Free Death in Zanzibar by M. M. Kaye Page B

lady be arriving later?’
    â€˜No,’ said Lash shortly. ‘There isn’t another lady. Where’s this room? I can’t stand here half the day.’
    The receptionist left her desk in charge of an African clerk, and graciously accompanied the procession herself, ushering them at last into a sitting-room lavishly supplied with flowers. There was also, somewhat unexpectedly, a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice, and two glasses.
    â€˜With the management’s compliments,’ beamed the receptionist, and withdrew.
    â€˜Wait a minute!’ said Dany. ‘What about me? Where do I ____ ?’ But the door had closed.
    Lashmer Holden Jnr sat down heavily on the sofa, put his head in his hands and gave every indication of taking no further interest in the proceedings, and Dany looked at the flowers and the champagne, and struck by an unpleasant thought, crossed the room quickly and opened the only other door. It led into a bedroom where there were more flowers — orange blossom among them — and an impressive double bed.
    â€˜It’s the honeymoon suite!’ said Dany blankly. ‘For heaven’s sake ____ !’
    She returned in haste to the sitting-room. ‘You’ll have to do something. There’s been a mistake. They think we’re married!’
    Lash winced and said very distinctly: ‘Would you mind not yelling at me?’
    â€˜But this is the Bridal Suite!’
    â€˜Yeah. I booked it.’
    â€˜You what? ’
    â€˜Don’t shout! ’ implored Lash testily.
    â€˜You mean to sit there and tell me that ____ ? Is this your idea of a joke?’
    â€˜Joke!’ said Lash bitterly. ‘If you think that being jilted on the eve of your wedding, and all for the sake of a grinning, greasy-haired, hand-kissing son of a snake-in-the-grass who ____ Oh, go away! Be a good girl and get the hell out of here.’
    â€˜Elf!’ said Dany, enlightened. ‘I forgot. Oh, Lash, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to … I mean, I…’ She stopped, confused and remorseful.
    â€˜I’ll take it as read,’ said Lash. ‘And now, if you don’t mind fading away, I think I could do with some sleep. Thanks very much for your help. Good-bye.’
    He dropped his head back into his hands again and Dany stood looking down at him with an exasperation that was replaced, suddenly and entirely unexpectedly, by a strong desire to pillow his ruffled, aching head on her breast and whisper consolation and endearments. And this to a man whom she had met only forty-eight hours before, and who, having been instrumental in landing her in this intolerable and probably dangerous situation, could not now even bring himself to remember her!
    I must be going out of my mind! thought Dany, astounded at herself. And anyway, he’s in love with that Gordon woman, and he’s been drinking himself silly because she threw him over. He doesn’t care one bit what happens to me. All he wants to do is to get rid of me as soon as possible. He’s selfish and stupid and spoiled and egotistical, and he drinks. And drinks!
    But it was no use. She could not even feel indignant about it, and she still wanted to stroke his hair and comfort him. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, thought Dany. I suppose this is it!
    In common with all young women she had dreamed of the time when she would fall in love. It would be a romantic and rapturous and altogether wonderful moment, and the hero of it would certainly not be a pallid and dishevelled stranger who was suffering from an imperial hangover, and who was himself hopelessly in love with a glamorous widow who had jilted him for an Italian marquis!
    Nothing, it seemed, turned out as one had pictured it or planned it. Life was very disappointing. ‘Damn!’ said Dany aloud and deliberately.
    Lashmer Holden flinched. There was a rap on the door and a white-robed African entered with a tray that bore coffee, a