“A lieutenant is running this?” Canidy asked. “Not only is Lieutenant Kennedy a very bright young man,” Stevens said, “but his father owns the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, just about controls the import of Scotch whiskey into the United States, and was the ambassador to the Court of Saint James.”
“Almost as well-connected as Jimmy, in other words,” Canidy said dryly.
“I think that ran through Colonel Donovan’ mind when he suggested we involve Captain Whittaker in the flying-bomb project,” Stevens said dryly. Then he looked at his watch.
“Hadn’t you better start heading back to Whitby House?”
“I sort of hoped I could stick around here until we hear something more about Fine,” Canidy said. “Sure,” Stevens said.
“Stay right here, if you like. As soon as I hear anything, IT let you know.”
FOUR I Whithy House Sent, England 2100 Hours August 17, 1942
As he pulled the heavy tarpaulin from the trunk of the Ford and dragged it in place over the car, Captain James M. B. Whittaker wondered if he was being subtly punished by Major Richard Canidy. There was no reason Canidy couldn’t have driven the Ford himself into London, but he had insisted that Whittaker drive him. And there was no reason Whittaker could not have stayed in London, but Canidy had insisted the risk of leaving the stolen car (despite new numbers painted on the hood and a valid trip ticket) in London overnight was too great to take. So he wound up, in the car he had stolen for his own convenience, playing chauffeur to Canidy and being sent back to Whitby House like any other chauffeur.
Canidy could be subtle at times, and this was probably one of those times. When he walked into Whitby House, the officer of the guard told him that Lieutenant Jamison had gone to the movie they were showing.
The movie started at 2000 hours, so there was no point in walking down there just to see the end of it. If Jamison had gone to the movies, the duchess had probably gone with him. With Canidy gone, he could have at least tried to have a shot at the THE SECRET WARRIORS 11 BOB duchess, even though he knew Canidy was dead serious when he told him the duchess was off-limits. As Whittaker made his way up the wide staircase to his apartment-the one that was once the duchess’s-he was forced to conclude that the world was often cruel to kind, gentle, and all around worthy people like himself. When he got to the apartment, he felt he was entitled, by way of solace, to a drink or two of the Scotch Canidy had had the foresight to steal from the cabinet in the library of the house on Q Street. If he didn’t drink it now, he thought, it would be all gone. And technically, it was his anyway. He went into the ducal chambers, found the Scotch, poured a glassful, and carried the glass back into the apartment. There he carefully poured two inches of it into a second glass, added water, and sat down in a high-backed chair. He was sipping it when there was a loud and almost vulgar gurgling sound. He looked around the suite in surprise and for the first time saw there was a crack of light under the door to the bathroom. The duchess is shamelessly taking advantage of the American hot water, he thought.
Naughty. And she is not at the movies with Jamison.. Elizabeth, Duchess Stan field, came into the room several minutes later, She was wearing a thick terry-cloth robe, and her hair was wrapped in a towel.
“I’d hoped to be done before you returned,” she said. “No apologies required,” he said.
“My bathtub is your bathtub, as they say in ol’ Meh-hi-co.” She smiled at him.
“That was a quick trip,” she said. “Our leader elected to stay in London,” Whittaker said. “And you didn’t?” she teased. “Oh, he was on business,” Whittaker said, “And I guess he-” can at? ” “There’s a mission on. I think he wanted to stick close to London to get word on it. A couple of pals of ours are involved.”