Sand Glass (39 page)

‘Huh?’ I
climbed into the Land Rover, ‘Women are not conquests to be notched
up.’

‘Of course
they’re not. They’re dangerous creatures it would take a genius to
outwit.’

‘Well we’re in
no danger then.’ I said mockingly.

We entered
through double doors and were engulfed in a wash of warmth.
Immediately I caught the sweet scent of wine and canapés. Alex was
already heading for the tray of drinks held out by a gloved waiter.
We entered the main area, into a forest of bodies. The suits
carefully tailored were acting as the backdrop to the most exotic
of creatures. I saw things that were backless, and almost frontless
(actually a flesh coloured panel in the thing), quite a lot of
sparkle, and very dangerous looking shoes. How do they walk in
those high heels?

‘Shut your
mouth.’ said Alex grabbing a passing prawn snack. Someone put as
glass in my hand.

‘Who are we
looking for?’ I asked, but Alex had already drifted towards a group
of excited looking woman in colours like birds of paradise.

I weaved my way
through the crowd looking for someone I recognised. I got to the
buffet tables proper and spotted Adam!

‘What are you
doing here?’ Adam rolled his eyes trying to balance a plate and
glass and pick up another snack from the heavily loaded platters
nearby.

‘Blue Sky
Designs… I work for them.’

‘Yeah, figures.
My boss is a member of the golf club too.’

‘Who?’

‘Rainer. Mr
Rainer. He runs a gallery, and an art restoration studio; and a few
other things as well.’

‘You’re not far
from me.’

‘What?’ Adam
was eating more snacks, and the noise was quite loud with all the
people talking.

I didn’t bother
repeating it. I helped myself to a plate and piled it up. I
collected another glass of bubbly stuff.

‘Don’t drink it
too fast!’ it was Ellen.

I was so
stunned. I nearly dropped the plate.

‘I’m pretending
I don’t remember a thing.’ she said, ‘you should too. That’s if
anyone asks.’

‘Are you
wearing heels?’ I coughed once.

‘Yes. But I’m
still the smallest person in the room.’ She put her hand up. She
only measured just to my chest.

‘Don’t tell me.
Your boss is a member of the golf club?’

‘Yes.’ She
frowned, and leaned towards me; and then in my ear said quietly;
‘I’m here with my husband. You know Aiden, don’t you?’

The man with
his back to us turned round as she spoke, ending a conversation
with some other person.

‘Davey? What is
happening?’

‘Not sure. But
it seems that everyone works for someone who is a member here.’

‘Well I don’t,’
said Aiden, putting his arm protectively round Ellen, ‘I was
invited by the chairman…. Someone I know.’ We stared at each
other.

‘Will you do
something for me,’ said Aiden, ‘Will you go round the room and see
who else is here that you know from the project?’

‘Yes. Of
course.’ I started to move.

‘We’ll be
here.’ said Ellen.

‘The best place
to be.’ I said.

I felt like I
was swimming through the wavy weeds of an underwater Kingdom. I
circled round twice and only saw our staff from Blue Sky, and a lot
of strangers. I went back to the table, but Aiden and Ellen had
moved. I spotted them over to my left at the end, near a pile of
meringues.

I was at that
moment, I saw six people that I knew. As the crowd shifted and
moved I saw five more. I felt choked then as I saw drifting into
the periphery of my vision, something blue and golden. It was the
brilliant blue-violet of an evening dress that glowed again
tumbling curls of reddish blonde hair. On her arm was a man smiling
and glowing with a happy fullness that shot me through with
momentary jealously. I did not recognise anyone but Janey Amber.
Then as they sashayed through the crowd in my general direction
greeting people as they moved, only then did I actually realise I
was looking at Jared Arden. He looked bloody amazing. Evening suits
were made for a body like his. Broad shoulders, and a lean slightly
muscular line. His beard was neatly trimmed and his hair was
slicked back away from his face. His dark blue eyes crinkled with
laughter, against the well cut line of the cheek bone. He was one
of those unselfconsciously good looking men, who are quite relaxed
about the effect they are having on anyone in the vicinity. Also,
He was wearing a gold ring on the ring finger of his left hand. I’d
never seen it before…. But realised as he came nearer it was a
signet ring.

I think I must
have panicked. I was moving through the crowd in the direction of
another set of double doors, through which more people moved and
blended. And here thankfully there were tables to sit at to one
side of a wooden dance floor.

I hid myself
near a large pot plant. I was quite unable to reconcile the vision
of the poised elegant couple, with the two people I knew and loved
as certainly as any I had ever known. I had never found social
situations really that kind to me, and really wanted to find out
why they seemed so at home in something that was possibly
developing into a freaky trawl net for the project to have another
stab at me.

I was breathing
rather hard, and felt lightheaded. So I went and sat down at a
vacant table. Here music played, which helped to calm me a little.
I toyed with the idea of going home straight away. But by reason of
the booze already consumed, and the fact that Alex wouldn’t let me
anywhere near the driving seat of his pride and joy, I ruled it out
as an option. Anyway, he fully intended to stay the full term of
the party, and get the maximum return out of all the free food,
available girls, and general enjoyability of the whole thing.

I started to
calm down quite a bit. I took another swig of the bubbly. A waiter
offered my some chilled white so I took it. A few more mouthfuls
and I felt quite a bit better. I looked up. Couples were dancing.
Swaying round to the music with balanced ease. Skirts swished
gently, and they moved together as one. Across the way I spotted
the beautiful Violette dancing with her beloved Jules. They were
moving round staring into each other’s eyes with such rapt
fascination that I could not help but feel a tiny bit voyeuristic
as I watched them mark a curving path between the other couples.
That piece ended and there was a movement of people back towards
the buffet tables.

There was
another piece then started. I think a waltz. And there they were
Jared and Janey, moving round the floor like experts. Others filled
the floor too. But I only saw them. Caught between admiration, and
a dark feeling of unfulfilled passion for Janey.

‘They look well
on the dance floor don’t they?’

I turned to see
Marcia splendidly attired in a deep red cocktail dress, with a
plunging neckline and a mermaids skirt. She looked like a coral
flower. There were little rainbow lights in her hair. Gemstone hair
clips.

She sat down
with me, and placed the most amazing cocktail glass down. It seemed
to be every colour of the rainbow.

‘I really
wanted to try one of these,’ she explained, ‘It really helps take
the edge off. And it tastes great too.’

‘Marcia!’ I
said, ‘what’s going on?’

‘No idea,’ she
regarded me questioningly, ‘would you like to dance? I think I’m
not exceeding the required height… even in these shoes!’

‘I don’t know…’
I wasn’t very assertive so she pulled me out of the chair and
guided me round the floor. Actually it was rather fun. And Marcia
was certainly the nicest friend I’d had who wasn’t of the male
species. Every attempt to be friends with girls in the past, had
always ended in misunderstandings and left me confused. I thought
it was possible. And Marcia proved that. She was like some kind of
bossy big sister. I suppose I had always responded to the influence
in that way.

He found
ourselves rotating near to Janey and Jared. They saw us. But didn’t
react. As the music stopped, Jared left the floor back towards the
other room. Janey came to us.

‘I Marcia, Hi
Davey! Nice party.’

‘Very nice.’ I
said.

The girls
exchanged glances. ‘I’m just borrowing her for a few minutes.’ said
Janey, and steered Marcia away. I guessed they were going to the
girl’s powder room.

‘Hello Davey!’
this time it was Jules and Violette.

‘There is no
reason to suppose that anything untoward will happen in such a
public environment.’ said Violette, ‘so don’t worry Davey. There is
plenty of time to get really paranoid when something new
happens.’

‘That isn’t
really helping me right now.’

‘Don’t be
grumpy,’ said Jules, ‘the booze will make it worse. Please cheer
up.’

‘Yes, of
course,’ I straightened myself up, ‘of course you’re right.’

‘Good Man.’
Said Jules, ‘Do you mind?’ he indicated Violette.

‘No. Not at
all. You go ahead.’ I turned away from the now passionately kissing
couple to scan for other people. I glimpsed Alex dancing with a
tanned beauty in a very short dress and six inch spikes. Then I saw
my Boss Mr Rice dancing with a rather elegant lady with excellent
posture, who I vaguely thought must be his wife.

They passed in
front of me then doubled back.

‘Ah, Mr Milnes!
Good to see you could make it.’ My Boss exchanged a glance with the
elegant Lady who held out her hand to me.

‘Mr Milnes, a
dance if you please.’

I took her hand
without hesitation. Her calm self-assured manner, and the pleasant
voice with which she spoke made the request an easy one to concede
to. She allowed me to lead, and as the music changed again, we
continued.

‘You have a
good balance for leading. I like that.’ She said.

‘Thank you….
Err, Mrs…..’

‘It is Flora
Kennet. And known as “Miss”.’

‘You appeared
to be close to Mr Rice.’

‘John is my
brother. “Kennet” is inherited from my maternal grandmother, a
condition of her will. I was happy to leave behind the name of “Mrs
Addis”, the result of a marriage that ended quite suddenly and
thankfully without any difficulty.’

‘Oh?’

‘Curiosity
too…..you are too polite to ask. He was a bastard my dear; he died
of acute alcoholic poisoning at the age of fourty-two. Certainty
saved me the trouble of having to get rid of him.’

‘I’m sorry…’ I
stuttered.

‘Don’t be Mr
Milnes, I’m not.’ She seemed to be subtly leading me to the edge of
the dance floor, while cleverly making it appear that I was leading
her. ‘Nothing is what it first appears,’ she continued as we still
moved to the music, ‘you are most intriguing; which is why I
brought you here tonight. When the music stops I would like you to
slip into my office for a few minutes. I wish to say something in
private.’

‘Alright.’ I
said, suddenly on my guard.

‘You are not in
any danger from me.’ She said, ‘I have taken an interest in you for
some time. John has done everything he has been able to protect
your wellbeing.’

I thought of
Alex, but said nothing. As the music ceased she quickly led me by
the hand round the back of the drinks tables and past a group of
staff who seemed to close and cluster behind us to hide our
exit.

Then I was in a
carpeted corridor. We took a left at the end and then a right into
a small inner hallway. Miss Kennet produced a small set of keys
from her evening purse and let us in.

It was dark
within. She crossed the room swiftly as one who is familiar with
the layout, and then all the side lights came on at once. There was
a large, and I assumed expensive desk made of something like
mahogany; bookshelves, a filing cabinet, and various plush and
luxurious chairs.

She went
straight to the desk. And then unlocked a drawer and pulled out a
wooden case. She left it locked on the desk blotter and sat down
behind, on the dark upholstered chair.

‘I would ask
you to sit. But you’re not going to. So I will make clear my
intentions straight away…’

‘Very well.’ I
shifted my weight onto the balls of my feet.

She smiled and
unlocked the case. Of course I wanted to know what was in it! She
left it closed.

‘I arranged
this meeting,’ she said, ‘so that I would have enough time to talk
to you without anyone of the enemies of my cause being able to stop
me. As it is they have played into my hands. I see you wondered
what “side” I am on, and what I know. I know about Rimmington, and
the others. They have been using this as a place to meet for some
time. I have allowed this to continue because they could not have
suspected me. I am the Batty woman who owns this facility. I let
them have their little “secret meetings” right here. It is
ridiculously easy to listen in when one has the keys of the castle.
And I do of course…’

‘Go on.’ I was
waiting for the punch line and kept my eyes fastened on this
box.

‘You are not
what you seem either, and just like me you have a secret. Oh! Don’t
worry…. No one has given you away. It isn’t something that is easy
to see, unless you understand something of what that means.’

I thought of
the thing Sam had said about something in the eyes of people who
had been on the expedition… almost as if it was a mark of some
sort; but only readable by those who had the skill to see it.

‘Come near, Mr
Milnes and tell me what you think of my prize.’

She carefully
opened the lid of the box. There, resting in purple silky fabric
was a silvery knife. Light, shining like the moon; small, sharp,
the handle set round was of an amber coloured wood. I immediately
thought of the one Heelio had given me, which had been lost in the
sea as we rose to the surface. I felt then a strange attraction to
the small blade. But I restrained myself. I found the chair behind
me and sat down.