by Dilly Court
‘You allowed me to travel halfway around the world only to find myself alone and virtually penniless in London.’
‘We can’t talk here in the street.’ Max turned to Cook, who was standing at a respectful distance. ‘You shouldn’t have brought her here, Private.’
‘That’s not fair, Max,’ Rose said angrily. ‘I made him bring me, and if it hadn’t been for Private Cook I would not have found you, or at least it would have taken a very long time.’
The carriage driver chose this moment to start shouting at them, but when Max answered in fluent Arabic he subsided in silence.
‘Where are you staying?’ Max opened the carriage door. ‘I’ll see you to safety and then I must return to the barracks. You shouldn’t have come here, Rose. It was stupid and thoughtless.’
‘How dare you speak to me in that tone, Max? I’m here as a guest of Mr Desmond Sheldon and his wife. He is on the Embassy staff and we’re staying at Shepheard’s Hotel, so it’s all perfectly respectable.’
‘Nevertheless, you shouldn’t be in this country. We’ve won a victory, but who knows what will happen in the next few weeks or months?’ Max lifted her off the ground and deposited her on the carriage seat. ‘Private, you can sit up front with the driver. Tell him to take us back to the hotel.’ Max climbed in and slammed the door. ‘Now, Rose. I want a full explanation of what drove you to such madness. You do realise that I can’t be responsible for you while you’re here?’
Rose stared at him in horror. This arrogant man was nothing like the charming, carefree young officer who had claimed her heart.
‘What’s happened to you, Max? You didn’t arrange to have me met at the docks. You didn’t leave a message with anyone, and when I eventually reached the Captain’s House I found it had been invaded by squatters.’ She clutched the side of the vehicle as it jolted over the rough road surface with Cook perched precariously beside the driver.
‘How was I to know that, Rose?’ Max said impatiently. ‘It’s not as if you were a stranger to London. You lived there for long enough to know your way around. I was sent to Egypt at very short notice, and I told Carrie that you were coming. She was supposed to make arrangements for you.’
‘Your sister must have forgotten, and she had left for Australia, as I found out to my cost. If it hadn’t been for Maria I would have been quite destitute.’
‘If you knew where to find Maria there shouldn’t have been a problem. I think you’re making it out to be more than it was in order to get sympathy, and to excuse your unladylike behaviour, Rose. You shouldn’t be here now.’
She moved as far away from him as was possible in the confines of the open landau. ‘You are an unspeakable prig, Max. I found Maria more or less by accident, and if Eugene hadn’t given me a job on his newspaper I might have starved.’
‘Who is this Eugene fellow?’
‘Eugene Sheldon. That’s why I was able to come to Cairo. His parents are here and they’re desperate to find him, as is his sister, Cecilia.’
‘Sheldon, the journalist who went missing?’ Max twirled his blond moustache, frowning thoughtfully.
Rose glared at him, irritated by his attitude and hating the facial hair. ‘Why did you grow that silly thing?’ she demanded angrily. ‘It doesn’t suit you.’
He eyed her coldly. ‘It’s the done thing. In fact it’s part of the uniform, and one of the things you’ll have to get used to when we’re married. You have a lot to learn, Rose.’
‘And so have you, Max. I’m not someone you can order around as if I’m in the ranks. You might have paid my fare to London, but you made no provision for me after I arrived, and you didn’t even have the decency to leave me a note. Shame on you, Max.’
He sat stiffly, facing forward. ‘You’ve placed me in a very awkward situation, Rose. I’ll see you safely to your hotel and then I must leave you, but I’ll return this evening and I’ll have words with Mr Sheldon. He should not have encouraged you in this mad venture.’
‘You’ll do no such thing,’ Rose fired back at him. ‘I came here of my own free will, and I’m earning my keep, I can assure you of that. My articles are appearing almost daily in the London Leader, and I have no intention of giving up my career.’
‘Career!’ Max turned to her, his blue eyes blazing and his generous lips tightened into a thin line. ‘Don’t talk such nonsense. Whoever heard of a woman having a career? Unless you like to class a domestic servant or a shop assistant as an important position in life.’
‘Yes, I do, as it happens. We are all important in our own way, and I seem to have a talent for writing. Eugene spotted it and—’
He raised his hand. ‘It seems to me that you’ve become very friendly with Eugene Sheldon. I was feeling a certain amount of sympathy for him until this moment, but suddenly I’ve lost my enthusiasm for leading the search party.’
‘You’re going to look for him?’ Rose felt her anger melt away and she clutched his hand. ‘When is this due to happen, Max? Do you know where he might be?’
‘Even if I did, I wouldn’t be allowed to give you that information, Rose.’
‘Then let me come with you.’
‘What?’ Max stared at her in disbelief. ‘Don’t be silly. I’ve never heard such nonsense in my whole life.’
‘I’m being paid to send news back to London,’ Rose said stiffly. ‘You seem to have difficulty in accepting that fact.’
His expression changed subtly. ‘I’m sure you think that you’re very important, my dear. But writing about soirées, marriages and christenings is never going to be headline news.’
Rose sat back, gazing at him and seeing a stranger. ‘What happened to you, Max? I don’t think I know you now. I wonder if I ever did.’
‘You’re obviously suffering from the heat or maybe fatigue from travelling all the way from England.’ Max patted her hand. ‘We’ll have a more rational conversation after dinner this evening. I’ll have words with Mr Sheldon and we can decide what’s to be done.’
Rose turned to him, forcing herself to remain calm. ‘I make my own decisions. I’ve had to grow up since I left home and found myself alone in London.’
Barely waiting for the carriage to come to a halt, Max opened the door and leaped out. He held out his hand. ‘We’re here. You need to have a long rest and think about what I’ve said. We’ll talk later, but now I have to return to the barracks.’
‘I can manage on my own, thank you.’ Rose ignored his offer of help and climbed down to the pavement. She beckoned to Cook, who was standing at a discreet distance. ‘Private Cook will see me into the hotel.’ She swept past Max without a second glance, the reassuring sound of Private Cook’s booted feet close behind her as they mounted the steps of Shepheard’s Hotel. She fought against the desire to turn her head to see if Max was watching her, but when she gave in to temptation all she saw was the set of his shoulders and the back of his head as the carriage disappeared into the distance.
‘Are you all right, miss?’
Rose shot a sideways glance at Cook, with an attempt at a smile. ‘Yes, thank you, Private Cook. I think I might go to my room and finish writing my column.’
‘I’ve got something to tell you that might be of interest, miss.’
‘Go on. I’m listening.’
He glanced round as if expecting spies to be loitering amongst the hotel guests. ‘Might I suggest we go somewhere quieter, miss?’
‘I’m hot and thirsty, and I’m hungry, too.’ Rose looked over his shoulder and saw an unoccupied table in the corner of the terrace. ‘We’ll have luncheon and you can tell me what’s bothering you.’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, miss. I don’t belong with the guests.’
‘Nonsense. I don’t care what they think, and from now on I refuse to call you Private Cook, unless Mr or Mrs Sheldon are within earshot. Come with me, Bradley, and ignore the stupid people who have nothing better to do than to gossip about others.’ Rose headed for the table and a waiter ap
peared as if from nowhere to pull up a chair for her. He glanced at Bradley’s uniform and hesitated, but Rose sent him a warning look and the waiter held out another chair, flicking imaginary dust from the seat.
Bradley hesitated. ‘I should have gone to the staff quarters, miss.’
‘Regardless of that, you’re here now, Bradley. Please sit down and tell me what is so urgent that it couldn’t wait until later.’
He slumped down in the chair, but before he had a chance to speak the waiter reappeared and handed them each a menu.
Rose scanned it. ‘Mint tea, please, and what I’d really like is a plate of sandwiches. Would that be possible?’
The waiter bowed and smiled. ‘Of course, Mademoiselle.’ He turned his attention of Bradley. ‘Monsieur?’
Rose could see that her friend was ill at ease. ‘Will you share them with me, Bradley? And I expect you’d like a glass of beer.’
‘Yes, miss. Thank you.’
Rose handed the menu back to the waiter. ‘Make that sandwiches for two, please.’ She waited until he had moved away. ‘Now, Bradley, when we’re alone I’d really like it if you would call me Rose.’
‘Yes, miss – I mean, Rose.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m sorry, I can’t be so familiar. I’ll call you Miss Rose, if that’s all right with you.’
‘If you insist, but I’m dying of curiosity. What did you have to say?’
He ran his finger round his starched collar. ‘I didn’t like the way your fiancé spoke to you, miss. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I couldn’t help hearing what he said.’
‘I dare say it was the shock of seeing me here, Bradley. He isn’t normally like that.’
‘It’s none of my business, but I feel I ought to tell you that he didn’t seem best pleased when I found him and told him that you were here.’
‘Again, I have to say it must have been a total surprise, and I suppose I should have remained in London with Maria and the children.’ Rose leaned her elbows on the table, fixing him with a hard stare. ‘Are you going to tell me this big secret, or not? My patience is wearing thin.’
Chapter Eighteen
Bradley cleared his throat. ‘I got into the barracks through a ground-floor window. We all knew about the broken latch, but no one reported it because it was a way out for anyone who fancied a night in town. Anyway, I bumped into an old mate and he told me where to find the captain.’
‘That’s all very well, Bradley, but I don’t see how it relates to me.’
‘I’m coming to that, Miss Rose. Stubby – that’s my mate Private Stubbs – told me that spies have pinpointed the place where the missing soldiers and the newspaperman are being held captive. Your captain is taking a search party into the desert tomorrow.’
‘Max said as much, but he wouldn’t give me any details.’ Rose put her head on one side, gazing thoughtfully at Bradley. ‘Do you know where they’re going?’
‘No, I don’t. That’s the sort of information only an officer would have, but I do know that the search party is leaving the barracks at dawn.’
‘I want to go with them,’ Rose said firmly.
‘That’s impossible.’ Bradley’s blue eyes darkened. ‘You mustn’t even think about it.’
‘Oh, but I must. I owe it to Eugene and to the newspaper to do my very best to find him, and if I can be the first to cable the news back to London it will make the headlines.’ Rose sat back in her seat as the waiter appeared with their order, and she waited until he had moved away. ‘You must take me, Bradley. We’ll follow the search party at a safe distance.’
He pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. ‘I can’t do that, miss. It’s out of the question.’
‘Sit down, Bradley. People are staring.’
‘I should go back to my quarters. I’m sorry, Miss Rose, but I can’t oblige you.’ He walked away, leaving his meal untouched.
Rose glared at the people who were staring at her and they turned away, but she had a feeling that she was the subject of their muffled conversations, and she could have wept with relief when she saw Cecilia making her way through the maze of tables followed by Seth Mallinson. His darkly handsome looks and confident demeanour attracted admiring stares from both women and men, and Cecilia was positively blooming.
‘Why are you sitting here on your own?’ Cecilia demanded. ‘And you’ve ordered all this food. You must be hungry.’ She sat down, beckoning Seth to follow suit. ‘I’m famished.’ She seized a sandwich and bit into it.
Seth hesitated, eyeing the glass of beer. ‘Are you expecting company, Miss Munday? Perhaps we ought to find another table.’
‘No, it’s quite all right,’ Rose said hastily. ‘Please take a seat and help yourself. I’ll never manage to eat all this.’
He acknowledged her invitation with a smile and sat down next to Cecilia.
‘Who were you expecting, Rose?’ Cecilia asked eagerly. ‘It must have been a gentleman, so have you got a secret admirer? Might he still arrive? I hope so because I must admit I’m curious.’
‘There’s no one, Cissie. I was trying to be sociable and I asked Private Cook to join me for lunch, but the other guests made him feel uncomfortable and so he left.’ Rose could see that Cecilia was not about to accept this explanation and she decided to change the subject. ‘Why are you back so early? I thought you went to Giza for a picnic lunch.’
‘It was a disaster.’ Cecilia rolled her eyes dramatically. ‘Mama developed a headache and then a camel spat at us, and a sudden sandstorm ruined everything. Mama insisted that we return here.’
‘There will be other chances to see the pyramids,’ Seth said smoothly. ‘I am at your disposal, ladies. It would be my pleasure to take you sightseeing at your convenience.’
‘How kind of you, Seth.’ Cecilia took another bite of her sandwich. ‘Aren’t you eating, Rose?’
‘I’m not as hungry as I thought I was. If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go to our suite and change into something lighter. It is rather warm today.’
‘You haven’t told us what you were doing this morning.’ Cecilia dabbed her lips with a napkin. ‘You look tired, Rose. Is there something you’re not telling me?’
‘Newcomers to Cairo often find the climate enervating at first,’ Seth said calmly. ‘A short rest is probably all that you need to set you up for the rest of the day, Miss Munday.’
Rose pushed back her chair and stood up. ‘I expect you’re right, Mr Mallinson. I’ll see you later, Cissie.’ She hurried off before Cecilia had a chance to question her further. This was not the time to admit that she had been to the barracks, or to raise Cissie’s hopes by telling her that Eugene’s whereabouts was known to those in authority. One thing was certain, and that was her determination to follow the story to its conclusion, and to be there when Eugene was released from captivity. If Bradley would not take her, she would find another way.
Later that day Rose sought Bradley’s company and used all her powers of persuasion to make him divulge what he knew, but he refused to co-operate and nothing she said would make him change his mind. In the end she had to admit defeat, but as a concession he agreed to escort her to the barracks next morning, providing she left all enquiries to him. Rose knew in her heart that it was sound common sense, and that it would be foolhardy to attempt to follow Max and his search party. Any interference might endanger the lives of the soldiers as well as the hostages, and she would have to be patient. It was not going to be easy.
She slept little that night and was up before dawn. Fully dressed and seated by the window, she gazed up at the heavens, waiting eagerly for daylight to chase away the stars. Slowly the sky flooded with opalescence, and she struggled to make sense of a confused jumble of thoughts and emotions. Her reunion with Max had not been as she had envisaged during the long sea voyage from Australia, and his attitude towards her had come as something of a shock. Finding Max had been the reason why she had travelled to Egypt, or that was what she had told herself. Now she was beginning to question h
er motives. Was it Max or Eugene who was uppermost in her thoughts? Or was it the desire to prove herself as a woman capable of pursuing a career in journalism? For all her brave talk she was struggling to survive in what was definitely a man’s world, but to acknowledge the limitations forced upon her by society was both frustrating and humiliating.
The brass clock on the side table ticked away the minutes, but the hands seemed to move more slowly than usual, and in the end Rose abandoned all pretence of keeping calm and went downstairs to the terrace. If the waiter who attended her was surprised to see a young, unchaperoned woman at this time in the morning he did not show it, and he smiled urbanely as she ordered coffee, although he seemed to find it hard to accept that she did not want to order anything from the breakfast menu. He gave her a reproachful glance as he poured the coffee, and left the menu in a prominent position on the table, as if expecting her to change her mind.
Rose sipped the beverage and waited, hoping that Bradley would put in an appearance earlier than they had planned. She was on her own at first and then other guests began to take up places at the other tables and she did not feel so conspicuous. The street below was already busy, and on an ordinary day Rose would have been delighted to sit quietly and view the colourful hive of activity, but she could hardly contain the nervous energy that consumed her. In the end she could stand it no longer and she left the table, following one of the waiters who was taking an order to the kitchen. She had a vague idea that someone in the staff quarters would point her in the direction of Bradley’s accommodation, or perhaps she might find Jabari and send him with a message, but she had not gone very far when she came face to face with Bradley.
He grabbed her by the elbow and guided her back into more familiar territory. ‘You shouldn’t have gone there, Miss Rose. Guests don’t go below stairs.’
‘I wanted to find you.’ Rose pulled free from his grasp. ‘It’s time we left for the barracks.’
‘I was on my way to your room to tell you that there’s a carriage waiting for us.’