Shoot First(Stone Barrington #45)(65)

“Just giving you a heads-up,” Stone said.

His phone rang. “Yes? Thank you so much. Goodbye.” He hung up. “At some time during the night our guardians will be in place, so we may rest easily.”

“I’ll look forward to it,” Meg said.





49




Stone showed Meg into the master suite and then, after she had oohed and aahed for a moment, into her dressing room and bath, where she repaired to unpack and undress. She was back sooner than he had expected, but he was glad to see her. He put aside his Times, and she shed her nightgown and dived into bed with him.

“Aren’t you exhausted?” he asked.

“No, but I plan to be in just a few minutes,” she replied, giving him a deep kiss and fondling him.

“By the way,” Stone said, “before I forget—you have filed all the patent application paperwork for your designs, haven’t you?”

“I expect so,” she said, running a tongue in and out of his ear. “I gave the lawyers all that a long time ago.”

“Remind me to remind you to check with them first thing tomorrow to see if everything is in order.”

“Remind me to remind you,” she said, and they gave themselves over to each other.



* * *



—

STONE WOKE to a peep of sunshine through the closed drapes and checked the clock. Ten AM. He had slept well, and Meg was still out. It was his turn to do the seduction, and he did so with relish.



* * *



—

BREAKFAST WAS served in bed, along with the papers, then the phone buzzed. “Yes?” Stone said into it.

“Good morning, Mr. Barrington. Major Bugg here.”

“Good morning, Major.”

“Have you, by chance, ordered a passel of security people to surround the house?”

“I have, last night. I take it they have arrived.”

“They have. Shall I house and feed them in the cottage, as before?” This was not the first time this had happened.

“Please do, and give them every cooperation.”

“Of course, sir.” The major rang off.

“Are we surrounded?” Meg asked.

“We are.”

“Will that prevent me from taking a walk around the grounds?”

“When I said last night that we would be prisoners in the house for a time, I meant exactly that. However, you may explore the interiors of the house, which will take you much of the day.”

“Oh, all right,” she said.

The phone rang. “Yes?” Stone said.

A young man’s voice said, “I have Dame Felicity Devonshire for you. Will you accept the call?”

“Certainly,” Stone said.

There was a click. “Stone, is that you?”

“It is. The word spreads quickly.”

“My spies are everywhere,” she said. “I thought we might have dinner tonight, if you and your lady friend are available.”

“How do you know that I am in the company of a lady?”

“Oh, really, Stone!”

“Come to us at six-thirty,” he said.

“That will work very nicely. I’m leaving the office a little early today. See you then.” She hung up.

“I think I can guess who that was,” Meg said.

“Good guess. She’ll arrive at six-thirty, dressed to kill. Never mind that it’s just the three of us.”

“I’ll do my best to rise to the occasion. Now,” she said, leaping from the bed, “I’m going to put on my country tweeds and explore the innards of the house.”

“How did you know to bring country tweeds?”

“A wild guess,” she replied, and disappeared into her dressing room.

Stone read the Times fairly thoroughly, then gave up immediately on the crossword. He had never been any good at British crosswords; they were all riddles.



* * *



—

MEG WAS BACK at noon, while Stone was still dressing. “Wasn’t I supposed to remind you of something?” she said.

“Yes, you were supposed to remind me to remind you to check on the status of your patent applications.”

She looked at her watch. “Too early in California. I’ll do it later.”

“Remind me to remind you.”



* * *



—

THEY LUNCHED in the small dining room, overlooking the rear gardens of the house.

“Lord,” Meg said, gazing at the riot of color. “What does it take to run a place like this?”

“About fifteen people,” Stone said, “and a bottomless bank account.”

“What do fifteen people do?”

“Well, there’s Major Bugg and his assistant, the cook and her assistant, four housemaids, a butler, and two of what used to be called ‘footmen’ but now prefer ‘assistant butler.’ On the outside a groom and his assistant, a gardener and his assistant, and six groundsmen, one of whom doubles as an aircraft handler and another as a dockmaster.”

“That presumes a dock.”

“Right over that way”—he pointed—“on the Beaulieu River.”