devoted flow of letters addressed to Miss Sarah, which crossed her desk as Miss Sarah’s personal secretary. She had longed to destroy them, or to read them. But she did neither, impersonally turning them over to her employer.
Sometimes she had thought of telling Miss Sarah the truth about Rudi. But the opportune moment never seemed at hand, although it almost arrived the day of her first visit to the doctor.
Knowing they would meet here in Karachi, she had kept silent. Of course, she could not really go with the expedition into the Himalayas. Not the way she was. The doctor had utterly forbidden it.
So what was left now was to see Rudi alone and tell him what had happened and ask for his advice and help. There was nobody else to turn to. Certainly she could never go back to Garden Falls, Indiana.
He had avoided her at the villa last night. But never mind, Jane told herself. He would come to her now, this afternoon, this evening. They would meet alone, and settle everything.
There was a telephone inside Monkton’s Cafe. After she finished the iced vermouth, she picked up her purse and walked in and called the number of the villa.
Sarah Standish got up to answer the telephone. It was surprising to Durell how much Jane King had patterned herself after her employer. They were approximately the same age, and watching Sarah walk across the Bokhara carpet, he realized that she, too, had a body of full and unsuspected beauty, in contrast to her remote, cool features.
The telephone stopped ringing before Sarah could reach it. She made a little gesture of impatience. “Someone else took it,” she said to Durell. “On the extension.”
“Are the von Buhlens here?” he asked.
“They have a suite of rooms upstairs. Rudi and his sister are checking the supply lists. It’s probably a call for them.”
Durell had come here directly from Donegan’s office. The police had been alerted to look for Jane. K’Ayub promised every co-operation, although his soft voice had sharpened with irritability. “I cannot help but resent the fact, Mr. Durell, that I was not trusted to be told about the impersonation.”
Durell had apologized, said he, too, hadn’t known about the sham. The colonel was only slightly mollified. Nevertheless, a quiet, desperate hunt was combing the city for the girl. No more could be done at the moment.
Sarah Standish returned from the telephone and sat down, her knees and legs primly straight. “I am terribly sorry about this,” she said. “Jane is a fine girl, devoted and loyal. I’m quite fond of her. I can only hope nothing serious will happen to her.”
“If something does, it will be because she is mistaken for you.”
Sarah nodded. “I am aware of that.”
“Yet you let her take the risk of impersonating you.”
“I merely followed Mr. Donegan’s advice.”
“Your conscience didn’t trouble you?” Durell asked.
Her eyes were objective behind her horn-rimmed glasses. “It is not your business to be concerned about my conscience. You presume too much. Your job is to insure my personal welfare. No more, no less. I should point out, however, that I did not request your help. I think it is all rather melodramatic and unnecessary. I am not in danger. But everyone insisted some precautions should be taken, and Mr. Donegan suggested that Jane double for me, here in Karachi.”
“And now she may be killed,” Durell said.
“You seem to be unnaturally concerned.”
“Aren’t you?”
“I’m worried. Puzzled. No more. Jane is a capable young woman. I trust her judgment, and I have faith in her behavior.”
“You make yourself sound tough,” Durell said. “Are you really as hard as all that?”
“You are impertinent.”
“I don’t apologize. You don’t frighten me, as you did poor Mr. Donegan. I have my job to do, that’s all. You’re going into dangerous country, and all the people who preceded you didn’t come back. Those mountains aren’t like the Alps. They’re
Sometimes she had thought of telling Miss Sarah the truth about Rudi. But the opportune moment never seemed at hand, although it almost arrived the day of her first visit to the doctor.
Knowing they would meet here in Karachi, she had kept silent. Of course, she could not really go with the expedition into the Himalayas. Not the way she was. The doctor had utterly forbidden it.
So what was left now was to see Rudi alone and tell him what had happened and ask for his advice and help. There was nobody else to turn to. Certainly she could never go back to Garden Falls, Indiana.
He had avoided her at the villa last night. But never mind, Jane told herself. He would come to her now, this afternoon, this evening. They would meet alone, and settle everything.
There was a telephone inside Monkton’s Cafe. After she finished the iced vermouth, she picked up her purse and walked in and called the number of the villa.
Sarah Standish got up to answer the telephone. It was surprising to Durell how much Jane King had patterned herself after her employer. They were approximately the same age, and watching Sarah walk across the Bokhara carpet, he realized that she, too, had a body of full and unsuspected beauty, in contrast to her remote, cool features.
The telephone stopped ringing before Sarah could reach it. She made a little gesture of impatience. “Someone else took it,” she said to Durell. “On the extension.”
“Are the von Buhlens here?” he asked.
“They have a suite of rooms upstairs. Rudi and his sister are checking the supply lists. It’s probably a call for them.”
Durell had come here directly from Donegan’s office. The police had been alerted to look for Jane. K’Ayub promised every co-operation, although his soft voice had sharpened with irritability. “I cannot help but resent the fact, Mr. Durell, that I was not trusted to be told about the impersonation.”
Durell had apologized, said he, too, hadn’t known about the sham. The colonel was only slightly mollified. Nevertheless, a quiet, desperate hunt was combing the city for the girl. No more could be done at the moment.
Sarah Standish returned from the telephone and sat down, her knees and legs primly straight. “I am terribly sorry about this,” she said. “Jane is a fine girl, devoted and loyal. I’m quite fond of her. I can only hope nothing serious will happen to her.”
“If something does, it will be because she is mistaken for you.”
Sarah nodded. “I am aware of that.”
“Yet you let her take the risk of impersonating you.”
“I merely followed Mr. Donegan’s advice.”
“Your conscience didn’t trouble you?” Durell asked.
Her eyes were objective behind her horn-rimmed glasses. “It is not your business to be concerned about my conscience. You presume too much. Your job is to insure my personal welfare. No more, no less. I should point out, however, that I did not request your help. I think it is all rather melodramatic and unnecessary. I am not in danger. But everyone insisted some precautions should be taken, and Mr. Donegan suggested that Jane double for me, here in Karachi.”
“And now she may be killed,” Durell said.
“You seem to be unnaturally concerned.”
“Aren’t you?”
“I’m worried. Puzzled. No more. Jane is a capable young woman. I trust her judgment, and I have faith in her behavior.”
“You make yourself sound tough,” Durell said. “Are you really as hard as all that?”
“You are impertinent.”
“I don’t apologize. You don’t frighten me, as you did poor Mr. Donegan. I have my job to do, that’s all. You’re going into dangerous country, and all the people who preceded you didn’t come back. Those mountains aren’t like the Alps. They’re
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