We'll meet again

"She didn't think anything of it. Simone had often come in the last weeks. Well, it seems that was how it must have been done. The kidnappers thought they had got away with the box. Thanks to the perspicacity of Charley, we were waiting for them when they would have got away. We had the people immediately concerned in the plot. But not Simone. She was not with them on that occasion and, of course, there was no intention of her giving up the valuable work she was doing for our enemies. We had been watching Simone for some time, and we knew she could lead us to others.”

"Her brother?" I asked, and Gordon nodded.

"She has now been arrested... with her brother. We have what we wanted and I think we can congratulate ourselves.”

"To think that for so long we have been living in the midst of all this intrigue!" I said.

"There is more going on than any of us realize. Living in wartime is living with melodrama all about one. This is a triumph for our service here.”

"And is Captain Brent involved in all this?" I asked.

"Deeply. But he thought you should be told something, as you two have been involved in it too ... particularly you, Dorabella, having been in Paris and lived with this spy, and even having met Georges Mansard.

In due course I shall let it be known that Simone wants to be near her brother and that she has taken a job on a farm near him. We shall pretend to forward on her clothes and effects.

Mrs. Penwear will pack them and I shall take them, letting everyone think that they are going to be sent on to her, just in case anyone should start rumors which must be suppressed. Gossip is rife. So, when Mrs. Penwear has packed Simone's things, I shall tell everyone they have gone to her. No one must be aware of the purpose for which she was here. They must continue to think of her as the amusing French girl who so bravely left her country. And, if you hear anything to the contrary, you must come and tell me at once.”

"We understand," said Violetta, looking at him with undoubted admiration. I must say, I felt the same.

Captain Brent came to visit the men as he had before. I met him in a passage in the Priory.

He looked at me quizzically. Then he put his hands on my shoulders and said: "This business ... it hasn't altered things, has it?”

I laughed with relief. "Oh, James," I replied. "It has been so awful.”

"Somewhat melodramatic, eh?”

I said: "I can't forget what happened... because of us... Tristan...”

"I know," he replied. Then: "Come to Riverside this afternoon, can you? We could talk there.”

"Yes," I answered, my spirits soaring.

I did care for James, and it would be good to be with him once more.

He was waiting for me when I arrived. He put his arms round me and kissed me.

"Wonderful to be with you again ... like this," he said.

"I didn't realize that you were not exactly what you were said to be.”

"Who is?" he asked.

"I suppose you are a very important person?”

"One of the cogs in the wheel. I have my little part to play. I am sorry you had to be drawn into all this.”

"It will be different knowing that you are not really here to look after those men. But that is something which we must not mention.”

He smiled. "Then it makes no difference. What we are to each other is the same as it ever was. Do you agree?”

"Yes, I agree.”

It was wonderful to have him back. It was exciting. There was a secret we shared. He was not what he had seemed to be, but a man of mystery, which made everything more enthralling.

When I left Riverside Cottage, I drove into Poldown, where I sensed an excitement in the air. A little knot of men was standing by the bridge reading a newspaper. Something had clearly happened.

I got out of the car and went into the newsagent's.

"Oh, there you be then, Mrs. Tregarland," said Mrs. Berm from behind the counter. "Have 'ee heard the news then?”

"News? What news?”

"They Japs have gone and bombed the American fleet in a place called Pearl Harbor and they do say this 'ull bring them into the war at last.”

I bought a paper and read the headlines. Then I drove back as fast as I could to Tregarland's.

There was immediate relief. We no longer stood alone. This must be the beginning of the end.

Violetta

A Friend from the Past

Another year was with us and there was still no news of Jowan. I think I was beginning to believe, with others, that he would never return.

We had made a great effort to have a merry Christmas with the men and had succeeded fairly well. Everyone joined in, including my parents, who had come to Tregarland's to spend Christmas with us.

It was wonderful to see them. There was so much to talk about.

My mother had known nothing about the kidnapping until it was over.

She and my father would have been absolutely distraught and I was glad we had not told them until Tristan was safely back.

My mother was busy with all sorts of war work. She told me that my grandmother had opened Marchlands again. She would have liked to go there but she would not leave my father who could not leave the estate.