The Malaspiga Exit by Evelyn Anthony Page B

glared down at Carpenter. ‘I don’t like being taken for a fool,’ he said. ‘I’ve a right to throw you out of here.’
    â€˜But you won’t,’ Carpenter answered, ‘unless you’ve got something to hide.’
    â€˜Hona!’ The call brought the Hawaiian running. Carpenter guessed he couldn’t have been far away. For a moment Julius hesitated. There was a line of red coming up from his smart silk shirt collar, reaching to beneath his ears. He was genuinely angry. And genuinely afraid too. Fear showed in the eyes bright blue, ladykillers, with fear blinking in them.
    â€˜Hona, bring me a Buck’s Fizz! And tell Jumie this gentleman won’t be staying for lunch after all.’ He turned away from Carpenter and sat down.
    â€˜All right,’ he said. ‘You’ve come into my home under false pretences. That doesn’t help, as far as I’m concerned. But I have a duty as a citizen. If you’ve got questions, ask them.’
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ Frank Carpenter said. ‘I should have said right out what I wanted. But a lot of people do scare off. Some of this will be pretty personal, so I’ll wait till you get your drink. Can I ask you something?’
    Julius nodded. The red round his neck was fading.
    â€˜What the hell is a Buck’s Fizz?’
    â€˜Champagne and fresh orange juice.’ He didn’t suggest that Carpenter try one. He sipped it. ‘Let’s get on with it,’ he said. ‘What do you want to know?’
    Carpenter lit a cigarette. ‘About six or seven years ago you entertained the Duke and Duchess of Malaspiga here, didn’t you?’
    â€˜Sandro and Francesca—yes. They came on their honeymoon. Why?’
    â€˜Would you mind telling me how you met them?’
    â€˜I knew Sandro’s father; he was much older, of course, but I was filming in Italy and we were introduced. He asked if I could show his son and daughter-in-law round Hollywood. They stayed with us for ten days. I remember my wife gave a big party for them. It made every gossip column in the country.’
    â€˜I’ll bet,’ Carpenter said. ‘And do you still see them?’
    â€˜No,’ John Julius said. ‘I don’t. We lost touch after my wife died.’
    â€˜But you remember them pretty well, don’t you—seven years is a long time and you must have had a lot of people staying since then. But you remembered them right away.’
    â€˜It was a memorable visit,’ the actor said.
    â€˜Could you tell me anything about them? Anything at all, any recollection.’
    â€˜Not till you’ve told me why you want to know,’ he said. ‘I don’t talk about my friends.’
    â€˜They’re hardly friends,’ Carpenter suggested, ‘as you haven’t seen them in seven years. Or is it only since your wife died? She died two years ago, didn’t she?’
    â€˜Yes,’ Julius said. ‘I think she corresponded with them. She liked titles.’
    â€˜But you weren’t impressed,’ Carpenter said.
    â€˜He was impressive,’ Julius said. Carpenter leaned forward and lit a cigarette for him; the service seemed to ease the tension between them. He leaned a little back in his chair and crossed his leg over the other. ‘Nobody could help being impressed by Malaspiga.’
    â€˜Why not? What was so special about him?’
    Julius waved the cigarette. ‘He was a beautiful man. And don’t misunderstand me, Mr. Carpenter. I mean beautiful in the aesthetic sense. He’d have made a fortune on the screen. He had presence, magnetism. In fact he was the only duke I’ve ever met who looked the part. There were half a dozen producers who were fighting to sign him on when they were over here. As for the women—well.’
    â€˜How did he take it all?’
    â€˜As his due,’ John Julius said. ‘He was amused by