Sixty Days to Live Read Online Free PDF Page B

8th he had a small party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Fink-Drummond, the Marchesa del Serilla and Captain Rupert Brand. Conchita del Serilla was an old friend of Sam’s and it was he who had introduced her to Rupert Brand, the ace airman. They had fallen for each other at once and were now engaged to be married, which made Samrather pleased with himself. He was, therefore, particularly anxious that Lavina should get to know and like them.
    Having called for Lavina at Aage Thaarup’s and dragged her away from the collection of hats which that expert was making for her, Sam told her on the short drive back to St. James’s Square something of the people whom she was going to meet.
    ‘The Marchesa sounds most seductive,’ Lavina smiled. ‘I shall be diabolically jealous of her, though. I’m sure you know her much better than you’re prepared to admit.’
    ‘Oh, not really.’ Sam looked a little self-consciously at his feet. ‘She’s a good-looker, of course, but she had a ghastly time in Spain. She was pretty badly beaten up by those swine in the Revolution and she just wouldn’t look at a man after that—till she met Rupert. He’s a grand chap and they’re absolutely made for each other. Neither of them are children and I believe they’ve both fallen really in love for the first time. It’s only when you’ve had plenty of experience that you recognise when a person’s really worth while, you know.’
    Lavina shot a swift glance at the greying hair above Sam’s strong features. He had never concealed the fact that he had had plenty of experience.
    ‘Does that apply to women, too?’ she could not resist asking with just a shade of gentle mockery.
    ‘Lord, no! Women are different,’ he laughed, ‘although Conchita must be thirty-ish.’
    ‘What are the Fink-Drummonds like?’ she inquired, to break the little silence that followed.
    ‘Surely you know about them. He resigned from the Government about a year ago. Made a great song and dance about it. Thought he could split the Cabinet and force them to go to the country; but he didn’t pull it off. He’s not quite as clever as he thinks he is, but he’s been mighty useful to me in a business way and may be again if a sudden twist of the political wheel brings him back into power. That’s why I want you to be nice to him.’
    ‘I see. He’s the puppet and you pull the strings. How clever of you, Sam darling. But what about her? She was a famous beauty, wasn’t she?’
    ‘That’s right. She’s hard as nails and has had lovers by the score, but she still believes he’ll be Prime Minister one day. She’d like to move into No. 10 Downing Street, and, through her boy-friends,she wields enormous influence. That’s why they married and why they stick together.’
    Over cocktails Lavina met the people of whom they had been talking. Fink-Drummond was a tall, dark man, with a pompous manner, a very prominent nose and a rather weak chin; his wife certainly had been beautiful in her youth and was beautiful still. Her large, rather tired blue eyes looked out of a pale, oval face, crowned by not too obviously touched-up golden hair. She was as slim as a sylph and as icy as a February wind. Lavina took an instinctive dislike to the Fink-Drummonds but, having Sam to consider, she used all her cleverness to conceal it.
    Her view of Conchita del Serilla and Rupert Brand was entirely different. The big, dark eyes of the lovely Spanish Marchesa were friendly and sincere, while the strong, light-grey ones of the airman held courage and good faith. To anyone coming from Lavina’s sophisticated world it was a joy to see two people who so obviously adored each other and made no bones about showing it.
    It was after lunch when the servants had left the room that Fink-Drummond said:
    ‘I heard an extraordinary thing this morning. Although I’m no longer in the Cabinet, I know everything that’s going on. I’ve plenty of friends on the inside, still, who keep me well