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〃Not to worry； old chap；〃 the stranger said； as he eased past the wreck； making the turn。 〃The police'll make all the arrangements for you。〃
Gornt's face closed。 〃Yes。 Yes they will。〃
13
10：25 P。M。 ：
〃Grand dinner； Ian； better than last year's；〃 Sir Dunstan Barre said expansively from across the table。
〃Thank you。〃 Dunross raised his glass politely and took a sip of the fine cognac from the brandy snifter。
Barre gulped his port then refilled his glass； more florid than usual。 〃Ate too much； as usual； by God！ Eh Phillip？ Phillip！〃
〃Yes 。。。 oh yes 。。。 much better 。。。〃 Phillip Chen muttered。
〃Are you all right； old chap？〃
〃Oh yes 。。。 it's just 。。。 oh yes。〃
Dunross frowned； then let his eyes rove the other tables； hardly listening to them。
There were just the three of them now at this round table that had seated twelve fortably。 At the other tables spread across the terraces and lawns； men were lounging over their cognac； port and cigars； or standing in clusters； all the ladies now inside the house。 He saw Bartlett standing over near the buffet tables that an hour ago had been groaning under the weight of roast legs of lamb； salads； sides of rare beef； vast hot steak…and…kidney pies； roast potatoes and vegetables of various kinds； and the pastries and cakes and ice cream sculptures。 A small army of servants was cleaning away the debris。 Bartlett was in deep conversation with Chief Superintendent Roger Crosse and the American Ed Langan。 In a little while I'll deal with him； he told himself grimly … but first Brian Kwok。 He looked around。 Brian Kwok was not at his table； the one that Adryon had hosted； or at any of the others； so he sat back patiently； sipped his cognac and let himself drift。
Secret files； MI…6； Special Intelligence； Bartlett； Casey； Gornt； no Tsu…yan and now Alan Medford Grant very dead。 His phone call before dinner to Kiernan； Alan Medford Grant's assistant in London； had been a shocker。 〃It was sometime this morning； Mr。 Dunross；〃 Kiernan had said。 〃It was raining； very slippery and he was a motorcycle enthusiast as you know。 He was ing up to town as usual。 As far as we know now there were no witnesses。 The fellow who found him on the country road near Esher and the A3 highway； just said he was driving along in the rain and then there in front of him was the bike on its side and a man sprawled in a heap on the edge of the road。 He said as far as he could tell； AMG was dead when he reached him。 He called the police and they've begun inquiries but 。。。 well； what can I say？ He's a great loss to all of us。〃
〃Yes。 Did he have any family？〃
〃Not that I know of； sir。 Of course I informed MI…6 at once。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Why？〃
There was heavy static on the line。 〃He'd left instructions with me； sir。 If anything happened to him I was to call two numbers at once and cable you； which I did。 Neither number meant anything to me。 The first turned out to be the private number of a high…up official in MI…6 … he arrived within half an hour with some of his people and they went through AMG's desk and private papers。 They took most of them when they left。 When he saw the copy of the last report； the one we'd just sent you； he just about hit the roof； and when he asked for copies of all the others and I told him； following AMG's instructions … I always destroyed the office copy once we'd heard you had received yours … he just about had a hemorrhage。 It seems AMG didn't really have Her Majesty's Government's permission to work for you。〃
〃But I have Grant's assurance in writing he'd got clearance from HMG in advance。〃
〃Yes sir。 You've done nothing illegal but this MI…6 fellow just about went bonkers。〃
〃Who was he？ What was his name？〃
〃I was told； told； sir； not to mention any names。 He was very pompous and mumbled something about the Official Secrets Act。〃
〃You said two numbers？〃
〃Yes sir。 The other was in Switzerland。 A woman answered and after I'd told her； she just said； oh； so sorry； and hung up。 She was foreign； sir。 One interesting thing； in AMG's final instructions he had said not to tell either number about the other but； as this gentleman from MI…6 was； to put it lightly； incensed； I told him。 He called at once but got a busy line and it was busy for a very long time and then the exchange said it had been temporarily disconnected。 He was bloody furious； sir。〃
〃Can you carry on AMG's reports？〃
〃No sir。 I was just a feeder … I collated information that he got。 I just wrote the reports for him； answered the phone when he was away； paid office bills。 He spent a good part of the time on the Continent but he never said where he'd been； or volunteered anything。 He was 。。。 well； he played his cards close to his nose。 I don't know who gave him anything … I don't even know his office number in Whitehall。 As I said； he was very secretive。 。。。〃
Dunross sighed and sipped his brandy。 Bloody shame； he thought。 Was it an accident … or was he murdered？ And when do MI…6 fall on my neck？ The numbered account in Switzerland？ That's not illegal either； and no one's business but mine and his。
What to do？ There must be a substitute somewhere。
Was it an accident？ Or was he killed？
〃Sorry？〃 he asked； not catching what Barre had said。
〃I was just saying it was bloody funny when Casey didn't want to go and you threw her out。〃 The big man laughed。 〃You've got balls； old boy。〃
At the end of the dinner just before the port and cognac and cigars had arrived； Penelope had got up from her table where Linc Bartlett was deep in conversation with Havergill and the ladies had left with her； and then Adryon at her table； and then； all over the terraces； ladies had begun trickling away after her。 Lady Joanna； who was sitting on Dunross's right； had said； 〃e on girls； time to powder。〃
Obediently the other women got up with her and the men politely pretended not to be relieved by their exodus。
〃e along； dear；〃 Joanna had said to Casey； who had remained seated。
〃Oh I'm fine； thanks。〃
〃I'm sure you are but； er； e along anyway。〃
Then Casey had seen everyone staring。 〃What's the matter？〃
〃Nothing； dear；〃 Lady Joanna had said。 〃It's custom that the ladies leave the men alone for a while with the port and cigars。 So e along。〃
Casey had stared at her blankly。 〃You mean we're sent off while the men discuss affairs of state and the price of tea in China？〃
〃It's just good manners； dear。 When in Rome 。。。〃 Lady Joanna had watched her； a slight； contemptuous smile on her lips； enjoying the embarrassed silence and the shocked looks of most of the men。 All eyes went back to the American girl。
〃You can't be serious。 That custom went out before the Civil War；〃 Casey said。
〃In America I'm sure it did。〃 Joanna smiled her twisted smile。 〃Here it's different； this is part of England。 It's a matter of manners。 Do e along； dear。〃
〃I will … dear；〃 Casey said as sweetly。 〃Later。〃
Joanna had sighed and shrugged and raised an eyebrow at Dunross and smiled crookedly and gone off with the other ladies。 There was a stunned silence at the table。
〃Tai…pan； you don't mind if I stay； do you？〃 Casey had said with a laugh。
〃Yes； I'm sorry but I do；〃 he had told her gently。 〃It's just a custom； nothing important。 It's really so the ladies can get first crack at the loo and the pails of water。〃
Her smile faded and her chin began to jut。 〃And if I prefer not to go？〃
〃It's just our custom； Ciranoush。 In America it's custom to call someone you've just met by his first name； it's not here。 Even so 。。。〃 Dunross stared back calmly； but just as inflexibly。 〃There's no loss of face in it。〃
〃I think there is。〃
〃Sorry about that … I can assure you there isn't。〃
The others had waited； watching him and watching her； enjoying the confrontation； at the same time appalled by her。 Except Ed Langan who was totally embarrassed for her。 〃Hell； Casey；〃 he said； trying to make a joke of it； 〃you can't fight City Hall。〃
〃I've been trying all my life；〃 she had said sharply … clearly furious。 Then； abruptly； she had smiled gloriously。 Her fingers drummed momentarily on the tablecloth and she got up。 〃If you gentlemen will excuse me 。。。〃 she had said sweetly and sailed away； an astonished silence in her wake。
〃I hardly threw her out；〃 Dunross said。
〃It was bloody funny； even so；〃 Barre said。 〃I wonder what changed her mind？ Eh Phillip？〃
〃What？〃 Phillip Chen asked absently。
〃For a moment I thought she was going to belt poor old Ian； didn't you？ But something she thought of changed her mind。 What？〃
Dunross smiled。 〃I'll bet it's no good。 That one's as touchy as a pocketful of scorpions。〃
〃Great knockers； though；〃 Barre said。
They laughed。 Phillip Chen didn't。 Dunross's concern for him increased。 He had tried to cheer him up all evening but nothing had drawn the curtain away。 All through dinner Phillip had been dulled and monosyllabic。 Barre got up with a belch。 〃Think I'll take a leak while there's space。〃 He lurched off into the garden。
〃Don't pee on the camellias；〃 Ian called after him absently； then forced himself to concentrate。 〃Phillip； not to worry；〃 he said； now that they were alone。 〃They'll find John soon。〃
〃Yes； I'm sure they will；〃 Phill