She began walking rapidly up and down, smoking cigarette after cigarette in a long thin holder. Marie Lou was about to offer a suggestion, but Valeria Petrovna stopped her with an impatient gesture. “Be silent — let me think.”
Her quick brain was working at top speed as she paced up and down; the Englishman was useless, she decided — a nice young man, but stupid — his presence would only increase her difficulties. As for the girl, she must be got rid of. “Love them all indeed!” What woman could love three men at one time? She also was in love with the clever, attractive Simon, that was clear; good-looking little fool — did she think to deceive Valeria Petrovna by not admitting it? Did the minx fancy that she, Valeria Petrovna, would be willing to pick the chestnuts out of the fire for another woman? What a mistake to think that! She should be handed over to the police — was she not a bourgeoise? — but wait — what of the Englishman? He could not be got rid of so easily, and just the stupid sort of fool to create trouble about the girl. Look at him now, gazing at her like a moonstruck calf. No, it must be some other way — and what of Simon, in prison there at Kiev? She must see Stalin. Stalin should give him up to her — he had a sense of humour, that one! There would be conditions, but they might be turned to her advantage. If he refused, she would threaten never to act again; he had trouble enough to keep the people to the work he demanded of them — they would make more trouble if she left the stage because he refused to pardon her lover. A sudden idea came to her as to how to deal with Marie Lou. She stopped in her quick pacing and faced the girl. “Leave us, little one, for a minute, I wish to ’ave a word with Mistaire Eaton.” She pointed to the doorway of an inner room.
Marie Lou obediently left them. As the door closed behind her Valeria Petrovna drew a chair close to Richard and sat down.
“Listen,” she said, quickly. “I can save your frien’. Stalin, ’e will listen to what I ’ave to say; you can do nothing ’ere, also this girl. Now that she ’as brought my locket, she can do no more. You must leave Russia and take ’er with you in your airplane.”
“She may not want to go,” Richard protested. “Besides, I would rather stay here and see this thing through myself.”
Valeria Petrovna smiled sweetly. “I ’ave understanding, Mistaire Eaton. You are brave, but what good can you do? And this girl — she is in danger, she is ’unted by the police. Please to do as I say and take ’er out of Russia.”
“We’ll ask her and see what she says?” Richard suggested.
“No.” Valeria Petrovna placed a hand on his arm. “Mistaire Eaton, I will make to you a confession — I love your frien’ Simon, and only I can save ’im. Give me a free ’and, then, and take the girl away.”
Richard Eaton was no fool. Valeria Petrovna had made it abundantly clear that whatever her reasons might be she wished to get rid of Marie Lou. He felt that in any case the sooner the girl was out of Russia the better. He dreaded to think what might happen to her if she was caught by the Ogpu after having concealed and assisted his friends. Personally he would much have preferred to go down to Kiev, but Valeria Petrovna said that she could secure the release of the prisoners, so she was obviously the person to be considered at the moment.
“All right,” he agreed. “I’ll clear out and take her with me — that is, if you’re quite certain that you can get Stalin to give my friends their freedom?”