Marnie by Winston Graham Read Free Book Online Page A

instance, and hoped to pick up a fourth, the odds against you must be forty-eight to one because there was only one more
in the whole pack. No, twenty-four to one, because you had two chances.
    When nobody was looking I grabbed up my bag and found some paper and began figuring.
    About three o’clock, the Smitherams and Dawn and another couple went home, and we all had a drink and I thought it was going to break up; but two or three of the others shouted to go on,
so they squatted down once more, and this time they made me play again. I took out a pound note of my own and sat down swearing I’d walk home when that was gone.
    But it didn’t go. I won. All the things I was quite good at came in then. For years I’d had to hide what I was thinking however I felt. Ever since I was ten I’d had to do it.
Then the liking for mathematics and money. Then the fact that I’d been watching everybody and trying to guess whether they were bluffing.
    Not that I got any fun out of it. Gambling has always scared me to death. The only time I ever put a pound on a horse I felt sick like seasick, and it was almost a relief when the race was over
and the money was lost. I don’t know why it is because I never much mind giving money away.
    By five o’clock when it all broke up I had won twenty-two pounds. I felt clammy and awful and glad it was over. I wouldn’t pick up the money at first.
    ‘No,’ I said, ‘take it back. It’s too much.’
    ‘Taken in fair fight,’ said Alistair MacDonald, patting my shoulder. He was the only other one who had won. ‘But don’t ever be ingenuous again or we won’t believe
you.’
    ‘The candles burn their sockets, the blinds let in the day,’ said his wife with a gaping yawn behind her spread-fingered hand. ‘It’s me instantly for bye-byes. Home,
James.’
    Terry wanted everyone to have farewell drinks, but nobody would, and we began to get coats and things out of the bedroom. I found I’d picked up a stain on the sleeve of my frock, and
stayed dabbing at it, but I swear I was only about five seconds longer than the others. When I came out all my winnings were still on the table and Terry was saying good-bye to the man Walden and
two others, so I clutched up the notes and stuffed them in my bag.
    I went to the door with my coat over my arm as Terry saw the others out. He looked at me half winking, with this odd lower-lipped smile of his, and then when he closed the door on the others I
said:
    ‘Thank you very much. It’s been lovely. And I’m really awfully sorry about this money.’
    ‘It was fair fight, as Alistair said. Stay a few minutes more, do.’
    ‘I couldn’t. I’m asleep. And the MacDonalds are waiting for me.’
    ‘Oh, no, they’ve gone.’
    ‘Gone?’ That pressed the bell all right. ‘D’you mean—’
    ‘Don’t look so alarmed . I’ll run you home in a few minutes.’
    ‘But they said they practically passed my door.’
    ‘Did they? They must have forgotten.’ He took my arm and led me back into the living-room. ‘No, seriously, my dear, I told them you were staying a bit longer and I was going to
drive you home. Really, I’d be enchanted.’
    ‘And what did they think?’ I asked.
    ‘Think?’ He snorted with laughter. ‘Oh, really! Victoria’s dead. Don’t you know?’
    ‘I’d heard,’ I said.
    He went across to the curtains and pulled them back. ‘You see. It’s half daybreak already. The sun will be up in a few minutes. Your honour’s saved.’
    I didn’t answer. He came back and looked closely into my face. ‘Look, sweetie, I thought it was a delicious idea. It’s no use trying to go to sleep at this hour.
We’ve got to be back in slavery in less than four hours. Besides, I’m raving hungry, and I expect you are. I thought we could have breakfast together; then I could drive you home, wait
while you changed and bring you back to Barnet.’
    I went across to the table and started gathering up the cards. There’s a lot of