“It’ll all go no further—” He slapped his own mouth, as Maurice had done in the rain at the Russet Room window. “I don’t know what came over me, Mr. Hall. I don’t want to harm you. I never did.” “You blackmailed me.” “No sir, no…” “You did.” “Maurice, listen, I only—” “Maurice, am I?” “You called me Alec … I’m as good as you.” “I don’t find you are!” There was a pause before the storm;
