (in which he took so much pride) and as Adam’s feet echoed upon the solid oaken planks he remembered Mr Taylor saying that he drew it himself every night ‘just for fun’, and wondered whether it was quite such a joke as Mr Taylor had pretended.… But there must be some way in, some way for resolute men to enter the castle, thought Adam as he went up the steps and rang the bell.
