"He wishes me to go to Quellenheim? With _you_?"
"Travelling on the continent is precarious."
Her eyes rested on his; she said with a candour which he began to understand was characteristic of her: "He seems to have confidence in you. I never heard him speak of you. You are American?"
"That is odd. He never cared for Americans."
Guild said: "He could not send a German into England."
"That is true. Nor an Englishman either. No Englishman would be likely to do anything to oblige a German."
She rose: "I don't understand why Anna, my maid, is still absent," she added uneasily. "My maid often goes to London, but never before has she remained over night. I don't know why she remained. She knew I was alone in the house."
She lifted her serious blue eyes to Guild, then gazed out of the window, evidently perplexed to the point of apprehension.
"I am worried," she said, "very much worried. But that doesn't help, does it?"
"What was her errand in London?" asked Guild.
"She has a brother there. I suppose it's all right or she would have telephoned me."
He said: "No doubt it is all right. And, may I ask you to hasten?"
"Today is Wednesday. No other Holland Line boat sails for Amsterdam before Sunday, and I have yet our passage to secure and I must also go to the War Office for a few moments. You see we have very little time."
"A suit-case and satchel if you wish. Leave a note for your maid instructing her to send by express whatever else you wish sent after you."
"Yes, it is. I want to get out of England. I am not sure that I can get out if we wait until Sunday."
"I may be detained. I may not be permitted to leave with you. All foreigners are under more or less suspicion. I am rather sure that I have been under surveillance already at the Berkeley Hotel."
They had moved out into the hall together while he was speaking, and now, together, they went up the stairs.
"If you don't mind," she said, "my room is in disorder, but I'll have to pack there and you will have to sit there if you wish to talk to me."
It was a white and chintz room in dainty disorder.
She went away and returned in a moment or two with a satchel and suit-case. These she placed on the bed, opened, and then, dragging out various drawers of chiffonier and chest, began to transfer her apparel to the two bags.