Marnie by Winston Graham

Author:Winston Graham [Graham, Winston]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781447207238
Publisher: Pan
Published: 1960-12-31T18:30:00+00:00

When I got to Terry’s about nine on the Saturday night the same round-the-clock top-of-the-pops were playing, but I didn’t know any of the people there except the Macdonalds. Gail said vaguely, ‘Why darling, such a long time,’ and patted her urchin cut. Alistair raised his eyebrows across a lot of bottles and sandwiches and nattering people. Terry introduced the others. There were six of them, and they were an odd lot. One was a Jewish film director with a disillusioned expression as if he’d gone right through the alphabet and there wasn’t anything more; two were hard-bitten women in their forties, with thin silly lines for eyebrows and the sort of faces that look ancient because they’re trying to look young. The other three were all men and they’d all got plenty of money. You could see that right off.

As soon as we got playing, which we did about ten, I saw this was a different game from the last. Last time it had been ordinary middle-class folk having fun and a gamble. This time it was serious. And there weren’t any beginners, except me.

And the maximum raise was one pound. I had brought five pounds with me, but I saw from the stuff the others were handling that this wasn’t going to count for much if I lost. So I began very cautiously, dropping out every time when I didn’t have much and not bluffing at all. I watched the others and tried to learn from them. And I tried to work out the odds, the way I’d done before. But it was all nerve jarring, and if the cards hadn’t come slightly my way I should have lost. I was mad when I got out on a limb playing against the film director, and knew in my bones that I had a better hand than he had but didn’t dare to call his bluff.

By one o’clock I was two pounds to the good, and by three I’d made nearly nine. Then I had two nasty jolts, and in the second, when I was sure the film director was bluffing again, I found he wasn’t and went down eleven pounds on one hand. I played safe as hell after that, and when we stopped at four I was only thirty shillings out of pocket. But I felt sick to the stomach, and even thirty shillings seemed a fortune.

I’d forgotten completely about the time and about Mark, and when I looked at my watch I jumped and said I must go at once.

Terry gave me one of his smooth lop-sided glances. ‘The old man likely to cut up rough? Well, I hope it’s been worth it.’

‘Yes, I’ve enjoyed it ever so. Thank you, Terry.’

‘Come again. I have a party once a week. No needy person ever turned away.’

I thought, no, but sometimes they’ll be needy when they leave.

I drove home in Estelle’s car, trying to tell myself I didn’t mind being a loser.

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