We'll Meet Again

by Philippa Carr

  But he was clearly engaged in dangerous work. Naturally, he did not talk of it to me. And I, because of our relationship, had become involved in this without knowing what. Consequently, my child was in danger. There was something about the man in the cottage that was deadly serious. I knew he was in earnest. If I did not produce the box on Friday, they would kill Tristan. And if I told anyone what had happened, they would doubtless kill me, too.

  Not that I cared about myself. It would be an easy way out of my troubles, I thought.

  That was foolish. I did not want to die. But I could never be happy again if they hurt my child. I had to get that box. I had to give it to them … and never let my child out of my sight again. But how could I do it? How could I steal this important thing from James? It was important, not only to him, but to the country.

  I had never been in such a terrible dilemma in my life.

  I started. The door was opening. I knew who it was before she came into the room. She was in her dressing-gown, as I was. She said, in that straightforward way which was typical of her:

  “What has happened?”

  Of course, she was my twin, and there was this special bond between us. She had often known when I was in difficulties without my telling her.

  “Violetta,” I said. “It’s you.”

  “Who else? Something’s happened, hasn’t it?”

  “It has,” I cried hysterically. “Someone’s taken Tristan. I’m out of my mind with worry.”

  “We are all the same. But I know something’s happened … today … this evening. What is it, Dorabella? You know you always tell me.”

  I thought: She will stop me from doing this. I know it is wrong to do it … but I must save Tristan.

  I was silent. She took a chair and, pulling it close to mine, sat down.

  “Now tell me everything,” she said.

  I stammered: “Perhaps there’ll be a message soon. They … they’ll want money. The old man will have to be told. He’s rich. He’ll pay anything to get Tristan back.”

  “Dorabella, you know something, don’t you? Something you’re holding back.”

  “I know my baby is taken …”

  “We all know that. But there is something else. Come on. You know you could never keep anything from me.”

  I began to cry silently and she put her arm round me.

  “It’s always better when we share,” she said. She was right. It always had been. Some of those difficulties had seemed gigantic when they loomed before me, and then my sister had come in with her calm common sense and straightened them out.

  “If I tell you…”

  I heard her breathe deeply and I knew that I had gone too far to turn back now.

  “Yes,” she prompted. “When you tell me …”

  “You won’t do anything unless I agree. Promise that.”

  “I promise.”

  “I have become rather friendly with Captain Brent.”

  “I know.”

  “You know!”

  “My dear Dorabella, it was obvious. Those prolonged jaunts into town. The way you looked at each other. I am not blind, you know, particularly where you are concerned.”

  “I had a note from them.”

  “From whom?”

  “The kidnappers.”

  “When? Where is it? Why didn’t you say?”

  I told her how it had been brought to my room by one of the maids and that it had been lying on the hall table.

  “How did it get there? Go on … what did it say?”

  I told her.

  “Where is it?”

  “They took it from me when I went there.” I told her exactly what had happened, and I saw the shocked disbelief dawn on her face.

  “This is terrible, Dorabella.”

  “I must get Tristan safe.”

  “I wouldn’t have thought of anything like this. What on earth have you got caught up in?”

  “You see, don’t you, that I have to find that little box. I have to take it to them. I have to go alone and get Tristan.”

  “It is obviously of tremendous importance for them to go to such lengths. You can’t do it.”

  “I must, I must.”

  She said slowly: “The burglary Charley saw … they must have been looking for this box.”

  “I think that must have been so.”

  “These are dangerous people. They are the enemy. It’s the only explanation I can think of. They can’t go back to the house to try again because the police have been alerted. I’ve always guessed that Captain Brent’s job was not merely to keep an eye on the soldiers. He must be involved in secret work of some kind, and this box doubtless has something to do with it. And as they can’t make another attempt at burglary, you, as the captain’s friend, can go into the captain’s house unquestioned. You can depend on it that your close relationship is no secret. Therefore you can bring out the box and in exchange get your child.”

  “How could they know … ?”

  “These people make it their business to know everything that might be of importance. You must have been watched.”

  “Oh, Violetta!” I cried. “I’m glad I told you. What am I going to do?”

  “There is only one thing you can do.”

  “I must save Tristan.”

  “You can’t trust these people.”

  “I have to. I have to get my baby.”

  “You cannot do it that way, Dorabella. You will betray our country. That box is obviously important. How do you know that, by stealing it, you might not help to kill thousands of our people?”

  “But what of Tristan?”

  “There are clever people who could be working on this.”

  “It is straightforward. I give them the box and they hand over Tristan.”

  “There is no guarantee that they will give him to you. You cannot do it, Dorabella. Gordon … Captain Brent… they will know the best way to handle this. Tristan will be safer if we work through them. Captain Brent must know. He will understand the importance of this box.”

  My head was throbbing. I was telling myself now that I had been a fool to tell her. I should have known she would have taken it this way. There was only one thought which was going round and round in my mind: I must save Tristan. I would do anything … anything for that.

  We were silent for a while. Violetta took my hand and held it firmly. She was fully aware of my thoughts.

  Then she said: “We’ve always come through difficulties working together. After all, two heads are better than one.”

  I nodded.

  “I know what we must do,” she went on.

  “What?”

  “This is too important for us to handle alone. They might not give you Tristan, whatever you did.”

  “I have to trust them. What else can I do?”

  “Would you trust such people?”

  “I have to do anything to get Tristan back. We have to make sure that we do get him.”

  “Dorabella, this is more important than you realize.”

  “More important than I realize! It is the most important thing on earth to me. Those people don’t want to hurt Tristan. They are just using him to get what they want. When they do … they’ll give him up.”

  “That may be, but you can’t be sure. We know so little about this. This is what I suggest. We tell Gordon what has happened.”

  “Gordon!”

  “He will know what to do. He has connections with the army through the Home Guard. Captain Brent must know what is happening. He will be aware of the importance of this box. He will know why they are so eager to get it. It must be of great importance for them to go to such lengths and expose themselves to danger. Be reasonable, Dorabella. You are more likely to get Tristan back safely if this is dealt with by experts … sensibly.”

  “No. I must go there myself … I must go alone.”

  “It would be quite wrong.”

  “How can you know?”

  “Instinctively. One should never d
eal with these people. These are not even ordinary kidnappers. They are spies.”

  “Oh, what have I got into, Violetta? Why do these things happen to me?”

  She paused and said musingly: “I think people who do not live according to the conventions would be more likely to find themselves in awkward situations. Perhaps that is why we have these rules of conduct. But never mind. What we have to do is find the best way out of this.”

  I was comforted by the word “we.” We were sharing this, as we had always done.

  “The first thing we should do,” she went on, “is tell Gordon.”

  “Oh, no …”

  “He will know best how we should act. Don’t forget, he will know something of what is going on around us here. It’s a fairly isolated coast and the enemy are just across the Channel. Remember the flashing lights? They were never fully explained. There is more going on than we know about and Gordon could have special knowledge. If we tell him exactly what has happened, he will certainly get in touch with Captain Brent.”

  “Violetta, I have to have that box by Friday.”

  “I know. That is why we should tell Gordon right away.”

  “In the morning then …”

  “No, no. At once.”

  “He’s in his room. He’s probably asleep.”

  “Do you think any one of us in this house is asleep tonight?”

  “You will tell him then. What then? They’ll know I’ve told.”

  “They won’t. He’ll go to see Captain Brent. They’ll have some plan. They will know what they are up against and how to deal with it. It’s their work. You can’t give secrets to the enemy in any circumstances. Believe me, this is the only way.”

  “So you are going to tell Gordon.”

  “That’s the first step and we won’t lose a moment.”

  “And Tristan?”

  “He’ll be more safe this way.”

  “Oh, Violetta, I can’t…”

  “Trust me, Dorabella. I know I’m right. There is only one way to handle this.”

  As she had thought, Gordon was up, sitting fully dressed in a chair near the telephone.

  When we knocked, he said: “Come in,” in a startled voice. “Violetta! Dorabella!” he cried as we entered.

  “Something has happened,” said Violetta. “There has been a note from these people.”

  “A note? Where?”

  Violetta explained.

  “My God!” he murmured under his breath.

  He wanted to know everything. Where was the note? I had had to give it up, we told him. How was it delivered? It was on the hall table where the letters were put.

  “So, someone must have been here … in the house …”

  “Gordon,” said Violetta, “we thought you would know how we should act.”

  “And you actually saw this man. He gave you a sketch. It is so wild … so incredible …”

  “It’s something serious, isn’t it?” said Violetta. “It’s more than an ordinary kidnapping for money.”

  “I must have Tristan back,” I cried. “I don’t care …”

  Violetta took my hand and pressed it while Gordon stood up and said: “Captain Brent must see this sketch immediately. He will know! what it is all about and how we should act.”

  “He’s away,” I said.

  “I shall reach him. Listen. I am going … immediately.”

  I looked at the clock on the mantelshelf. It was half past ten.

  He went on: “There may be little time to lose.”

  “How will you find him?” asked Violetta.

  “I shall find a way and I must do it right away.”

  He went to the wardrobe and put on an overcoat and shoes. He opened a drawer and took out a briefcase; he put the sketch into his wallet and said: “Go back to your rooms. Tell no one of this. When I return, behave as though I have just been out on some early morning estate matter. I shall probably know then what should be done. Now, go to your rooms.”

  Violetta came back with me to mine and shortly afterwards we heard the sound of his car starting up and driving off.

  We lay in the bed together. She held my hand as she used to when we were children. I was vaguely comforted because she knew.

  It was about ten o’clock next morning when Gordon returned.

  He came to us at once.

  I cried: “Have you seen Captain Brent?”

  He nodded. “It is better at this stage,” he said, “if you do not know too much. You must do exactly what you are told. This morning, you will drive to Riverside Cottage, park the car at the back where it cannot be seen from the road, and you will let yourself in through the back door. You will stay there for about an hour. Then you will come out, go to your car and drive back to Tregarland. This afternoon, you will do the same again and perhaps stay a little longer. I shall leave this evening and perhaps be back in a few hours.”

  “If I cannot find the box …”

  “Don’t worry. You are going to take a box to them on Friday. It will be a box I shall give you. But you must do exactly as you are told. That is the best chance of getting Tristan back unharmed.”

  “Oh, Gordon,” said Violetta, “how glad I am we told you. Thank you … thank you …”

  “My dear Violetta, we are not there yet and, of course, I want to do everything possible.”

  “I know,” she said.

  How did I live through that day? The minutes seemed like hours. I was so thankful that Violetta knew and I could talk to her frankly. I followed the instructions. I went to the house twice. I even looked for the box. I don’t know what I should have done if I had found it. Probably I would have ignored Gordon’s instructions and taken it to the cottage on Friday. I was half mad with fear for Tristan. What was he doing now, I wondered? What did he think of being away from home, away from me, from Violetta and Nanny Crabtree?

  After I returned from Riverside Cottage, I stayed with Violetta.

  I said: “I am not sure of Gordon. If Tristan died, he’d have Tregarland’s.”

  “Oh, Dorabella, he would never harm a child.”

  “There would be much to gain and he loves Tregarland’s. Perhaps we shouldn’t have told him.”

  “We did right to tell him. This is a highly dangerous matter. The box is of great importance. Oh no, this is the only way.”

  “And if this means they kill Tristan?”

  “This is the best way to bring him back safely. I am sure of that.”

  I was not. I wished I could stop pictures coming into my mind. It was no use. We had to wait for the time to pass.

  I felt an immense relief when Gordon returned.

  He came to us at once.

  He said: “I have a box, and I will tell you what has to be done. Tomorrow morning, you will go to Riverside Cottage. You will take a shopping bag with you. In it will be the box. You will let yourself into the cottage by the back way as before and stay there for an hour or so. You will come out carrying the shopping bag as though it is rather heavy. In case you are being watched, you will give the impression that you are carrying something precious. Then, at the appropriate time, you will drive to the cottage on the moor as you did on that other occasion. You will go in and tell them that you have the box. You will show it to them. I feel sure that Tristan will be there. He will be handed over to you in exchange for the box.”

  “How do you know that they will give him to me?”

  “There is no reason why they should not. They do not want him. They only wanted to use him as a means of getting you to work for them. Providing there is no hitch, they will hand over the child.”

  “No hitch? What hitch?”

  “None … if you obey orders.”

  I was trembling with the desire to get on with it. I could not wait for the hours to pass.

  Gordon had taken a box out of its wrappings. It looked exactly like the one in the sketch. I seized it. At least I should have something to offer them.

  “Where did you get it?” I
asked.

  “You will hear more about it when this affair is over.”

  “It won’t be long now, Dorabella,” said my sister. She put an arm round me. “All you have to do is obey instructions and all will come right.”

  “Have you seen Captain Brent?” I asked Gordon.

  “As I said, don’t think about anything but what you have to do. I assure you this is the best way to save Tristan. You could never have found the box in the cottage because it was no longer there. Now please, Dorabella, listen to your sister.”

  He gave Violetta a grateful and admiring look. I thought: he is right. She is so sensible. She would never have gone to the kidnappers in the first place.

  I did exactly as they said. I went to the cottage with my shopping bag on my arm. I stayed there for a while and, when I came out, I carried it very carefully. I put it beside me in the car and drove off.

  The important moment was creeping nearer. How time lagged! Three o’clock. Would it never be half past? Had the clock stopped?

  I was ready to leave at four. I knew that Violetta was watching me from a window. I placed the bag containing the box on the seat beside me and drove into the road.

  To my dismay, Simone was there.

  “Just going out then?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I stammered.

  “I wondered if you would give me a lift into Poldown?”

  What could I say? I was going in that direction anyway. I wanted to tell her that I was going on an important engagement, but restrained myself in time.

  I reached over and opened the door. She got in and almost sat on the shopping bag. Flustered, I grasped it.

  “Let’s put it at the back,” said Simone.

  “No … no … I’ll take it.” I settled it at my feet.

  I was trembling. It was nothing to be alarmed at. She would leave as soon as we reached the town and I could turn into the road heading for Bodmin.

  I was thankful that she did not ask where I was going. She said I must be feeling dreadful and she wished there was something she could do.

  “I think we must hear something soon,” I said.

  “The police are clever,” she added.

  We did not speak much. There was nothing we could talk about with so much on our minds, and she knew if we spoke of that it would be painful.

  I was glad when she left.

  I drove on. That had delayed me only a minute or so, and I was in good time. I found the cottage with no problem.