Dennis Wheatley - Traitors' Gate

Desperately tired but much comforted by this concern for her wellbeing, Sabine agreed at once, and when she had been given into the care of the housekeeper the two men went up to the library. As soon as the door was closed Sir Pellinore said grumpily:

'Fine mess you've made of things!'

'Don't I know it!' Gregory muttered, flinging himself into a chair. 'But how the hell was I to know that Erika would be here?'

'You might have guessed. Knowin' you were on your way home I telephoned her yesterday to come down to meet you.'

'That was good of you; but I wish to God you hadn't.'

'And I wish that Hitler was dead in a ditch; but he isn't.'

'I wouldn't have had this happen for worlds.'

'It's your own fault. I'd have thought you were old enough to realize the wisdom of bein' off with the old love before bein' on with the new. It was downright wicked to spring this thing on poor Erika like that. If only you had tipped me off in your telegram I would never have brought her down from Gwaine Meads. You ought to be ashamed of yourself.'

'I am. But I had expected to have a little time in which to fix things decently.'

Sir Pellinore shrugged his great shoulders. 'Well, what's done's done. Perhaps to have used the surgeon's knife may prove kinder to her in the long run.' His bright blue eyes took on a new ruminative expression and he went on, T must say, though, you're a wizard with the women. It's no mean feat to have taken Ribbentrop's mistress off him. And, by jove, this Toboso girl is something. She's a stunner.'

Gregory sighed. 'Yes, as brunettes go I've never seen her equal. Still, as far as I'm concerned, she's all yours if you want her.'

'Eh! What's that? If I were your age wild horses wouldn't hold me. But I don't want to die yet. If that wench took me on she'd kill me in a fortnight. Seriously, though, d'you mean that you're not in love with her?'

'No. For the past month I've been suffering from a glorious madness; but that's all there is to it. And unless I'm much mistaken it's the same with her. She hardly kicked at all when I told her that if I did bring her to England I'd be able to see very little of her. The only real love in my life has been, and still is, Erika.'

'God bless my soul! And you've cooked your goose with her. She thinks you've thrown her over for the Trombolo gel.'

'I'm afraid so,' Gregory agreed gloomily. Then he added, 'As Sabine is going to be your guest you had better get her name right. It's Tuzolto.'

'Oh, she must stay here. No question of that; and for as long as she likes. My offer was not made because I believed her to be your new girlfriend, but because she got you out of Grauber's clutches. And, of course, because I knew her father. But what else can Erika think? Damn it, man, she heard this shameless little hussy gaily admit that you'd been honey moonin' together on the Danube.'

'I know. Erika arriving at that moment was the worst break I've had for years. Still, she has never pretended to be a saint herself, and she has a most generous nature. As soon as she gets back I mean to grovel, and…'

Sir Pellinore pulled an envelope from his pocket. 'She's not coming back. When we went down to lunch I found she had left this note for me on the table in the hall. Here, you'd better read it.'

Gregory took the single sheet of paper. On it Erika had scrawled in pencil.

I am going straight back to Gwaine Meads. Please have my things sent after me. Tell Gregory that I do not wish to see him. If he follows me I shall leave the house at once for some place where he cannot find me.

Throwing the paper down, Gregory stood up. 'Hell and damnation! She can't do this! She loves me. I'm certain of it; and I love her. Of course I shall go after her.'

'I wouldn't, if I were you.' Sir Pellinore shook his head. 'Not while she's in this state. Odds are she'll carry out her threat if you do. Poor gel's hit hard. That's clear. She'll be all right up at Gwaine Meads; but if you go chasin' her out of it she might do something rash. Don't want an inquest, do we?'

'God forbid! But I can't just leave things as they are. It would be wanton cruelty to allow her to go on believing for longer than I have to that I no longer love her.'

'You can say that in a letter. But keep it short. Just that, and that you want to throw yourself on her mercy as soon as she feels up to seein' you. Throw the ball to her. If she cares for you enough she'll come round when she's had a chance to simmer down.'

Gregory nodded. 'Better still, I'll send her a telegram. She'll get it on her arrival; and it may make tonight a little less miserable for her.'

'Good idea. Now, what about your sloeeyed Susan. Shockin' waste of a good thing; but I'm afraid you'll have to kiss her goodbye if you hope to patch matters up with Erika.'

'You're right there. I'd meant to anyway. I'll go up and break it to her after dinner. I had intended to ask you for a bed, but I'd better not stay in the house while she's here. I'll telephone Rudd that I'm back and will be sleeping at Gloucester Road.'

'That's sound. You can dine here though. Then, after you've had your showdown with that lovely piece of wickedness upstairs, if there is anything left of you we'll have a talk about your mission.'

'I may as well tell you about it now.'

Sir Pellinore held up a big hand. 'No. You are overdue for a few hours' sleep. Write out that telegram to Erika. I'll send it off and telephone Rudd. Your usual room is ready for you. Go straight to bed. I'll have you called at half past seven, in time for a bath, then we'll dine.'

When they met again Gregory was no less worried but, physically, his sleep and a hot bath had done him a lot of good. Over dinner their talk was mainly of the war, ranging in turn over the many far-flung battle fronts on which the Axis and the Allies were at death grips. Then, fortified by two glasses of Cockburn's 1912, Gregory went up to see Sabine.

He found her sitting up in bed clad in a nightdress of dark red chiffon that she had bought in Istanbul. She still had heavy shadows under her eyes as a result of their flight from Cyprus but the colour of the chiffon set off her dark beauty to perfection. On his entering the room her expression hardened, and she said abruptly:

'Well, what have you got to say?'

'Very little for myself,' he admitted, taking a chair beside her bed.

'That lovely blonde Countess is your mistress, isn't she?'

'Yes. And something more than that. We are engaged to be married as soon as she can get a divorce from her husband.'

'I seem to remember your telling me that you were not a marrying type.'

'That was true enough when we first met in 1936; but it seems the leopard can change his spots. Perhaps that's because I'm older now. Anyhow, for a long time past I've wanted to marry Erika von Osterberg, and I still do.'

'Why didn't you tell me that last night on the barge that you had someone in England?'

'I meant to. But, to be honest, I funked it. I'm afraid that I would hurt you, and I'd hoped…'

'To let me down lightly, eh?' Sabine gave him a cynical smile. 'That was most considerate of you. And now, I take it, the chicken has come home to roost. How unfortunate for you that, being uninformed of your situation, and knowing dear old Sir Pellinore to be a man of the world, I should have admitted to our having been lovers. That must have been a horrid shock to the Countess and, I fear, put an abrupt end to your engagement. Or have you made it up with her?'

'No,' Gregory replied dully. 'She has taken it very badly, and left a note in which she says she will refuse to see me.'

'Oh, my poor Gregory. I am so sorry for you.' Sabine's expression had suddenly changed and she was smiling at him.

'You… you mean that you don't mind?'