" Because I'm a little old lady ?sx It's easier than you'd think .sx You'd be surprised .sx " .sx " Would I ?sx How little you know me .sx .. " .sx They stared at each other in silence .sx They both began to smile together .sx " You're a dark horse , Philip Fletcher .sx " .sx It seemed a pretty accurate observation .sx Perhaps the outside rail was his natural habitat .sx His smile became broader , as hers grew thinner .sx " What now ?sx " she asked wanly .sx " I suppose you're going to call the police .sx " .sx He took a moment to think about it , and then he pulled a face suggestive of mild disgust and said , " Now whyever would I want to do that ?sx " .sx He got up and walked to the door .sx He stuck his head out and called upstairs .sx " Kate !sx Would you come down now , please ?sx " .sx He went to the sideboard and took out another glass .sx " You've an eye for an accomplice , I'll say that , " Martha commented wryly .sx " She gets the job purely on merit , " he replied .sx Kate came in , looking calm but very pale .sx Philip indicated for her to sit beside him on the sofa .sx He poured her a whisky and pressed it into her hand .sx " Cold ?sx " .sx She nodded .sx He turned back to Martha .sx " She's a very special girl , Kate .sx Very trustworthy too , knows how to keep her mouth shut I should think .sx And a damned fine actress into the bargain .sx " .sx Martha didn't say anything .sx She looked at them both keenly .sx Her eyes were alive again and Philip detected a dash of her old sparkle .sx He continued :sx " I'm touched that you would have found it so difficult to shoot me , Martha .sx Had our positions been reversed I can assure you that I would have been equally troubled .sx But as you say , I'm one thing , the others another .sx It's possible that you have done the state some service .sx I can hardly bring myself to believe that Richie Calvi is a great loss to the human race , and as for Klampit , personally I regard his removal as a positive gain .sx In fact , if you should come to feel that early retirement doesn't suit you , then I can think of a number of other critics whose premature exits would benefit the profession .sx If you were worried about expenses I'm sure we could get Equity to organise a whip-round .sx I don't think you'd find our colleagues ungenerous .sx Don't you agree , Kate ?sx " .sx If she did she wasn't letting on .sx She stared at him blankly with huge wide-open eyes .sx He rather liked her expression .sx It was kind of cute .sx " Of course , " he said , returning to Martha , " it's a great deal easier keeping one's mouth shut when one has something juicy on which to chew .sx I shall undoubtedly suffer further inconveniences at the hands of the police .sx Some recompense would appear to be in order , do you not agree ?sx " .sx " So I was right .sx You do intend to blackmail me .sx " .sx " The thought hadn't entered my head until you put it there .sx But let's not use that word , it's so ugly .sx Let's just say we're aiming to arrive at an amicable confluence of interests .sx I'm not after money .sx " .sx " What then ?sx " .sx " Oh , just the usual :sx success , fame and fulfilment , life , liberty and the pursuit of happiness .sx Maybe even domestic bliss and in time the patter of tiny feet .sx Who knows ?sx Stranger things have happened .sx " .sx " Not many , " Kate murmured under her breath .sx Philip gave her an affectionate smile ; he was glad to see she'd recovered her equilibrium .sx He went on :sx " Of course I'll be disappointed if I don't become comfortably off along the way , but not by virtue of an outright cheque .sx Far too crude , my dear , and far too dull .sx No , I merely wish you to reconsider your future plans .sx More than wish , I should say in fairness ; I categorically insist on it .sx When Macbeth opens on Broadway , I will of course be appearing in the title role .sx " .sx " I see .sx Is that all ?sx " .sx " No , it is not .sx Two other things :sx firstly , it will be in a new production .sx I'm prepared to suffer this one for the London run , faute de mieux , but after that Tony Elliott goes .sx London and New York are full of talented directors , it shouldn't be too hard to find one .sx " .sx " Tony won't like it .sx " .sx " No , but I think you'd like prison less .sx These conditions are non-negotiable , I'm afraid .sx " .sx " Then what can I say ?sx Tony's out .sx I have to admit it won't be a great loss .sx I'd already come to the conclusion he's overrated .sx " .sx " Gets my vote for understatement of the year .sx .. My third and final condition concerns Twelfth Night .sx You can stop looking for an Olivia right away .sx Kate gets the part .sx " .sx He squeezed Kate's hand .sx She seemed to have gone numb .sx Martha appeared scarcely less shell-shocked .sx " I must say , Philip , for an apprentice blackmailer you're pretty quick off the mark .sx " .sx " Yes , I know , I'm a loss to the criminal profession .sx .. It's a good deal though , Martha .sx Most blackmail victims live with the threat that they'll be forced to cough up again , but in our case the settlement will be full and final .sx Once I accept your shilling , I am implicated .sx Silence makes me an accessory , so I'd hardly be in a position to make demands at a future date and threaten to go to the police if you refused to meet them .sx The price is steep , I grant you , but there are no hidden extras .sx " .sx " Yes .sx Yes , I see what you mean .sx .. " .sx She gave him the benefit of a long hard stare .sx And then she threw back her head and laughed .sx " You're a cynical , ruthless , unscrupulous bastard , Philip !sx " .sx " Coming from you , my dear , I can only take that as a compliment .sx " .sx Martha shook her head wisely .sx She got to her feet , affecting weariness but unable quite to conceal relief .sx " Is it a deal ?sx " he asked .sx " Of course it's a deal , you've got me by the balls .sx " She turned to Kate .sx " Stick with him , honey , and you'll make out OK .sx Can I offer you two a ride ?sx " .sx " No thanks , we've got a car .sx I hope you haven't kept your chauffeur waiting all this time ?sx " .sx " No , I thought I'd give him the night off .sx .. OK , I'll see you tomorrow then .sx Onstage if not before .sx " .sx " I'll be there .sx " .sx She walked over to the french windows .sx " Oh , Martha !sx " .sx She stopped .sx He went over to her , taking the gun out of his pocket .sx " You can have this back .sx It's not my style .sx " .sx She extended a hand , but just before he passed it to her he whipped out his handkerchief and wiped the handle .sx " Sorry , force of habit .sx " .sx He held the french windows open for her , and when she had gone out , closed and locked them .sx " It's late , " he said .sx " We'd better think about getting back too .sx " .sx Kate stirred on the sofa .sx She didn't seem quite with it .sx " Yes , I suppose so .sx .. " .sx " OK .sx Well , if you tidy a bit in here I'll pack up in the bedroom .sx " .sx He went upstairs .sx The telephone and the answering machine were on the bed , the latter under a pillow .sx The coverlet still bore the faint impression of Kate's body .sx He unplugged the answer-phone from the wall and wrapped up the leads .sx He stuffed the machine back into the box in which it had been bought .sx The box was on the floor by the bed , and next to it the pile of unused answering tapes , all methodically labelled in Philip's neat handwriting so that Kate should have had not trouble in picking out the right one .sx Idly , for his own amusement , he picked one at random , replaced Martha's tape with it and turned on the machine .sx " Hello , this is Philip Fletcher speaking .sx In case you were wondering where I'd got to , I'm with Seymour Loseby .sx If you want to know anything about my unfortunate demise- " .sx Philip switched off the machine and laughed softly to himself .sx " Seymour Loseby !sx The thought !sx " .sx Better safe than sorry , though , he reflected .sx As it happened , Martha's had been one of the last tapes he'd recorded .sx He piled them all into the box and closed it up .sx Kate entered just as he was finishing .sx " Philip ?sx " .sx She sounded awkward .sx The frown on her face was etched deep .sx " Philip , what you told Martha at the end .sx .. does that mean I'm an accessory too ?sx " .sx He sat down on the bed and pushed the box away with his feet .sx " No , my dear .sx An accessory is an extra .sx You're Olivia .sx That's a leading part .sx " .sx She smiled with him .sx Her smile was a little on the coy side , and he found it very appealing .sx " You're not frightened , are you ?sx " .sx She thought about it for a moment .sx " No .sx No , I don't think I am really .sx Should I be ?sx " .sx " I was rather hoping that you might be just the tiniest bit .sx Last time you were you made me give you a hug .sx " .sx The look she was giving him now had lost none of its appeal ; only the coyness content appeared to be a moveable feast .sx " Well , perhaps I could be a little bit .sx .. " .sx She sat down on the bed next to him .sx He took her hand .sx " There's no need to hurry back into town , is there ?sx " .sx She shook her head .sx She whispered softly , " I almost called the police , you know , when I realised she had a gun .sx " .sx " Well , it's a jolly good thing you didn't , or it would have been Bolton rep for you .sx I think you'll like Broadway better .sx " .sx " Are you sure it's going to be all right ?sx She did threaten to kill you .sx " .sx " Oh , that was just professional etiquette .sx She didn't mean it personally .sx " .sx " Philip !sx " She laughed .sx " God though , I can hardly believe it .sx .. Martha !sx You do realise what we're doing - we're perverting the course of justice .sx " .sx " Oh that .sx Well justice is such an elastic concept , don't you think ?sx And it would be a crime if the world never got to see your Olivia .sx Besides , putting Martha away isn't going to bring anybody back , is it ?sx So let's not talk in abstract legal terms .sx Let's just say we're turning a blind eye to another naughty deed , in a naughty world .sx " .sx " You're a very wicked man , aren't you ?sx " .sx " If you say so .sx Does it turn you off ?sx " .sx " No .sx " .sx He thought not .sx He could see it in her eyes .sx She looked quite refreshingly wicked herself .sx " Aren't you going to hug me then ?sx " .sx He put his arms around her and gently laid her down upon her back , stretching out his own body beside her .sx He parted the skirts of her coat and let his fingers travel softly over her belly and breasts , tracing the cobweb patterns of her Spiderwoman suit and feeling the warmth of her through the thin material .sx " You know , " he said softly , " I think this is the most ridiculous costume I've ever seen .sx " .sx " I could take it off , if you like .sx " .sx " Yes , I think I'd like that very much .sx " .sx He kissed her first , passionately and at considerable length .sx And then he assisted her with the zips and fasteners , because it was a one-piece costume and difficult to remove .sx He liked being helpful like that , in small ways .sx The bed was a great deal smaller and far less suggestive than the one back in his hotel room .sx It sufficed .sx Seventeen The small dressing room in the Phoenix was filled to capacity .sx Bodies jostled for space and stray elbows constantly disordered the elaborate floral arrangements .sx Philip , whose dressing room it was , and who was naturally the centre of attention , bore it all magnanimously .sx It was a first night , after all .sx " Simply knockout , darling !sx " Seymour roared above the chatter , giving him a hug and a kiss .sx " Have you met my son Nigel ?sx " .sx He grabbed the arm of an apparently nervous , conventional-looking young man in a three-piece suit and pulled him over .sx " He's an MP , you know !sx " Seymour added with a wink , as if the initials stood for something altogether risqu e .sx " Oh yes , " said Philip , offering his hand .sx " Pleased to meet you .sx " .sx Nigel Loseby murmured something shyly about his performance .sx Philip looked modest , inasmuch as he was able .sx " We're very lucky to have him , you know !sx " Seymour boomed .sx