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could it have for her services? A pleasurable thrill of excitement made Tuppence

tingle. At any rate, the country vicarage had retreated into the background again.

The morrow held possibilities.

It was a long time before Tuppence went to sleep that night, and, when at length

she did, she dreamed that Mr. Whittington had set her to washing up a pile of

Esthonia Glassware, which bore an unaccountable resemblance to hospital

plates!

It wanted some five minutes to eleven when Tuppence reached the block of

buildings in which the offices of the Esthonia Glassware Co. were situated. To

arrive before the time would look over-eager. So Tuppence decided to walk to the

end of the street and back again. She did so. On the stroke of eleven she plunged

into the recesses of the building. The Esthonia Glassware Co. was on the top

floor. There was a lift, but Tuppence chose to walk up.

Slightly out of breath, she came to a halt outside the ground glass door with the

legend painted across it "Esthonia Glassware Co."

Tuppence knocked. In response to a voice from within, she turned the handle and

walked into a small rather dirty outer office.

A middle-aged clerk got down from a high stool at a desk near the window and

came towards her inquiringly.

"I have an appointment with Mr. Whittington," said Tuppence.

Will you come this way, please." He crossed to a partition door with "Private" on

it, knocked, then opened the door and stood aside to let her pass in.

Mr. Whittington was seated behind a large desk covered with papers. Tuppence

felt her previous judgment confirmed. There was something wrong about Mr.

Whittington. The combination of his sleek prosperity and his shifty eye was not

attractive.

He looked up and nodded.

"So you've turned up all right? That's good. Sit down, will you?"

Tuppence sat down on the chair facing him. She looked particularly small and

demure this morning. She sat there meekly with downcast eyes whilst Mr.

Whittington sorted and rustled amongst his papers. Finally he pushed them

The Secret Adversary