The Silent Dead by Arthur Gask

I was not really worried that Anton Meynall had found work in Eastbourne, though it was certainly rather annoying, because I spent quite half of my time at Mead's Court. Clara was always so very pleased to have me and it gradually came about that she never liked to throw a party, and certainly she threw plenty of them, without my being present to help her in the entertaining. It suited David quite well, too, for he loved Eastbourne every bit as much as I had come to, and was glad of the excuse to spend long week-ends there. When, again, business took him away from London, he said it always comforted him to know I was in such bright and happy surroundings. As with his brother-in-law the Colonel, he was amused at the seances, having no belief at all in them, but regarding them as a mildly exciting form of entertaining everyone.

In the main, social life in Eastbourne centred round retired Service people and at most gatherings colonels and admirals were very much to the fore. We had a fair sprinkling, too, of other local retired professional men, but at week-ends the Court was an open house to everyone, some drawn from Town itself, with literary and theatrical circles being well represented.