Dead Man's Dinner - Una Gordon Page 0,6

himself as, “After all I've done for her.” He was firmly convinced that this book was not a piece of romantic fiction, but a description of something which Rachel had experienced.

He forgot all about his cufflinks. He never did find them. The next evening he wore his silver ones.

Guy Pather, Peter Dewey and Marcus Reeves had no need to make excuses for their absence on the evening of the 22nd because each of their partners knew where they were going. After his “find” Graham would not even have dreamed of mentioning the invitation on the phone to Rachel. He now found it difficult even to be civil to her, but if she had noticed a coldness in his tone she had said nothing.

Gresham toyed with several ideas of where he might say he was going on the 22nd, but before he had the opportunity to try one out on Fiona, she mentioned she was going to the theatre that evening with some friends and would not be back until late. Gresham said in that case he would probably stay at his club. He consoled himself by convincing himself that he had not really told a lie. In other circumstances he would probably have stayed at his club and after all he had not definitely said he would.

Fate stepped in to help Gary. Diana had gone to hospital for a check up and had been kept in because her blood pressure was high. He had plenty of time to go to visit her before going on to Derwent's flat and that was just what he did. Diana was not a self centred person, but in the circumstances she was too worried about the fate of the baby to ask Gary what he would be doing once he left the hospital.

At the appointed hour, therefore, or as near as makes no difference, all six men arrived and were shown into the sitting room of the flat. It was luxuriously furnished; the drinks awaiting them were served from expensive crystal glasses by Homer who had been Derwent's manservant and who was still obviously employed there. Gresham, who had been a classics scholar, had always been suspicious of Homer's name, but Derwent, when questioned had always been suitably vague. It couldn't be his real name. Was there any association with the ancient poet or was it just Derwent's way of calling him “man”.

Each man looked at his companions; some of them knew each other vaguely, but none of them knew the others well. There was speculation in more than one mind about what connection the others had had with Derwent.

Gresham, who missed very little, noticed the supercilious almost insolent expression on Homer's face. What did he know, Gresham wondered, about what Derwent was up to? Peter also noticed the expression and although his manner was bluff and hearty he had this underlying feeling of fear. There were more than a few skeletons in Peter's past and every time Homer looked at him, he had the feeling he knew about some of them, at least. Peter most certainly did not want any of them revealed. He was relieved when Benjamin Carmichael, Derwent's solicitor, walked in, a figure of integrity and rectitude if ever there was one. He would have nothing to do with blackmail. A tough man to outwit, he was, nevertheless renowned for his honesty. He was a man of considerable physical stature and his silver head towered above all the others except for Gresham Erdington's. He exuded bonhomie and there was nothing in his manner to suggest this was anything but a normal dinner party minus the host. After a suitable interval had elapsed, Benjamin Carmichael suggested they go through to the dining room to start dinner. Perhaps if Homer had prepared it, he intended to poison them all, thought Gresham cynically, but it was clear that caterers had been brought in.

The two waitresses who served the meal were quick and efficient and the food was superb. In that respect Derwent had done them proud, but then he had always been a lavish entertainer and he would want to be remembered as such. By the time coffee and liqueurs were served there was a certain impatience amongst the company to know what was going to happen. None of the guests thought Derwent had provided this dinner out of sheer generosity. There was no screen to suggest that Derwent was about to appear amongst them if not in the flesh, at least on film.