An Unlikely Spy by Rebecca Starford

Author:Rebecca Starford
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ecco
Published: 2021-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

Eleven

WITH HER TWEED suit, white ringlets, and horn-rimmed spectacles hanging loose around her neck, Mrs. Armstrong looked more like a school dinner lady than one of White’s agents. But while they sat at a window table overlooking Harrington Road sharing a brass samovar of tea, which Mrs. Armstrong had been drinking through a cube of sugar set between her front teeth—it was the Russian way, she explained with some enthusiasm—Evelyn recognized the flintiness in the old woman’s eyes as they surveilled the dining room, the doddering spinster disguising an incisive operative.

The restaurant was empty apart from another couple in front of the fire who spoke now and then to a distinguished-looking man with a thick white beard wearing a dark jacket and a naval cap. This must be Admiral Ivanov, Evelyn thought. When his brooding gaze strayed their way he called out something in Russian and a tiny old woman in black stockings and an apron materialized with a bottle on a tray. Mrs. Armstrong had been talking amiably about her dog, an Irish wolfhound named Jessie. It was only the illusion of chatter, of course, but there in the snug dining room, the gramophone playing a Vertinsky arietta, the smell of goulash cooking in the kitchen, a cup of sweet tea thawing her chilblained fingers, Evelyn found herself so drawn into the story that she almost didn’t notice Nina Ivanov emerge from the kitchen to join her father by the fireplace.

“Look,” Mrs. Armstrong whispered.

Amid the preparation in advance of the meeting, Evelyn had not given much thought to what Nina might actually look like. She had supposed her to be a tall, athletic sort of woman, someone who wouldn’t look out of place throwing a javelin, for instance, but when Nina came out from behind the bar Evelyn was surprised to discover she was no more than five feet tall, dressed in a black crepe dress and polished heels, her severe face softening as she recognized Mrs. Armstrong from across the room.

“I’ve been promising my friend Evelyn for some time that I would bring her to your delightful restaurant,” Mrs. Armstrong explained after the introductions had been made. “And now here we are!”

“Have you had Russian food before, Evelyn?” Nina’s voice was cool, clipped, with only a faint trace of an accent.

“I’m ashamed to say I haven’t,” Evelyn said with a smile. “I’ll have to come back and hold Mrs. Armstrong to her word. She says you make the best rassolnik in London.”

Nina tapped the tabletop with a black-painted fingernail. She wore no other makeup, nor any jewelry. A faint scar ran from her hairline to her left eyebrow.

“And are you a student?” She frowned over Evelyn’s plaid dress and satchel.

“No—well, not anymore.” Evelyn laughed. “I work at the War Office, actually.”

“Ah, yes.” Nina glanced at Mrs. Armstrong. “Gertrude has mentioned you. That must keep you busy.”

“Not especially. I’m in the filing department—it gets rather dull, to tell you the truth.”

There was a glimmer of interest in Nina’s dark eyes.

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