The Widening Stream by Rachel Lindsay

Author:Rachel Lindsay
Language: eng
Format: epub

CHAPTER TEN

When Brett opened his eyes the following morning, sunshine was already flooding the room. He turned his head to look at the clock and a sharp stab of pain made him wince and put his hand to his temples. With a groan he sat up, then slowly and carefully reaching for the bell he rang for Dorcas, and when the butler appeared, ordered coffee—"as black and strong as you can make it."

After Dorcas had gone he lay still, trying to recollect what had happened the night before. But he could only remember discovering Loris and Dickson in each other's arms, and then driving off in his car with Elaine. Where they had eaten, and to whose party they had gone afterwards, remained a mystery, but he must obviously have drunk more than was good for him, for how he had got home or who had put him to bed he did not know.

The butler came in with coffee and poured it out, and Brett sat up carefully and took the cup. "How did I get home last night, Dorcas?"

"Mrs. Forest brought you back, suh. She took yo' car and drove herself home in it."

Brett swore softly. "Lord, I must have been drunk!"

"Can ah get you anything else, suh?" the old man asked impassively.

"Yes, you can bring me an Alka-Seltzer."

"Ah'm sorry, Mis' Brett, ah plum forgot to bring one along with the coffee."

"That's all right, Dorcas—I'm not in the habit of having hangovers, so I guess you didn't think."

As soon as Dorcas went out Brett reached for the telephone and dialled the Loftus number. A second or two later he was put through to Elaine and her voice, light and sibilant, came over the line.

"How are you this morning, Elaine?"

"I'm fine, Brett. But how are you? You should have a terrible hangover right now."

He gave a short laugh. "I have. Thanks for driving me home. Hope I didn't disgrace myself last night, but I can't remember a darned thing."

There was a short silence and he would have been puzzled if he had seen Elaine's expression. She had only just awakened before Brett telephoned and had lain in bed thinking over the events of the previous night. The implication of Loris's drawn face and the fact that she had stayed up so late for no apparent reason had not been lost on her, and she was willing to bet that Brett's distraught manner had some connection with the girl. Brett had been extremely drunk last night—a rare occurrence where he was concerned—but that he had no recollection of anything that had happened during the evening put an idea into her mind which seemed to become more feasible the longer she thought about it.

"Are you still there, Elaine?"

Infusing the appropriate emotion into her voice, Elaine answered softly: "Don't you remember anything about last night, Brett? Don't you even remember…" She seemed to hesitate, and he prompted:

"Is there anything special I ought to remember?"

Her voice trembled effectively. "Unless you don't consider asking me

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