Part 3 (1/2)
Gareth glanced sideways at her and saw all too clearly why this should be The first adjective which sprang to mind was ”horsey', but it was not the correct one, Gareth decided
”Comely'or'camel-like' would convey a ht, as he intercepted the adoring gaze which she fixed upon him as she sat sideways upon the luxurious leather seats
”Jolly good of you to let irl And she sie yellowish teeth under the large nose
A V A ”Definitely thinking of buying one et ho the long black lied forward s the coast through the pal pennant on the front wing, red and blue and gold with ra attention and flung a flamboyant salute Gareth touched the brim of his hat to the manner born, then turned to his companion who had not taken her eyes frorounds of Governood view place up ahead, looks out across actually
Thought we'd park the channel, very beautiful there for a while” She nodded vehelad of that she had a squeaky little treble and he sratitude That brilliant, coirl blushed a ood eyes, Gareth tried to convince hie sorrowful pools with long matted lashes
He would concentrate on the eyes and try and avoid the teeth He felt a sudden se of concern ”I hope she doesn't bite in the critical moments
With those choppers, she could inflict athe project Then he ns, and his courage returned
Gareth braked the Bentley and searched for the turnoffs It ell concealed by underbrush and he lea, walled in by fern and scrub and roofed over by the cathedral arches of the palms
”Well, here we are, what?” Gareth pulled on the hand brake and turned to his companion ”Actually you can see the channel if you twist your neck a bit” He leaned forward to dehter sprang upon hiht was that he e glistening Bentley began to heave and toss on its suspension like a lifeboat in a gale, before he rose fro in hand, crept around to the bonnet with its gleaed initial V and the stiffly embroidered household pennant
The noise hewas effectively s cries of passion that issued out -of the car, and Jake glanced through the windscreen and caught one horrifying gli and shapeless and knobbly kneed as a ca ecstatically at the roof of the cab before he ducked his head into the engine
He worked swiftly, his lips pursed but the tune stealthily muted, and his brow creased with concentration as the carburettor jumped and heaved unpredictably under his hands and the whinnies of passion and the high-pitched exhortations to greater effort and speed rang louder
The resentment he had felt at Gareth Swales's refusal to assist in painting the iron ladies faded swiftly He was pushi+ng and pulling his full weight now, and his efforts nificant
As Jake lifted the entire carburettor asse, there was one last piercing shriek and the Bentley ca silence fell over the palh the undergrowth leaving his partner stunned and entangled in a mesh of lanky limbs and expensive French underwear
”I want you to believe that inwalk home At the same time, I had to try and convince the lady that ere not betrothed”
”We'll get you a citation,” Jake pro of the arard for his own personal safety Major Gareth Swales held the pass, stan ned the breach, battered down the gates-”
”Terribly arowled Gareth ”But, just like you, I have a reputation to ot out, old son Mum's the word, what?”
”You have my word of honour,” Jake told him seriously, and stooped over the crank handle She fired at the first turn and settled to a steady rhythrinned
”Listen to her, the bloody little beauty,” and he turned to Gareth ”Wasn't it worth it just to hear that sweet burbling song?”
Gareth rolled his eyes in agonized memory and Jake went on ”Four of them Four lovely, well-behaved ladies What more could you ask out of life?”
”Five,”said Gareth promptly, and Jake scowled
”We'd put n a statement to protect your reputation” But the expression on Jake's face was sufficient answer
”No?” Gareth sighed ”I predict that your sentiet us both into a lot of trouble”
”We can split up now”
”Wouldn't drea a dead one to those Ethiops They've got these dirty great swords, and it's not only your head that they lop off or so I hear No, we'll settle for just the four, then” May 22nd the Dunnottar Castle anchored in the Dares Salaaes and lighters She was the flagshi+p of the Union Castle Line, outward bound from Southampton to Cape Town, Durban, Lourenco Marques, Dares Salaam and Jibuti
Two suites and ten double cabins of the first class accoud and his entourage The Lij was a scion of the royal house of Ethiopia that traced its line back to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba He was a trusted member of the Eovernor of a piece of mountain and desert country in the northern provinces the size of Scotland and Wales co to his honin the halls of the League of Nations in Geneva, trying to gather pledges of support for his country in the face of the gathering storm clouds of Fascist Italian aspirations towards an African Empire
The Lij was a disillusioned man when he disembarked with four of his senior advisers and hter to where two hired open tourers awaited his arrival on the wharf Hire of the ed by Major Gareth Swales and the drivers had been given their instructions
”Now, you leave the talking to me, old chap,” Gareth advised Jake, as they waited anxiously in the cavernous and gloomy depths of No 4 Warehouse ”This really is my part of the show, you know You just look stern and do the de That will impress the old Ethiop no end” Gareth was resplendent in a pale blue tropical suit with a fresh white carnation in the buttonhole, and silk shi+rt He wore the diagonally striped old school tie, his hair was brilliantined and carefully brushed, and the sleek lines of theHe ran a judicious eye over his partner and was mildly satisfied Jake's suit had not been cut in Savile Row, of course, but it was adequate for the occasion, clean and freshly pressed His shoes had been newly polished and the usually unruly profusion of curls had been wetted and slicked down neatly
He had scrubbed all traces of grease froernails
”They probably don't even speak English,” Gareth gave his opinion
”Have to use the old sign language, you know
Wish you'd let me have that dead one We could have palullible lot, throw in a handful of beads and a bag of salt-” He was interrupted by the sound of approaching engines
”This will be theet what I told you” The two open tourers pulled up in the bright sunlight beyond the doors and disgorged their passengers Four of theth robes like Roas draped across the shoulder
Under the robes they wore black gabardine riding breeches and open sandals They were all of theh with strands of grey and the dark faces wrinkled and lined In dignified silence they gathered about the taller, younger figure clad in a dark western-style suit and they loom of the warehouse
Lij Mikhael ell over six feet in height, with a slight scholarly stoop to his shoulders His skin was the colour of dark honey and his hair and beard were a thick curly halo about the finely boned face, with dark thoughtful eyes and the narrow nose with its Serace of a swordsainst the dark skin
”By Jove,” said the Lij, in the drawling accent that echoed Gareth's with surprising accuracy ”It is Forty swales isn't it?”
Major Gareth Swales's co mentally at the use of a nickname he had last heard twenty years before He had been so branded when his unexpected attack of flatus had clapped and echoed froe Chapel He had hoped never to hear it spoken again, and now its use took him back to that moment when he had stood in the cold stone chapel and the waves of suppressed laughter had broken over his head like physical blows
The Prince laughed now, and touched the knot of his necktie For the first tional stripes were identical to those that Gareth Swales wore at his own throat
”Eton 1915 Waynflete's I was Captain of the House I gave you six for sasped Gareth ”Toffee Sagud My God I just don't knohat to say”
”Try hie, then,” murmured Jake helpfully
”Shut up, damn you,” hissed Gareth, and then with a conscious effort he resurrected the s of the sun
”Your Excellency Toffee my dear fellow” He hurried forith hand outstretched ”What a great and unexpected pleasure” They shook hands laughing, and the solehtened with sympathetic merriment
”Let me introduce my partner, Mr Jake Barton of Texas
Mr Barton is a brilliant engineer and financier Jake, this is His Excellency Lij Mikhael Wasan Sagud, Deputy Governor of Shoo and an old and dear friend of mine” The Prince's hand was narrow-boned, cool and fir before he turned back to Gareth