The Mask of Destiny by Richard Newsome

woman spoke again. ‘I’m a cousin of your father’s,’ she said to Gerald. ‘A distant cousin. I abhor parties.
    â€˜What’s wrong with parties?’ Ruby said.
    The woman picked a speck from the tip of her tongue and regarded it with interest. ‘They are a pointless exercise,’ she said. ‘Nothing of use can be learned at parties. All that chattering and all those lies. People like you should be seeking life’s truths, not wrapping themselves in pretence and falsehoods.’
    Gerald raised an eyebrow. This woman was related to him? ‘What’s your name?’ he asked.
    â€˜Clea,’ the woman said. ‘Don’t use it unless there’s an emergency.’
    She stubbed out the cigarette and fitted another into the holder. Clearing her throat with a moist hack, she lit up again.
    â€˜What’s the matter with you pair?’ she said to Octavia and Zebedee, who couldn’t take their eyes off her. ‘Not having fun yet?’
    The next two hours dragged by in a smoke haze of brain-deflating boredom. Wendell and Caroline barely spoke, apart from occasional whispers between them-selves; though, they did brighten when Clea ordered everyone to play anagrams.
    â€˜Here’s a good one,’ Caroline said. ‘Semolina is an anagram for is no meal .’
    Wendell was the only one who laughed.
    Octavia was staring at Ruby with snake eyes. ‘The magazines say you two are in love. So, has there been any kissy kissy?’
    Zebedee started making smooching noises on the back of his hand. Octavia cackled with delight.
    Gerald looked at Ruby, expecting her to erupt. To his surprise, she sat with a serene smile on her face.
    â€˜I don’t read those sorts of magazines,’ she said. ‘Gerald and I are just good friends. Aren’t we, Gerald?’ She placed her hand on the back of Gerald’s and squeezed.
    â€˜Uh, that’s right,’ Gerald said. ‘You can’t believe what you read in those things.’
    Ruby dropped Gerald’s hand and latched onto Octavia’s. ‘They tell the most wicked lies,’ she said, fixing Octavia with an intense stare. ‘It’s sickening. I mean, you don’t believe that story about us planning to kill Mason Green if he walked free from court, do you?’
    â€˜Er,’ Octavia said, looking nervously at Ruby’s hand as it tightened on her own.
    â€˜I didn’t read anything like—’ Gerald began, but stopped when Ruby switched her glare to him. Then he realised. It was a wind-up. ‘Uh, that’s right,’ Gerald said, trying not to smile. ‘It was a big conspiracy. I’d already hired a hit man from Bulgaria to do the job. Big money. Very hush hush. You won’t tell anyone, will you?’
    Octavia looked first at Gerald, then at Ruby. ‘You two are nuts,’ she said, snatching her hand back.
    From her smoke-cloaked chair, Clea hacked, ‘Play!’
    Zebedee stared at the card in his hand, a look of total confusion on his face. ‘I don’t get it,’ he said. ‘What are you supposed to do?’
    Octavia clicked her tongue and took the card from her brother. ‘It’s anagrams. You rearrange the letters in this word to come up with the answer to the clue. Even you can do that.’
    Ruby piped up. ‘Sure, it’s very straightforward. For example, the anagram for Octavia Archer is I’ve a crater face .’
    Sam snorted, stifling a giggle.
    Octavia thought for a second. ‘No it isn’t,’ she said. ‘There’s no f in my name.’
    â€˜Really?’ Ruby said. ‘When Gerald saw you earlier I’m sure he said: there’s f in Octavia.’
    Gerald’s chair bounced across the rug as he hauled Ruby by the arm over to the far side of the room. Octavia was on her feet, fists pounding the tabletop, screaming abuse at them. Her face was purple. Clea, for her part, sat