After further discussion, Signor Pace broke out in a cascade of thanks and compliments and covered the mouthpiece. ‘All is arranged,’ he cried. ‘For whichever tour you prefer.’

‘Without hesitation—the first one. Saturday, the twenty-sixth.’

This, evidently, was settled. Signor Pace hung up and swung round in his chair. ‘An interesting list, is it not? Lady Braceley—what chic!’

‘You may call it that.’

‘Well, Signore! A certain reputation, perhaps. What is called the “jet set”. But from the point of view of the tourist-trade—extremely chic. Great éclat. We always arrange her travel. There is, of course, immense wealth.’

‘Quite so. The alimony alone.’

‘Well, Signore.’

‘And the Hon. Kenneth Dorne?’

‘I understand, her nephew.’

‘And the Van der Veghels?’

‘I am dumb. They have not come our way. Nor have Miss Jason and Major Sweet. But, Signore, the remarkable feature, the really astonishing, as one says, turn-up for the book, is the inclusion of Mr Barnaby Grant. And what is meant, I ask myself, by Guest of Honour?’

“Prime Attraction”, I imagine.’

‘Of course! But for him to consent! To lend his enormous prestige to such a very dim enterprise. And, we must admit, it appears evident that the gimmick has worked.’

‘I wouldn’t have thought Lady Braceley was a natural taker for the intellectual bait.’

‘Signore, he is impressive, he is handsome, he is famous, he is prestigious—Am I correct in saying “prestigious”?’

‘It really means he’s a bit of a conjuror. And so, of course, in a sense, he is.’

‘And therefore to be acquired by Lady Braceley. Or, at least, considered.’

‘You may be right. I understand she’s staying at my hotel. I heard her name at the desk.’

‘Her nephew, Mr Dorne, is her guest.’

‘Fortunate youth! Perhaps. By the way, what are the charges for these jaunts?’

‘In the top bracket and, at that, exceedingly high. I would have said impertinently so but, as you see, he is getting the response. One can only hope the patrons are satisfied.’

‘In any case you have given me the opportunity to form an opinion. I’m extremely obliged to you.’

‘But, please! Come,’ said the jaunty Signor Pace, ‘let us make our addition to the list.’

He gaily drew it towards him and at the bottom wrote his addition.

‘You see!’ he cried in playful triumph. ‘I remembered everything! The rank! The spelling!’

‘If you don’t mind, we’ll forget about the rank and the spelling.’

The visitor drew a line through the word ‘Superintendent’ and another through the letter ‘y’, so that the entry read:

‘R. Allen, London.’

CHAPTER 3
Saturday, the Twenty-sixth

It became fairly clear from the outset why Mr Sebastian Mailer made extravagant charges for his expeditions.

At three-thirty in the afternoon two superb Lancias arrived at the rendezvous near the Church of the Trinity and therefore within a very short distance of the hotel where three of Mr Mailer’s prospects were staying.