‘Over my dead body,’ said Miles emphatically.
‘Which is precisely what I expect Christina has in mind, if she were to tell her friend Beth Warwick who she’s actually about to marry.’
‘If she did, she’d be penniless overnight.’
‘I’m not sure that’s a gamble you can take. Heaven knows what she’d get up to while you were back in prison and safely out of harm’s way. I’m bound to ask, is a single painting worth a life sentence?’
Miles didn’t respond while the waiter served them both and only said ‘possibly not’ after he’d left.
‘All the more reason for you to be out of the country for the next few weeks while I make sure Christina keeps to her side of the bargain, and that Captain Ralph Neville can safely return to these shores whenever it suits him.’
‘I’d always planned to move into my new home immediately after the wedding,’ said Miles. ‘Somewhere, I can assure you, BW, where neither Warwick nor Christina will ever find me or my paintings.’
‘I’m glad to hear it. But in my opinion we need to keep Christina on our side while she’s still able to supply inside information on the Warwicks. Don’t forget how close she is to Beth Warwick, who innocently passes on information about what her husband is up to.’
‘Or not so innocently,’ suggested Miles.
‘With that in mind, I’m planning to put Superintendent Lamont back on the payroll to keep an eye on her.’
‘Ex-Superintendent,’ Miles reminded him. ‘Don’t forget he’s no longer on the inside and, more important, that man will do anything for money while he has a “trophy wife” who keeps his bank balance in the red, not to mention his genius for backing horses that can’t find their way to the winner’s enclosure.’
‘That might well be the case. But don’t forget that the ex-Superintendent was once Commander Hawksby’s second-in-command.’
‘Until he had to resign.’
‘But he still knows a lot of people on the inside, and one in particular.’
‘Do I know him?’
‘Her. She’s part of William Warwick’s inner team, and, more important, she isn’t averse to receiving the occasional brown envelope.’
‘Then keep supplying them. That way we can stay ahead of both Christina and the Warwicks.’
‘So you’re willing to cough up the million she’s demanding?’
Miles smiled as he picked up his knife and fork. ‘On one condition,’ he said. ‘Make it clear that if Christina ever breaks the agreement, I’ll dock her monthly allowance until the million is paid back.’
? ? ?
‘So how was the lecture?’ asked William, pulling back Beth’s chair before she took her place at their table.
‘We listened to different arias from La bohème, after which Catherine explained the dramatic realism of Puccini’s operas. I can’t wait for tomorrow.’
‘Tosca or Madame Butterfly?’ asked William as Franco handed him a menu.
‘Madame Butterfly – want to join us?’
‘I fear I’ll be otherwise occupied with a chrysalis who’s hoping to become a butterfly. Did you find out if she’s the wife of Mr Justice Whittaker?’
‘The same, and Charlotte has invited us to join them for dinner tomorrow evening,’ said Beth. William became distracted when Fraser Buchanan entered the dining room with his wife on his arm. He was dressed in a smart double-breasted dinner jacket that disguised his weight, while she wore an elegant long cream gown which caused several women in the room to take a second look, including Beth.
The chairman took his place at the top of the table. All the men stood and waited for his wife to take her seat at the other end of the table – a cricket pitch away.
‘Who’s the man sitting next to the chairman’s sister, Flora?’ asked Beth, once Franco had taken their order.
‘Andrew Lockhart,’ said William. ‘He’s the company’s doctor and sits on the main board. He’s also the chairman’s personal physician. Buchanan had a heart attack a couple of years ago and since then Lockhart has accompanied him on every trip.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ said Beth. ‘He must be two or three stone overweight.’
‘I’d be two or three stone overweight,’ said William, ‘if I spent half my life on a cruise liner.’
‘Would you like to order, madam?’ said Franco.