“ANNOUNCER’S HOLIDAY"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 January 1941, Page 10

“ANNOUNCER’S HOLIDAY"

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

VAL GIELGUD.

(Author of ".Africa Flight.” "Outpost in China," etc.)

CHAPTER XVII. (Continued I. ‘•Listen to me.' Lucia. I don’t mind admitting that I fell for Greta .Mahler like a ton of bricks —” "I thought so!" “Wait a minute, please! You can j gauge the measure of my success by I the fact that on the first occasion when she came out with me alone, she walked out on me ostentatiously in the Cosmopolis Grill Room —walked out on me. and into Prince Xavier’s expensive limousine! She didn’t even bother to cover her tracks! I may have amused • her for ten minutes. It must have taken her just about that long to make up j her mind about my essential insignii cancel” j Lucia smiled. It seemed that GeofTI rey's tirade had somehow given her i pleasure. | ”Do you always use so many fourdollar words at the 8.8. C.?" she eni quired. "No wonder they call you pompous in the newspapers!" i "I’m sorry.” said Geoffrey, stiffly. i But Lucia stretched out her hand 1 across the table.

"No, it's my turn to apologise," she said. "I was behaving badly—but 1 couldn't help it. I thought 1 had brought you and Greta together, and that made me quite mad. Put it down to Italian blood, and forgive me, Geoffrey please." He just touched the tips of her fingers.

! ''Of course," he said. "Friends, again?" “Friends, Lucia." "And nothing else?" “Nothing else.” There was a little pause then Lucia stood up. "No. don’t come with me. I will go and see Greta. I think. Be careful Geoffrey. I think you’re a darling—but spy-work needs a whole lot more than good manners and personal charm I know." And she turned and walked towards the door of the grill room. Against the faded crimson plush and the worn gilding, and old-fashioned mirrors, the scarlet frock and hat, with its jaunty feather moved like some portent, shattering and dangerous; the breaking of the past by the future, not by the slow process of history, but by a sudden impact of violent personally. Geoffrey sat down again. He felt uncomfortable, worried and baffled. He also—though he would not have admitted it for the world —felt more than a little scared. If Lucia was going to see Greta, then it was obvious that he too, must go and see Greta. And he both longed passionately to go and see Greta, and yet loathed the notion of ever setting eyes on Greta again. He felt that the one thing that could really give him satisfaction would be a chance to punch Prince Xavier’s aristocratic nose. CHAPTER XVIII. Oddly enough for a woman engaged upon an affair of the heart, Lucia did precisely as she had said. She went straight to see Greta Mahler at her hotel. She went with a beating heart, and with cheeks unusually flushed For Lucia was in general terms a sufficiently sophisticated young person, to whom the idea of falling madly in love was no more than a subject for irreverent jesting over ashtrays and cocktail glasses. Now it had happened to her—and she did not like it at all. Her natural balance of mind had been completely destroyed. And it seemed to her that she could not make up her mind as to whether she adored Geoffrey Allardyce or loathed him as the prime cause of her trouble; whether she .still cherished fondness and pity for Greta, or wished only to see her humiliated at her feet. She was. in short, in the grip of entirely primitive emotion for the first time in her life. And she was discovering that up-to-date civilisation offered her nothing satisfactory as a way out. What she intended to say to Greta she had not decided. The problem was not made any easier when she found Prince Xavier already in occupation of the sitting-room < f the little suite, whose windows looked out so agreeably upon the Thames. When Lucia : went in. she found Greta and the. prince facing each other on the broad cushioned window seat, They were j both smoking thin Russian cigarettes. ■ A tea-tray stood neglected beside them ; Conversation seemed to have died. The ■ atmosphere was one of tensity and discomfort. Greta, looking very young ' and fragile in an elaborate white neg- ! ligec, was looking out at lite river. . Xavier was looking steadily at Greta ' And fi r cnee he . i-enied to have fur-1 g .tten his usually admirable man: >:■. for he did not bother to stand up when ' Lucia came in at the dour. There was a little awkward pause. "IL> y< u think you could find me a ! cup > f t<-::?" asked Lucia at last. Of course." said Greta. ' without i nuvmg. I'll ring fur some fresh.’’ ■ Oh. d<n’t bother ■Ju;-t a mi .ment' Xavier’:. me! harm ami curiously strained. “I’m < glad you’ve come, Lucia. I've nel 11u<■.. 1 1. 1 1'. s to as R y.. u. Well'” said Lucia rather breath-1 Grt' a had turn* d away her hea 1 and wa again starmg .>ut <■( the v, md .. ■ As. ;• u here fry. mi self >fn m ■ Greta and I are fr ivnd * said Lucia '•.S'.' it b- a fetiemg match? • aid if j • u am! (Irrta are r- ally f; .-nd r ■..'ill l.e mueil huger Perhap- (I: ■■'a will tel! y. it (oV.ii 0 «.1 IC » ’It 1 •»» i | ; j- i, Very well Xav■ ; we: ■ P. .' there are thing’. hapj ■■■■■ ■■■: durmg th? VL'il f t IUiHC b 5 < • *.*’»•?* i ■■ • . ; ’■ ud«T' I #t‘‘ I ' nark that’ - ' naitncr i f ymms, Highm- -■' ■ d

i for Greta to come here. You know that ;■ I intend to marry her. I know that i since she has been here she has chan- ’ ged: that now it is not that she does I not love me. but that she has come to ■ dislike and to fear me, as people fear i and dislike those they have wronged! 1 knew also that Otto von Reichenberg ' followed me here to prevent my mari riage. Will you deny that?" i Lucia shook her head. She wonder- ! ed. and half dreaded, what was coming ■ next. i ”! know something of a young man, i a Mr. Geoffrey Allardyce. Will you deny. Greta, that it is this young man I who is the cause of the change be-

! tween you and me?" "Geoffrey Allardyce never wishes to ■ see me again.” said Greta tonelessly. And Lucia caught her breath, for ! that very tonelessness told her all she 1 most wished not to admit, even to her- ■ sei f. ' Once again Xavier laughed. ! "Now Lucia—will you deny that it was at the instance of your father that ' this young Allardyce was introduced by you to Greta? That it was his .pretty plan to give me a rival in the I camp? The type of ingenuous, cleanlooking English boy, which is just the i thing to appeal to a girl like Greta? , The obvious contrast, to her actors. ■ and her aristocrat admirers of decadent : Central European families? Will you , deny that, Lucia?" | Lucia looked helplessly at Greta. ■ But there was no help there; nothing j to tell her whether Greta wanted that I denial, or cared whether it was made jor not. She could feel her hands hot | and stick beneath the thin covering i iof her gloves. Xavier had. with! devilish instinct, handed her a naked i weapon with which to murder Greta's , feeling for Geoffrey, if she had it. And ! Lucia loved Geoffrey Allardyce with I all her heart . . . Yet she could not do it—at least not starkly and finally. "I can only suggest. Highness," she said hoarsely, “that Greta might ask Mr. Allardyce that question herself." "No!” cried out Greta suddenly. "It’s a lie! You mean that he made love to me at von Reichenberg’s orders! It's not true!" Xavier bowed stiffly. "I think I am answered." he said, and picked up his hat and stick. "A moment. Highness,” said Lucia. "If you wished to know whether Greta —cares for Mr. Allardyce. I think you are answered, as you say. For the rest, no! Suppose I tell you that my father came to England for quite another reason than to interfere in your love affairs'" "I should congratulate you on your loyalty to your friend, and your increased skill as a fencer.” replied Xavier. standing by the door, and twisting his stick in his hands. "Of course." Lucia went on. "you needn't believe me. and there's no way ' of making you believe mo. But my ; father came to England on a political I mission.” "And made contact with Geoffreyl All ardy c e — just why?" "Because," said Lucia, very conscious; as .she spoke of Greta's white face and I trembling lips, "because Geoffrey Al-| lardyce is a secret agent of the British; Government.” "A radio announcer!” “Surely, Highness, you know thei great principle of the British Intelligence system—when you can, always use amateurs. They cost nothing, and so they're not likely to bo able to be bought by the other side!" “And why." continued Xavier remorselessly, though now he was frowning as if with uncertainty, "should your father send a British spy to call upon Greta Mahler. "He didn’t." said Lucia. "1 took him! to sec Greta ” "Not at your father's order.-”” "No." "Then why”" "For the simplest of reasons. He had i seen her photograph in the papers, He I is young, and still believes in the j glamour of the wrong side of the cur- I tain, poor boy. 1 wanted to do what 1 c<. uld for him, and I'd mentioned that ; Greta was an old friend of mine. ! wish, I'd never thought of it now." ns she said the last sentence, Lucia > realised that she had gone too far, and i could cheerfully have bitten out her I tongue, But Xavier was too quick fox I "Just why should you regret that charming impulse so bitterly'.’" he in- i quired. j •'l’m tired of being cross-questioned! if 1 were in tltv dock. Hsghne.:;. i Hashed out Lucia, hoping tn cover her' retreat with a display of anger. But Xavier was not to be deceived. "I will tell y ii. Greta." he ,vw! quietly. Lucia may have told truth ■r lie:: in tliis story about her father But she tells the truth when she say; I that y<,u are in 1 ve with Geoffrey Allardyce. and the truth also when she; admits by in.plication that she herself is in 1 ve with that f i lunate younitj man. I have to congratulate y<>u L -th ! Nil doubt Vol! Would like to be left ■ :il.->iie to talk over your mutual • lellCes He . celled the dour ami luii.id. Al- -- did Im; fine changed, You wdl remember. Greta, that you marry me . r y«.u div." he -.mi i wi-rt out ■ the e< -rr;d<>r. em-e *.:'! l; 1; • (J;,.-;, I , ' t A if-- • *.- • ■ ; y w*-’ ! I J. Ji! ■r; h»m J * <7J b<* Cun‘j:;ucd'>.