“She knows,” said Giggle, “but she won’t let on. Loyal-like.”
“All right,” said Alleyn. “That’s everything, I think.”
Giggle wiped his face with a shaking hand. He seemed to hover on the edge of speech.
“What is it?” Alleyn asked.
“Gawd, sir, I’m that upset! It’s got me down. Thinking about it.” He stopped again and then with a curious air of taking control of himself said rapidly, “I beg pardon, sir, for forgetting myself. I got that rattled thinking about it when Mr. Fox came at me again this morning—”
“That’s all right,” said Alleyn, “good-bye.”
Giggle gave him a terrified glance and went out.
V
A mid-day train took Alleyn, Fox and Nigel Bathgate into Kent. Nigel rang up Alleyn two minutes before he left for Victoria and climbed into the restaurant carriage two seconds after it had started moving. “Ever faithful, ever sure,” he said and ordered drinks for the three of them.
“You won’t get much out of this,” said Alleyn.