The Seven Dials Mystery - Agatha Christie [85]
‘And do you really love me?’ said Bill, incredulously, for the twentieth time as he at last released her.
‘Yes–yes–yes. Now do let’s be sensible. I’ve got a racking head still, and I’ve been nearly squeezed to death by you. I want to get the hang of things. Where are we and what’s happened?’
For the first time, Bundle began to take stock of her surroundings. They were in the secret room, she noted, and the baize door was closed and presumably locked. They were prisoners, then!
Bundle’s eyes came back to Bill. Quite oblivious of her question he was watching her with adoring eyes.
‘Bill, darling,’ said Bundle, ‘pull yourself together. We’ve got to get out of here.’
‘Eh?’ said Bill. ‘What? Oh, yes. That’ll be all right. No difficulty about that.’
‘It’s being in love makes you feel like that,’ said Bundle. ‘I feel rather the same myself. As though everything’s easy and possible.’
‘So it is,’ said Bill. ‘Now that I know you care for me–’
‘Stop it,’ said Bundle. ‘Once we begin again any serious conversation will be hopeless. Unless you pull yourself together and become sensible, I shall very likely change my mind.’
‘I shan’t let you,’ said Bill. ‘You don’t think that once having got you I’d be such a fool as to let you go, do you?’
‘You would not coerce me against my will, I hope,’ said Bundle grandiloquently.
‘Wouldn’t I?’ said Bill. ‘You just watch me do it, that’s all.’
‘You really are rather a darling, Bill. I was afraid you might be too meek, but I see there’s going to be no danger of that. In another half-hour you’d be ordering me about. Oh, dear, we’re getting silly again. Now, look here, Bill. We’ve got to get out of here.’
‘I tell you that’ll be quite all right. I shall–’
He broke off, obedient to a pressure from Bundle’s hand. She was leaning forward, listening intently. Yes, she had not been mistaken. A step was crossing the outer room. The key was thrust into the lock and turned. Bundle held her breath. Was it Jimmy coming to rescue them–or was it someone else?
The door opened and the black-bearded Mr Mosgorovsky stood on the threshold.
Immediately Bill took a step forward, standing in front of Bundle.
‘Look here,’ he said, ‘I want a word with you privately.’
The Russian did not reply for a minute or two. He stood stroking his long, silky black beard and smiling quietly to himself.
‘So,’ he said at last, ‘it is like that. Very well. The lady will be pleased to come with me.’
‘It’s all right, Bundle,’ said Bill. ‘Leave it to me. You go with this chap. Nobody’s going to hurt you. I know what I’m doing.’
Bundle rose obediently. That note of authority in Bill’s voice was new to her. He seemed absolutely sure of himself and confident of being able to deal with the situation. Bundle wondered vaguely what it was that Bill had–or thought he had–up his sleeve.
She passed out of the room in front of the Russian. He followed her, closing the door behind him and locking it.
‘This way, please,’ he said.
He indicated the staircase and she mounted obediently to the floor above. Here she was directed to pass into a small frowsy room, which she took to be Alfred’s bedroom.
Mosgorovsky said: ‘You will wait here quietly, please. There must be no noise.’
Then he went out, closing the door behind him and locking her in.
Bundle sat down on a chair. Her head was aching badly still and she felt incapable of sustained thought. Bill seemed to have the sitaution well in hand. Sooner or later, she supposed, someone would come and let her out.
The minutes passed. Bundle’s watch had stopped, but she judged that over an hour had passed since the Russian had brought her here. What was happening? What, indeed, had happened?
At last she heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Mosgorovsky once more. He spoke very formally to her.
‘Lady Eileen Brent, you are wanted at an emergency meeting of the Seven Dials Society. Please follow me.’
He led the way down the stairs and Bundle followed him. He opened the door of the secret