“Oh,” she said, blinking.
“I enjoy you naked, but I don’t want anyone else to,” he said.
She smiled. “You’re sweet. I think I’ll just have a shower; join me?”
“Already had one,” he replied, “and breakfast is nearly ready, so hurry.”
They walked up to the Shipwright’s Arms together, to borrow Thomas’s car, and the first person they saw was Hilary Kramer from the Times.
“What are you still doing here?” Stone asked. “Didn’t you get the bum’s rush with everybody else?”
“Nope. I was in the capital, buying some necessities, and when I came back, everybody was gone.”
“You missed the press conference, then?”
“I didn’t care anything about that. I’d already filed.”
“Did anybody else survive the press purge?”
“There’s a crew from CNN here who got to stay to provide pool coverage for the TV people.”
“How about Chris Wheaton, from 60 Minutes?”
“Gone with the wind, along with everybody else.”
“What sort of attention did your story get at the Times?”
“I don’t know; I modemed it in, and I’ll trust their judgment, but it’s a good story. Where are you off to?”
“A visit with my co-counsel.”
“Can I come?”
“Sorry, this is strictly business.”
Kramer shrugged. “Well, I’ve got nothing to do but file my story on the ouster of the international press, then it’s vacation until the trial on Monday, since Sir Winston won’t see me.”
“Lucky you; see you later.”
They got the car keys and drove out along the coast road to Sir Leslie Hewitt’s cottage. They found him weeding his back garden, and Stone was relieved to see that he recognized them. “Morning, Leslie,” he said.
“Good morning to you, Stone, and to you, Mrs. Manning.”
“Please call me Allison,” she replied with a winning smile.
“I thought we might talk about how to proceed at the trial,” Stone said.
“Of course we will,” Hewitt said, “but I wonder if I could ask a small favor of you before we begin?”
“Of course.”
“I’d like to give you some tea, but I’m out of milk. Would you be kind enough to run down to the grocer, about two miles along the coast road, and fetch me a bottle?”
“All right, Leslie,” Stone said, and Hewitt insisted on giving him money.
As he turned to leave, Hewitt offered Allison his arm. “May I show you the garden, my dear?” he asked, smiling sweetly.
“I’d be very pleased to see it,” she replied, taking his arm. “See you later, Stone.”