around his waist. She was a pretty blonde girl in a short green tunic
with the golden laurel leaf club insignia on the pocket, and her manner
was brisk and business like.
Do you want any extras, sir? Her tone was neutral, and she began to
unbutton the green tunic automatically.
No/ Duncan said, No extras, and closed his eyes, surrendering himself
completely to the touch of her expert fingers.
He thought of Chantelle, feeling the sneaking guilt of the moment, but
it was so seldom these days that he had the energy for her smouldering
demanding Persian passions. He did not have the strength for her, he
was drained and weary, and all he wanted was the release, swift and
simple. In two months time it would be different, he would have the
strength and energy to pick the world up in his bare hands and shake it
like a toy.
His mind was separated from his body, and odd disconnected images
flitted across the red darkness of his closed eyelids. He thought again
how long it had been since last he and Chantelle had made love together,
and he wondered what the world would say if they knew of it.
Nicholas Berg left a big empty place in his bed also, they would say.
The hell with them, Duncan thought, but without the energy for real
anger.
The hell with all of them., And he gave himself up to the explosion of
light that burst against his eyelids and the dark, but too fleeting,
peace that followed it.
Nicholas lay back in the rather tatty old brown leather armchair which
was one of James Teacher's concessions to create comfort and he stared
at the cheap hunting prints on the faded wallpaper through a thin fug of
cheroot smoke, Teacher could have afforded a decent Gaugin or a Turner,
but such vulgar display was frowned on in the Inns of Court. It might
lead prospective clients to ponder the amount of the fees that they were
to be charged.
James Teacher replaced the telephone and stood up behind his desk.
It did not make much difference to his height.
Well, I think we have covered all the entrances to the warren, he
announced cheerfully, and he began to tick off the items on his fingers.
The sheriff of the South African supreme court will serve notice of
attachment on the hull of Golden Adventurer at noon local time tomorrow.
Our French correspondent will do the same on Golden Dawn - He spoke for
three minutes more, and, listening to him, Nicholas reluctantly admitted
to himself that he earned the greater proportion of his enormous fees.
Well, there it is, Mr. Berg. If your hunch is correct It's not a hunch,
Mr. Teacher. It's a certainty. Duncan Alexander has his backside
pinched in the doorway. He's been rushing round the City like a
demented man looking for money. My God, he even tried to stall me with
that incredible offer of a partnership. No, Mr. Teacher, it's not a
hunch. Christy Marine is going to default. I cannot understand that,
Six millions is peanuts/ said James Teacher. At least it's peanuts to a
company like Christy Marine, one of the healthiest shipping owners. It
was, a year ago/ Nicholas agreed grimly. But since then, Alexander has
had a clear run, no checks, it's not a public company, he administers
