Read Online The White Pearl by Kate Furnivall - Free Book Online Page B

More money. He swallowed a sigh in the guise of drawing on his cigarette, flicked its ash on a passing
     moth and told them what they wanted to know.
    ‘General Brooke-Popham is holed up in Singapore at the moment, in conference with General Heath. They’re putting out propaganda
     that we Brits are confident that our defences are strong and our weapons efficient. He scoffs at the Jap Army.’
    There was a hiss in the darkness. It came from the oldest of the three.
    ‘Brooke-Popham is convinced you will not have the nerve to touch Malaya. Maybe Sumatra or Siam, but not the Peninsula itself.
     He claims you haven’t the guts to march against the British army and that anyway you could never get your tanks through the
     jungle. He claims our RAF is second to none. You wouldn’t stand a chance.’ Madoc smiled in the secrecy of the black shadows.
     Part of him was enjoying this. ‘After all, he reminds us that your forces have been battling that rabble of a Chinese army
     for years in China, and still can’t teach them who’s boss.’
    ‘Facts, Madoc. I want facts. Not a gin-soaked old general’s lies.’
    So. The grey-stubbled Jap did speak English after all. Interesting.
    ‘Facts you shall have,’ Madoc replied coolly. ‘The Governor has said he believes any attack will be launched from landings
     at Singora and Patani in Siam. Defences are in place.’
    ‘Where?’
    ‘At the Ledge.’
    ‘
Hai
. Yes,’ one of them murmured softly.
    Solid defence would be essential on the road from Patani. It led across the mountains to the rich and vulnerable west coast.
     The rice-growing areas of Perlis and Kedah would need protection, of course, but far more important was the aerodrome at Alor
     Star. If that fell, so would Penang and even Butterworth, God forbid.
    ‘Alor Star?’ the oldest one asked as if he could pick out Madoc’s thoughts with a pin.
    ‘Defended.’
    ‘Where?’
    ‘North of the aerodrome. At Jitra.’
    There was a long silence. They all knew that if the Japanese succeeded in coming down the difficult Patani mountain road,
     they would hit the Brits on their soft underbelly
behind
the Jitra defences.
    ‘How did you learn this?’
    ‘One of my girls is mistress to an army lieutenant-colonel in Intelligence.’
    ‘Can we rely on it?’
    ‘Of course. As always.’
    ‘How many soldiers defending the Ledge?’
    ‘That, I’m afraid, I don’t know.’
    He did know. General Heath was holding two battalions in reserve for that purpose. But he kept that information to himself.
     You can make a cat sick if you give it too much cream. The oldest one stepped closer so that Madoc could smell the spices
     on his breath. The move was meant to be intimidating, but was more irritating than anything else. Madoc didn’t like to be
     crowded. He stood his ground and exhaled his cigarette smoke directly in the man’s face. The grey head turned away abruptly
     with a curse in Japanese.
    Madoc walked out of the shadows into the rectangle of light from the bar because he didn’t quite trust one of the slit-eyed
     bastards not to slide a fine Tokyo blade between his ribs, and that wouldn’t get his casino built, would it? He held out his
     hand, palm up. There was a murmur between the three men, during which Madoc heard something large drag itself up from the
     river and slither away into the dense jungle undergrowth, one of the night creatures. The polite Japanese eventually came
     over and placed a packet in his hand.
    ‘British pounds?’ Madoc asked.
    ‘Of course. As you requested.’
    Madoc wasn’t going to touch any Mexican dollars, the flimsy currency of much of Malaya. He only trusted notes with the King’s
     head on them. He flicked open the packet, checked its contents then nodded at the three men, who were watching him in silence.
     His heart skittered inside his chest. They needed him. That’s what mattered, he told himself.
    ‘Sayonara
, gentlemen,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Goodbye. You know