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being emptied into the air.
    The servants were about their business, and my retreat was cut off.
    I stood back in the salon, chafing.
    Then I heard a sudden rustle, and there was Marya Dresden beside me, with a dressing-gown over her nightdress and her small feet in slippers and fright in her eyes.
    ‘What is it, Richard?’ she breathed. ‘Why are you here? Don’t say Leonie–’
    ‘She wanted to come,’ said I. ‘But I couldn’t risk that. But you didn’t think we’d sit still and watch you drown?’
    Marya stared and stared.
    ‘“Watch me drown”?’ she repeated. ‘My dear, what on earth do you mean?’
    I took out her telegram and gave it into her hand. As she read it, a hand went up to her head. Then – ‘I never sent this,’ she said.

2:  High Misdemeanour
    Madame Dresden’s words were so confounding and had unmasked so abruptly such a flood of sinister light that it took me a moment or two to focus the new situation and generally marshal my wits.
    ‘You never sent this?’ I repeated.
    She shook her head.
    ‘Did you send any wire?’
    She nodded, twisting her hands.
    ‘On Monday. I said Expect me Wednesday as arranged .’
    ‘That’s right,’ I said slowly. ‘And that telegram was taken, but this was sent. I must say Prince Paul is well served.’
    Madame Dresden had me by the arm.
    ‘It was sent to bring you,’ she breathed. ‘He–’
    ‘It was sent to bring us both, Marya. It was sent to bring Leonie and me. Thank God I had the sense to spoil that.’
    ‘But it’s brought you, Richard. It’s brought you into his power.’ She clapped her hands to her face. ‘Oh, my God, why on earth did I send that wire? Everyone knows he’s rabid at Leonie’s loss. He won’t have her Regiment at the palace, and–’
    ‘You can’t blame yourself,’ said I. ‘If one can’t trust the Post Office – well… If I were you, Marya, I should leave Vigil for good. And Riechtenburg. I mean, the fellow’s not safe.’
    ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I never see him now, but I hear a good deal. It doesn’t affect the country – Sully sees to that. He’s really afraid of Sully–’
    ‘Who is away just now.’
    Marya caught her breath.
    ‘You must go,’ she cried. ‘You must go. With Sully out of the country, and Grieg–’
    ‘Grieg?’ I cried sharply. ‘What of Grieg?’
    The man was our implacable enemy – had nearly been the death of George Hanbury and would have killed me.
    ‘Three days after Sully was gone, the Prince took Grieg back. Not into the Army: he’s been given some job in the police.’
    There was a little silence. Then—
    ‘You’re right,’ said I. ‘We must go.’
    ‘“We”?’ says she. ‘I thought–’
    ‘George Hanbury is with me. And Bell.’
    ‘But how can you go, Richard?’
    ‘As we came,’ said I. ‘By night. Till then we must lie up somewhere, and–’
    ‘Here, of course,’ cried the Countess. ‘And then I can drive you–’
    ‘Not on your life,’ said I. ‘You’re deep enough in. I take it you’re ready to go this afternoon.’
    ‘My big baggage has gone,’ she said.
    ‘Then today you must leave for Salzburg, and leave by train. We’ll come and get you there as soon as we can.’
    ‘I can’t go till I know you’re safe.’
    ‘You must,’ said I. ‘Don’t you see you must keep to what you said in your wire? If you don’t they’ll know in an instant that we’ve been in touch with you.’
    ‘How can they know that you haven’t telephoned?’
    ‘We did,’ said I. ‘And were told there was no reply. And we sent you two wires.’
    The Countess stifled a cry.
    ‘It shows the lengths,’ I continued, ‘our friends are prepared to go. Happily they don’t know we’re here. And if you don’t alter your plans, there’s no reason why they should. I assume they don’t know that you were to travel by road.’
    ‘The servants know, Richard. I have told the chauffeur that he is to take me to Bariche and then return.’
    I bit my