Spies in St. Petersburg. Katherine Woodfine

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СКАЧАТЬ took all of Lil’s acting skills to keep her face calm and attentive as he laid out his plans, explaining that she would be travelling to Hamburg to collect a report from one of his agents there. ‘You’ll travel undercover of course, posing as a tourist visiting the city. The papers you’ll need are being prepared. Once you arrive, you’ll see a few sights for appearance’s sake – old churches, a museum, that kind of thing – and then proceed to the agreed rendezvous point where you’ll collect the report. Then you simply need to bring it back here. There will be the usual border checks, but we’ve prepared rather a clever little suitcase with a hidden compartment, which will easily get round those.’

      ‘And what exactly is this report?’ asked Lil, trying to keep her voice light.

      ‘No need for you to worry about that,’ said the Chief breezily. ‘Just know that Admiral Stevens will be very grateful to get hold of it – very grateful indeed.’ He paused for a moment, and his tone became more serious. ‘However, there is one other thing that I wanted to speak to you about . . .’

      Lil leaned forward eagerly. Was he going to tell her the truth about Sophie at last? Perhaps she had misjudged him – perhaps he did have a plan to help her, after all?

      ‘The Hamburg assignment is a straightforward one, and I know you’re perfectly capable of handling it alone. However, I’d like to ask someone else to accompany you.’

      Blow, thought Lil. Was he planning to send Forsyth with her again? If they were travelling together, it would spoil everything.

      ‘Carruthers!’ called out the Chief. A moment later, Carruthers appeared through the door, looking as sulky as ever.

      ‘Now then, old fellow. I have exciting news! I’ve decided that you’re to go on your first field assignment – what do you think of that? Miss Rose, Captain Carruthers is going to accompany you to Hamburg!’ he announced, with the air of a magician pulling a white rabbit from a top hat.

      Lil gaped at him ‘He’s coming with me?’ she said incredulously – even as Carruthers himself burst out, ‘You mean to say that my first field assignment is going to be with her?’

      ‘That’s right. Now, Carruthers here hasn’t had much chance to get field experience. That’s through no fault of his own – he’s always needed here. But it’s really too bad to keep him shut up with all these dossiers forever. He must have the chance to see what it’s like out in the field. That’s what you’ve been wanting, isn’t it, old chap? And this assignment should be just the ticket. So, Miss Rose, you’ll be heading up the mission – and Captain, you’ll be there to follow along and learn. See how it works, get a feel for the fieldwork side of things.’

      Carruthers’ face was a picture of disgust. Meanwhile, Lil’s heart had sunk to her boots. Having Forsyth with her would have been tricky enough – but with Carruthers shadowing her, no doubt furious at the very idea of learning from her, it would be almost impossible to follow through with her plan. However would she manage to break away to St Petersburg now? ‘Er – wouldn’t it be better for the Captain to learn from Forsyth, or one of the other agents?’ she asked, rather desperately. ‘You know . . . someone a bit more experienced?’

      ‘Please don’t underestimate yourself, Miss Rose,’ said C sternly. ‘Your work for the Bureau has been exemplary. There will be a great deal the Captain can learn from you – I know he will be most interested to see how you approach an undercover assignment. Won’t you, Captain?’ He gave Carruthers a sharp look.

      ‘Yes, sir,’ mumbled Carruthers.

      ‘Now, I’ve arranged things so you’ll be travelling as brother and sister.’

      ‘Brother and sister?’ repeated Carruthers, more appalled than ever.

      ‘Yes – that will make things straightforward. No eyebrows raised about unmarried girls racketing about Europe with young men, or anything like that,’ said the Chief briskly. ‘Tickets have been booked for you on tomorrow’s boat to Ostend, and from there you’ll take the train to Cologne, and change for Hamburg. Accommodation is arranged at a small guest house. You’ll visit two or three tourist spots, and then collect the report and bring it back here to me.’ He sat back in his chair, obviously well pleased with his plan.

      Carruthers was scarlet with indignation, but as ever, the Chief didn’t seem to notice. ‘I’m sure you’ll want to go and talk it over,’ he said amiably. ‘Here’s the details of the rendezvous point for you, Miss Rose. Commit them to memory and then burn the paper, if you please.’ He slid a document across the desk towards her. ‘I’ll expect you both back here by the end of the week with the report,’ he finished. ‘Good hunting!’

      Lil got to her feet. Her mind was in a whirl, but all the same, she managed to ask the most important question. She wanted to give the Chief one more chance to tell her the truth. ‘I was wondering . . . I know that yesterday you said Sophie was fine, but have you heard anything from her lately? Any letters – or telegrams?’ she prompted. ‘It’s been quite a while now that she’s been away, hasn’t it?’

      ‘Hmmm?’ The Chief looked up, already preoccupied by the paperwork on his desk. ‘Oh yes, well these things can sometimes take a while, you know.’

      He gave her an avuncular smile – but to Lil it was no longer reassuring. Instead, it seemed more like a mask, concealing an expression that was cold and blank. She followed Carruthers hurriedly out of the room.

      ‘Well, isn’t this just brilliant,’ Carruthers was muttering under his breath, banging things about on his desk. ‘For my first field assignment! Good lord!’

      But Lil wasn’t listening. One thing was very clear to her. Whatever the Chief’s orders were, whatever the others thought, and even with Carruthers joining her on the assignment, there was not in the least chance she was going tamely to Hamburg and back again. She was going to St Petersburg to find Sophie – and that was that.

       ‘Last week we arrived in Russia, and I scarcely know what to write about it. I have visited a dozen different countries, but I really think St Petersburg is the most extraordinary place I have ever seen. I feel as though I have stepped into a fairy tale.’

      – From the diary of Alice Grayson

      A Very Long Way from Piccadilly Circus

      At the same time that Lil was preparing to attend Sir Edwin’s ball on the other side of Europe, in the warm kitchen of a tall, pink house beside a narrow canal, Vera Ivanovna Orlov was telling stories to her grandchildren.

      ‘Once upon a time, there was a cross old Tsar, who lived in a palace surrounded by a beautiful orchard,’ she began. ‘Amongst all the trees in the orchard was one that was very special: a wonderful apple tree, which grew magical golden apples – the Tsar’s pride and joy. СКАЧАТЬ