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johngardner.rollofhonor-第11部分

小说: johngardner.rollofhonor 字数: 每页4000字

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 In the private bar he found only the harman and one other guest。
 〃James; darling; what a surprise to find you here; out in the sticks!〃 Freddie Fortune; neat in an emerald shirt and tight jeans sat in a window seat。
 〃The surprise is mutual; Freddie。  Drinking?〃
 〃Vodka and tonic; darling。〃 He got the drinks from a friendly harman; and carried them over to Freddie; saying loudly; 〃What brings you here; then?〃
 〃Oh; I adore this place。  I often e down to mune with nature … and friends。  Not your sort of place though; James。〃 Then quietly; 〃So glad you could make it。〃 Bond said he was glad too。  〃On a bit of a downer。
 Sorry about the other night; Freddie。  Must've bored the pants off you。。
 〃Oh no; darling; I wouldn't say that;〃〃 she murmured。
 〃It was frightfully touching; actually。  I felt terribly sorry for you; poor lamb。〃
 〃Made an ass of myself。  Forget what I said; eh?〃 Bond felt unutterably foolish; putting on the style of Freddie's London friends。
 〃Forgotten already; darling。〃 She took a quick sip of her vodka and tonic。  〃So you wanted to get out of the hurly…burly; yah?〃
 〃Yah。〃 Bond almost mimicked her affected accent。
 〃Or did you e because I asked you?〃 He gave a non…mittal 〃Mmmm。〃
 〃Or; perhaps; the possibility of work?〃
 〃Little of all three; Freddie。〃
 〃Three's a crowd。〃 She snuggled up beside him。  For a second; Bond felt; strangely; that Percy was there。  They lunched together from a menu that would not have put the Connaught to shame; then walked for five miles or so across the fields and through the woodland; getting back around three…thirty。
 〃Just in time for a nice quiet siesta。〃 Freddie gave him the e…to…bed look; and Bond; invigorated by the walk; was in no mood to disappoint。
 First; though; he made an excuse to go over to the Bentley; where he retrieved the ASP 9mm and two spare clips of ammunition; keeping them well hidden when he joined Freddie in the fort of her room。
 She was lying on the bed; wearing precious little。
 Smiling sweetly; she said; 〃e and bore the pants off me; darling。〃
 〃Dinner?〃 Bond asked later; as they sat over tea in the residents' lounge。  The hotel had filled up; and three Spanish waiters scurried about with silver teapots; small plates of sandwiches and fancy cakes。 Like Brown's on Sunday afternoon; but without the polish; Bond thought。
 〃Oh lord; darling。〃 Freddie put on her 〃devastated' face。  〃I have a dinner date。〃 Then she smiled。  〃So have you; if we play our cards right。  You see; I've got some old friends who live here。〃 She suddenly became confidential。
 〃Now listen; James; they could be a godsend。  You were serious about going into puters?  Programming and all that sort of thing? Micros?〃
 〃Absolutely。〃
 〃Super。  Old Jason'll be thrilled。〃
 〃Jason?〃
 〃My friend … well friends; really。  Jason and Dazzle St。 John…Finnes。〃
 〃Dazzle?〃 Freddie gave an impatient back…flip of her hand … 〃Oh; her name's Davide or something。  Everyone calls her Dazzle。
 Super people。 
 Iinto puters in a really big way。  They're incredibly clever and invent frightfully plicated war games。
 M had already briefed him about the other members of Jay Autem Holy's entourage: the 〃wife'; Dazzle; a young expert called Peter Amadeus (〃Austrian; I think;' Freddie now added); and the even younger Cambridge graduate; Cindy Chalmer。
 〃She's an absolute hoot。〃 Freddie became expansive。
 〃The locals call her Sinful Cindy; and she's jolly popular; particularly with the men。  Black; you know。〃 No; Bond said; he did not know。  But he would like to find out。  How did Sinful Cindy get on with Peter Amadeus?
 〃Oh; darling; no woman has anything to fear … or hope for … from the Amadeus boy; if you see what I mean。
 Look; I'll give Jason a bell。〃 Freddie; like many of her kind; affected the London vernacular; particularly when out of town。  〃Just to make certain they don't mind me having you in tow。〃 She disappeared for about five minutes; though Bond already knew what the answer would be。 Freddie; he had to admit; was a nice little actress。
 The Bull 〃We've got a result; James;' she said when she came back。
 〃They'd absolutely adore to have you to dinner。〃 Just as he knew they would; and she knew they would。
 In spite of her affected accent; rather silly manner; and undeniable sexual availability; Freddie Fortune was a loyal friend; naive in her judgments; but; once mitted; to cause or person; she became unshakeable。  Almost certainly; in this instance; Freddie was being used; Bond thought。  She probably did not even begin to understand the risks or dangers which could face him; and possibly herself。
 Gently he questioned her in an attempt to discover how long 〃Old Jason and Dazzle' had been such close friends。  She hedged a little; but it finally transpired that she had known them for exactly two months。
 They went in the Bentley。
 〃I adore the smell of leather in a car。  So positively sexual。〃 Freddie curled up in the large armchair…sized front passenger seat。
 Bond was careful to ask for directions。
 〃The gates will probably be closed; but turn in and wait。  Jason〃 a maniac about security。  He has lots of incredible electronic devices。〃
 〃I'll bet;' Bond said under his breath; but obeyed instructions; turning left where she told him and pushing the Mulsanne's snout to within an inch of the great high metal barriers。
 He would have put money on their being made of steel; worked to give the impression of ornamental wrought iron。  There were three great locks and the gate…hangings were shielded behind massive Atone pillars。
 There had to be some kind of closed…circuit television system; for the car sat waiting only a matter of seconds before the locks clicked audibly and the gates swung back。
 As Bond had already divined; Endor was a large house with about twenty rooms: classical Georgian in golden Cotswold stone; with a pillared porch and symmetrically placed sash windows。  The crunch of gravel under the Bentley's wheels was a sound that brought back many memories to him … the older cars he had once owned; and; oddly; school days when he read the books of Dornford Yates; with their adventurers riding forth to do battle in Bentleys or Rolls…Royce cars; usually to protect gorgeous ladies with very small feet。
 Jason St。 John…Finnes … Bond had to think of him by that name stood by the open door; light shafting on to the turning circle。  He had made no attempt at disguise。
 The decade in which he had been 〃dead' appeared to have taken no toll; for he looked exactly like the many photographs in his file at the Regent's Park Headquarters。  Tall and slim; he was obviously in good physical condition; for he moved with grace and purpose … an athlete's walk。  The famous green eyes were just as startling as everyone maintained。  By turns warm or cold; they were almost hypnotic; lively and penetrating; as though they could look deeply into a person's heart。 The nose was indeed large and hooked; a great ;pill; so that the bination of bright searching eyes d the big sharp nose certainly gave the impression of a bird of prey。  Bond shuddered inwardly。  There was something exceptionally sinister about Dr Jay Autem Holy。  Yet this unsettling fact vanished the moment he started to speak。
 〃Freddie!〃 He approached her with a kiss。  〃How splendid to see you; and I'm so glad to meet your friend。〃 He stretched out a hand。
 〃Bond; isn't it?〃 The voice was low; pleasant; and full of laughter; the accent mid…Atlantic; almost Bostonian; the handshake firm; strong; warm and very friendly。  It was as though a wave of goodwill and wele were transmitted when their palms touched。
 〃Ah; here's Dazzle。  Darling; this is Mr。 Bond。〃
 〃James;' he said; already in danger of being hypnotically charmed by the man。  James Bond。〃 For a few seconds his heart raced as he gazed at the tall; slim ash…blonde woman who had e out of the house。  Then he realised that it was a trick of the light; but at a distance; especially as now at dusk; Dazzle could easily be taken for Percy Proud: the same hair; figure and bone structure; even the same movements。
 Dazzle was as warm and weling as her husband。
 The pair had a curious effect; as though together they were able to enfold you; pulling you into some circle of enchantment。  As they left the car and walked into the spacious hallway; Bond had a ridiculous desire to throw all caution to the wind; sit down and face Jason immediately; asking him what really happened on that day so long ago when he had taken off on the ill…fated flight。
 What was the purpose of disappearing?  What was he up to now?  And how did Zwingli fit into the scheme of things?
 That evening; Bond had to keep a strong hold on himself not to e out into the open。  Between them Jason and the vivacious Dazzle proved to be a daunting couple。  Within minutes of being in their pany you became almost old friends。  Jason; the story went was Canadian by birth; while Dazzle was from New York; though you would have been hard put to it to place her accent; which had more of Knightsbridge than Fifth Avenue in It。
 The one subject never discussed in detail during M's briefings had been finance; but now; seeing the house with its discreetly elegant decor (〃Th

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