Sunday 28 September 1930
This turns out to be a good thing; around three o’clock, Gertrude hears a breaking window followed by ignition. Someone’s thrown a bottle of petrol through the front window. She rouses the house, and suppresses the fire; Lin Tan rushes out to see what can be seen. There’s a figure in the distance with a rifle aimed towards the house; she fades into the shadows and makes her way along the side of the road, then leaps out and attacks. It turns out to be one of Isaacs’ bodyguards, with an old Martini-Henry rifle; the attack takes her by surprise and she’s rapidly kicked into unconsciousness. She’s tied up and brought back to the house.
The police have to be called, and Audrey drops Jameson’s name. It all takes a while, but this woman is certainly known to the police, which helps.
After rather more sleep, Millie, Bessie and Gertrude drop off the letter at the dead drop, and pick up various bits of paperwork, references, etc., for four seamstresses and a runner. They also have the address of a house in Cardington where their expert help will be waiting. Audrey and Lin Tan go to visit Jameson to explain the situation, or rather not to explain it more than they absolutely have to.
They spend the remainder of the afternoon getting some rest. Everyone except Lin Tan passes the night at Millie’s, though there are no further attacks.