"Oh, quite! Rather dramatic altogether, eh?"
"Nerve tingling," Locke agreed.
Forbes turned in his chair and called, "Oh, Kessit!"
The butler opened the door to the darkened room, hesitated, and reached for the light switch.
"No, no," Forbes said, smiling. "Never mind that. Come over here, will you please?"
The butler crossed the room slowly.
"It's all right," Forbes said. "The president will notice nothing whatever, Kessit. Would you mind pouring us all another glass of wine? I'm frightfully crazy about that port, eh?"
There was a murmur of agreeing voices. The butler lifted the silver decanter and filled glasses, moving easily and surely in the darkness.
"Cheers," said Forbes.
"Cheers," said the others, over the clink of glasses.