Collins They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie

Author:Agatha Christie [Christie, Agatha]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780007451661
Google: OBPLygAACAAJ
Amazon: 0007451660
Publisher: Collins
Published: 2012-05-01T05:00:00+00:00

They Came to Baghdad

II

‘I’d no idea you and Edward knew each other,’ exclaimed Mrs Clayton.

‘Oh we’re old friends,’ laughed Victoria. ‘Only, as a matter of fact, we’d lost sight of each other. I’d no idea Edward was in this country.’

Mr Clayton, who was the quiet thoughtful-looking man Victoria had seen coming up the steps, asked:

‘How did you get on this morning, Edward? Any progress?’

‘It seems very uphill work, sir. The cases of books are there, all present and correct, but the formalities needed to clear them seem unending.’

Clayton smiled.

‘You’re new to the delaying tactics of the East.’

‘The particular official who’s wanted, always seems to be away that day,’ complained Edward. ‘Everyone is very pleasant and willing – only nothing seems to happen.’

Everyone laughed and Mrs Clayton said consolingly:

‘You’ll get them through in the end. Very wise of Dr Rathbone to send someone down personally. Otherwise they’d probably stay here for months.’

‘Since Palestine, they are very suspicious about bombs. Also subversive literature. They suspect everything.’

‘Dr Rathbone isn’t shipping bombs out here disguised as books, I hope,’ said Mrs Clayton, laughing.

Victoria thought she caught a sudden flicker in Edward’s eye, as though Mrs Clayton’s remark had opened up a new line of thought.

Clayton said, with a hint of reproof: ‘Dr Rathbone’s a very learned and well-known man, my dear. He’s a Fellow of various important Societies and is known and respected all over Europe.’

‘That would make it all the easier for him to smuggle in bombs,’ Mrs Clayton pointed with irrepressible spirits.

Victoria could see that Gerald Clayton did not quite like this light-hearted suggestion.

He frowned at his wife.

Business being at a standstill during the midday hours, Edward and Victoria went out together after lunch to stroll about and see the sights. Victoria was delighted with the river, the Shatt el Arab, with its bordering of date palm groves. She adored the Venetian look of the high-prowed Arab boats tied up in the canal in the town. Then they wandered into the souk and looked at Kuwait bride-chests studded with patterned brass and other attractive merchandise.

It was not until they turned towards the Consulate and Edward was preparing himself to assail the Customs department once more that Victoria said suddenly:

‘Edward, what’s your name?’

Edward stared at her.

‘What on earth do you mean, Victoria?’

‘Your last name. Don’t you realize that I don’t know it.’

‘Don’t you? No, I suppose you don’t. It’s Goring.’

‘Edward Goring. You’ve no idea what a fool I felt going into that Olive Branch place and wanting to ask for you and not knowing anything but Edward.’

‘Was there a dark girl there? Rather long bobbed hair?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s Catherine. She’s awfully nice. If you’d said Edward she’d have known at once.’

‘I dare say she would,’ said Victoria with reserve.

‘She’s a frightfully nice girl. Didn’t you think so?’

‘Oh quite…’

‘Not actually good-looking – in fact nothing much to look at, but she’s frightfully sympathetic.’

‘Is she?’ Victoria’s voice was now quite glacial – but Edward apparently noticed nothing.

‘I don’t really know what I should have done without her. She put me in the picture and helped me out when I might have made a fool of myself.

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