He nodded. "I'm all right, Miss." He looked at his hands. "What happens next with the Clifton case?"
"I'm waiting for some information from Lord Julian today-I daresay it will take him just one or two telephone calls to find what I'm looking for, and he'll have the details transcribed and sent to me in short order. I never have to wait long for intelligence from his sources."
Billy stood up. "I've got some work on those other cases to catch up with, Miss. Anything you want me to do on the Clifton case before I start?"
"Yes, there is one thing." Maisie leaned forward and scribbled a note on a piece of paper. "I'd like a birth date for this young man, if you don't mind. Shouldn't take long."
Billy took the note. "Must be, what? Sixteen by now?"
"Something like that. I'd like to know his exact date and place of birth-if you can get a look at his birth certificate or registration, so much the better. Take down as much information as you can."
"It's as good as done, Miss. I'll be back in a couple of hours."
"Thanks, Billy. I'll be out myself later, so just leave the details in an envelope on my desk."
Billy nodded, and left the office.
"'I'm all right, Miss.' Who do you think you're kidding, Billy?" Maisie said the words aloud now that she was alone in the silence of her office. Alone but for the hive of bees.
Priscilla answered the telephone herself on the second ring.
"I'm so glad you telephoned, Maisie, I have been wondering what to say to Ben Sutton-you know he's interested, and I didn't know whether to say, 'Sorry, darling, she's spoken for.' Are you seeing that gorgeous James Compton, or not? The boys, by the way, will be crushed if he vanishes from their lives forever. All we've heard since you brought him here is Uncle James this, and Uncle James that. You see-it's Uncle now, because he came with Aunt Maisie. Douglas says that if it goes on much longer, he'll ask James to show the boys that he really can walk on water."
"Oh, dear."
"Maisie, don't tell me you've put the brakes on."
"No, well, not really-I just don't want to be pushed."
"If I'm any judge, my friend, you're going to fall anyway, so a bit of pushing won't hurt."
Maisie laughed. "I've got to hand it to you, Pris, you see the black and white in everything."
"And you see all that gray in the middle-that's why we get along. Are you in my neck of the woods today? How about lunch? Or better still, if you're going to be out on the town with James Compton, how about something new to wear-my treat."
Maisie looked at her clothes. She was wearing her burgundy suit with black shoes and a cream blouse underneath. "I'm dressed appropriately for seeing my friends at Scotland Yard."
"Drab, I would imagine."
"'Suitable' is more the ticket." Maisie twisted the telephone cord around her finger as she spoke. "Pris, I wonder if I could ask you about your niece."
"Oh, Maisie, you should see her now, growing up into a lovely young woman-we'll have to keep an eye on her in Biarritz this summer, if I know anything about the Evernden women."
"She's coming for the summer?"
"Yes. We'll be going out from the middle of July until September. I cannot wait to see the villa again. You must come!"
"I might just do that. But in the meantime, I wonder, how is she, in terms of accommodating the news that she has a family she never knew a thing about?"
Priscilla sighed, and there was a moment of silence before she replied. "I know this is going to sound strange, but…well, I think she always knew. I mean, I don't think she knew consciously as in, 'I have an aunt, uncle, and three cousins somewhere.' I just think she had this…oh, what's that word you use sometimes?"
"Intuition?"
"Yes, that's it. I think she had that feeling you have when you just know something will happen one day, and though you're not exactly hanging around the gate waiting, there is that sense of anticipation."
"And do you think she has come to any harm as a result of the revelation? After all, her grandmother could easily have located you all before the discovery was made."
"No, I don't think she sees it like that. She was just so excited about having a family, and of course she loves her grandmother. I think it was me who felt shortchanged, not knowing that my brother had fathered a child in the war, a child I might have known since infancy, a child who might have helped fill the gap left by his loss. But I'm being selfish. Old granny Chantal did what she thought was best for Pascale. Of course, it doesn't work out that way for everyone-there were many children born out of wedlock in France during the war, and I am sure in England too. War and love-or perhaps I should say declarations of love-seem to go hand in hand, don't they?"
"Yes, I suppose you're right."
"And I have a feeling I'm to forget you ever asked me these questions, and never mention them again."
"It would be better."
"Lunch later in the week, then?"
"I'd love to. Oh, and Pris-I am so glad you're living in London."
"Me too, Maisie. After a troubled start getting us all settled, me too."
"I'll call tomorrow."
"Cheerio, Maisie."
"'Bye, Pris."
Maisie continued with her work for a while longer, but looked up when she heard the front door open and close, and a moment later, Billy returned to the office.
"That was quick."
"Didn't take long, Miss. And look, two birds with one stone-I was just opening the front door, and a messenger came along with an envelope for you. It's from the Compton Corporation." He held out the plain manila envelope with the company's insignia and address.
"Just what I was waiting for." She took the envelope and reached for her paper knife, nodding to Billy to take the chair in front of her desk. "What did you find out?"
"I thought I would have to go out to double-check against some parish records, but I found everything I needed at Somerset House. Here you are, all the particulars you asked for on Christopher Adam Giles Casterman. Born 1917."
Maisie put down the envelope and took the sheet of paper from Billy. "Hmmm."
"Something missing?"
She shook her head. "No, it's all here. It says he was born at the family's London home."
"His dad must have been right chuffed, you know, finally getting the son and heir, after having two daughters," said Billy.
"Yes, he must have been delighted."
"And it's really sad, when you think of it. That he didn't live to see his son grown up into a man."
Maisie nodded as she read. "Yes, it was."
They were interrupted by the doorbell.
"What, again? It's like Piccadilly Circus in here. I'll go and see who it is."
While Billy went downstairs, Maisie put the paper to one side, continued opening the envelope, and sat down to read through the notes sent by Lord Julian's contact. She was returning the pages to the envelope when Billy came into the room.
"Chap by the name of Roland came with this for you, from Henry Gilbert. Said Mr. Gilbert wanted you to have it straightaway. Nice bloke, told me all about how they had to get this done by bringing in another camera and-"
"Thank you, Billy. I've been waiting for this." Maisie reached for the envelope and took out the photograph. The image was blurred at the edges and still grainy, but as Gilbert explained in the accompanying note:
One of my contacts was able to do this for you. As you can see, the image being smaller than on the screen gives it more definition. I think you can see our raging ogre's face a little better.
She sat with the photograph in front of her, then set it down and went back over her notes and read for a while before picking up the telephone receiver. Upon connecting with the Scotland Yard exchange, she was put through to Detective Inspector Caldwell without delay.
"Miss Dobbs, what a nice surprise. I'm having a testing day, so I do hope you have some good news for me. If I have to see that embassy chap one more time, I will have to start singing the American national anthem."