[MaC] A pause in the music - Back in the lounge

[Heather Mace]

> 
> James remained where he was with the stricken musician, but he turned
> his head toward the entrance,where Nicola went to greet Pamela and Warren.
> 
> "Her eyes were open," said Anton with a shudder.  I saw the ... the stare."
> 
> "I'm afraid so," Pamela said in a voice that (though appropriately
> low-pitched and somber) reached the whole room. She dropped Warren's arm
> to march Nicola right back to the settee. "Now, you aren't to worry, all
> right? Everything is being taken care of. Here, can you do something for
> me? This bag -- it's Mrs. Fitzroy's. She left it here earlier. Will you
> take care of it until she gets back? I'd be grateful."
> 
> "Of course, darling, don't worry," Nicola said, taking
> the bag and sitting down next to Anton on the settee.
> "Oh, my, my, my, what a horrible, horrible thing," she
> said, letting out a sigh. "I know you all must think
> she was just a wretched girl because of how she acted
> tonight, but she truly wasn't. I just don't know what
> made her act like such a hag this evening." She
> cleared her throat and turned Esme's purse over in her
> hands. "It's hard to believe not twenty minutes ago we
> were all laughing and toasting and now..."
> 
> "'ow did she die?" demanded Marty.  "Drugs, was it?  I reckoned she was 
> on drugs, the little tart."

Marjorie just shook her head in shock.  "What a terrible
thing to say about the dead!" she said to Fitzroy.  "You
behave yourself...  there's people in shock here and you
ain't helping one bit."  She sat on the other side on
Anton and put an arm around his shoulders.  "There there
now..."