They_Came_to_Baghdad-Agatha_Christie

CHAPTER FOUR
Somehow or other Victoria intended to get to Baghdad. So first she went into a travel agency. There
was no difficulty in travelling to Baghdad. You could go by air, by sea, by train, boat and car - but only if
you had between sixty and a hundred pounds.
Victoria had eight pounds.
She asked about an air stewardess job, but found there was a waiting list.
Victoria next visited the employment agency where the manager welcomed her as one of those
people who passed through the office regularly.
'Dear me, Miss Jones, out of a job again...'
'Is there any chance,' asked Victoria, 'of a job in Baghdad?'
'Baghdad?' said the manager in great surprise.
Victoria saw she might as well have said the South Pole. 'I very much want to get to Baghdad. As a
nurse or cook, or looking after children. Any way at all.'
The manager shook her head. 'I can't offer much hope. There was a lady in yesterday with two little
girls who was offering a ticket to Australia.'
Victoria didn't want to go to Australia.
'If you hear of anything, I'd even go just for the price of a ticket out - that's all I need.'
Everything now seemed to bring Baghdad to Victoria's attention. The evening paper noted that Dr
Pauncefoot Jones, the well-known archaeologist, had started work at an ancient city near Baghdad. The
Thief of Baghdad was on at the cinema, and a New History of Baghdad was in the bookshop window.
Victoria believed that if you wanted to do a thing, there was always some way of doing it. So she
wrote a list of possible ways.
Try Foreign Office?
Advertisement?
Iraqi Embassy?
Companies that sell dates?
And transport firms?
British Council?
She added to the list: Somehow get my hands on a hundred pounds?
***
The following morning, Victoria was combing her wild, dark hair when the telephone rang. It was
the agency manager, who said excitedly, 'My dear. The most amazing thing.'
'Yes?' cried Victoria.
'A Mrs Hamilton Clipp - travelling to Baghdad in three days - has broken her arm - she needs
someone to help her - I rang you at once. I don't know if other agencies
'I'm on my way,' cried Victoria. 'Where is she?'