They Came to Baghdad

‘And none of that is true?’

‘Naturally not. But it makes quite a good story.’

‘Oh yes, excellent. But suppose you and old Pussy-foot Jones come face to face?’

‘Pauncefoot. I don’t think that is likely. As far as I can make out once archaeologists start to dig, they go on digging like mad, and don’t stop.’

‘Rather like terriers. I say, there’s a lot in what you say. Has he got a real niece?’

‘How should I know?’ said Victoria.

‘Oh, then you’re not impersonating anybody in particular. That makes it easier.’

‘Yes, after all, a man can have lots of nieces. Or, at a pinch, I could say I’m only a cousin but that I always call him uncle.’

‘You think of everything,’ said Edward admiringly. ‘You really are an amazing girl, Victoria. I’ve never met anyone like you. I thought I wouldn’t see you again for years, and when I did see you, you’d have forgotten all about me. And now here you are.’

The admiring and humble glance which Edward cast on her caused Victoria intense satisfaction. If she had been a cat she would have purred.

‘But you’ll want a job, won’t you?’ said Edward. ‘I mean, you haven’t come into a fortune or anything?’

‘Far from it! Yes,’ said Victoria slowly, ‘I shall want a job. I went into your Olive Branch place, as a matter of fact, and saw Dr Rathbone and asked him for a job, but he wasn’t very responsive – not to a salaried job, that is.’

‘The old beggar’s fairly tight with his money,’ said Edward. ‘His idea is that everybody comes and works for the love of the thing.’

‘Do you think he’s a phoney, Edward?’

‘N-o. I don’t know exactly what I do think. I don’t see how he can be anything but on the square – he doesn’t make any money out of the show. So far as I can see all that terrific enthusiasm must be genuine. And yet, you know, I don’t really feel he’s a fool.’

‘We’d better go in,’ said Victoria. ‘We can talk later.’

II

‘I’d no idea you and Edward knew each other,’ exclaimed Mrs Clayton.

‘Oh we’re old friends,’ laughed Victoria. ‘Only, as a matter of fact, we’d lost sight of each other. I’d no idea Edward was in this country.’

Mr Clayton, who was the quiet thoughtful-looking man Victoria had seen coming up the steps, asked:

‘How did you get on this morning, Edward? Any progress?’

‘It seems very uphill work, sir. The cases of books are there, all present and correct, but the formalities needed to clear them seem unending.’

Clayton smiled.

‘You’re new to the delaying tactics of the East.’

‘The particular official who’s wanted, always seems to be away that day,’ complained Edward. ‘Everyone is very pleasant and willing – only nothing seems to happen.’

Everyone laughed and Mrs Clayton said consolingly:

‘You’ll get them through in the end. Very wise of Dr Rathbone to send someone down personally. Otherwise they’d probably stay here for months.’

‘Since Palestine, they are very suspicious about bombs. Also subversive literature. They suspect everything.’

‘Dr Rathbone isn’t shipping bombs out here disguised as books, I hope,’ said Mrs Clayton, laughing.

Victoria thought she caught a sudden flicker in Edward’s eye, as though Mrs Clayton’s remark had opened up a new line of thought.

Clayton said, with a hint of reproof: ‘Dr Rathbone’s a very learned and well-known man, my dear. He’s a Fellow of various important Societies and is known and respected all over Europe.’

‘That would make it all the easier for him to smuggle in bombs,’ Mrs Clayton pointed with irrepressible spirits.

Victoria could see that Gerald Clayton did not quite like this light-hearted suggestion.

He frowned at his wife.

Business being at a standstill during the midday hours, Edward and Victoria went out together after lunch to stroll about and see the sights. Victoria was delighted with the river, the Shatt el Arab, with its bordering of date palm groves. She adored the Venetian look of the high-prowed Arab boats tied up in the canal in the town. Then they wandered into the souk and looked at Kuwait bride-chests studded with patterned brass and other attractive merchandise.

It was not until they turned towards the Consulate and Edward was preparing himself to assail the Customs department once more that Victoria said suddenly:

‘Edward, what’s your name?’

Edward stared at her.

‘What on earth do you mean, Victoria?’

‘Your last name. Don’t you realize that I don’t know it.’

‘Don’t you? No, I suppose you don’t. It’s Goring.’

‘Edward Goring. You’ve no idea what a fool I felt going into that Olive Branch place and wanting to ask for you and not knowing anything but Edward.’

‘Was there a dark girl there? Rather long bobbed hair?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s Catherine. She’s awfully nice. If you’d said Edward she’d have known at once.’

‘I dare say she would,’ said Victoria with reserve.

‘She’s a frightfully nice girl. Didn’t you think so?’

‘Oh quite…’

‘Not actually good-looking – in fact nothing much to look at, but she’s frightfully sympathetic.’

‘Is she?’ Victoria ’s voice was now quite glacial – but Edward apparently noticed nothing.

‘I don’t really know what I should have done without her. She put me in the picture and helped me out when I might have made a fool of myself. I’m sure you and she will be great friends.’

‘I don’t suppose we shall have the opportunity.’

‘Oh yes, you will. I’m going to get you a job in the show.’

‘How are you going to manage that?’

‘I don’t know but I shall manage it somehow. Tell old Rattlebones what a wonderful typist et cetera you are.’

‘He’ll soon find out that I’m not,’ said Victoria.

‘Anyway, I shall get you into the Olive Branch somehow. I’m not going to have you beetling round on your own. Next thing I know, you’d be heading for Burma or darkest Africa. No, young Victoria, I’m going to have you right under my eyes. I’m not going to take any chances on your running out on me. I don’t trust you an inch. You’re too fond of seeing the world.’

‘You sweet idiot,’ thought Victoria, ‘don’t you know wild horses wouldn’t drive me away from Baghdad!’

Aloud she said: ‘Well, it would be quite fun to have a job at the Olive Branch.’

‘I wouldn’t describe it as fun. It’s all terribly earnest. As well as being absolutely goofy.’

‘And you still think there’s something wrong about it?’

‘Oh, that was only a wild idea of mine.’

‘No,’ said Victoria thoughtfully, ‘I don’t think it was only a wild idea. I think it’s true.’

Edward turned on her sharply.

‘What makes you say that?’