Hilda asked her: ‘How’s Micky?’ It was a formal question as the others had been, put to make conversation rather than out of any desire for illumination. Jane said: ‘Oh, he’s all right.’ ‘Do you...

She asked: ‘What do you want me to say?’ He leaned forward a little. The table was far enough from the others for their conversation to be private when spoken quietly. He did this now,...

Ape said: ‘All right. Sort yourselves out.’ His voice was unforced, casual. ‘Shove him in the ditch for now. Get your bikes jacked up.’ Rod stood up along with the rest. Those who could: one...

Rod did not pay much attention until he realized that the call was from Bridge House, and that something unusual, perhaps shocking, had happened. After that, he listened, but could not make much sense of...

There were so many new ones. Some Martin knew, because he had brought them in himself, but most of them were strangers. Strangers in the flesh, but brothers in the Holy Spirit. They filed in...

Cha-Cha’s face flushed above the beard. He put his hand out and up-ended the champagne bottle, its contents streaming out over Ape’s face and head. Then, as he started laughing in turn, Ape grabbed his...

He had half an hour alone with Hilda before the Commander returned: she had been put in a private room on coming back from X-ray. They had talked a lot, about the children chiefly, so...

‘I heard that a lot of doctors have left the country.’ ‘Not all that many. To start with, of course, it’s illegal under present regulations. You’d have to smuggle yourself, and if you have a...

‘I’m leaving today.’ ‘But the contract …’ ‘No contracts are enforceable any more. You know that.’ ‘But why today? What’s the urgency?’ ‘All God’s work is urgent.’ ‘Urgent today, but not yesterday?’ ‘Until the call...