The Furies

Free The Furies by Irving McCabe

Book: The Furies by Irving McCabe Read Free Book Online
Authors: Irving McCabe
as sandpaper as she tried to find saliva and swallow. ‘Who else?’ she said, her voice a croaky whisper.
    â€˜The Austrian secret service.’
    â€˜
Austrian
?’ Elspeth shook her head in confusion. ‘What?…Why…?’
    â€˜Anya hasn’t said why. But I think it’s something to do with a relative who fell into trouble with the police over there—’
    â€˜But Anya’s not Austrian…is she?’ Elspeth interrupted. ‘I thought she was originally from Poland or somewhere else in Eastern Europe. Is that not the case?’
    Vera stepped forward and placed her hands on Elspeth’s shoulders again. ‘Look, Ellie,’ she said reassuringly. ‘It really doesn’t matter where Anya’s from. All that matters is that I’m certain we’re not being followed.’ She looked across at Sylvia for support.
    â€˜Vera’s absolutely right,’ Sylvia said. ‘I haven’t seen a thing.’
    â€˜So you’re both certain we’re not being followed,’ Elspeth said. ‘By Special Branch, or Austrian secret police, or anybody else for that matter.’
    Both nodded their heads.
    â€˜But you say that Anya thinks we are. So what exactly are you implying, Vera? That she’s imagining it? That she’s delusional?’
    Vera sighed. ‘I think so. The trouble is, Anya’s always been a little paranoid, Ellie. Which I think comes from her being an émigré, you know, seeking asylum—’
    â€˜And from which country,’ Elspeth interrupted, ‘is Anya seeking asylum from?’
    Vera shrugged. ‘I don’t know. She’s always been vague about that. One of the Slavic states within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, I think.’
    â€˜But you don’t know which one?’
    Vera shook her head. ‘I’ve asked her, of course, but she says she’d rather not say; that the less people know about her, the better.’
    â€˜So what
do
you know about her?’ Elspeth said, unable to hide the irritation in her voice.
    Vera stiffened. ‘Well I only met her last year, when she joined the WSPU. Where she came from didn’t seem to matter then. What was important was her commitment to the suffrage cause and of that there’s no doubt. She knows lots of useful things, Ellie, like how to make a pipe bomb—’
    â€˜And where is she now?’
    Vera looked awkward. ‘When we arrived at Paddington half an hour ago, she told me she’d stay behind to watch if anybody might be following us. I imagine she’s down on the street, watching the door as we speak.’
    Elspeth strode to the window and strained to see as far up and down the street as she could and then pulled her head back into the room. ‘Well, I can’t see her,’ she said irritably. Is there anything else about Anya you haven’t told me?’
    â€˜I’ve not been keeping anything back, Ellie,’ Vera protested. ‘I just didn’t think it was important to tell you every last detail about her—’
    â€˜Now look here, Vera,’ Elspeth interrupted. ‘Sylvie and I planted a bomb. Innocent people could have been injured or worse. This is important. I need to know exactly who the members of our squad really are.’
    Vera sighed. ‘Look, I know that Anya entered Britain two years ago on asylum and for a while lived in a flat with a group of WSPU supporters, one of whom was called Grace. Anya and Grace developed a close friendship and become involved with the arson campaign – breaking shop windows, pouring petrol through letter boxes – that sort of thing. Then a year ago they were caught smashing the windows of a jewellers in Mayfair and were being held by the owner and his staff until the police arrived. Grace knew that if Anya was arrested she would be deported. So she threw herself at the owner to create a distraction that allowed Anya to escape

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