按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Dazzle was as warm and weling as her husband。
The pair had a curious effect； as though together they were able to enfold you； pulling you into some circle of enchantment。 As they left the car and walked into the spacious hallway； Bond had a ridiculous desire to throw all caution to the wind； sit down and face Jason immediately； asking him what really happened on that day so long ago when he had taken off on the ill…fated flight。
What was the purpose of disappearing？ What was he up to now？ And how did Zwingli fit into the scheme of things？
That evening； Bond had to keep a strong hold on himself not to e out into the open。 Between them Jason and the vivacious Dazzle proved to be a daunting couple。 Within minutes of being in their pany you became almost old friends。 Jason； the story went was Canadian by birth； while Dazzle was from New York； though you would have been hard put to it to place her accent； which had more of Knightsbridge than Fifth Avenue in It。
The one subject never discussed in detail during M's briefings had been finance； but now； seeing the house with its discreetly elegant decor （〃That's Dazzle；' Jason said with a laugh； 〃she has what the designers call flair'） made one aware of great riches。 In the large drawing room there was a clever blend of original Georgian and fortable modern； the antique pieces plemented by a quiet； striped wallpaper； and not clashing with the more modern pictures or the deep； fortable armchairs and sofas。 Where； Bond wondered； did the money for all this e from？ Could Gunfire Simulations finance so much？
While a Filipino houseboy served the drinks the talk was almost exclusively about what a wonderful refurbishing job they had done on the house； and the local amusing scandal。
〃It's what I adore about life in a village。〃Jason gave a low chuckle。 〃My work doesn't allow me to be what you might call socially active； but we still get all the gossip because everybody does。〃
〃Except the gossip about ourselves； darling； Dazzle said with a grin。
Bond realised that her nose was similar to Percy's before it had been bobbed。 Here was an oddity。 She really was like the true Percy。
Did Jay Autem know； he wondered。 Had he always known what the real Percy looked like？ Had he seen her since the recent transformation？
〃Oh； I get the gossip about us。〃 Jason's voice was deep with humour。 〃Cindy and I are having a passionate love affair； while you're in bed most of the time with Felix。。
〃Much good would it do me！〃 Dazzle put a hand over her mouth； mockingly。 〃Where are they； anyway； dear？
Peter and Cindy； I mean。〃
〃Oh； they'll be up in a minute。 They decided to play one more round of The Revolution。 We've still got a good deal of preliminary work to do。〃 He turned to Bond。
〃We're in the puter games business 〃So Freddie mentioned。〃 At last he managed to break the spell； allowing a hint of superior disapproval into his tone。
Jason caught it at once。 〃Oh； but you're a puter programmer as well； aren't you？ Freddie told me。〃
〃A little。 Not games though。 Not really。〃 The tiny stress on the word games was calculated to give the impression that using puters to play games was anathema to him。
〃Aha。〃 Jason wagged a finger。 〃But there are games and games； Mr。 Bond。 I'm talking about plex intellectual simulations； not the whizz…bang…shoot…'em…up arcade rubbish。 For whom do you work？〃 Bond admitted he worked for nobody at the moment。
〃I had my training in programming when I worked for the Foreign Office。〃 He tried to sound diffident。
〃You're that Mr。 Bond！〃 Dazzle sounded genuinely excited。
He nodded。 〃Yes； the notorious Mr。 Bond。 Also； the innocent Mr。 Bond。
〃Of course。 I read about your case。 For the first time there was a slightly dubious note in Jason's voice。
〃Were you really a spy？〃 Dazzle tended to bee almost breathlessly excited by anything that interested her。
〃I 〃 Bond began； then put on a show of floundering； so that Jason came to his rescue： 〃I don't think that's the kind of question you're meant to ask； my dear。〃 At that moment； Peter Amadeus and Cindy Chalmer came into the room。
〃Ah； the amazing Doctor Amadeus。〃 Jason rose。
〃And Sinful Cindy；' said Dazzle with a laugh。
〃I'd be flattered if they called me Sinful Freddie；' said Lady Freddie as she greeted the pair。
〃Sinful indeed！〃 Cindy was not black； as Freddie had told Bond； but more of a creamy coffee shade。 〃The product of a West Indian father and a Jewish mother；' she was later to confide in him； adding that there were a thousand racist jokes which could be made at her expense。 Now she just repeated； 〃Sinful indeed； chance would be more than a fine thing。〃 Dressed in a simple grey skirt； and white silk blouse； Cindy had the figure and legs of a dancer； and a face which reminded Bond of a very young Ella Fitzgerald。
Peter was around thirty … a few years older than Cindy。 Slightly built； immaculately dressed and prematurely balding； he had a precise pedantry and wit that gave a hint of his sexual predeliction。
Following Cindy's remark； he helped himself to a drink； saying； 〃You've got plenty of chances here； Cindy。 There are some great big farm boys in the village I'd fight you for。 。
〃That's enough； Peter！〃 For the first time that night； Jason showed the steel fist。
After the introductions （Bond wondered if he imagined it； but Cindy Chalmer appeared to give him a sharp； almost conspiratorial look when they shook hands）； Dazzle suggested they go in to dinner。 〃Tomas will be furious if his cooking is spoiled。〃 Tomas was the silent Filipino； who had learned to cook at the feet of Europe's greatest chefs； by courtesy of Jason St。 John…Finnes。
The meal was almost a banquet： a Lombardy soup of hot consomme' poured over raw eggs sprinkled with Parmesan and laid on lightly fried bread； smoked salmon mousse； venison marinated and roasted with juniper berries； wine； chopped ham and lemons： and a souffle' all Grand Marnier … 〃Specially for Lady Freddie。〃 To begin with； the conversation mainly concerned the work Cindy and Peter had just been doing。
〃How did it go； then？〃 Jason asked as they sat down； at a long refectory table set on bare polished boards in the dining room。
〃We've found two more random problems you can set into the early section。 Raise the general and search strengths of the British patrols； and you get some very interesting results。〃 Peter gave a lopsided smile。
〃And； to equalise； there's a new random for the later stages；' Cindy added。 〃We've put in a random card that gives the Colonial Militia more uncaptured cannon。 If you draw that option the British don't know the strength until they begin assaulting the hill。〃 Freddie and Dazzle were chattering away about clothes； but Jason caught Bond's interested eye。 He turned to Peter and Cindy。
〃Mr。 Bond doesn't approve of using such high…tech magic for mere games。 He smiled； the ment bearing no malice。
〃Ah； e on； Mr。 Bond！〃
〃It's intellectual stimulation。
Cindy and Peter leapt to Holy's defence simultaneously。 Peter continued； 〃Is chess a frivolous use of wood or ivory？〃
〃I said nothing of the kind； said Bond； laughing。 He knew that the testing time wa