'But I feel such a fool,' said Bundle. 'I mean, I know so little.'
'That can easily be remedied,' said Lady Caterham briskly. 'I have any amount of literature I can lend you.'
'Thank you, Aunt Marcia,' said Bundle, and proceeded hastily to her second line of attack.
'I wondered if you knew Mrs. Macatta, Aunt Marcia?'
'Certainly I know her. A most estimable woman with a brilliant brain. I may say that as a general rule I do not hold with women standing for Parliament. They can make their influence felt in a more womanly fashion.'
She paused, doubtless to recall the womanly way in which she had forced a reluctant husband into the political arena and the success which had crowned his efforts.
'But still, times change. And what Mrs. Macatta is doing is truly of the utmost value for all women. One may say, a true womanly work. Evidently, you must meet Mrs. Macatta.'
Bundle gave a rather dismal sigh.
'She's going to be at a house-party at George Lomax's next week. He asked Father, who, of course, won't go, but he never thought of asking me. Thinks I'm too much of an idiot, I suppose.'
It occurred to Lady Caterham that her niece was really wonderfully improved. Had she, perhaps, had an unfortunate love affair?
An unfortunate love affair, in Lady Caterham's opinion, was often highly beneficial to young girls. It made them take life seriously.
'I don't suppose George Lomax realises for a moment that you have – shall we say, grown up? Eileen dear,' she said, 'I must have a few words with him.'
'He doesn't like me,' said Bundle. 'I know he won't ask me.'
'Nonsense,' said Lady Caterham. 'I shall make a point of it. I knew George Lomax when he was so high.' She indicated a quite impossible height. 'He will be only too pleased to do me a favour. And he will be sure to see for himself that it is vitally important that the present-day young girls of our own class should take an intelligent interest in the welfare of their country.'
Bundle nearly said: 'Hear, hear,' but checked herself.
'I will find you some literature now,' said Lady Caterham, rising.
She called in a piercing voice: 'Miss Connor.'
A very neat secretary with a frightened expression came running. Lady Caterham gave her various directions. Presently Bundle was driving back to Brook Street with an armful of the driest-looking literature imaginable.
Her next proceeding was to ring up Jimmy Thesiger. His first words were full of triumph.
'I've managed it,' he said. 'Had a lot of trouble with Bill, though. He'd got it into his thick head that I should be a lamb among wolves. But I made him see sense at last. I've got a lot of thingummybobs now and I'm studying them. You know, blue books and white papers. Deadly dull – but one must do the thing properly. Have you ever heard of the Santa Fй boundary dispute?'
'Never,' said Bundle.
'Well, I'm taking special pains with that. It went on for years and was very complicated. I'm making it my subject. Nowadays one has to specialise.'
'I've got a lot of the same sort of things,' said Bundle. 'Aunt Marcia gave them to me.'
'Aunt who?'
'Aunt Marcia – Father's sister-in-law. She's very political. In fact she's going to get me invited to George's party.'
'No? Oh, I say, that will be splendid.'
There was a pause and then Jimmy said:
'I say, I don't think we'd better tell Loraine that – eh?'
'Perhaps not.'
'You see, she mayn't like being out of it. And she really must be kept out of it.'
'Yes.'
'I mean you can't let a girl like that run into danger!'
Bundle reflected that Mr. Thesiger was slightly deficient in tact. The prospect of her running into danger did not seem to give him any qualms whatever.
'Have you gone away?' asked Jimmy.
'No, I was only thinking.'
'I see. I say, are you going to the inquest tomorrow?'
'Yes, are you?'
'Yes. By the way, it's in the evening papers. But tucked away in a corner. Funny – I should have thought they'd have made rather a splash about it.'
'Yes – so should I.'
'Well,' said Jimmy, 'I must be getting on with my task. I've just got to where Bolivia sent us a Note.'
'I suppose I must get on with my little lot,' said Bundle. 'Are you going to swot at it all the evening?'
'I think so. Are you?'
'Oh, probably. Goodnight.'
They were both liars of the most unblushing order. Jimmy Thesiger knew perfectly well that he was taking Loraine Wade out to dinner.
As for Bundle, no sooner had she rung off than she attired herself in various nondescript garments belonging, as a matter of fact, to her maid. And having donned them she sallied out on foot deliberating whether bus or tube would be the best route by which to reach the Seven Dials Club.
Chapter 13
THE SEVEN DIALS CLUB
Bundle reached 14 Hunstanton Street about six p.m. At that hour, as she rightly judged, the Seven Dials Club was a dead spot. Bundle's aim was a simple one. She intended to get hold of the ex-footman Alfred. She was convinced that once she had got hold of him the rest would be easy. Bundle had a simple autocratic method of dealing with retainers. It seldom failed, and she saw no reason why it should fail now.
The only thing of which she was not certain was how many people inhabited the club premises. Naturally she wished to disclose her presence to as few people as possible.
Whilst she was hesitating as to her best line of attack, the problem was solved for her in a singularly easy fashion. The door of No. 14 opened and Alfred himself came out.
'Good-afternoon, Alfred,' said Bundle pleasantly.
Alfred jumped.
'Oh! good-afternoon, your ladyship. I – I didn't recognise your ladyship just for a moment.'
Paying a tribute in her own mind to her maid's clothing, Bundle proceeded to business.
'I want a few words with you, Alfred. Where shall we go?'
'Well – really, my lady – I don't know – it's not what you might call a nice part round here – I don't know, I'm sure –'
Bundle cut him short.
'Who's in the club?'
'No one at present, my lady.'
'Then we'll go in there.'
Alfred produced a key and opened the door. Bundle passed in. Alfred, troubled and sheepish, followed her. Bundle sat down and looked straight at the uncomfortable Alfred.
'I suppose you know,' she said crisply, 'that what you're doing here is dead against the law?'
Alfred shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
'It's true as we've been raided twice,' he admitted. 'But nothing compromising was found, owing to the neatness of Mr. Mosgorovsky's arrangements.'
'I'm not talking of the gambling only,' said Bundle. 'There's more than that – probably a great deal more than
