The Toff In Town

He finished the water greedily.

All the time he could hear that faint music.

He went to the door and tried the handle, quite expecting to find the door locked—but it was not He pulled it open. Odd, that he should be quite free to move about as he pleased. There was no sense in it.

A light flashed on, so bright that he gasped aloud and whipped his hand to his eyes. He saw nothing for some time except a red light through his eyelids. He leaned against the wall, recanting his thoughts—they hadn’t let him roam at will; this had been done so that he would think he could escape and then have his hopes dashed.

“Put that—light out,” he muttered at last, and opened his eyes a fraction, peered through a crack in his fingers.

“Oh, is it as bad as that?” asked Pauline Dexter, as if distressed. “What a shame! But you’ll soon be better. Come in and have a drink.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“REQUEST”

SHE slipped her arm through his and led him into the drawing-room. In a corner a radio was playing soft orchestral music, the air which she had hummed a little while before. She helped him to sit on a settee and, when he grunted as his head touched the back, she made a moue of sympathy and, handling him gently, pushed a cushion behind him so that he could sit upright Then she pulled a pouffe near, and lifted his legs on to it

“You’ll soon feel better,” she said. “Whisky? Or perhaps you ought to have coffee, after that blow.”

She went to a table near the electric fire. On it was a round glass coffee-bowl, and the coffee seethed and bubbled over the heat of a tiny methylated spirit lamp. Two cups were by the coffee-bowl, and she poured out.

“Milk?” she asked, “No, you ought to have it black, with plenty of sugar.”

She was dressed in a cream-coloured silk dressing-gown, fastened round the waist with a wide scarlet sash. On her feet were scarlet satin slippers. The frilly lace of her nightdress, or pyjamas, showed above the neck of the dressing-gown. Her hair was a mass of loose golden curls, her complexion pink as a child’s; and she wore only a slight touch of lipstick.

She stirred the coffee and brought it to him.

“Thanks,” muttered Rollison.

After a few minutes his head grew easier and he was not so affected by the light. She pulled up a fireside chair and sat in front of him, leaning forward with her arms folded.

“You must feel terrible,” she remarked. “Your eyes are all bloodshot, did you know? And they look glassy. But they haven’t marked you, thank goodness—there are so few good-looking men about, that I hate to think of one of them having his looks spoiled.”

“Very considerate of you,” murmured Rollison.

She laughed, and her teeth glistened and he could see the tip of her tongue.

“So you can still find a retort,” she marvelled. “I wish Merino hadn’t taken the steps he has done—I’m quite serious,” she added, as if he had shown that he disbelieved her. “I always think that persuasion is much better than violence, but he’s so used to having his own way. The trouble is that this way has often worked for him in other countries. He’s not English, you know—he’s a Cuban.”

“Indeed,” said Rollison.

“Although I suppose one ought to call him a cosmopolitan,” said Pauline musingly.

“Committing crimes all over the world,” said Rollison.

That depends on how you look at it,” the girl said. But now that you’re here and we’re alone, I’ve a favour to ask. I hope you’ll grant it because if you do, you’ll save yourself and the Aliens and perhaps a lot of other people a great deal of inconvenience.”

“Merino’s already asked me,” said Rollison, “and I am not in the mood to go abroad.”

“Oh, I don’t mean that,” said Pauline, her eyes wide and starry. “I always thought that he was silly to try to bribe you, but he’s been used to getting what he wants by offering money— or rather jewels—to V.LP.s. He’s been a jewel merchant for so long that he forgets there are other values. He hasn’t really found his own level in England. I shouldn’t be foolish enough to ask you to leave England. I won’t even ask you to keep away from the Aliens I Frankly I’m a little afraid that if Merino loses his temper he might kill Bob Allen, and I’m fond of the boy. Besides—the police would have to be consulted if murder were done, wouldn’t they?”

“I think they’d appreciate it,” said Rollison.

She laughed again.

“You’re rather sweet,” she remarked. “Is that cushion comfortable? You wouldn’t like another behind your head?” When he said “no”, she took a cigarette from a box near her, lit it, and then put it to his mouth—as he’d done to Allen. “Now you look better,” she said, “I like a man to smoke. Now, to my request! I want you to persuade Bob Allen to go through with the broadcast on Saturday, and to say exactly what I’ve told him to say. He can easily work it into his script, that can be arranged without the slightest trouble.”

“So he’s objecting, is he?” remarked Rollison.

“He’s so stubborn,” said Pauline. “He flatly refuses to do what I ask, but I feel sure he will listen to you. He may not have shown you much respect so far, but he’s impressed by you. If you exert yourself, you can arrange it——”

“So all I have to do is exert myself,” murmured Rollison.

“Yes—and not too much, I shouldn’t think,” said Pauline. “Of course, you won’t want