Sparkling Cyanide

It was true what Victor Drake had said. There was no pity in her.

Later, when she was staring across the table at Rosemary Barton’s blue convulsed face, she still felt no pity.

Now, eleven months later, thinking of Rosemary Barton, she felt suddenly afraid …

CHAPTER 3 (#u24d098e3-ecaa-592b-9511-dab1ac0cff72)

Anthony Browne (#u24d098e3-ecaa-592b-9511-dab1ac0cff72)

Anthony Browne was frowning into the middle distance as he thought about Rosemary Barton.

A damned fool he had been ever to get mixed up with her. Though a man might be excused for that! Certainly she was easy upon the eyes. That evening at the Dorchester he’d been able to look at nothing else. As beautiful as a houri—and probably just about as intelligent!

Still he’d fallen for her rather badly. Used up a lot of energy trying to find someone who would introduce him. Quite unforgivable really when he ought to have been attending strictly to business. After all, he wasn’t idling his days away at Claridge’s for pleasure.

But Rosemary Barton was lovely enough in all conscience to excuse any momentary lapse from duty. All very well to kick himself now and wonder why he’d been such a fool. Fortunately there was nothing to regret. Almost as soon as he spoke to her the charm had faded a little. Things resumed their normal proportions. This wasn’t love—nor yet infatuation. A good time was to be had by all, no more, no less.

Well, he’d enjoyed it. And Rosemary had enjoyed it too. She danced like an angel and wherever he took her men turned round to stare at her. It gave a fellow a pleasant feeling. So long as you didn’t expect her to talk. He thanked his stars he wasn’t married to her. Once you got used to all that perfection of face and form where would you be? She couldn’t even listen intelligently. The sort of girl who would expect you to tell her every morning at the breakfast table that you loved her passionately!

Oh, all very well to think those things now.

He’d fallen for her all right, hadn’t he?

Danced attendance on her. Rung her up, taken her out, danced with her, kissed her in the taxi. Been in a fair way to making rather a fool of himself over her until that startling, that incredible day.

He could remember just how she had looked, the piece of chestnut hair that had fallen loose over one ear, the lowered lashes and the gleam of her dark blue eyes through them. The pout of the soft red lips.

‘Anthony Browne. It’s a nice name!’

He said lightly:

‘Eminently well established and respectable. There was a chamberlain to Henry the Eighth called Anthony Browne.’

‘An ancestor, I suppose?’

‘I wouldn’t swear to that.’

‘You’d better not!’

He raised his eyebrows.

‘I’m the Colonial branch.’

‘Not the Italian one?’

‘Oh,’ he laughed. ‘My olive complexion? I had a Spanish mother.’

‘That explains it.’

‘Explains what?’

‘A great deal, Mr Anthony Browne.’

‘You’re very fond of my name.’

‘I said so. It’s a nice name.’

And then quickly like a bolt from the blue: ‘Nicer than Tony Morelli.’

For a moment he could hardly believe his ears! It was incredible! Impossible!

He caught her by the arm. In the harshness of his grip she winced away.

‘Oh, you’re hurting me!’

‘Where did you get hold of that name?’

His voice was harsh, menacing.

She laughed, delighted with the effect she had produced. The incredible little fool!

‘Who told you?’

‘Someone who recognized you.’

‘Who was it? This is serious, Rosemary. I’ve got to know.’

She shot a sideways glance at him.

‘A disreputable cousin of mine, Victor Drake.’

‘I’ve never met anyone of that name.’

‘I imagine he wasn’t using that name at the time you knew him. Saving the family feelings.’

Anthony said slowly. ‘I see. It was—in prison?’

‘Yes. I was reading Victor the riot act—telling him he was a disgrace to us all. He didn’t care, of course. Then he grinned and said, “You aren’t always so particular yourself, sweetheart. I saw you the other night dancing with an ex-gaol-bird—one of your best boy friends, in fact. Calls himself Anthony Browne, I hear, but in stir he was Tony Morelli.”’

Anthony said in a light voice:

‘I must renew my acquaintance with this friend of my youth. We old prison ties must stick together.’

Rosemary shook her head. ‘Too late. He’s been shipped off to South America. He sailed yesterday.’

‘I see.’ Anthony drew a deep breath. ‘So you’re the only person who knows my guilty secret?’

She nodded. ‘I won’t tell on you.’