"Leopold, I fear, did not cover himself with glory," he remarked sadly.
The Countess was looking at him with most flattering attention.
"Your arm!" she exclaimed. "It is all tied up! Was it you then—"
Jimmy made her a mock bow.
"I'm so glad I've got a cultured English voice," he said. "And I can assure you that I wouldn't have dreamed of using the language I did if I had had any suspicion that a lady was present."
"I did not understand all of it," the Countess hastened to explain. "Although I had an English governess when I was young—"
"It isn't the sort of thing she'd be likely to teach you," agreed Jimmy. "Kept you busy with your uncle's pen, and the umbrella of the gardener's niece. I know the sort of stuff."
"But what has happened?" asked the Countess. "That is what I want to know. I demand to know what has happened."
There was a moment's silence whilst everybody looked at Superintendent Battle.
"It's very simple," said Battle mildly. "Attempted robbery. Some political papers stolen from Sir Stanley Digby. The thieves nearly got away with them, but thanks to this young lady"—he indicated Loraine—"they didn't."