Red Stefan by Patricia Wentworth Page A

under them to wake either Yuri or Akulina. Do you mind terribly?”
    Elizabeth said, “No.”
    It gave her the pleasantest sense of intimacy to be talking with Stephen like this in the night. She tried to remember her pride and anger of the night before, but sleep had flowed over it and washed it away. It is very difficult to feel proud and sleepy at the same moment. A safe, friendly feeling filled the room. The strong rhythmic snoring of Yuri and Akulina did not disturb it in the least.
    â€œYou see,” said Stephen, “I went up and had a talk with Irina, and she told me one or two rather disturbing things. She’s just got back from Moscow and she’s well in with the Party there. Things are going to be tightened up in the passport line. That’s one reason for getting you away as soon as possible. Another is the weather. Then there’s this business of Nicolas Radin’s aluminium process—I wanted to ask you about that. Does Petroff definitely know you’ve got it by heart?”
    A cold shiver went over Elizabeth. Why must they talk about Petroff? She said falteringly,
    â€œNo—I don’t know—I’m not sure—he thinks—”
    â€œThat means he’s not sure. And he thinks—what does he think?”
    â€œI don’t know. He thinks—I know—something—”
    Stephen was silent for a minute. She thought he was sitting on a stool drawn up close to her bed. His voice came from a little above her when he spoke.
    â€œWell, it all comes to this—how keen is he? Will he just cut his losses and get on with his job, or will he go on trying to find you?”
    â€œIf he doesn’t think I’m dead, he’ll try and find me.”
    â€œWhat makes you think that?”
    â€œI don’t want to think it,” said Elizabeth with a flutter in her voice.
    Stephen’s voice came warm and kind.
    â€œDon’t be frightened. Try and tell me why. It’s important.”
    She drove herself to speak of what she hated to recall.
    â€œWhen they shot Nicolas, they shot the other men who were in with him. He couldn’t have made his experiments alone. They shot them all. Petroff wasn’t there. He came next day, and he was very angry. He said they’d bungled badly. He said the process would be very valuable. You know how they think the whole world is plotting to attack them—he talked a lot about that. He said if they had these strong, light aeroplanes, they could attack first.”
    â€œHow did he know so much?”
    â€œThey had a spy among the men. The spy didn’t know what the process was, but he knew what it would do.”
    â€œSo you think Petroff is really keen?”
    Elizabeth said, “Yes.”
    â€œThen we ought to get off as soon as we can—next time Yuri goes to market, I should think, if you’re strong enough.”
    â€œI’m quite well.”
    â€œYou’re better. You did very well this afternoon. You acted very well. Irina didn’t suspect anything.”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    Elizabeth had not been sure. It had seemed to her as if those bright dark eyes had looked her through and through.
    â€œOh yes, I’m sure. She thinks you’re just a very low type of peasant—a barbarian.” He laughed a little. “That’s what Varvara means, you know. It sounds pretty, but it means a barbarian—the same as Barbara. I don’t know why I hit on it for you, for I can’t get my tongue round it.”
    â€œCan’t you?”
    â€œYou know I can’t. I just don’t call you anything.”
    â€œYou called me Elizabeth just now,” said Elizabeth to herself.
    There was a pause. Now that her eyes were more accustomed to the darkness, she could just see him as a dense shadow in the dark room. The little red light shone like a star above his shoulder. Elizabeth was glad that Akulina had lighted it to-night. She said, to