‘Are you in the film business, Mr Langdon?’
‘No.’ Langdon glanced down to adjust the cuffs of his shirt, making sure that they protruded just one quarter of an inch. ‘I’m with a publishing firm in New York, Talbot and Ryder. It’s only a small outfit, but we do very nicely. I’m sorry we don’t have your books on our list, Mr Temple, but I guess we can’t afford the advances the big boys put up. How did the lecture tour go?’
‘Oh, very well, thank you, but it was a bit wearing at times.’
‘I’ll bet!’ Langdon agreed emphatically. ‘Our authors hate ’em. Still, they’re first-rate publicity.’
The conversation was interrupted as two stewardesses came along with the Concorde ration of vintage champagne. Langdon shook his head and insisted on a Scotch on the rocks.
‘Is this your first trip to Europe?’ Temple enquired, savouring his Veuve Clicquot. The aircraft had climbed through cloud and was now flying over a cotton-wool landscape under blue skies.
‘No. I’ve been over many times before. I was in Paris two weeks ago.’ Langdon turned sideways in his seat, swirling the ice round in his glass. Temple sensed that he was now about to learn why Langdon had wanted to sit beside him. ‘Mr Temple, have you heard of a young man called Tony Wyman?’
‘No, I don’t think so. Should I have done?’
‘Well, I understand he’s fairly well-known in your country. He’s a pop singer.’
‘Tony Wyman?’ Temple shook his head. ‘Is he a friend of yours?’
‘No.’ Langdon gave a short laugh. ‘And I doubt whether he’ll turn out to be one, either.’ He eased a little closer and leant his forearm on the armrest between them. ‘Mr Temple, I’ve got quite a problem on my hands and I’d sure like to talk about it. Is that okay by you?’
‘Why, yes.’ Temple, who was used to this kind of approach, smiled wryly. ‘Go ahead.’
‘About two years ago my firm was taken over by an Englishman called George Kelburn. If you don’t know Kelburn personally, you’ve probably read about him.’
‘Yes, I’ve heard of Kelburn. He’s a north-country chap, reputed to be worth millions.’
‘That’s right. Well, when Kelburn took our firm over he made me the Number One boy. He’s a blunt, ruthless sort of guy, but we’ve always got on well together.’
Temple thought Langdon looked as if he was well able to handle a blunt, ruthless sort of guy.
‘He’d be a good deal older than you?’
‘Yes, he’s about sixty, maybe sixty-two or three. I’m not sure.’
Langdon screwed his eyes up against a sudden dazzle. As the plane banked the sunlight was reflected into the cabin off its gleaming wing.
‘Go on, Mr Langdon,’ Temple prompted.
‘Well, Kelburn’s first wife died some years ago and he married again – a woman a lot younger than himself. He has a daughter, Julia, by his first wife. Julia’s twenty-one – young, attractive and hopelessly spoilt.’
‘Not an unusual story,’ said Temple with a smile.
‘No, I suppose not, but – well, to cut a long story short, Julia’s got herself tangled up with this night-club singer, Tony Wyman, and she’s told her father that she intends to marry the guy.’
‘And Kelburn’s against it?’
‘Against it?’ Langdon looked deadly serious. ‘Kelburn’s going to stop that marriage if it’s the last thing he does.’
‘Yes, but – how do you fit into all this, Mr Langdon? If you’re just a business associate of Kelburn’s…’
‘That’s just the point,’ Langdon interrupted, with exasperation. ‘I don’t fit into it! But Kelburn sent me an SOS, and there was nothing I could do about it.’
‘You mean, he wants you to try and influence her to…’
‘Exactly! Julia and I have always got on well together, so he wants me to talk to the kid and try to persuade her to throw the boyfriend over.’
‘Do you think you’ve got much chance?’
‘None.’ Langdon shook his head morosely. ‘I’ve got no special influence with her, and according to all accounts she’s nuts about this Tony Wyman.’
‘You seem to be in quite a spot.’
‘You can say that again! Well, you’re used to other people’s troubles, Mr Temple! What would you do if you were in my shoes?’
Temple had warmed to Langdon, whose frank helplessness was rather disarming. The problem was a pleasantly banal one, after the murders and other vicious crimes which he was usually called on to solve. ‘Frankly, I don’t know what I’d do.’
‘If I refuse to help Kelburn he’ll put me on the spot businesswise – there’s no doubt about that, I know Kelburn. On the other hand, if I get mixed up in it and make a mess of things, which is more than likely, it isn’t going to do me any good either.’
A stewardess was moving back along the cabin, collecting the empty glasses. Temple finished his champagne and placed the glass on the folding table ready for her.
‘And how does Kelburn’s wife react to all this?’
‘Oh, Laura takes the point of view that Julia’s twenty-one and she’ll do what she likes, anyway.’
‘I see.’
‘This whole business has turned up at a very awkward moment, so far as I’m concerned. I’ve had a hectic time just lately – been in ten countries in two months, and right now I’m ready for a holiday, not a first-class family squabble.’
‘Well, there’s no point in anticipating trouble, Mr Langdon,’ Temple told him reassuringly. ‘Perhaps when you get to London you’ll find the situation has straightened itself out.’
‘I certainly hope so.’
‘Anyway, I’m in the ’phone book. If you feel I can help you at any time, give me a ring.’
‘Well, now, that’s very kind of you, Mr Temple.’ Obviously delighted, Langdon stretched out his free hand and insisted on shaking Temple’s. ‘I do appreciate it, sir. I certainly do!’
The stewardess leant across him to pick up Temple’s glass. ‘Will you be returning to your seat, sir?’ she enquired, ‘or remaining here? We shall shortly be serving lunch.’
‘Oh, I’d better get back to my own seat,’ Langdon said, rising. ‘And thanks again, Mr Temple. I may take you up on that offer.’
Steve returned to the flat at about two thirty after lunching in the West End. The flat always seemed so empty when Temple was away, and she began to wish she had accepted her friend’s invitation to go and see the new exhibition at the Hayward Gallery. She went into the bedroom and unpacked the new dress she had bought. She wanted to surprise Paul with something really smart when he came back from his lecture tour. As she held it against herself and studied the effect in the long mirror she decided that a new pair of shoes and a handbag were essential to match it. Rather than hide it away in the long cupboard, she hung it on the back of the door where she could see it and wandered aimlessly into the sitting-room.
The trees in Eaton Square were beginning to bud and the city birds had already started to prophesy spring. A couple of the early daffodils she had bought to brighten the place up had begun to wilt. She had picked them out of the vase and was throwing them into the waste-paper basket when Charlie came in. He was carrying a cup on a tray.
‘Thought you might like a cup of coffee.’