READY FOR THE SEA Ridgeway, his nerves tense and his eyes gleaming, marched his thoroughly chilled companion up to the bar.

He manoeuvred so that the plain-clothes man stood with his back toward the door, and he seemed to be in no especial haste to attract the attention of the bartender.

As they gave their order for drinks, Hugh saw Grace, in his mind's eye, slipping from the carriage and off into the crowd--and every fibre of his heart was praying for success to attend her flight.

He found himself talking glibly, even volubly to the watcher, surprised that he could be doing it with his mind so full of other thoughts.
"Awful night to be out.

I'd hate to have a job like yours," he was rattling on, heaving intermittent breaths of relief as he saw the size of the drink the other was pouring out for himself.
"I've been at it for twelve years.