按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
er the grey horse； so the dragon…lady told him to wait and she came back with a groom； only he said it wasn't the right groom； and he； the groom； eh？； said the other groom had left in Calgary and he had taken over； and then your man in the photo walked off。 I didn't see where he went to。 I mean； it wasn't important。'
I sighed。 'Did the man look angry； or anything？'
'I didn't notice。 I was there to ask Ms Brown if everything was in order in the horse car before we set off； and she said it was。 She said all the grooms were in the horse car with their horses； looking after them； as they had been all day； and they would stay there until after we left。 She looks after the horses well； eh？； and the grooms； too。 Can't fault her； eh？'
'No。'
He held out the photograph for me to take back； but I told him to keep it； and asked diffidently if he would check with the racegoers' sleeping…car attendants； if he had time； to find out for sure whether or not gaunt…face had e all the way from Toronto among the passengers。
'What's he done？ Anything yet？'
'Frightened a groom into leaving。'
He stared。 'Not much of a crime； eh？' His eyes laughed。 'He won't do much jail time for that。'
I had to agree with him。 I left him to his enjoyment of human failures and went towards the dining car； passing as I did so the friendly sleeping…car attendant who was again resting himself in the corridor； watching the changing perspectives of the snowy giants。
'I don't see this usually；' he said in greeting。 'I don't usually e further west than Winnipeg。 Grand； isn't it？'
I agreed。 Indeed it was。
'What time do you bring the beds down？ ' I asked。
'Any time after the passengers have all gone along to the dining car。 Half of them are in their rooms here； now； changing。 I've just taken extra towels to two of them。'
'I'll give you a hand with the beds later； if you like。'
'Really？' He was surprised and pleased。 That would be great。'
'If you do your dome…car rooms first；' I said； 'then when you e back through the dining car； I'll follow you and we can do these。'
'You don't have to； you know。'
'Makes a nice change from waiting at table。'
'And your scene；' he said； smiling in understanding； 'what about that？'
'That es later；' I promised him。
'All right； then。 Thanks very much。'
'Pleasure；' I said； and swung along past Filmer's closed door； through the heavy doors of the cold and draughty join； into the heat of the corridor beside the kitchen； and finally to the little lobby between kitchen door and tables where Emil； Oliver and Cathy were busy unboxing the champagne flutes。
I picked up a cloth and began polishing。 The other three smiled。
In the hissing heat of the kitchen； Angus and Simone were arguing； Angus having asked Simone to shell a bowlful of hard…boiled eggs which she refused to do； saying he must do it himself。
Emil raised amused eyebrows。 'She is getting crosser as time goes by。 Angus is a genius and she doesn't like it。'
Angus； as usual seeming to have six hands all busy at once； proved to be making dozens of fresh canapes on baking trays ready for ten minutes in a scorching oven。 Crab and brie together in thin layers of pastry； he said of one batch； and chicken and tarragon in another； cheese and bacon in a third。 Simone stood with her hands on her hips； a hoity…toity tilt to her chin。 Angus had begun ignoring her pletely； which was making things worse。
The passengers as usual came to the dining car well before the appointed hour； but seemed perfectly happy just to sit and wait。 The theatrical entertainment outside the windows anyway claimed all eyes and tongues until the shadows grew long in the valleys and only the peaks were lit with slowly fading intensity； until they too were extinguished into darkness。 Evening came swift and early in the mountains； twilight being a matter of a lingering lightness in the sky； night growing upwards from the earth。
A real shame； most of the passengers plained to Nell； that the train went through the best scenery in Canada in the dark。 Someone in a newspaper； they were saying as I distributed the champagne glasses； had said that it was as if the French kept the lights off in the Louvre； in Paris。 Nell said she was really sorry； she didn't write the timetables； and she hoped everyone had been able to see a mountain or two at Lake Louise； which everyone had； of course。 Most had gone up one； Sulphur Mountain； to the windy summit； in four…seater glass containers on wires。 Others had said no way； and stayed at the bottom。 Filmer； sitting this time with the ultra…rich owners of Redi…Hot； was saying pleasantly that no； he hadn't been on the bus tour； he'd been content to take his exercise in the gym at Lake Louise。
Filmer had e into the dining room from the dome…car end； not from his bedroom； and he arrived wearing a private smirk which sent unfortable shivers along my nerves。 Any time Julius Apollo looked as pleased with himself as that； it was sure to mean trouble。
The Lorrimores arrived in a group and sat together at one table； the offspring both looking mutinous and the parents glum。 Xanthe； it was clear； hadn't yet made Mercer laugh。 Rose and Cumber Young were with the Upper Gumtree Unwins and the Flokati people were with the owners of Wordmaster。 It was interesting； I thought； that the owners of the horses tended to be attracted to each other； much as if they belonged to a brotherhood which clung naturally together。
Perhaps Filmer had understood that。 Perhaps it was why he had made such efforts to go on the train as an owner： because being an owner of one of the horses gave him standing； gave him credibility； gave him a power base。 If that was what he intended； he had achieved it。 Everyone on the train knew Mr Julius Filmer。
Emil popped the champagne corks。 Angus whizzed his succulent hot appetizers from oven to serving trays； seeming to summon from nowhere the now peeled and sliced eggs topped with caviar and lemonskin twists on melba toast circles。 We set off from the kitchen in a small procession； Emil and I pouring the bubbles； Oliver and Cathy doing the skilful stuff with silver serving tongs； giving everyone little platefuls of the hors…d'oeuvre they preferred。
Nell was laughing at me silently。 Well； she would。 I kept a totally straight face while filling her glass and also that of Giles who was sitting beside her in the aisle seat； ready for action。
'Thank you；' Giles said in a bored voice when his glass was full。
'My pleasure； sir；' I said。
He nodded。 Nell smothered her laughing mouth against her glass and the people sitting opposite her noticed nothing at all。
When I reached the Lorrimores； Xanthe was perceptibly anxious。 I poured into Bambi's glass and said to Xanthe； 'For you； miss？'
She gave me a flicker of a glance。 'Can I have Coke？ '
'Certainly； miss。'
I poured champagne for Mercer and for Sheridan； and went back to the kitchen for the Coke。
'You have to pay for it；' Xanthe said jerkily to her father when I returned。
'How much？' Mercer asked。 I told him； and he paid。 'Thank you；' he said。
'A pleasure； sir。'
He looked abstracted； not his usual placatory self。 Xanthe risked another semi…frightened glance at me and seemed to be greatly reassured when I didn't refer in any way to our encounter above the lake。 The most I gave her was the faintest of deferential smiles； which even her mother couldn't have disapproved of； if she had seen it： but she； like Mercer； seemed more than usually preoccupied。
I went on to the next table and hoped that Filmer's smirk and Mercer's gloom were not connected； although I was afraid that they might be。 The smirk had been followed into the dining room by the gloom。
When Angus's canapes had been devoured to the last melting morsel and the champagne glasses refilled； Zak arrived with a flourish for the long wrap…up scene。 First of all； he said； he had to announce that a thorough search of the rooms in the Chateau had produced no sign of Mavis Bricknell's jewels。
miserations were expressed for Mavis； the passengers entering into the fantasy with zest。 Mavis accepted them