In the Lagonda Grierson asked, 'Did you want her?'
'No,' Craig said. 'I could have had one just like her. Archie's compliments. They come in packets of twenty. I'll stick to Tessa.'
He leaned back, half asleep, till Grierson drove him to Hakagawa's house, then turned to face him.
'I'm sorry I had to hit you,' he said.
'So am I,' said Grierson.
'No. Listen. You do that again and I'll hit you again. I can't help it. What I mean is, I'm sorry Loomis made you do it.'
'Loomis is a bastard,' said Grierson, 'but he knows what he's doing.' 'He'd better.' 'You're corning in then?' 'Yes.'
Be a gentleman, McLaren had told him, and he'd done his best, and he'd failed. Clothes right, table manners right, accent and idiom at least passable-but that was all. It would take him a million years to learn to behave like Sir Geoffrey, and even then he'd always fight back, and fight to win, with fists and feet, with anything that was handy. As a gentleman he wouldn't do at all. He'd failed. And he wouldn't do as a lone wolf either. His wife, his dead child, Tessa, even Sir Geoffrey, they were all responsibilities. His responsibilities. Sometimes he'd recognized them, and sometimes he'd tried to ignore them, but always they had been there, waiting for him to do something about them. They were his people, and when they needed protection, it was his business to provide it, as his father had protected him in the fishing boat, years ago. To protect them, he had to kill St. Briac.
'I'll kill him,' Craig said. 'I haven't any choice.'
Tessa was awake, waiting for him in the guest room. As he undressed, she told him how kind the Hakagawas were, how beautiful their manners, for never once had they passed judgment on her, never once been surprised by what had happened.
Craig said, 'You'll be safe here, Tessa.'
'I will?'
'I may have to go away for a bit. There's something I've got to see to.'
'Will it take long?'
'Not long. Maybe a week.'
'Is it because of that Grierson man?'
'No,' Craig said. 'Because of you. If I don't attend to this, we'll never have any peace. If I do-we'll have nothing to worry about.'
Carefully, pushing the words out of her mouth, Tessa said, 'You are coming back to me then?'
'Of course,' said Craig. 'You do ask stupid questions.'
And after that, even though Tessa was embarrassed because the Hakagawas were next door, she simply had to love him.
Next morning she woke early, and ate and gossiped with Sanuki while Craig slept. The two women were moving quickly toward friendship as they worked together in the kitchen. Shenju came in, and breakfasted on fruit and milk while Tessa grilled bacon and fried eggs.
'The wrong diet for me,' Shenju said, 'but perfect for John. He burns up energy so quickly.' He peeled an apple, the peel a fine spiral, tissue-paper thin. 'He is the best judoka I ever taught, and that makes him a very dangerous man.'
'I don't think so,' said Tessa.
'Oh yes. He is a man to trust, but he is also dangerous.
More dangerous than ever since I taught him to-since I taught him. He was very unhappy for a long time. I do not think he is unhappy now.' He bowed to Tessa. Tessa said, 'He's going away.'
Shenju glanced at her sharply, though the hand that held the knife was rock-steady. 'For long?' he asked. 'He said about a week.' He nodded. 'Did he say why?'
'Some business he had to finish. Then he says we'll have some peace.'
'You deserve it, both of you,' Shenju said. 'You mustn't worry, Tessa. He is a very good man. He will be quite safe.'
She took Craig's breakfast into him then, and sipped coffee as he sat up in bed and ate.
'Is it ail right?' she asked.
'Marvelous,' he said. 'You know it is.'
He pushed his tray away at last, and fit a cigarette, drew her down beside him.
'I wish you wouldn't,' he said.
'What?'
'Wait on me like that. I can get up and eat.'
'You were tired-and anyway I like doing it. I won't be able to, while you're away.' She turned to him then, and he could see the fear in her face. 'Shenju says I mustn't worry. You'll be safe.'
'Of course I will.'
'But he didn't mean it. You're going into danger, aren't you?'
'No,' said Craig. 'He's just kidding you-' 'You're lying,' she said. 'Do you think I don't know when you're lying?' Craig shrugged.
'It's no good, love,' he said. 'I have to go.' 'Where?' He shook his head. 'What are you going to do?'
'I've told you,' he said. 'Get us both some peace.'
'Or get killed? Is that it?'
'I haven't any choice. Believe me-'
'Oh yes you have,' said Tessa. 'We could run away. Now. Today.'
'Yesterday,' he said. 'But not now. We can't run any more.'
'It's Grierson, isn't it?' she asked. 'It's you and me. I told you last night.' 'Darling,' she said. 'Please. Tell me what you're going to do.'
He shook his head. 'I can't,' he said.
She drew away from him then, and sat in silence as he bathed and dressed, took out the Luger, checked it, strapped its holster over his shoulder, and put the gun in it. He emptied his wallet, pouring the money into her lap.
'I have to go,' he said. 'This should keep you till I get back.'
She was still silent.
'It may be dangerous,' he said. 'I hope not-but it may be. Don't worry, love. You'll be all right.'
'Will I?' she asked. 'Will I really?'
'Sure.' He nodded, very serious. 'If I get knocked off, you'll be a rich woman. I've made a new will. My wife keeps all the Rose Line money. You get the rest.'
She gasped, as if he'd hit her.
'But I mean to come back-for you. Do you believe that?'
Slowly, reluctantly, she nodded. 'You'll be here?' 'Yes,' she whispered. 'What's wrong then?'
'I'll wait for you because I have to,' she said. 'Because I haven't any choice. The way I feel-But I don't like it. It makes me frightened.'
'I'm sorry,' said Craig. 'I told you what it would be like.'
'Couldn't we just go away?' she asked. 'Couldn't we?'
'I'll see you in a week,' he said, and bent to kiss her, but she turned her head away.
Craig shrugged, and put on his coat. No sense in arguing that one again. And anyway, it was time to go.
CHAPTER 12
Loomis's club was, inevitably, in St. James's, and there Craig went to lunch with him, on canned shrimps, cold beef and salad, apple pie, Cheddar cheese, and a pint of bitter. As food it was barely edible, but Loomis praised it for its modesty.
'You can get all the exotic fodder you want in Nice,' he said. 'This is the stuff to calm you down. Haute cuisine
