Lulu said, fairly loudly: ‘He has a water-colour temperament of course – pastel shades with subtle nuances of depth. And a wonderful instinct for group patterns.’ ‘And how young is he?’ Piers asked. She quite...

Helen was sitting in her window-seat, knitting, and surprisingly was quite alone. I took the cheque out of the envelope in which I’d placed it and handed it to her. She caught my eye as...

I parked the car behind Leicester Square and wondered again why I bothered to keep it up. It would be as cheap, and far more convenient, to rely on taxis. Just habit, I recognized, buying...

I knocked at Piers’s door and entered. He was standing on a chair by the window, struggling with the black-out board. I helped him to lift it into place, and he climbed down, rubbing his...

‘We could take an office in town and get a small staff. Run your publishing as a front.’ Why did he want me? Did he really want me at all? I was wondering about this...

Having offered the invitation he stood on one side, watching with interested friendliness while the rest of us made the necessary preparations. Olivia and I pushed the carpet back, drew the four chairs up to...

Howard said softly: ‘Nothing much to-night.’ As though in answer the table jerked quickly, pushing against us, coming down again on the floorboards with a clatter of wooden feet. Jupiter had given way to Saturn....

Leslie asked: ‘What does happen, anyway? Ghosts? Long white figures?’ Howard had found another chair for himself and carried it round to wedge himself in between Leslie and Helen. I saw Cynthia lean forward on...

Leslie broke in: ‘Was he – a lover of the arts?’ The table rapped once. Olivia said, explaining: ‘You can put your questions directly.’ ‘Right,’ Leslie said. He paused briefly. ‘Did you know the painter,...

Lulu said: ‘I think I’ll go up to my room. See you all at breakfast.’ Leslie drew a deep inhalation of his cigarette before following her. I turned to go myself. At the door I...