The Black Baroness Read Online Free PDF

begin with, but once one gets into the game it becomes frightfully thrilling. After all, whatever we may have said about the Nazis in the past, Hitler himself is an amazing man, you know. One must confess that. And although we may not agree with all his methods he
is
showing us Germans how to conquer the world. One must admire him for that. So, quite honestly, I’m all for him now and I’m not a bit shamefaced about this business any more.’
    Gregory could only agree that she was perfectly right and that for Germany to be supreme above all nations was the only thing that really mattered; then he laughingly expressed the hope that he might be present to applaud when the
Führer
decorated her with the Iron Cross for her services to the Third Reich.
    Her wicked eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘Wouldn’t it be more appropriate if he instituted a new Order called Ladies of the Golden Garter?’
    ‘Grand!’ laughed Gregory. ‘Grand! Yet somehow I don’tthink he’s quite the right fellow to bestow the decoration personally. It would be much more fun for the girls if he selected certain stalwarts among his Black Guards to put the garters on.’
    She shook her head. ‘No. They are so dull—great, stupid animals. I think each girl should be allowed to choose her own man to deputise for the
Führer
, and the installation should take place at night to soft music and in candle-light. One might even adopt the procedure of the Ancient Orders of Chivalry, where squires who were to receive the accolade spent the night on their knees, in prayer, before the high altar of a church.’
    ‘I get you,’ Gregory grinned. The night would not be spent in prayer, but the lady would receive her decoration in the morning.’
    ‘That’s it.’ Paula’s hand brushed his as she reached out for a chocolate. ‘Now, what sort of man d’you think I should choose for my initiation?’
    Her question was an open invitation for Gregory to describe himself, and in other circumstances he would have done so without hesitation, but now he had Erika to consider. Quite apart from the fact that, being in love with her, he was not in the least interested in any other woman, he had to make allowance for her possible reactions to any signs of Paula and himself becoming somewhat more than friendly. Erika would, of course, say that she trusted him completely and did not at all mind his entering on a flirtation with Paula for the sake of the interests they served, but Gregory owed much of his success with women to the fact that experience had taught him a great deal about the workings of the female brain. Erika would quite honestly mean it when she said that she trusted him, but that would not affect the fact that it would make her extremely unhappy if he played up to Paula very far and that was bound to have an adverse effect upon their own happiness.
    Fortunately his acquaintance with Paula was still so slight that she had had no time or opportunity to develop a real interest in him. It was just that she was a gregarious young woman who was obviously prepared to have an affair with any attractive man whom she might meet and, having put Gregory down as a desirable property, she had evidently decided that it would be rather fun to try to take him away from such a handsome rival as Erika. He therefore made up his mind at once that before he was drawn further on to this extremely dangerous ground he must side-track Paula by conveying to her thathe was not really a very desirable property at all.
    After a moment he looked up at her and smiled a little weakly. ‘I must say I’d envy the chap who got the job and I’d apply for it myself if I thought that I had the least chance.’
    ‘Nothing venture—nothing win,’ she murmured, lowering her long lashes.
    ‘The trouble is,’ he admitted slowly, ‘that I’m always a damned sight too honest with myself, and knowing my limitations so well I’m quite certain that when it came to the point I should let you