Free Hardcastle's Traitors by Graham Ison Page A

said.
    â€˜Colonel Powell granted me leave for Christmas and the New Year,’ began Villiers, by now a little calmer than when he had arrived. ‘He asked me to call on his wife, to assure her that he was safe and well, and to give her a letter and some perfume he’d bought for her.’
    â€˜Mrs Powell seemed to be under the impression that the perfume was a gift from you, Captain Villiers,’ said Marriott, ‘rather than from her husband.’
    Villiers was obviously embarrassed by that revelation. ‘Well, I didn’t think there was any harm in letting her think it was from me,’ he said. ‘Particularly in view what happened later.’
    â€˜When did you first call on Mrs Powell?’ asked Marriott.
    â€˜On Boxing Day, in the evening.’ Villiers paused, and then decided to tell the whole story, secure in the knowledge that, thanks to Hardcastle’s intervention, he was unlikely ever to enjoy Annabel Powell’s favours again. ‘Right from the moment I arrived she made it quite obvious that she wasn’t averse to having a little fun, if you know what I mean.’
    â€˜By which you mean she was up for a screwing, I suppose,’ said Hardcastle bluntly.
    â€˜That’s not quite how I’d’ve described it,’ responded Villiers acidly, irritated by the DDI’s description of what Villiers saw as a romantic tryst.
    â€˜Matter of opinion,’ commented Hardcastle quietly.
    â€˜However, in no time at all she was telling me how lonely it was for a girl to be left on her own. She actually described herself as “a girl”, despite the fact that she must be at least ten years older than me. What’s more, she said her husband was a bully who had no interest in her. I could certainly vouch for Colonel Powell being a strict disciplinarian, but it seems he was when he was at home as well as with the brigade. Annabel made it quite obvious that she was up for a bit of fun and it was too good an offer to refuse. As a result, I’ve spent every night with her since.’
    â€˜I hope your colonel doesn’t find out, Captain Villiers,’ said Hardcastle.
    â€˜Ye Gods!’ exclaimed Villiers. ‘So do I. I hope you don’t propose speaking to him.’
    â€˜I might be a thorough detective, Captain Villiers, but I’m damned if I’m going to France just to shop you to your colonel.’
    â€˜Captain Villiers, is there anyone you’ve made an enemy of recently? Apart from Colonel Powell, of course,’ said Marriott quietly. ‘Not that he knows he’s an enemy. Yet.’
    Villiers leaned back against the hard chair and lit a cigarette, this time without asking Hardcastle’s permission. ‘As a matter of fact there is, although I don’t see that it has any bearing on your enquiries. He’s a new subaltern in my battery. Soon after his arrival, I learned that he was in debt to quite a substantial amount. Most of the young officers take to the bottle, but Tindall has started gambling. One of the other officers mentioned it to me and said that he’d heard that Tindall owed money all over London. I took him to task and told him to settle up and stop gambling or I’d have him court-martialled and thrown out. As a matter of fact, I gave him a bloody good dressing down and he let fly with a string of abuse, so much so that I threatened to have him up in front of the colonel for insubordination. He even suggested that I shouldn’t turn my back on him in the heat of battle. But I put that down to the stress of warfare. People out there often say things they don’t mean.’
    Hardcastle suddenly realized why Marriott had posed the question. ‘You say this officer’s name is Tindall, Captain Villiers, and he’s in the Royal Field Artillery?’
    â€˜I’m sorry to say he is, God help us. Second Lieutenant George Tindall, a hostilities-only officer, so I believe.