Chapter 4
The Plan Comes Together
The test successfully completed, things began to move at a faster pace. Preparations were immediately put in hand for the English delegate to the next conference, which was taking place in Paris, to be withdrawn through illness, and for Biggles to replace him, with Ginger accredited as his wife. The necessary passes, paperwork and reservations were easily changed but in order to be able to pass himself off successfully as an aeronautical engineer, Biggles had to put in some intensive homework. As a pilot he had a working knowledge of aerodynamics, but not enough to pass as a highly respected scientist in that field. He hated deception but realised the necessity for it. His admiration for Ginger and what he had achieved was boundless. Biggles acknowledged that he had a horror of wearing any sort of disguise.
Ginger had been relieved to find that all the work he had put into mastering Lady Virginia's details was not wasted but was to be used for the role of the scientist's wife. In order to keep his hand in, he was continuing to have refresher sessions with Wendy, much to Algy's annoyance, because as he pointed out, although he had managed a successful impersonation once, it would not do to become complacent. When Algy had growled that it was just an excuse to be with Wendy, Ginger had laughed and teased him that they were just good friends. "Just two girls together!" he had protested, with a mischievous glint in his eye. Algy had remained unconvinced, remembering how Wendy had hugged Ginger in the taxi after the test was over, but the rivalry and badinage did not affect their friendship.
"I hate maths," Biggles observed to no one in particular, relaxing in his sitting room after the final day's concentrated study. "And physics comes a close second. Flying is all very well, but the finer points of what makes it work leave me cold." He lit a cigarette and drew on it appreciatively. "The best I'm hoping for," he commented to Ginger who was lounging in an armchair, his legs crossed, making the most of being released from the constrictions imposed by his feminine disguise, "is that I won't betray my ignorance."
"It's not my ignorance I'm hoping I won't betray," murmured Ginger with a smile, as he stretched luxuriously, appreciating the opportunity to wear his own clothes. He was the only other occupant of the flat that evening, Algy having taken Wendy to the cinema.
Biggles smiled back. "If I thought you couldn't do it, I wouldn't let you try," he admitted. His smile broadened as he thought back to the scene at the lunch table. "But after the way Erich reacted, I feel confident you'll have no problems - apart from beating off the attentions of the other delegates and incurring the jealousy of their wives," he added with a twinkle in his eye.
"Don't remind me! He was certainly intrigued!" exclaimed Ginger fervently. "That was a bit of a shocker about Erich's mother, wasn't it?" he remarked pensively. "And that bit about her being a Courtney - didn't Bertie once say his aunt was married to a Courtney? If it's the same family, that would make him and von Stalhein distant cousins! I wonder if they are? Perhaps that's what they mean by a cousin-german," he speculated with a grin.
His speculation was cut short by the arrival of Algy and discussion turned to the film he had been to see.
"I shouldn't bother with it, if I were you, Biggles," opined Algy in disgust. "The way some of these film directors carry on, they wouldn't know realism if it stood up and socked 'em in the face. Anachronisms, time travel! Huh! We shall have 'em turning men into women soon," he added with a sly look at Ginger.
"I take it the evening wasn't a success, then," remarked Biggles.
"Oh, the evening was a tremendous success," averred Algy turning a broad smile in Ginger's direction, accompanied by a wink, "but the film was dreadful!"
Ginger spoiled his game by refusing to rise to the bait. Instead he stood up and announced: "I'm off to bed after I've done my packing. That's a job I would not like to leave to Mrs Symes," he commented with a wry grin. "I suspect she's beginning to think there's something not quite right with me," he added. "She's been giving me some very funny looks just lately!" He grinned ruefully. "I think she must have noticed when I accidentally left the false eyelashes on that time."
"Never mind," Biggles told him reassuringly. "It should all be over soon. We leave for the conference tomorrow. I, for one, shall be glad to get cracking. All this preparation is straining my nerves. Heavens knows how you must feel! I've arranged it with Marcel that he will be attached to the security side of things in Paris. It will be handy having some extra back up." He laughed softly at the expression on Ginger's face. "Don't worry," he added, soothingly, "I've warned him about you, so you won't have to fend off his Gallic attentions as well!"
"I really should not have agreed to this!" averred Ginger as he headed for his bedroom. "It's turning into a nightmare!"
He heard his companions chuckle as he closed the door.
