Above Suspicion Read Free Page A

with you.” He looked anxiously at Richard. “I know it’s going to ruin your summer,” he began, and then stopped. He had said enough as it was.
    Richard was staring at the red geraniums in the window box.
    “It isn’t the ruining of it,” he said slowly. “Everyone’s holidays are ruined this year. But I don’t think we’d really be of any use.”
    Peter was picking up his gloves and umbrella and his black hat. He was still watching Richard intently. Something seemed to decide him. He moved over to Frances to say goodbye.
    “I would never have asked you if I didn’t think you could pull it off,” he said. “And I would never have asked you if the whole thing wasn’t so urgent, Richard. I’d have done it myself, except that the people we are working against have got me docketed since Bucharest. I’ll be on the files by this time. I thought of someone else, but your qualifications for this job are just what we need. I didn’t enjoy asking you, I may as well say… Time I was leaving now. I see I’ve kept you late for Frame’s party. I met him this morning in front of the Mitre, and he asked me to come along too.” He waved his hat towards the invitation card propped up on the mantelpiece.
    “How long,” said Richard, “should this job take?”
    “We allowed two weeks to our man, but he knew the ropes. We’d better say about a month. It will be safer if you don’t hurry things. You will have to spend a few days in each place to make it look convincing. Remember, I want you to steer clear of any suspicion or danger… For God’s sake, take care of yourselves.”
    His voice was normal again by the time he had reached the door.
    “Goodbye, Frances; goodbye, Richard. See you when you get back.”
    The door closed softly, and left a silent room.
    Frances was the first to move. She pulled out her compact and powdered her nose. She readjusted her hat to the correct angle.
    “You’ll do,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. “Come on, my love, we are three-quarters of an hour later than I had meant to be late… You’ve got it all memorised?”
    Richard nodded. “That’s the least of it. Frances, this is the time to back out. Now.”
    Frances rose, and looked at the seams of her stockings. She altered a suspender. “When do we start?” she asked. “As soon as you have finished all your teaching?”
    Richard looked at his wife’s pretty legs.
    “Blast Peter,” he said, and took her arm as they left the room.
    They talked of other things as they went downstairs.

2
THE PARTY
    The party in Frame’s rooms had just reached the right temperature when Frances and Richard Myles arrived. They stood for a moment at the doorway rather like two bathers about to plunge off a springboard. Their host, armed with sherry bottles, pushed his way through to meet the latecomers.
    “I’m so glad,” he breathed. “Sorry about this awful crowd: such a mob.” He turned to welcome some other new arrivals. Actually, thought Frances, he was just delighted that the room was jammed with people talking their heads off. She smiled goodbye to Richard. This wasn’t one of those ghastly affairs where you only knew the host. They wouldn’t have to put on their special act today, when they would meet each other with surprise in the middle of the room, greet each other warmly and start the vivacious conversation of two friends who rarely met. They always found that others, with an ear for preposterous remarks, would drift towards them. As Richardhad said, splendid isolation didn’t mix with sherry.
    But tonight Richard had already seen two men he wanted to talk to, and Frances waited in the corner she had chosen for herself as three young men gravitated towards her. They had, in their typical manner, only smiled politely when they caught her eye, and had then, without another glance in her direction, started a quiet but determined progress towards where she stood. She noticed Richard was looking round him in that