Time for Silence

I did sound out Andrée. I was amazed at her response. Her eyes lit up.

“Oh, yes, I should like to go to London for a spell,” she said.

“I thought perhaps you might not…now…”

“It would be exciting for a while.”

“Do you think Edward would like it?”

“He’ll like it if we’re there, though he might have a few qualms at being parted from his new pony.”

“We shall come back most weekends.”

“Then there will be a reunion with his pony. He will love it.”

At dinner that night, my mother said to my father, “Lucinda is coming up to London for a while to look after you. She thinks you’re looking peaky.”

He smiled at me. “Thank you, Lucinda. Let’s go for a nice long walk tomorrow morning, and we’ll have a chat.”

I felt there was something significant about that remark and that there was some special reason why my parents wanted me to go to London, apart from the fact that they both thought a change of scene might stop my brooding over Robert’s departure for the Front.

I was right, as I learned in the forest the next morning.

It was an ideal day for walking. There was a brisk chill in the air, but a wintry sun could be seen between the clouds and the wind was less penetrating among the protective trees.

The forest was the natural place to walk. We had done so all our lives. There was a certain feeling of security there. One could talk without being overheard.

My father took my arm and said, “Lucinda, I want to talk to you very seriously. I have discussed this with your mother and we both think you might be able to help.”

“I?”

“Yes, listen. We are very distressed.”

“Distressed? Who?”

“I…and my friends. You know, don’t you, that I am involved in certain work?”

“I know there has always been something of a mystery…and that it was not concerned with your parliamentary life.”

He nodded. “There is no need for me to tell you that I am talking to you very confidentially.”

“I do understand that.”

“Lives could be at risk. There is no doubt of that. A careless word…you know how it is. You remember what happened at Milton Priory?”

I nodded.

“That was sabotage. It was due to a leak of special information that was in my possession.”

“I knew there was something mysterious about it and how upset you were.”

“It is not the only instance. I keep certain papers at the house in London. You see, my part in all this…is in a way unofficial.”

“I realized it was something like that, ever since Mama told me about the time when you were in Africa and were reported missing….”

“Well, even she doesn’t know all the details, but I want you to come up to London because I think you can be of help to me.”

“How can I do that?”

“There is nothing much, except to watch.”

“In the house, you mean?”

He nodded. “There are certain papers of mine which are being seen and copied…and passed on to the enemy.”

“Do you mean there is a spy in the house?”

“Well…there has been no break-in. It seems as though someone in the house…”

“One of the servants?”

“Perhaps. Or someone they are acquainted with…a friend…a visitor…a workman.”

“Looking at secret papers and passing them on to the enemy! I can’t believe it.”

“I am away for most of the day. It would not be impossible for someone to be let into the house…to get to my room.”

“What a terrible thing! Someone in the house…a traitor! I suppose someone has to go into your room to clean?”

“I have told Mrs. Cherry that I do not want anything disturbed there, and for that reason, I have asked her to clean the room herself. She has a special day for doing it, and for the last few weeks I have made sure that on that day there is nothing of importance in the room.”

“I see. So in your bureau important papers are normally locked away.”

“I make sure that they are.”

“And you have the key to the bureau?”

“Yes, and it never leaves me. Until a few months ago, I used to have a spare key in a drawer. Now the two keys are in my possession all the time. What I want is for you to be watchful. My study will be locked from the outside. Only I and Mrs. Cherry have keys. You will be in the house while I am away. You can be alert for anything you consider to be suspicious.”

“It’s very melodramatic.”

“We live in melodramatic times.”

“I do hope I am going to be of use to you.”

“Your mother is sure that you will be. But more of all this later…when we are there.”

It was with considerable excitement that I made my preparations to leave for London.

The House in the Square

I LEFT MARCHLANDS WITH my father. Andrée, with Edward, was to come the following day. When I arrived at the house that I had known all my life, it seemed to have a somewhat sinister aspect. It harbored a spy!

My mother had been right about my coming to London. I was stimulated. I had not thought about Robert’s going to the Front for several hours.