'Well, at least that means she's in,' said Churchill as they got into Ross-Donaldson's jeep.
'Not necessarily. The engaged signal is given whenever the connecting apparatus is engaged, which will be the case if another subscriber is attempting to raise the same number. And Lucy's number is one people are constantly attempting to raise. It's one of the things about her. And her number. Of course, I did get here a couple of weeks before you and the other S1 chaps, so I've had longer to explore and a clearer field at the outset. But even so I am slightly astonished you haven't come across Lucy before, or she you. I thought that most of the Mess had been round at her place at one time or another, except for people like Leonard and Venables of course. And Willie Ayscue. And the Indians and Pakistanis. Yes, I suppose there are quite a few who haven't been, when you come to work it out carefully. Adjutant and Lieutenant Churchill. Recreational.'
This last was said to, and taken down in writing by, a corporal who emerged from the guard-hut by the gate. The gate itself, a massive affair of steel and concrete which it would have taken a fair-sized shell to knock off its hinges, was pushed open by one of the sentries, while the other peered vigilantly up the road, as if aware that this would be a good moment for an attack by hostile motorcyclists, should one be in preparation.
They turned right into what was no more than a lane, and then immediately left. Fifty yards farther on they crossed directly over a substantial trunk highway and traveled along a minor road with tall hedgerows on either side. Ross-Donaldson had at once taken up his own words to the guard corporal. 'Recreational. I suppose that is the way to describe it. Do you think it'll help Leonard to know that we've been recreating?'
'He has to keep a check, presumably. But I do wonder what he gets out of these guard reports. If you and I were spies going off to meet our contact we'd be unlikely to tell the guard so. And we'd vary the times and everything, so that-'
'An omnifariously randomized schedule indistinguishable from the genuinely random. Quite so. However, I'm sure this is at least as clear to Leonard as it is to us. From all points of view he must start by doing what's expected of him. It's only then that he can surprise people. Are you warm enough?'
The jeep had no side-screens, but the rush of air was no more than cool. It smelled vaguely of earth and vegetation. Except for their headlights it was quite dark. 'I'm fine,' said Churchill, then went on.
'Why don't the Indians and Pakistanis ever go and see this Lucy woman?'
'Oh, I'm sure they sense that they wouldn't get on together. They and she.'
'Doesn't she like non-Europeans?'
'I've no idea. Light me a cigarette, Churchill, would you? No, it's what they'd feel about it. Not what she'd feel about it, if I know her. One of them explained to me the other day that they all have very excellent, very loving wife in Bombay or Karachi. I think it was your friend Moti Naidu.'
'It doesn't sound like him.'
'I'm sorry, I know I'm not good at imitations. I must stop doing them.'
'Why does it matter if they have any sort of wife in Bombay?'
'Well, I don't care personally one way or the other.'
'No, I mean why should that stop them going to see Lucy?'
'Having a wife might not stop me, but people like Asians often hold these strict views about marital fidelity.'
'Are you trying to tell me that they couldn't go to see this woman without popping into bed with her?'
'It's unlikely. She might jib a bit at taking on old Chatterji.'
Churchill felt slightly alarmed. 'Christ, what sort of set-up has she got there?'
'It's what you might call a maison a une fille. She practices promiscuous polyandry. You'll see.'
'Christ.'
'I thought I'd conveyed that. Anyway, everything's very well handled. Only those with exceptionally low embarrassment thresholds would feel any discomfort.'
'How good-looking is she?'
'Quite sufficiently. She spends a lot of money on her clothes and jewelry and stuff of that kind. She's the widow of a man who became very rich as a result of making furniture, so rich that they had to give him a knighthood. They hadn't been married very long, and he'd been a knight an even shorter time, when he fell off his yacht in the Adriatic and was drowned. There are no children of the marriage.'
'What was she before she was married?'
'I don't know. She's never said and I've never thought to inquire. I don't even know how long she's been polyandrous. One would imagine quite a time, but it's probably the sort of activity in which a high pitch of expertness is soon reached.'
Anticipation and nervousness were mixed in Churchill. After thinking for a while he decided that, although he had very little idea of what he was in for and still wondered energetically how many other men might turn out to be looking up Lucy tonight, he would be disappointed rather than relieved if for any reason she proved unavailable. He cheered up a lot at this thought, and became impatient to arrive.
'How far now?' he asked.
'We're just coming up to halfway, which I take to be St. Jerome's Priory. It's behind that peak on the left. You can't actually see it from the road. In fact the site's well concealed from most points along the natural approaches. It lies at the top of what looks like a perfect example of a mesa, though one would expect other such formations to be found in the area, and I haven't identified any. More probably it's the remains of an unusually broad band of vertical strata whose slopes have been subject to a lot of snow action, giving us a kind of eroded hog's back. Anyway, a useful spot for a place full of valuables that isn't allowed to defend itself.'
