Free The Secret War by Dennis Wheatley, Tony Morris Page B

dead by the first of May.”

CHAPTER VI

THE OPENING OF THE CAMPAIGN
    Speed! Speed! Speed! That was the essential factor which now dominated their mission, as emerged very clearly from the conference that Christopher, Valerie, and Lovelace held immediately Monsieur Paul Barrotet had departed.
    The
Millers of God
had planned that Christopher should arrive in Athens a week before Paxito Zarrif was expected to start for Abyssinia. Six days had now been lost, owing to Christopher taking the longer route from the United States in order to keep his departure secret. It was imperative, therefore, that they should make every possible effort to reach the Greek capital within the next twenty-four hours.
    â€œIt’s ten to eleven,” said Valerie. “We’ve nothing to pack but our handbags. If we leave at once I can take you the best part of the way to-day.”
    Lovelace shook his head. “We can’t have you mixed up in this horrible business any further.”
    â€œNonsense. If you go by train you’re certain to miss him, and here am I placing my perfectly good plane at your disposal.”
    â€œI know, but Christopher’s as rich as Crœsus. There’s nothing to stop him chartering a plane to take us.”
    Valerie sniffed contemptuously. “And what sort of a pilot would you get? Think of the delay, too, in making the necessary arrangements.”
    â€œThat’s true,” Christopher agreed. “And after all, why shouldn’t she fly us down to Athens—as long as we keep her out of things once we’re there?”
    Lovelace stared at the rash, good-looking young pair of lovers angrily. If he had been Valerie’s fiancé hisattitude would have been very different. Nothing would have induced him to allow her to be even remotely connected with these dubious schemes. He had promised his assistance in an affair about which he did not yet care to think for more than two moments together, and Christopher was pledged beyond retreat. Their enemies were known to be organised and on the watch for them. Even if Christopher brought his mission to a successful conclusion, it was certain that the enemy would endeavour to exact vengeance, not only on him, but on anyone known to be associated with him. How could he expose the girl to such obvious danger? Lovelace could not understand it, and yet he saw two things clearly. The boy was obsessed by his crusade to the exclusion of all reasonable thought, and
he
was the girl’s fiancé. Having registered a protest, what right had an outsider to interfere further between the two of them?
    â€œLet’s go, then—shall we?” Valerie picked up her bag and hurried from the room, cutting short any further discussion as to whether they meant to let her take them, and a quarter of an hour later they were discussing flying times in a taxi on the way to the airport.
    â€œIf we can get away by midday I ought to be able to get you down to Brindisi before nightfall,” Valerie said. “We’ll sleep there and, all being well, be in Athens by lunch time to-morrow.”
    â€œI’m glad I’ve been picked for the job—glad!” Christopher’s voice held a note of exaltation as he cut in. “If anyone ever deserved death this man Zarrif does.”
    â€œDon’t, Christopher! Don’t let’s talk of it.” Valerie laid a restraining hand upon his arm. Her face was pale under the chestnut hair. Much paler than usual, Lovelace noted. Her big eyes stared into his, seeking comfort and reassurance, but he had none to give her. He could only make a little shrugging gesture which wasmeant to convey sympathy and understanding. For the rest of the journey they bumped over the
pavé
in silence. A few moments later they were walking across the Le Bourget air-field to the hangar that housed Valerie’s plane.
    When they had come in that morning she had given orders for it to be looked over and