Before John Henry could voice his objection, Ragoczy said smoothly, 'You would not be adverse to entrusting a key to me, would you? I have done business with this firm for longer than you have been employed here. Surely that makes me trustworthy, Mr Tubbs. I will return it tomorrow, if that is satisfactory to you?' He said it politely enough, but it was apparent he would not be refused. 'I appreciate your concern and precaution, of course.'
This was more opposition than Mr Tubbs was prepared to fight. He ducked his head. 'It would be most acceptable. I will provide you with a key at once, Mr Ragoczy,' he said, and moved away, casting a single, angry look back towards John Henry and the black-cloaked stranger.
John Henry paid no notice of his superior's disapproval; he motioned to Ragoczy to come with him, and hastened back to his desk, his face radiant with anticipation.
'I don't understand it,' said John Henry, shaking his head at what he read in the old ledger. 'There should be another two hundred pounds in this transfer. How can it have been overlooked? They can't have made such an error in arithmetic, can they?' The office was quite dark now, and the rumble in the streets had died to an irregular echo of hooves and wheels; the oil lamp on John Henry's desk and the lume of the dying fire in the hearth provided the only light. It was no longer hot in the office, but it remained stuffy in spite of the chill.
'They did not,' said Ragoczy with a sigh of annoyance. He had shed his cloak and was revealed in a black woollen jacket cut in the latest French fashion. His shirt was silken broadcloth and immaculately white. He wore his cravat in the Russian mode: it was silk, patterned in red and black. His trousers were also of black wool, expertly tailored so that the fullness never became baggy. Indeed, the only note that John Henry could find in the foreigner's ensemble to criticize was the thickness of the soles of Ragoczy's neat black boots.
John Henry's eyes widened. 'But, Count, that would mean that someone has has'
'Been stealing,' Ragoczy supplied gently; he tapped the open ledger with the end of his pencil. 'Yes, it would seem so.'
'But why?'
'For gain, I would suppose,' said Ragoczy, making a worn attempt at a philosophical smile. 'That is the usual reason people steal; for gain of one sort or another.'
'Gain,' repeated John Henry, as if the notion was unfamiliar to him. 'In this firm?'
'Probably there are two of them: one here and one outside England.' He hefted the old ledger. 'It will take time to find out who has done it, and for how long.' He put the ledger down and pulled a watch from his waistcoat pocket. 'Look at the hour.'
John Henry glanced up at the clock over the desks. 'It is coming nine,' he said, astonished that so much time should have passed. 'I ought not to have kept you so very late, Count.'
'I supposed
'It is my pleasure,' said John Henry, flushing as they shook hands.
Ragoczy's expression remained friendly, but he said, 'I doubt it.' And in response to John Henry's startled look, went on. 'No doubt a young man like you has things he would rather do of an evening than assist in discovering a pattern of errors in a ledger.'
'Most evenings, I study,' said John Henry, for once not very forthcoming.
'Ah,' said Ragoczy. 'Then perhaps you will let me impose upon you a bit more. If you would be willing to continue this examination for another evening, I would be willing to pay for your time. Provided you do not feel you are compromised by helping me.'
'Why would I feel that?' asked John Henry. 'They are the ones who are taking from you. You are entitled to recover all that has been pilfered. I would be a poor employee indeed if I countenanced wrong-doing by my employer.'
'Quite so. And all the more reason for you to accept money for your aid. I would have required much more time if you had not been willing to help me.' Ragoczy looked pleased.
'Oh, that is hardly necessary.' John Henry directed his gaze towards the dying fire. 'Mr Tubbs allowed me to stay because I am the most junior of the clerks. He did not think I could uncover anything of significance.'
'You assume he knows there is something to uncover,' said Ragoczy, his expression remaining kindly but with a keenness in his eyes that was unnerving to John Henry.
'I doubt he would have let me remain if he feared you would learn what you have learned. 'He lifted his hands. 'And you could have managed without me. I have done very little to earn''
'Nevertheless, you will permit me to compensate you for the time you have lost.' Beneath the elegant manner there was something unyielding; John Henry sensed it and nodded.
'Thank you, Count,' he said. 'I will stay tomorrow night, if that is suitable.'
'Eminently,' said Ragoczy, and reached out for his cloak even while he slipped his hand into one of his inner jacket pockets. He drew out a five pound note and handed the flimsy to John Henry, who stared at it, for it represented more than a month's wages. 'For your service. At this hour, I should take a cab home if I were you, Mr Brodribb.'
'But five pounds' John Henry could not find the words to go on.
'Considering the magnitude of the theft you have helped me to uncover this evening, it is a very poor commission. Had I retained someone to perform this task, he should have cost me much more. And who knows what success we would have? You are familiar with the ledger entries, which another might not be.' Ragoczy's swift smile lit his face again. 'And he would have been much less entertaining.'
John Henry looked up from the money in his hand and stared at Ragoczy. 'That's very kind, Count.'
'Do you think so.' Ragoczy slipped his cloak on with a style John Henry swore to himself he would one day master.
'Tomorrow night, then,' said John Henry as he watched Ragoczy go to the door while he folded up his five pound note to a size small enough to slip into his waistcoat pocket.
