filled with the desire for revenge.
I hold out my hands before me. I flex my fingers. I clench my hands into fists.
I want her dead. I want Olga Klimt dead.
The moment I think it, I feel better.
Beauty that is unfamiliar as it is perilous …
Making up his mind not to see Olga Klimt had been the right decision, of that he had no doubt, one should never takerisks with girls like that, yet he felt quite unable to stop himself wondering whether his mental image of her matched the reality or not. He was of course going to see her when Charlie condescended to formally introduce her to his mother and to him, which was bound to happen at some point if there was going to be a wedding.
Lord Collingwood glanced at his watch. Risks, yes. Girls of that sort were known to make claims and cause trouble. He considered himself a man of the world but he was also a cautious man. He had after all a position to maintain. She might decide to complain that he had ravished her or some such ugly accusation, the papers were full of stories these days, or she might try blackmailing him. Better be safe than sorry and not visit Olga.
He was sitting at a table at Richoux’s in Piccadilly, waiting for Joan Selwyn. He needed to concentrate. Producing a pad and a silver pen from his pocket, he wrote a little memo to himself. Essential employ every bit of eloquence in case of sudden opposition .
He had it all carefully mapped out in his head, the precise words he would use …
It was so frightfully important!
(Later he was to give Payne a detailed account of his meeting with Joan Selwyn.)
Suddenly he saw her walking towards him. He held his breath. This, he reflected, was how Judith, of Holofornes decapitation notoriety, must have looked: an air of gravity, head high, chin resolute, lips pursed, eyes serious and steady. He felt his scalp prickle. He shivered. No, he wasn’t being fanciful, dammit. There was something ruthless about Joan.
‘Ah, my dear,’ he said, rising and kissing her cheek. ‘There you are.’
‘I am sorry I am late,’ Joan said.
‘I’m so terribly glad to see you, my dear. I do apologise if I strike you as a bit on the low side but I slept badly. Besides, facing Deirdre across the breakfast table is always an unsettling experience.’
‘She seems to be jealous of me!’
‘She is jealous, yes. Went on and on about it. I almost wished we were having an affair! Ha ha! Flattering, in a way, shows one’s wife does care, but such a damned bore! You should have seen her this morning as she sat gulping down cups of some superior black coffee. So magnificently groomed, so admirably garbed, so tantalisingly aloof! Some people I know find Deirdre extremely attractive.’
‘Not Billy. Billy said Deirdre had all the allure of a cold hip bath. He’s seen her somewhere, at some matinee, I think. She was pointed out to him.’
‘Billy?’ Lord Collingwood’s left eyebrow went up. ‘Is that your new beau? So he does exist! Hoorah!’
She pursed her lips slightly. ‘Did you think he was a figment of my imagination?’
‘I did wonder! You know I only want what’s best for you! Such a relief! Jolly glad to know you are moving on, my dear.’
‘What did you want to see me about, Rupert?’
He looked at her with mock solemnity. ‘Well, Joanie, you promised to do something for me? You haven’t forgotten, have you, my dear?’
‘Oh that . Of course I haven’t forgotten. I said I would help you, didn’t I? You don’t have to worry. You know I always do what I say. Who is this mysterious friend anyway?’
‘He’s an old fool,’ Lord Collingwood said with a sigh. ‘But he’s done me several tremendous favours, so I feel under an obligation of sorts. I know the whole thing’s rather awkward, but I didn’t have the heart to say no, my dear.’
‘Who is he?’
‘He’d rather he remained anonymous, if you don’t mind. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.’
Joan Selwyn tried to hide her exasperation. ‘It’s
I hold out my hands before me. I flex my fingers. I clench my hands into fists.
I want her dead. I want Olga Klimt dead.
The moment I think it, I feel better.
Beauty that is unfamiliar as it is perilous …
Making up his mind not to see Olga Klimt had been the right decision, of that he had no doubt, one should never takerisks with girls like that, yet he felt quite unable to stop himself wondering whether his mental image of her matched the reality or not. He was of course going to see her when Charlie condescended to formally introduce her to his mother and to him, which was bound to happen at some point if there was going to be a wedding.
Lord Collingwood glanced at his watch. Risks, yes. Girls of that sort were known to make claims and cause trouble. He considered himself a man of the world but he was also a cautious man. He had after all a position to maintain. She might decide to complain that he had ravished her or some such ugly accusation, the papers were full of stories these days, or she might try blackmailing him. Better be safe than sorry and not visit Olga.
He was sitting at a table at Richoux’s in Piccadilly, waiting for Joan Selwyn. He needed to concentrate. Producing a pad and a silver pen from his pocket, he wrote a little memo to himself. Essential employ every bit of eloquence in case of sudden opposition .
He had it all carefully mapped out in his head, the precise words he would use …
It was so frightfully important!
(Later he was to give Payne a detailed account of his meeting with Joan Selwyn.)
Suddenly he saw her walking towards him. He held his breath. This, he reflected, was how Judith, of Holofornes decapitation notoriety, must have looked: an air of gravity, head high, chin resolute, lips pursed, eyes serious and steady. He felt his scalp prickle. He shivered. No, he wasn’t being fanciful, dammit. There was something ruthless about Joan.
‘Ah, my dear,’ he said, rising and kissing her cheek. ‘There you are.’
‘I am sorry I am late,’ Joan said.
‘I’m so terribly glad to see you, my dear. I do apologise if I strike you as a bit on the low side but I slept badly. Besides, facing Deirdre across the breakfast table is always an unsettling experience.’
‘She seems to be jealous of me!’
‘She is jealous, yes. Went on and on about it. I almost wished we were having an affair! Ha ha! Flattering, in a way, shows one’s wife does care, but such a damned bore! You should have seen her this morning as she sat gulping down cups of some superior black coffee. So magnificently groomed, so admirably garbed, so tantalisingly aloof! Some people I know find Deirdre extremely attractive.’
‘Not Billy. Billy said Deirdre had all the allure of a cold hip bath. He’s seen her somewhere, at some matinee, I think. She was pointed out to him.’
‘Billy?’ Lord Collingwood’s left eyebrow went up. ‘Is that your new beau? So he does exist! Hoorah!’
She pursed her lips slightly. ‘Did you think he was a figment of my imagination?’
‘I did wonder! You know I only want what’s best for you! Such a relief! Jolly glad to know you are moving on, my dear.’
‘What did you want to see me about, Rupert?’
He looked at her with mock solemnity. ‘Well, Joanie, you promised to do something for me? You haven’t forgotten, have you, my dear?’
‘Oh that . Of course I haven’t forgotten. I said I would help you, didn’t I? You don’t have to worry. You know I always do what I say. Who is this mysterious friend anyway?’
‘He’s an old fool,’ Lord Collingwood said with a sigh. ‘But he’s done me several tremendous favours, so I feel under an obligation of sorts. I know the whole thing’s rather awkward, but I didn’t have the heart to say no, my dear.’
‘Who is he?’
‘He’d rather he remained anonymous, if you don’t mind. I’ve been sworn to secrecy.’
Joan Selwyn tried to hide her exasperation. ‘It’s
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