We'll meet again

You are more likely to get Tristan back safely if this is dealt with by experts ... sensibly.”

"No. I must go there myself... I must go alone.”

"It would be quite wrong.”

"How can you know?”

"Instinctively. One should never deal with these people. These are not even ordinary kidnappers. They are spies.”

"Oh, what have I got into, Violetta? Why do these things happen to me?”

She paused and said musingly: "I think people who do not live according to the conventions would be more likely to find themselves in awkward situations. Perhaps that is why we have these rules of conduct. But never mind. What we have to do is find the best way out of this.”

I was comforted by the word "we." We were sharing this, as we had always done.

"The first thing we should do," she went on, "is tell Gordon.”

"Oh, no...”

"He will know best how we should act. Don't forget, he will know something of what is going on around us here. It's a fairly isolated coast and the enemy are just across the Channel. Remember the flashing lights? They were never fully explained. There is more going on than we know about and Gordon could have special knowledge.

If we tell him exactly what has happened, he will certainly get in touch with Captain Brent.”

"Violetta, I have to have that box by Friday.”

"I know. That is why we should tell Gordon right away.”

"In the morning then...”

"No, no. At once.”

"He's in his room. He's probably asleep.”

"Do you think any one of us in this house is asleep tonight?”

"You will tell him then. What then? They'll know I've told.”

"They won't. He'll go to see Captain Brent. They'll have some plan.

They will know what they are up against and how to deal with it. It's their work. You can't give secrets to the enemy in any circumstances.

Believe me, this is the only way.”

"So you are going to tell Gordon.”

"That's the first step and we won't lose a moment.”

"And Tristan?”

"He'll be more safe this way.”

"Oh, Violetta, I can't ...”

"Trust me, Dorabella. I know I'm right. There is only one way to handle this.”

As she had thought, Gordon was up, sitting fully dressed in a chair near the telephone.

When we knocked, he said: "Come in," in a startled voice. "Violetta!

Dorabella!" he cried as we entered.

"Something has happened," said Violetta. "There has been a note from these people.”

"A note? Where?”

Violetta explained.

"My God!" he murmured under his breath.

He wanted to know everything. Where was the note? I had had to give it up, we told him. How was it delivered? It was on the hall table where the letters were put.

"So, someone must have been here ... in the house ...”

"Gordon," said Violetta, "we thought you would know how we should act.”

"And you actually saw this man. He gave you a sketch. It is so wild... so incredible ...”

"It's something serious, isn't it?" said Violetta. "It's more than an ordinary kidnapping for money.”

"I must have Tristan back," I cried. "I don't care .

Violetta took my hand and pressed it while Gordon stood up and said: "Captain Brent must see this sketch immediately. He will know what it is all about and how we should act.”

"He's away," I said.

"I shall reach him. Listen. I am going ... immediately.”

I looked at the clock on the mantelshelf. It was half past ten.

He went on: "There may be little time to lose.”

"How will you find him?" asked Violetta.

"I shall find a way and I must do it right away.”

He went to the wardrobe and put on an overcoat and shoes. He opened a drawer and took out a briefcase; he put the sketch into his wallet and said: "Go back to your rooms. Tell no one of this. When I return, behave as though I have just been out on some early morning estate matter. I shall probably know then what should be done. Now, go to your rooms.”

Violetta came back with me to mine and shortly afterwards we heard the sound of his car starting up and driving off.

We lay in the bed together. She held my hand as she used to when we were children. I was vaguely comforted because she knew.

It was about ten o'clock next morning when Gordon returned.

He came to us at once.

I cried: "Have you seen Captain Brent?”

He nodded. "It is better at this stage," he said, "if you do not know too much. You must do exactly what you are told. This morning, you will drive to Riverside Cottage, park the car at the back where it cannot be seen from the road, and you will let yourself in through the back door. You will stay there for about an hour. Then you will come out, go to your car and drive back to Tregarland. This afternoon, you will do the same again and perhaps stay a little longer. I shall leave this evening and perhaps be back in a few hours.”

"If I cannot find the box.”

"Don't worry. You are going to take a box to them on Friday. It will be a box I shall give you. But you must do exactly as you are told.

That is the best chance of getting Tristan back unharmed.”

"Oh, Gordon," said Violetta, "how glad I am we told you. Thank you... thank you...”

"My dear Violetta, we are not there yet and, of course, I want to do everything possible.”

"I know," she said.