Sixty Days to Live by Dennis Wheatley

Gervaise said quietly. ‘Since Mr. Fink-Drummond appears determined to go through with his plans, with or without your assistance, Sam, I think it would be as well to dicuss the matter further. We all seem to have got a little heated and I was surprised into a breach of good taste myself only a moment ago. To calm ourselves I suggest that we should drink a glass of wine together before we say anything more. I’ll go and get a bottle.’
    ‘Let me, sir,’ Hemmingway offered.
    ‘No, no, I can manage,’ Gervaise replied. ‘But please, all of you, remain here. I don’t want this affair to reach the ears of any others members of the party.’
    As Gervaise left the room it was on the tip of Sam’s tongue to say that he did not think further discussion could serve any useful purpose, but as he had already conceived a great respect for his father-in-law’s wisdom he remained silent.
    When Gervaise returned he was carrying four full tumblers ofchampagne on a tray, which he offered first to Fink-Drummond.
    The ex-Cabinet Minister took the nearest glass and smiled again. ‘Let me congratulate you, Mr. Stapleton, on your good sense in suggesting that Sam should reconsider my proposition. He’s a hot-headed fellow but I feel sure that when he thinks the matter over he will see reason. As he admits himself I could easily get the money elsewhere, but I would prefer to work with Sam because I know that I can trust him.’
    Sam shrugged. ‘Oh, if I came into this, you could trust me all right; but I’m not coming into it.’
    ‘But why, my dear fellow? We’ve done many other deals together and some which, I think you will agree, certain people who know little of the inner workings of big business might, quite unjustifiably, consider questionable.’
    ‘That’s true. But I’ve done nothing that my competitors, who
do
understand such things, would not willingly have done, and for that reason I am not the least ashamed of our dealings. Big business, plus politics, plus finance, has its own code of laws and I’ve never gone outside them; but this is different, because it affects the happiness of the whole nation.’
    ‘We all see that, Sam,’ Gervaise reasoned mildly. ‘But if Mr. Fink-Drummond is determined to do this thing, surely it’s better for you to go into it with him than to permit somebody else to take it on who might prove—well, shall we say, much less scrupulous. Anyhow, here’s your health once again!’
    Sam looked at his father-in-law in surprise. It came as quite a shock to him that anyone so upright as Gervaise Stapleton should countenance his agreeing to Fink-Drummond’s suggestion on any terms whatsoever; but he lifted his glass with the rest and they all drank the proposed toast.
    ‘I don’t like it,’ Hemmingway Hughes exclaimed suddenly.
    ‘I’m damned if I do! High finance may have its own code, as Sam says, but this is different. Why, even the armament racketeers don’t go to the length of fermenting trouble which may cause bloodshed among their own people. Honestly, Sam, I wouldn’t touch this thing with a barge-pole.’
    ‘I’ve never had the least intention of doing so,’ Sam said firmly.
    ‘Perhaps you’re right.’ Gervaise set down his glass on a nearbytable. ‘It’s difficult for me to express an opinion because I entirely lack experience in such matters, but I’ve always understood that some very queer things occur behind the scenes in politics.’
    ‘They do,’ Sam agreed, ‘but there’s a limit, and I should have thought anyone could see the misery that would be caused to countless innocent people if Fink-Drummond goes through with his scheme to unseat the Government.’
    ‘I should be able to form a better judgment on that if Mr. Fink-Drummond would be kind enough to explain his plans to me in some detail.’
    ‘By all means.’ Fink-Drummond took another drink from his glass, straightened himself up and began to outline his proposed campaign. Rumours must be set