Lady Sylvia looked at the old gentleman for what seemed like an age, incredulous. He only nodded, leaning on his cane."You heard me correctly, my dear," he spoke softly. "I need you to help me do something that could see both of us in prison - or maybe even dead."
"What is it?" Lady Sylvia spoke in a shocked whisper. "Why not...?"
"Speak to the Green Man, lassie?" Sir Richard chuckled. "While I appreciate your point of view, there are some things that I prefer not to leave to the Green Man. And one of those is the little trip I have in mind."
Her lunchbreak about to end, Lady Sylvia had to bid farewell to the elderly adventurer. All through the day, however, she could not keep his words from her mind. She was afraid for him, afraid that Sir Richard Arcos was about to embark on some foolish crusade. She hurried over to his London house after work, dreading what she might find.
She ought not to have worried, she reflected, as she reached his door, and found Sir Richard standing there, smiling. Hurring up to him, she embraced him, kissing his cheek.
"I must give you the idea that I've gone comletely bug-house more often, my dear," Sir Richard smiled wryly. "Come on in."
"Not so loud," Lady Sylvia smiled nervously. "People might get the wrong idea..."
"I'm afraid, lass," Sir Richard shook his head, "that I passed the age when people drew such conclusions a long time ago. I've aged far too gracefully to seem to be that sort of old man." He escorted her indoors. "Now, where were we?"
"A plan that might land us both in prison." Lady Sylvia took his arm. "What is it this time?"
"Yesterday," Sir Richard pointed to his desk. "I received two letters. One was from Wales, the other from a closed country in Eastern Europe. The Welsh one was from Dr. Norman Trevelyan, a retired pastor. His wife's just died unexpectedly, and he doesn't know how long he has to live. The other was from a source in Eastern Europe, a man I knew during the Cold War. Oulton, the defector is still alive."
Lady Sylvia gasped.
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