Free This United State by Colin Forbes Page A

face.
    'Rather like the look of you, Paula. You're not bad.' 'I'm supposed to take that as a compliment?'
    'I take my time.'
    Tweed had been studying Rupert, who ignored him. Strangeways guided Tweed to a seat at the table. Standing behind him he stood erect, looking embarrassed. He coughed, glanced at Paula.
    'I don't quite know how to phrase this. The last thing I want to do is to appear impolite.'
    'But you'd prefer it if the two of you, could talk alone,' Paula suggested with a smile.
    'My dear, there's a library on your left as you go back into the hall. If you're interested in books it's quite an unusual collection I've built up over the years.'
    'I'd be happy to wait there.'
    'Not so fast.' He went over to the wall, pressed an old-fashioned bell. 'The housekeeper, Mrs Belloc, can provide you with tea and cakes. Indian, Darjeeling, Earl Grey? And I'd better warn you Mrs Belloc is an odd character. Goes around with a black shawl over her head. A hard worker but it's difficult keeping local servants. They don't like her. Ah, here she is.'
    Paula had a shock. When the door opened a short powerfully built woman walked slowly in. The black shawl was worn so it concealed most of her features, exposing only gimlet eyes and a nose like a parrot's. A black dress reached almost to her ankles. There was something sinister about her.
    'You wanted me, sir?' she asked, addressing her employer.
    Strangeways gave her instructions to serve Paula tea in the library. Mrs Belloc was staring at Tweed while she listened. Then she withdrew without a word.
    Rupert opened the door again, bowed in an exaggerated way. He was smiling sardonically. Without a backward glance at the two men in the room, he closed the door and caught up with Paula.
    'You don't want to waste your time in the library. Let's go riding. I can give you a gentle nag.'
    'I want to see the library. And Mrs Belloc is bringing me tea.'
    'Never read a book in my life,' he replied jauntily, following her as she opened the door on her left.
    'Might do you good if you did read a few.'
    'I seem to get by without them.'
    She was already inside a large room, the walls lined with bookcases. A wheeled ladder was attached to one wall so the high shelves could be reached easily. Nondescript coffee tables were scattered round the room near large leather couches which looked as though they'd been there for generations. The room was chilly. She pulled out a book on Alexander the Great and perched at the end of a couch. Rupert joined her.
    'You'll end up with that old horror, Mrs Belloc, for company. I'm much more fun.'
    'I'm sure you are.'
    'Please yourself, then,' he said acidly. 'Bury your nose in a crummy book. You don't know what you're missing. We could shoot a few birds instead of riding.'
    'That idea doesn't appeal to me.'
    'Playing hard to get.' He stood up. 'Have it your own way.'
    It was a relief to Paula when he left the room, closing the door behind him. Something caught her eye. She looked at a side window, jumped up, ran into the mullioned bay. Outside was Harry Butler, one finger to his lips. Behind him a trim lawn stretched away to a hedge and beyond it was a field. Wrestling with the old security catch, she pushed open a casement window.
    'What on earth are you doing out there?'
    'Prowling. And keeping an eye on Tweed. Newman's orders. Got over the side wall with a telescopic ladder he carries in the boot of his car.'
    'Get out of sight! Quick! The housekeeper is bringing me tea...'
    'I'll have a cuppa,' said Butler and was gone.
    She was struggling to close the window, had just managed it, when she heard a sound. She hadn't heard the door open but now she heard the sound she had heard when Mrs Belloc entered the other room earlier. The rustle of the stiff black material she wore as a dress. Paula froze.
    'Wouldn't have anything to do with him if I were you,' a harsh voice advised.
    For a tense moment she thought the housekeeper was referring to Butler. Then, in the field