given her Paul … well, she could handle Paul. And dear James would have been easy, and maybe a labour of love. And Del Andrew would always have told her the truth, the straight unvarnished truth: the bonus of Del’s preference for pretty Page Three girls was that he treated Plain Janes (and even plainer Elizabeth) as mates , and not playmates , with no bourgeois sexual hang-ups. But giving her David and Major Turnbull, who were each inscrutably old-fashioned, suggested that this was either a cruel test of her ability or a high mark of confidence.
Meanwhile … meanwhile, Dr Audley could cool his heels, and Major Turnbull could wait, because they were both waiting her pleasure. And her pleasure awaited that of the Deputy-Director—that was her pleasure now, anyway.
He reached out towards the box again. But this time he thought better of his greed, closing the lid on it and pushing the box to one side.
She waited. Because, although he might know from records that she had 140-words-a-minute shorthand, which was a skill Father had required of her for his voluminous correspondence, she knew how to wait. Compared with Father, who had thought that he had all the time in the world and didn’t have to be polite, the rest of the world was a push-over.
He played with the box, wanting to open it again. ‘I must say … you’re demonstrating a remarkable lack of curiosity, Elizabeth.’
‘Am I?’ There was a difference between the Deputy-Director and Father, of course: with David Audley and Major Turnbull waiting, he had time at his back, if not politeness. But it would be foolish to go down a snake merely to revenge herself on Father. ‘I’m sorry. I was only waiting for you to bring Major Parker up-to-date. With … with Squadron Leader Thomas, was it?’ She swallowed her pride. ‘Has he fallen off a cliff too?’
‘No.’ Her obeisance mollified him. ‘Not as far as I know—not yet. But I’m sure Audley will tell you all about that.’
‘Indeed?’ After that crack about ‘lack of curiosity’ she must assert herself. ‘So Dr Audley will tell me all about Squadron Leader Thomas. And Major Turnbull will tell me all about Major Parker.’ She smiled. ‘And they are both at my disposal—Dr Audley and Major Turnbull.’
‘That’s right, Elizabeth.’ He smiled back, and nodded. And then waited for her to protest.
‘But you don’t want me to teach them Latin grammar?’
‘What?’ He stopped smiling.
‘Or lecture them on the use of Special Forces?’ She gave him a Varney face. ‘But if Major Turnbull knows all about Major Parker he probably knows more about the Pointe du Hoc than I do. So it can’t be that … and Dr Audley’s Latin is certainly better than mine.’ She pretended to think. ‘Although his Latin would be more the medieval variety, wouldn’t it? Not the classical sort - arma virumque cano , and all that—?’
He stared at her for a moment. Then, somewhat to her surprise, a slow and very different smile spread across his face, crinkling its lines with what might be genuine pleasure—she had never seen him smile like that, with face and eyes as well as mouth betraying satisfaction. It was almost a conspiratorial smile, admitting her to a club for which she had not put herself up as a member.
‘They don’t worry you, then?’ He tested her gently, as though he couldn’t quite believe his luck.
‘Worry me?’ If she’d ever been of a mind to protest, she couldn’t do so now.’ Dr Audley and Major Turnbull? Why should they worry me?’
‘No reason—no reason at all, Miss Loftus.’ He raised one hand defensively. ‘It was merely a thought.’
And an insulting one. ‘They have their orders, presumably.’
‘They have indeed.’ The smile had vanished, but the glint-in-the-eye remained. ‘They have indeed.’
‘Yes? So if the worst comes to the worst I can always order them to tell me what I am supposed to be doing. Which at this moment I still don’t know.’
‘Ah
Meanwhile … meanwhile, Dr Audley could cool his heels, and Major Turnbull could wait, because they were both waiting her pleasure. And her pleasure awaited that of the Deputy-Director—that was her pleasure now, anyway.
He reached out towards the box again. But this time he thought better of his greed, closing the lid on it and pushing the box to one side.
She waited. Because, although he might know from records that she had 140-words-a-minute shorthand, which was a skill Father had required of her for his voluminous correspondence, she knew how to wait. Compared with Father, who had thought that he had all the time in the world and didn’t have to be polite, the rest of the world was a push-over.
He played with the box, wanting to open it again. ‘I must say … you’re demonstrating a remarkable lack of curiosity, Elizabeth.’
‘Am I?’ There was a difference between the Deputy-Director and Father, of course: with David Audley and Major Turnbull waiting, he had time at his back, if not politeness. But it would be foolish to go down a snake merely to revenge herself on Father. ‘I’m sorry. I was only waiting for you to bring Major Parker up-to-date. With … with Squadron Leader Thomas, was it?’ She swallowed her pride. ‘Has he fallen off a cliff too?’
‘No.’ Her obeisance mollified him. ‘Not as far as I know—not yet. But I’m sure Audley will tell you all about that.’
‘Indeed?’ After that crack about ‘lack of curiosity’ she must assert herself. ‘So Dr Audley will tell me all about Squadron Leader Thomas. And Major Turnbull will tell me all about Major Parker.’ She smiled. ‘And they are both at my disposal—Dr Audley and Major Turnbull.’
‘That’s right, Elizabeth.’ He smiled back, and nodded. And then waited for her to protest.
‘But you don’t want me to teach them Latin grammar?’
‘What?’ He stopped smiling.
‘Or lecture them on the use of Special Forces?’ She gave him a Varney face. ‘But if Major Turnbull knows all about Major Parker he probably knows more about the Pointe du Hoc than I do. So it can’t be that … and Dr Audley’s Latin is certainly better than mine.’ She pretended to think. ‘Although his Latin would be more the medieval variety, wouldn’t it? Not the classical sort - arma virumque cano , and all that—?’
He stared at her for a moment. Then, somewhat to her surprise, a slow and very different smile spread across his face, crinkling its lines with what might be genuine pleasure—she had never seen him smile like that, with face and eyes as well as mouth betraying satisfaction. It was almost a conspiratorial smile, admitting her to a club for which she had not put herself up as a member.
‘They don’t worry you, then?’ He tested her gently, as though he couldn’t quite believe his luck.
‘Worry me?’ If she’d ever been of a mind to protest, she couldn’t do so now.’ Dr Audley and Major Turnbull? Why should they worry me?’
‘No reason—no reason at all, Miss Loftus.’ He raised one hand defensively. ‘It was merely a thought.’
And an insulting one. ‘They have their orders, presumably.’
‘They have indeed.’ The smile had vanished, but the glint-in-the-eye remained. ‘They have indeed.’
‘Yes? So if the worst comes to the worst I can always order them to tell me what I am supposed to be doing. Which at this moment I still don’t know.’
‘Ah
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