“Is that extra?” asked Iris.

“No, we throw that in for free.”

“Have you discussed rates already?” asked Gwen.

“Twenty-five pounds a day,” said Iris.

“That sounds quite reasonable,” said Gwen, opening her bag. “This will cover four days in advance. Probably more than we’ll require, but let’s do that to be safe.” She handed them the notes she and Iris had received in payment from Lady Matheson. Easy come, easy go, she thought, casting a quick, regretful glance at Cecil.

“You carry that much with you all the time?” asked Archie.

“Today was a most unusual day,” said Iris. “We were prepared for any number of contingencies.”

“Right,” said Archie. “Get ’im to ’is feet, then take the ropes off ’is ankles.”

The other two hauled the man upright and freed his legs.

“Wait a mo,” said Archie.

He took another ski mask from his coat, then pulled it over the man’s face.

“Oh dear,” he said. “I’ve put it on backwards. You won’t be able to see a bloody thing, will you?”

The man didn’t move. Archie placed his palm under the man’s chin. “Will you?” he repeated, moving the man’s head back and forth.

The man finally shook his head on his own.

“Good,” said Archie, removing his mask and putting his hat back on. “Well, this ’as been entertaining, but we’d better escort our new friend away from the premises. We’ll be in touch when we get where we’re going.”

“We don’t want to know where that is,” said Iris.

“No, you don’t,” said Archie. “Even if you did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

The two spivs walked the prisoner out of the office.

“Oh, and we’ll need the rope back when you’re done with it,” Gwen called after them. “It’s borrowed!”

Archie turned to Iris.

“Thank you,” she said.

“It’s not ’ow I ’oped to be spending a Saturday night with you,” he said. “But it’ll do.”

“I believe I owe you a kiss,” said Iris, stepping towards him.

He held up a hand to stop her. “Not when we’ve just done business together,” he said. “It cheapens it. Do it when the circumstances are proper romantic, all right?”

“As soon as possible,” said Iris.

He put two fingers to his hat brim, nodded at Gwen, then left.

“I think I’m beginning to warm up to your gangster,” said Gwen.

“He’s an acquired taste, to be sure,” said Iris. “I guess we had better start scrubbing the scene of our latest crime.”

“Goodbye, sweet Cecil,” said Gwen, giving the desk a wave as they exited the office.

“You won’t be talking to that desk like that all the time when we take possession, will you?” asked Iris. “It’s unnerving.”

“I shall maintain a businesslike sense of decorum,” said Gwen.

“Good.”

“But only during business hours. Come five o’clock, our passion will know no bounds.”

“Then I shall make a point of leaving at five minutes of five every day. You really should let me fix you up, by the way. With an actual human being.”