'That's a possibility, certainly. But I don't think there's much point in discussing possibilities until we see the place. As I said, I've been after the limiting factors. In any case, we've got one more job before Newton Chester. We've still got to see Maclean.'
'Maclean? He was–the navigator, wasn't he?'
'He was the navigator, yes.'
'But we're not going to do another tough act for him, I hope–I don't think I've got the stamina!'
Audley smiled. 'I don't think it would be very wise to attempt that act on a respectable citizen like Mr Maclean.'
Faith sighed with relief. 'Thank Christ there was one respectable member of the crew! I was beginning to get a jaundiced view of the air force. But then I suppose if anyone has to be steady and reliable it would be the navigator. Sort of father figure, like Captain Cook!'
Like most women she was prone to subjective judgments, reflected Audley: her step-father had been a navigator. But it was reassuring to find such a mundane flaw in her character; in some other respects she was formidable enough to be Jones's true daughter.
'I don't think your father's crew was very unusual–or unusually bad, come to that, Faith. Morrison was the weakling and Tierney was a potential crook, but they did their jobs perfectly well. They helped to win the war so people like me could come and hound them in peace years afterwards. Their generation did something big dummy4
— which is more than mine has done.'
'And my father?'
'Same thing, love–only more so! Don't go drooping through life thinking he was just a villain. In some ways he was quite a man.
He won his DFC fair and square.'
'Don't I know it! It was Grandmother's favourite bed-time story. So he was a war-hero. It's just that now I don't think he would have been a peace-hero.'
'Maybe not. But there were plenty like him—'
'A daring pilot in extremity ...
But for a calm unfit.'
You shouldn't be sad, then. You've been damned lucky!'
'Lucky?' Faith sounded bitter.
'Every one of you! You got a good step-father out of the deal. And your mother has a good husband.'
'And my father and his crew–were they lucky?'
'They were luckier still. Your father went out quickly just when he thought he was home and dry and the others saved their skins.'
'And lost their treasure!'
'But that was the luckiest thing of all–for them. You don't think they'd really have got away with it, do you? More likely it would have been their death sentence.'
dummy4
'But you said — you've implied, anyway — that it was a marvellous plan?'
'So it was. But it had one terrible flaw they didn't know about–the flaw you've forgotten about and I still don't understand. They'd got Panin after them!'
'Panin–ugh!' Faith shivered. 'Every time you mention him it gives me the shakes–is he some kind of bogeyman?'
Audley shrugged. 'I wish I knew. But I know the Russians never gave up looking for that Dakota, so the odds are they'd have been on your father the moment he tried to dispose of his loot. And judging by what they did to Bloch they wouldn't have been gentle.'
She stared down at her feet miserably, and Audley cursed his runaway tongue, so proud of itself. He had set out to cheer her up and he had only reminded her of the real reason for this ridiculous treasure hunt. For a time he had almost forgotten it himself.
It was his turn to put a reassuring hand on her arm now.
'Never mind, Faith love. You don't have to meet the bogeyman on Tuesday. And you should get on splendidly with Maclean.'
She turned to him in surprise. 'Panin's coming here–to England?'
'You don't have to meet him.'
'Don't have to? I want to! The only way to deal with nightmares is to get them out into daylight–and I don't believe he can really be so awful, not if he thinks the treasure's worth his precious time.'
She was an innocent really, as so many of her kind were innocents.
Always trying to transpose their safe, cosy world with that other, very different one: brave old Uncle Joe, puffing his pipe; cuddly dummy4
Mr Kruschev, dandling his grandchildren on his knee; mild, worried-looking Mr Kosygin, playing the dove to Brezhnev's hawk. But he had to accept her jibe–it would only frighten her to point out that the worst nightmares were those which refused to dissolve in the morning sun.
'Besides, if he's such a big wheel it would be an experience to meet him. I've never met anyone really important!'
Audley felt another surge of affection for her: she was quite a girl.
