We all lunched together but no business was discussed. Rayne expressed a hope that the signorina’s journey from Milan had been a pleasant one.
“Quite,” the handsome black-eyed girl replied. “I stayed one day in Paris.”
“The signorina has made a conquest in Milan,” laughed Tracy. “Farini, the commissario of police, has fallen in love with her!”
Rayne smiled, and turning to her, said:
“I congratulate you, signorina. Your friendship may one day stand you in very good stead.”
That the young woman was someone of great importance in the criminal combine was apparent from the fact that she had been actually introduced to its secret head.
It struck me as curious when, after leaving Tracy and Rayne together, I was driving the signorina across the moors to Overstow, that while he hesitated to allow Tracy to go there, yet it was safe for the young Italian woman.
I knew that Benton was still making eager inquiries, and I also knew that Rayne was full of gravest apprehensions. Rudolph Rayne was playing a double game!
On arrival back home, Duperré’s wife received our visitor. Lola had gone to Newcastle to visit an old schoolfellow, and Duperré was away in York so his wife informed me.
Three uneventful days passed, but neither Rayne nor Lola returned. On the third evening I was called to the telephone, and Rayne spoke to me from his rooms in London.