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Back One Enchanted Evening
Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. The Grand Masquerade Ball
  5. Five Months Earlier . . .
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. September 1936
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. Chapter Fourteen
  21. Chapter Fifteen
  22. Chapter Sixteen
  23. Chapter Seventeen
  24. Chapter Eighteen
  25. October 1936
  26. Chapter Nineteen
  27. Chapter Twenty
  28. Chapter Twenty-one
  29. November 1936
  30. Chapter Twenty-two
  31. December 1936
  32. Chapter Twenty-three
  33. Chapter Twenty-four
  34. Chapter Twenty-five
  35. Chapter Twenty-six
  36. Chapter Twenty-seven
  37. Chapter Twenty-eight
  38. Chapter Twenty-nine
  39. Chapter Thirty
  40. Chapter Thirty-one
  41. Chapter Thirty-two
  42. Chapter Thirty-three
  43. Chapter Thirty-four
  44. Chapter Thirty-five
  45. Epilogue
  46. A New Year
  47. Extract from Anton Du Beke’s next novel’
  48. Acknowledgements
  49. About the Author
  50. Letter from Author

Maynard Charles paused, evidently taking delight in the way the word transformed Raymond’s face. ‘Call me a fascist, would you? Tell me I sold my soul, when I freely gave it away fighting in Flanders for the freedom of people like you – so you could grow up and do the things you loved to do. The music. The song. The dance. You don’t know the cost of a thing, Ray Cohen. So no, you’re not dancing in the ballroom this Christmas. You’re not stepping out with the crown princess this New Year. The fact of the matter is, you’re not dancing in the Buckingham Hotel ever again.’ He paused, allowing himself one last breath. ‘Your contract with us is terminated. As of this instant, you are no longer welcome in the Buckingham Hotel.’ Maynard Charles picked up the receiver, prepared to dial a number again. ‘You have half an hour, Mr Cohen. Collect your things. If I see you here in the Buckingham again, it will be the end of every secret you have.’

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-four

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LONG PAST THE MIDNIGHT HOUR, Nancy Nettleton sat awake in her quarters, watching the fat flakes of snow drift down across Berkeley Square. The snow had been tumbling down since darkness first fell, transforming the rooftops of the city to a crystalline wonderland of white. Even the tracks Raymond had left in the snow as he’d stalked out of the Buckingham had vanished. Now that he was gone, there was hardly any trace of him at all.

The letter was half finished in her lap.

Dear Frank,

It’s gone. All gone. Three hours ago, I watched Raymond leaving the hotel. I couldn’t get near him. He was throwing his things into his pack, and then he was being marched out by Mr Simenon and Diego from the Candlelight Club. I’m quite sure I saw Mr Simenon smile. Raymond wouldn’t even look at me. What if it was all just rot, every last moment of it? What if I never see him again?