Dangerous Sea Read Free Page A

the real purpose of my visit and Major Ferguson says they will do anything . . .
anything
to ensure its failure.’
    ‘Meaning?’
    ‘We have definite information that they would not stop at murder,’ Ferguson elaborated.
    ‘Oh really, Major! Are you asking me to believe that agents of the German Reich would resort to murder to stop Lord Benyon reaching Washington? With respect, surely that is pure John Buchan.’
    ‘Not at all!’ Ferguson said a little huffily. ‘Our agent in the German Chancellery is adamant that this threat is to be taken seriously and his information, gained at great personal risk, is not to be dismissed lightly.’
    Edward felt himself reproved. ‘Well, I am sorry, but you must admit it seems preposterous. The new Germany is not to my taste and I have been convinced for some time that war is inevitable but surely no European government will resort to murder. They are not a bunch of thugs.’
    ‘But that is just what they are, Lord Edward,’ Ferguson said fiercely. ‘Hitler has never had any compunction in murdering even his closest associates when they have outlived their usefulness. Think of the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934. Röhm and all his Brownshirts were murdered at a word from their Führer. You have heard of these prison camps they have set up? There’s one near Munich about which we are beginning to hear frightful stories. Without trial, without possibility of appeal, the Nazis imprison their enemies in these places and most are never heard of again.’
    ‘Jews . . .’ Edward began.
    ‘Not only Jews. Communists – anyone who causes them any trouble.’
    ‘And the German public knows about this?’
    ‘They know something of it but it is dangerously “unpatriotic” to object . . . to speak out in defence of the country’s “enemies”.’
    ‘I am not naive about the Nazis, Major Ferguson. I do understand what you are saying but to put it another way – and I am not meaning to belittle Lord Benyon’s mission – would they
bother
to attempt to kill him? Are there not many more obvious . . . targets?’
    ‘I don’t think you fully understand, Edward.’ Benyon unconsciously dropped into an intimacy which his listener considered a compliment. ‘My mission is of the utmost importance. If war was declared tomorrow, we might stave off defeat for a week, a month or – at the most optimistic estimate – three months. We cannot win – we cannot survive – without American aid.’
    Benyon was deadly serious and a cold shiver ran down Edward’s spine. ‘The French?’ he offered up.
    Benyon was contemptuous. ‘A “busted flush”, as our American friends would say. I believe they could not withstand a German invasion even as long as we could. They have no English Channel to “serve it in the office of a wall”.’
    ‘But I still don’t see how I come into this. I am flattered you have taken me into your confidence but surely, Ferguson, you have Lord Benyon protected?’
    ‘On British soil Lord Benyon has protection day and night but out of England . . .’
    ‘How are you travelling to the States, Benyon?’ Edward asked.
    ‘On the
Queen Mary
.’
    ‘That is almost the same as being on British soil.’
    ‘Not so, Lord Edward,’ Ferguson said. ‘We have a passenger list but who is to say if it is accurate or complete? The
Queen Mary
carries some seven hundred First Class passengers and an equal number in the other two classes. Lord Benyon will keep himself to himself as far as is possible without arousing comment but there is always a chance . . .’
    ‘. . . someone might take a pot shot at me.’
    ‘
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
,’ Edward quoted. ‘I have always considered that to be a particularly insidious lie.’
    ‘Sweet and honourable to die for one’s country?’ Benyon said thoughtfully. ‘But don’t forget that Horace’s next line, if I remember it aright, is
mors et fugacem persequitur virum
– Death hunts down the man in