He seemed to find her no weight at all, and when he lowered her to the couch he did so with great gentleness. “You stay right there,” he ordered, “I’ll get some water.” He seemed to ignore the self-important man, who was gaping from the doorway, and strode straight to the kitchen door and thrust it open. She saw him through a kind of mist. His coppery hair seemed as if it was reflecting shining rays to every comer of the room, picking out the brasses, the copper utensils of an earlier age, the old china, everything. She closed her eyes, heard a rustle of movement, and suddenly felt something cold and clammy on her arm, which made her start and gasp.

By her side, touching her, was the man in the grey suit, and his fingers were as cold as the fins of a fish just out of Arctic water.

“In confidence, I am prepared to raise the offer to twelve thousand pounds,” he hissed into her ear.

The young man was splashing water in the kitchen sink. Gillian could hear but not see him. The other was bending over her, and she could feel his breath warm upon her cheek. He whispered again. The sum of ten thousand pounds, the sum of twelve thousand pounds, or he might get hurt. It was a kind of nightmare. The cold fingers were stabbing at her, and seemed to threaten death, the hot breath was moist upon her, and the words razor sharp in her mind. ‘‘Twelve thousand, twelve thousand, twelve thousand pounds”

It was a fortune.

Then she heard footsteps, looked round, and saw the coppery-haired young American striding towards her, carrying a cup of water. As he drew close, glaring at the smaller man, he kicked against the edge of the carpet. She would never know whether that was by accident or design. Whatever the truth of that, water shot from the cup into the self-important man’s face, and cascaded down his chin.

3

READY TO KILL

The spout of water smothering Lodwin’s face did Gillian as much good as if she had swallowed it. She started up on the couch, forgetting weakness, dizziness and confusion. She saw the coppery-haired man pull himself to a standstill as the water dripped off his victim’s chin.