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CHAPTER X. ENTER SIR JAMES PEEL EDGERTON

TUPPENCE betrayed no awkwardness in her new duties. The daughters of the

archdeacon were well grounded in household tasks. They were also experts in

training a "raw girl," the inevitable result being that the raw girl, once trained,

departed elsewhere where her newly acquired knowledge commanded a more

substantial remuneration than the archdeacon's meagre purse allowed.

Tuppence had therefore very little fear of proving inefficient. Mrs. Vandemeyer's

cook puzzled her. She evidently went in deadly terror of her mistress. The girl

thought it probable that the other woman had some hold over her. For the rest,

she cooked like a chef, as Tuppence had an opportunity of judging that evening.

Mrs. Vandemeyer was expecting a guest to dinner, and Tuppence accordingly laid

the beautifully polished table for two. She was a little exercised in her own mind

as to this visitor. It was highly possible that it might prove to be Whittington.

Although she felt fairly confident that he would not recognize her, yet she would

have been better pleased had the guest proved to be a total stranger. However,

there was nothing for it but to hope for the best.

At a few minutes past eight the front door bell rang, and Tuppence went to

answer it with some inward trepidation. She was relieved to see that the visitor

was the second of the two men whom Tommy had taken upon himself to follow.

He gave his name as Count Stepanov. Tuppence announced him, and Mrs.

Vandemeyer rose from her seat on a low divan with a quick murmur of pleasure.

It is delightful to see you, Boris Ivanovitch," she said.

And you, madame!" He bowed low over her hand.

Tuppence returned to the kitchen.

"Count Stepanov, or some such," she remarked, and affecting a frank and

unvarnished curiosity: "Who's he?"

A Russian gentleman, I believe."

Come here much?"

Once in a while. What d'you want to know for?"

The Secret Adversary