Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less
Page 75
“But I only…” began Jean-Pierre.
The others glared at him.
At the hotel they left Anne and James alone while they went to unpack.
“Do they know, darling?”
“They haven’t the slightest idea,” replied James. “They’re going to get the surprise of their life tomorrow.”
“Is your plan ready?”
“Wait and see.”
“Well, I have one,” said Anne. “When’s yours scheduled for?”
“September 13th.”
“I win then—mine’s for tomorrow.”
“What, you weren’t meant to…”
“Don’t worry. You just concentrate on getting married…to me.”
“Can’t we go somewhere?”
“No, you terrible man. You can wait until tomorrow.”
“I do love you.”
“Go to bed, you silly thing. I love you too, but I must go home, otherwise nothing’ll be ready.”
James took the lift to the seventh floor and joined the others for coffee.
“Anyone for blackjack?”
“Not with you, you pirate,” said Robin. “You’ve been tutored by the biggest crook alive.”
The Team were in top form and looking forward to the wedding. In spite of the transatlantic time dislocation they didn’t depart for their separate rooms until well after midnight. Even then, James lay awake for some time, turning over the same question in his mind:
“I wonder what she’s up to this time?”
Chapter Twenty
BOSTON IN AUGUST is as beautiful a city as any in America, and the Team enjoyed a large breakfast in James’s room.
“I don’t think he looks up to it,” said Jean-Pierre. “You’re the captain of the Team, Stephen. I volunteer to take his place.”
“It’ll cost you $250,000.”
“Agreed,” said Jean-Pierre.
“You don’t have $250,000,” said Stephen. “You have $187,474.69, being one quarter of what’s been raised so far, so my decision is that James must be the bridegroom.”
“It’s an Anglo-Saxon plot,” said Jean-Pierre, “and when James has successfully completed his plan and we have the full amount, I shall reopen negotiations.”
They sat talking and laughing for a long time over the toast and coffee. Stephen regarded them fondly, regretting how rarely they would meet once, if, he corrected himself sternly, James’s operation were accomplished successfully. If Harvey Metcalfe had ever had a team like this on his side instead of against him, he would have been the richest man in the world.
“You’re dreaming, Stephen.”