Carnage on the Committee by Ruth Dudley Edwards Page B

overthrow the state in the name of democracy seems to have been too much for most of them. There was a huge row and Rage targeted a whole new batch of enemies.'
    'Here we are, sir,' said Pike.
    'Thanks, Sammy. Don't hang around. We'll get a taxi back.'
    'Are you sure you don't want me to wait outside the room, sir? He sounds like a nasty piece of work.'
    'His bile is worse than his bite, I think,' said Milton, grinning at his own wit.
    Wearing a black rollneck. Smith was sitting across the table in the tiny room with a half of bitter in front of him, ostentatiously reading Kafka. ('I'm surprised he thought we'd get the reference,' said Milton afterwards.) 'Good afternoon, Mr Smith. Detective Chief Superintendent James Milton and Detective Inspector Ellis Pooley,' said Milton. 'May we sit down?'
    'I can't stop you, but I warn you I'm not going to use those fascistic titles.'
    'We're not interested in titles, Mr Smith. We just want your help in finding the murderer of your friend Lady Babcock.'
    'I'm surprised you're not using the ricin as an excuse to lock up every Muslim in London.'
    'So far there is no reason to suspect that this was a political crime. You may be associating ricin with Muslims because of recent publicity. We have no reason to do so.'
    Smith glared at him. 'So what was it then? Who did it?'
    'I hope you'll have some ideas on that.'
    'And if I don't? What then?'
    'You will, I hope,' offered Milton mildly, 'have some suggestions about where we should direct our enquiries. We're trying to build up a picture of Lady Babcock. We've talked to her family and now we're talking to her friends. You were one of her dearest friends, I think.'
    The belligerence diminished slightly. 'I suppose I was. Hermione and I go back a long way.'
    'How long?'
    'Since the seventies. We met on a peace march. We were both speakers.'
    'You became friends?'
    'Yes.'
    'Just friends?'
    Smith jumped to his feet with such force that he rocked the table and spilled his drink. 'Typical filth-type insinuation. How dare you! How dare you! It's no surprise you've minds like sewers, but I don't have to answer your shitty questions.'
    Milton, who had been mopping the table with a tissue, spoke with no sign of annoyance. 'Please sit down, Mr Smith. I've no wish to upset you, but equally, you've no right to refuse to assist us. Either you want Lady Babcock's murderer caught or you don't. If you do, then I suggest you answer questions frankly. If you don't, why then we will have to ask you to come to a police station and help us anyway. It's your choice.'
    Smith was still quivering. 'I can get a lawyer. And not one of those lawyers you can bully into submission. I can get a famous human rights lawyer who'll make you shiver in your flat-footed shoes.'
    Milton looked at Smith benignly, if you want to go to that trouble and expense, Mr Smith, by all means go ahead. I will merely ask that you turn up at New Scotland Yard at nine tomorrow morning. And if you don't, I might have to have you arrested.'
    Smith looked at him venomously and sat down. 'Fuck it. Oh, all right. Go on.'
    'Did you have an affair with Lady Babcock?'
    'Yes, I did. Thirty-odd years ago. So what!'
    'Did it go on for long?'
    'Just a few months.'
    'Why did it end?' 'William Rawlinson came on the scene.'
    'And she preferred him?'
    'No.'
    'No?'
    'No.'
    'But she ended your affair?'
    'She wanted to marry William.'
    'Rather than you.'
    'I don't marry.'
    'You did once.'
    Smith shot him a furious look. 'Once was fucking well enough.'
    'She would have liked to marry you?'
    'Of course she would. But even if I would have, I couldn't afford Hermione. She needed someone well-off.'
    'But you remained on good terms?'
    'Yep.'
    'But no longer lovers.'
    'Yep.'
    'Was she faithful to Sir William?'
    'How the fuck would I know? We didn't have another affair, if that's what you're insinuating in your creepy way.'
    'You didn't try to rekindle the passion?'
    Smith looked at Milton incredulously. 'Rekindle the