Free Ecstasy by Irvine Welsh Page B

There. I have said it
.
    Denby looked at Lorraine. He was then aware of the presence of someone else in the room. He turned, anticipating Marcus Cox. However, it was a female figure. He gazed at his departed wife’s great friend, the match-maker Miss May. – Miss May. You have, I take it, played a part in these proceedings?
    – Not as much as I generally do, for affairs of the heart can only be resolved by the parties concerned. It is for you to now make that resolution, my Lord. What do you say?
    Lord Denby looked into the dark pools that were the eyes of the fair Lorraine. – I say … he staggered forward and held her in his arms, – … I love you … my darling … my sweet, sweet darling Lorraine! He kissed the beautiful young woman and he was aware of cheers in the room as Harcourt and Cox had gathered round. Nonetheless, the Lord held his lips on the lovely lady’s
.
    – Now, Cox commented loudly to Harcourt, – we shall surely get a day out with those blasted hounds!

23 Perk’s End
    He was on his third bottle of red wine in the Kensington bar, but two inches past the bottleneck he could drink no more and he decided that he was as drunk as could be without passing out. He wearily raised his hand to the barman and staggered out into the street.
    It was still light but Perky Navarro was too dazed with drink to react to the oncoming car. He felt nothing until it hit him and he went over its bonnet, realised nothing at all until he briefly came to in the hospital.
    Through his heavy, stunned state Perky could see the assorted strange faces around his bed, the faces of the medical team. One face was familiar, though, one leering face which twisted grotesquely into focus from behind the bland expressions of concerned detachment from the medical people.
    Perks could feel himself slipping away, but he could see that face getting closer to him and the last words Perky Navarro heard were: – You’re in good haaaands ere, Perky, moi ol zun. We’ll take praber gare of thee …
    Unfortunately, Perky Navarro passed away. That evening, Yvonne Croft was on her break so she went down to the path lab to see Glen. She heard noises coming from the behind a door in the lab. – Who’s in there? she asked Glen.
    – It’s just Freddy, Glen smiled, – he’s an old friend of the deceased. He’s a bit emotional; he’s just paying his last respects in his own way.
    – Oh, said Yvonne, – that’s nice.
    – Yeah, said Glen. – Fancy a coffee?
    She smiled and he ushered her out, along to the canteen.

24 Pathologically Yours
    There were two men who played a particularly prominent role in the St Hubbin’s Hospital Trust. It was profitable to them both in different ways. Both men had known that they were not going to give up what they had, what they valued.
    Alan Sweet, who was one of these men, had requested the clear-the-air meeting with the increasingly truculent pathologist Geoffrey Clements, to discuss his continuing allegations of malpractice in the department.
    The pathologist had just started to speak when he felt the chloroform gag over his mouth. He struggled, but Freddy Royle, the second of the men most concerned about the ramifications of the pathologist’s findings, came from good farming stock, and he had an exceptionally tight grip.
    Alan Sweet was soon over by his side, helping to restrain the pathologist until he fell into unconsciousness.
    When Geoffrey Clements was able to gain partial consciousness, he could only strain fitfully against his bonds. Even though a girl with bleached-blonde hair called Candy was riding him, and the huge dildo strapped to her stomach was well into his anus, and in spite of the other girl, Jade, rubbing her crotch into his bearded face, Clements felt blissfully relaxed.
    – Ooh ar, looks like a good un! Freddy Royle shouted as the camera in Perky’s old apartment started recording the scene. – Them muzzel-relaxint drugs look loike the bizzniz, don’t they, Geoffrey, me