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〃Thanks。〃 Gornt felt his knees shaking。 For a moment he could not dominate his knees and he leaned against the car。
〃You sure you're all right？〃
〃Oh yes。 It's 。。。 that frightened me to death！〃 He looked at the damage； the nose buried into earth and shrub； a huge score down the right side； the car jammed well into the inside curve。 〃What a bloody mess！〃
〃Yes； but it hasn't telescoped a sausage！ You were bloody lucky you were in a good car； old chap。〃 The stranger let the door swing and it closed with a muted click。 〃Great workmanship。 Well； you can leave it here。 No one's likely to steal it。〃 The stranger laughed； leading the way to his own car which was parked； its blinker lights on； just behind。 〃Hop in； won't take a jiffy。〃
It was then Gornt remembered the mocking half…smile on Dunross's face that he had taken for bravado as he left。 His mind cleared。 Would there have been time for Dunross to tamper 。。。 with his knowledge of engines 。。。 surely he wouldn't 。。。 ？
〃Son of a bitch；〃 he muttered； aghast。
〃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 cu