passed in some years. At the Ritz Club, Gideon ordered Kirs, and then proceeded to lose a couple of thousand pounds at thegaming tables. Leo watched in amusement, with no desire to play himself. He had grown out of that long ago. This was followed by a quick visit to Annabel’s, where Gideon was greeted by friends, and embraced by a brunette at the bar, with whom he proceeded to have a long and intimate conversation. Leo met, to his surprise, several people whom he knew, and drank two large whiskies while chatting to them.
When they emerged into the dark night air, Leo knew he was tired, but the alcohol had given him something of a second wind. Gideon looked fresh, bright-eyed, and clearly still hungry for amusement.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘Let’s give it some real Wellington boot. What about Aspinall’s?’
‘Gideon, it’s three in the morning.’
‘So? Gaming doesn’t stop till four. Look – there’s a cab – come on.’
So they made their way to Curzon Street, where Gideon ordered champagne and gambled until the tables closed. All the time, as at the Ritz Club, he kept up a flow of fast, amusing conversation. Everyone who passed seemed to know him, stopping to exchange a bright piece of banter with him.
Leaving the club shortly after four, Leo realised he felt extremely ragged. He would have to try to get in a few hours’ sleep before going to pick up Oliver. Gideon, on the other hand, gave every appearance of being relaxed and refreshed by the night’s doings. Leo watched as he took a little leather notebook from his pocket and scribbled some hurried calculations.
‘How much did you lose?’ Leo asked.
‘More than I meant to. I’ve rather been pushing the Coutt’s card of late. Still—’ He slipped it back into his pocket, ‘—what are Friday nights for?’
‘It’s been quite an experience.’ Leo yawned hugely and hailed a cruising cab. ‘Thank you very much.’
‘We must do it again sometime. I’ll give you a ring at chambers.’
‘Do that,’ replied Leo.
In the cab he leant back and closed his eyes. Shattered though he was, and rather drunk, Leo thought he hadn’t enjoyed himself so much in ages. An odd fellow, Gideon. That angel’s face, and those dark, wicked eyes. There was something very compelling about him. Leo very much hoped he would call – it wasn’t every day that one made a new friend.
Gideon, sitting in the cab which was taking him across town to fresher, darker adventures, was thinking something along similar lines.
CHAPTER FIVE
Charles Beecham surprised himself by sleeping late on Saturday morning. When he opened his eyes he saw from the bedside clock that it was nearly half-ten. His flight from California had got in at lunchtime the day before, and Charles had expected to be jet-lagged and up early this morning, brain fizzing. As it was, he felt much better than usual. He rolled on to his back and lay listening to the sounds of the house. He could hear voices in the kitchen below, Rachel’s low murmur and Oliver’s bubbling, bright baby responses, their words indistinct. Thank God the child slept through the night now – well, by and large – and even bigger thanks to God for the fact that Leo was coming this morning to take him for the weekend. Charles loved Oliver, but there was no question that having Rachel to himself, without interruption or distraction, was what he liked best of all. And there was little enough of that, the way things were at the moment. This was the second trip he had made to LA in three months, and it looked like there would bemore in the offing, particularly if the deal his American agent was trying to put together ever came to anything. Charles had decided not to mention it to Rachel yet. No point in agitating her – it might all fall through. Besides, she was taken up with this Lloyd’s case, and that would have to finish before any plans could be made. He rubbed his eyes and got out of bed, and went to shower and
When they emerged into the dark night air, Leo knew he was tired, but the alcohol had given him something of a second wind. Gideon looked fresh, bright-eyed, and clearly still hungry for amusement.
‘Come on,’ he said. ‘Let’s give it some real Wellington boot. What about Aspinall’s?’
‘Gideon, it’s three in the morning.’
‘So? Gaming doesn’t stop till four. Look – there’s a cab – come on.’
So they made their way to Curzon Street, where Gideon ordered champagne and gambled until the tables closed. All the time, as at the Ritz Club, he kept up a flow of fast, amusing conversation. Everyone who passed seemed to know him, stopping to exchange a bright piece of banter with him.
Leaving the club shortly after four, Leo realised he felt extremely ragged. He would have to try to get in a few hours’ sleep before going to pick up Oliver. Gideon, on the other hand, gave every appearance of being relaxed and refreshed by the night’s doings. Leo watched as he took a little leather notebook from his pocket and scribbled some hurried calculations.
‘How much did you lose?’ Leo asked.
‘More than I meant to. I’ve rather been pushing the Coutt’s card of late. Still—’ He slipped it back into his pocket, ‘—what are Friday nights for?’
‘It’s been quite an experience.’ Leo yawned hugely and hailed a cruising cab. ‘Thank you very much.’
‘We must do it again sometime. I’ll give you a ring at chambers.’
‘Do that,’ replied Leo.
In the cab he leant back and closed his eyes. Shattered though he was, and rather drunk, Leo thought he hadn’t enjoyed himself so much in ages. An odd fellow, Gideon. That angel’s face, and those dark, wicked eyes. There was something very compelling about him. Leo very much hoped he would call – it wasn’t every day that one made a new friend.
Gideon, sitting in the cab which was taking him across town to fresher, darker adventures, was thinking something along similar lines.
CHAPTER FIVE
Charles Beecham surprised himself by sleeping late on Saturday morning. When he opened his eyes he saw from the bedside clock that it was nearly half-ten. His flight from California had got in at lunchtime the day before, and Charles had expected to be jet-lagged and up early this morning, brain fizzing. As it was, he felt much better than usual. He rolled on to his back and lay listening to the sounds of the house. He could hear voices in the kitchen below, Rachel’s low murmur and Oliver’s bubbling, bright baby responses, their words indistinct. Thank God the child slept through the night now – well, by and large – and even bigger thanks to God for the fact that Leo was coming this morning to take him for the weekend. Charles loved Oliver, but there was no question that having Rachel to himself, without interruption or distraction, was what he liked best of all. And there was little enough of that, the way things were at the moment. This was the second trip he had made to LA in three months, and it looked like there would bemore in the offing, particularly if the deal his American agent was trying to put together ever came to anything. Charles had decided not to mention it to Rachel yet. No point in agitating her – it might all fall through. Besides, she was taken up with this Lloyd’s case, and that would have to finish before any plans could be made. He rubbed his eyes and got out of bed, and went to shower and
Similar Books
