Dangerous Sea

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Book: Dangerous Sea Read Online Free PDF
Author: David Roberts
– travel in style.’
    ‘So, on the spur of the moment, you decide to go to America? Why, for goodness sake? Oughtn’t you to be in Spain? I thought there must be one continent at least which is free of the mayhem you seem to bring to the places you visit.’
    ‘I’m not a tourist. I’m a newspaper correspondent,’ Verity said grandly. ‘So I go where the news is and, if mayhem is your word for news, then you are quite correct. But seriously, are you emigrating, or what? No, I’ve got it! You’re after that girl again, aren’t you? What a lark!’
    ‘If you mean Miss Pageant . . .?’
    ‘Yes, Amy.’
    Amy Pageant was Lord Weaver’s daughter and was now a star on Broadway. Edward and she had had a brief affair and Verity had always been jealous of her, even though she had no right to be.
    ‘As a matter of fact, I am accompanying Lord Benyon who is travelling to the United States to receive an honorary degree from Columbia University and give several important lectures,’ Edward said pompously.
    ‘I see. And what precisely is your function? To carry the bags? I never heard you were an economist.’
    ‘I am going as his personal assistant to smooth his way so he can concentrate on the important things.’
    ‘I shall enjoy meeting him again. A very nice man, I thought. I was so sorry about Inna. Is he very unhappy?’
    ‘He’s one of those people who bury their unhappiness in work. But you still haven’t told me
your
reason for being on the
Queen Mary
.’
    ‘I am going to report on the workers’ struggle. Our comrades in arms – how the ordinary American combats the tyranny of capitalism. Hard-hitting stuff.’
    ‘That’s for the
Daily Worke
r, I imagine. What does Joe Weaver want you to do? If I remember correctly, the
Gazette
already has a correspondent in America.’
    ‘The paper does have a Washington correspondent and, of course, takes stories from Reuters and other news agencies but Joe thought a series of articles on how the ordinary American lives and works would be interesting. The idea being that what the Americans do today, we do next year.’
    ‘I see. Well, there we are then. We travel together. I look forward to it. Now, leave me to get on with my packing.’
    ‘I don’t know about travelling together, exactly,’ Verity said casually. ‘I am travelling with a chap called Sam Forrest. He’s John L. Lewis’s assistant. Have you heard of him?’
    Edward was immediately on his guard.
    ‘He’s an American politician, isn’t he?’
    ‘He’s head of the mineworkers’ union.’
    ‘He’s not a “Comrade”?’
    ‘No, he believes that reform within the constitution is the only way to avoid revolution. Roosevelt likes him – well, respects him anyway.’
    ‘I look forward to meeting Mr Forrest,’ Edward said courteously.
    Verity was suspicious. ‘I don’t trust you when you’re being reasonable. I hope you won’t try and patronize him like you do me.’
    ‘
Tu ne quaesieris, scire nefas, quem mihi, quem tibi finem di dederint, Leuconoë, nec Babylonios temptaris numeros
. I don’t know why but old Horace has been rather in my mind.’
    ‘There you are! That’s just what I mean. You know I have no Latin. It wasn’t thought suitable for gels to be taught Latin in the schools I attended. Anyway, wasn’t Horace the one who liked little boys?’
    ‘It’s not my fault you weren’t educated. The poet says, “You don’t inquire – it’s forbidden to know – what our end will be – whether this winter will be our last.” Something like that . . . Oh, and “Don’t play about with foreign affairs.” ’
    ‘I can’t think why they teach that stuff at Eton. It should be abolished. I don’t trust your translation, anyway. I’m sure there was something about Babylonians in there.’
    There was a silence as Fenton returned to the room and began sweeping up the remains of the china ornament.
    ‘I’m sorry, V, I’m forgetting my manners. Have some coffee or
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