Dead Man's Dinner - Una Gordon Page 0,9

date again, then he went to check the calendar. The times fitted exactly. The card dropped from his hand; he sat for a long time, cold and desolate, then he started to sob, great racking sobs of grief, almost devoid of tears, that seemed to come from the depths of his soul. Occasionally, in a muffled voice, he said his wife's name, but whether it was a call of need or condemnation, it was difficult to tell. He made no attempt to go to bed and sat in a chair all night, treading depths of misery he had never known before.

When Peter read what was on the card he was just plain furious! Imagine being put in this humiliating situation by Derwent! He forgot momentarily that Derwent was dead or perhaps it was because he was dead that he knew he could never even the score that he felt furious. He thought of Derwent smiling, of his false politeness, of his attitude when he, Peter, was unable to repay his debt. It made Peter squirm. He'd have a few questions to ask Bianca, the cow, the bitch! By the time he arrived home he was in fine fettle for a row.

Marcus had opened his envelope just before he went up to the flat he shared with Perry. The hurt he felt was almost palpable. He breathed deeply. Now he knew why Perry had been in such a state when the invitation arrived. Perry would still be waiting for him when he went up. How he would gloat when he saw what was on the card. There would be no denial, just details which Marcus did not want to hear. How could you? How could you? Marcus' despair was not the type that gives rise to tears. He wanted to walk away, but he knew he couldn't. He had to face up to the situation. Life must go on, as they say, and where would he go anyway? It is easy to run away, but one must always take oneself along and it is usually within oneself that the trouble lies. Wearily he got out of the car and went upstairs.

Graham stopped in a quiet side street to open his envelope and when he read what was on the card his face set grimly. His find the previous night and now this! In twenty-four hours his life had been completely turned upside down and through no fault of his own, he thought self righteously. He started to drive home and had gone only about half a mile when he saw a wine bar which suddenly looked very inviting to him. He parked his car and went in. Not a man given to excesses in any area of his life, he was not in the habit of drinking much at all and frequently boasted he had never been drunk, but that night he convinced himself that he needed one drink after another. He scored two firsts that night. It was the first time he had ever got drunk and it was the first time he had picked up a prostitute.

Chapter 4

Gresham's sleep that night was short and fitful. His dreams bordered on being nightmares and several times he woke with a start, only to fall once more into an uneasy sleep. When sleep did finally desert him completely, he lay motionless in bed, thinking. He wanted to get up to immerse himself in some activity to take his mind off the card in his pocket, but he was unable to move, his active mind flitting from one thought to another, from one memory to another.

He thought of the first time he had met Fiona – not so very long ago. Her brother was a vet and rented what had been a disused farmhouse on Gresham's estate. Roderick Cameron, Fiona's brother, was an exceptionally good looking man with dark, saturnine looks that seemed to match his brooding temperament. His wife, Belinda, in sharp contrast, had been blonde and almost elfin like. She had died tragically a short time after the birth of their second child, a daughter. Their son, Roy, was a chubby version of his handsome father, but there the resemblance ended for Roy already showed signs of being a very social animal and made friends with everyone he met.

Gresham had had little contact with Roddie while his wife was alive, but when she died Gresham had gone to pay his respects and offer his condolences. It was then that he had