and the next corner leapt at him。 Here the grade was steeper； the road more winding and narrow。 Again he cornered badly but once through he had a split second to grab the hand brake and this slowed him only a little； the new corner was on him； and he came out of it way out of his lane； oning headlights blinding him。
The taxi skittered in panic to the shoulder and almost went over the side； its horn blaring but he was passed by a fraction of an inch； lurching petrified for the correct side； and then went on down the hill out of control。 A moment of straight road and he managed to jerk the gear lever into low as he hurtled into another blind corner； the engine howling now。 The sudden slowing would have pitched him through the windshield but for his seat belt； his hands almost frozen to the wheel。
He got around this corner but again he was out too far and he missed the oning car by a millimeter； skidded back to his side once more； swerved； overcorrecting； slowing a little now but there was no letup in the grade or twisting road ahead。 He was still going too fast into the new hairpin and ing out of the first part he was too far over。 The heavily laden truck grinding up the hill was helpless。
Panic…stricken he tore the wheel left and just managed to get around the truck with a glancing blow。 He tried to jerk the gear lever into reverse but it wouldn't go； the cogs shrieking in protest。 Then； aghast； he saw slow traffic ahead in his lane； oning traffic in the other and the road vanish around the next bend。 He was lost so he turned left into the mountainside； trying to ricochet and stop that way。
There was a howl of protesting metal； the back side window shattered and he bounced away。 The oning car lurched for the far shoulder； its horn blaring。 He closed his eyes and braced for the head…on collision but somehow it didn't happen and he was past and just had enough strength to jerk the wheel hard over again and went into the mountainside。 He hit with a glancing blow。 The front left fender ripped away。 The car ploughed into the shrub and earth； then slammed into a rock outcrop； reared up throwing Gornt aside； but as the car fell back the near…side wheel went into the storm drain and held； and； just before smashing into the paralyzed little Mini ahead； it stopped。
Gornt weakly pulled himself up。 The car was still half upright。 Sweat was pouring off him and his heart was pounding。 He found it hard to breathe or to think。 Traffic both ways was stopped； snarled。 He heard some horns hooting impatiently below and above； then hurried footsteps。
〃You all right； old chap？〃 the stranger asked。
〃Yes； yes I think so。 My； my brakes went。〃 Gornt wiped the sweat off his forehead； trying to get his brain to work。 He felt his chest； then moved his feet and there was no pain。 〃I 。。。 the brakes went 。。。 I was turning a corner and 。。。 and then everything 。。。〃
〃Brakes； eh？ Not like a Rolls。 I thought you were pretending to be Stirling Moss。 You were very lucky。 I thought you'd had it twenty times。 If I were you I'd switch off the engine。〃
〃What？〃 Then Gornt realized the engine was still gently purring and the radio playing so he turned the ignition off and； after a moment； pulled the keys out。
〃Nice car；〃 the stranger said； 〃but it's a right proper mess now。 Always liked this model。 '62； isn't it？〃
〃Yes。 Yes it is。〃
〃You want me to call the police？〃
Gornt made the effort and thought a moment； his pulse still pounding in his ears。 Weakly he unsnapped the seat belt。 〃No。 There's a police station just back up the hill。 If you'd give me a lift to there？〃
〃Delighted； old chap。〃 The stranger was short and rotund。 He looked around at the other cars and taxis and trucks that were stopped in both directions； their Chinese drivers and Chinese passengers gawking at them from their windows。 〃Bloody people；〃 he muttered sourly。 〃You could be dying in the street and you'd be lucky if they stepped over you。〃 He opened the door and helped Gornt out。
〃Thanks。〃 Gornt felt his knees shaking。 For a moment he could not dominate his knees and he leaned against the car。
〃You sure you're all right？〃
〃Oh yes。 It's 。。。 that frightened me to death！〃 He looked at the damage； the nose buried into earth and shrub； a huge score down the right side； the car jammed well into the inside curve。 〃What a bloody mess！〃
〃Yes； but it hasn't telescoped a sausage！ You were bloody lucky you were in a good car； old chap。〃 The stranger let the door swing and it closed with a muted click。 〃Great workmanship。 Well； you can leave it here。 No one's likely to steal it。〃 The stranger laughed； leading the way to his own car which was parked； its blinker lights on； just behind。 〃Hop in； won't take a jiffy。〃
It was then Gornt remembered the mocking half…smile on Dunross's face that he had taken for bravado as he left。 His mind cleared。 Would there have been time for Dunross to tamper 。。。 with his knowledge of engines 。。。 surely he wouldn't 。。。 ？
〃Son of a bitch；〃 he muttered； aghast。
〃Not to worry； old chap；〃 the stranger said； as he eased past the wreck； making the turn。 〃The police'll make all the arrangements for you。〃
Gornt's face closed。 〃Yes。 Yes they will。〃
13
10：25 P。M。 ：
〃Grand dinner； Ian； better than last year's；〃 Sir Dunstan Barre said expansively from across the table。
〃Thank you。〃 Dunross raised his glass politely and took a sip of the fine cognac from the brandy snifter。
Barre gulped his port then refilled his glass； more florid than usual。 〃Ate too much； as usual； by God！ Eh Phillip？ Phillip！〃
〃Yes 。。。 oh yes 。。。 much better 。。。〃 Phillip Chen muttered。
〃Are you all right； old chap？〃
〃Oh yes 。。。 it's just 。。。 oh yes。〃
Dunross frowned； then let his eyes rove the other tables； hardly listening to them。
There were just the three of them now at this round table that had seated twelve fortably。 At the other tables spread across the terraces and lawns； men were lounging over their cognac； port and cigars； or standing in clusters； all the ladies now inside the house。 He saw Bartlett standing over near the buffet tables that an hour ago had been groaning under the weight of roast legs of lamb； salads； sides of rare beef； vast hot steak…and…kidney pies； roast potatoes and vegetables of various kinds； and the pastries and cakes and ice cream sculptures。 A small army of servants was cleaning away the debris。 Bartlett was in deep conversation with Chief Superintendent Roger Crosse and the American Ed Langan。 In a little while I'll deal with him； he told himself grimly … but first Brian Kwok。 He looked around。 Brian Kwok was not at his table； the one that Adryon had hosted； or at any of the others； so he sat back patiently； sipped his cognac and let himself drift。
Secret files； MI…6； Special Intelligence； Bartlett； Casey； Gornt； no Tsu…yan and now Alan Medford Grant very dead。 His phone call before dinner to Kiernan； Alan Medford Grant's assistant in London； had been a shocker。 〃It was sometime this morning； Mr。 Dunross；〃 Kiernan had said。 〃It was raining； very slippery and he was a motorcycle enthusiast as you know。 He was ing up to town as usual。 As far as we know now there were no witnesses。 The fellow who found him on the country road near Esher and the A3 highway； just said he was driving along in the rain and then there in front of him was the bike on its side and a man sprawled in a heap on the edge of the road。 He said as far as he could tell； AMG was dead when he reached him。 He called the police and they've begun inquiries but 。。。 well； what can I say？ He's a great loss to all of us。〃
〃Yes。 Did he have any family？〃
〃Not that I know of； sir。 Of course I informed MI…6 at once。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃Why？〃
There was heavy static on the line。 〃He'd left instructions with me； sir。 If anything happened to him I was to call two numbers at once and cable you； which I did。 Neither number meant anything to me。 The first turned out to be the private number of a high…up official in MI…6 … he arrived within half an hour with some of his people and they went through AMG's desk and private papers。 They took most of them when they left。 When he saw the copy of the last report； the one we'd just sen