The Temptress: The Scandalous Life of Alice De Janze and the Mysterious Death of Lord Erroll (22 page)

D
AVE
A
LLEN
, an exceptional bush pilot with superb navigational and flying skills. For discovering Wanjohi Farm from the air and then delivering me there.

F
RÉDÉRIC
A
RMAND-
D
ELILLE
, son of Nolwen de Janzé and the owner of Château de Parfondeval. For his hospitality at his country house in Normandy, for allowing me to inspect the family photograph albums in the Plum Room, and for the loan of two photographs of Alice on display in his main sitting room at Parfondeval.

A
LICE
B
OYLE
, daughter of Dr. William Boyle—Alice de Janzé’s doctor in the last years of her life—and the key witness regarding the letter of confession left at Alice’s bedside on her death. For her constant friendship and help on the story of Alice de Janzé.

R
ICHARD
B
RITTEN-
L
ONG
. For all his help with photographs of Paula Gellibrand and Augustus John.

D
AME
B
ARBARA
C
ARTLAND
. For her correspondence and supply of “Firsts,” as well as the details she provided about the Embassy Club and who went there on Thursday evenings.

J
ULIET
C
ASSIDY
. For six years of continual research and help on rewrites, and for her visits to Paris, Normandy, and particularly Chicago, where she would discover details about Alice’s early life. She is a meticulous researcher and scribe, but perhaps her greatest asset apart from her academic prowess is her splendid personality.

C
AUSEWAY
R
ESOURCES
. For providing numerous press cuttings.

E
VE
C
HARLES
, a very talented editor. For her mastery of the English written word and deep understanding of the subject, and for giving a high polish to the story I had crafted.

P
ATSY
C
HILTON
, former wife of Dr. Roger Bowles. For detailed written notes about her meetings with Alice at the Muthaiga Club, Nairobi, in 1939.

P
AOLA
C
IECHANOWSKI
, Alice’s younger daughter. For our friendly meetings in Londinières and endless chats, for the memories she provided of her mother, and for our correspondence over five years.

S
IR
T
OBY
C
LARKE
. For his introductions in Chicago.

D
ICK
C
ROFTON
. For his guidance regarding the military records of Dickie Pembroke and Raymund de Trafford (both Coldstream Guards officers).

T
OM
E
ATON-
E
VANS
, husband of Noel Case. For providing help and acting as a liaison.

C
AROL
E
DWARDS
, copy editor, for her professionalism and brilliance. Her depth of capability and diligence was gratefully received.

S
IR
D
EREK
E
RSKINE
. For his continuous friendship since 1950 and for many insights into life in Kenya in 1930.

F
RANCIS
E
RSKINE
, Derek’s son. For his hospitality on our visit to the Wanjohi Valley.

P
ATRIZIA
E
RSKINE
, Francis Erskine’s daughter-in-law. For being good enough to accompany me to Alice’s home in the Wanjohi Valley.

P
ETAL
E
RSKINE
, Derek’s daughter. For her many memories of her father.

D
R
. P
ETER
F
ENWICK
, neuropsychiatrist. For his detailed comments on Alice’s probable mental state and his explanation of the difference between bipolar disorder and cyclothymia.

C
APT
. G
ORDON
F
ERGUSSON
, the secretary of the Taporley Hunt Club and author of
The Green Collars,
a history of England’s oldest hunt club. Gordon included an addendum in an edition of
The Green Collars
about Alice’s confession to the shooting of Joss Erroll. He also recommended that I seek out Barbara Cartland about the Embassy Club.

A
NGÉLIQUE
F
IEDLER
, Alice’s granddaughter. For her heartfelt and protective interest in the de Janzé name, and for making letters from her mother, Nolwen, and Alice available to me.

C
HRISTY
F
LETCHER
, my literary agent. For her superlative precision and competence in bringing the Alice story to its completion.

G
RAINNE
F
OX
, also my literary agent, for her talents in dealing with people and her excellence in the field of publishing.

W
ILLIAM
G
ACHANJA
. For tracing the location of settlers’ farms in the Wanjohi Valley.

M
ADAME
G
ENÈVIEVE
F
RANÇOIS-
P
ONCET
, a great friend of Frédéric Armand-Delille’s father. For her help in arranging for me to meet Frédéric.

M
ICHAEL
H
ARLEY
. For acting as a liaison in Kenya.

A
IDAN
H
ARTLEY
, author of
The Zanzibar Chest
(2003). For his counsel and well-chosen introduction to Emma Parry, and with thanks to Claire, Aidan’s wife, for her apt and perceptive comments.

D
OREEN
H
ARTLEY
, mother-in-law of the current owner of Giraffe Manor, formerly owned by the Leslie-Melvilles. For making me aware of
The Giraffe Lady,
by Betty Leslie-Melville, with its revelation of Alice’s possible culpability.

H
ARRY
H
ARTSHORNE
, J
R
., the grandson of Simeon Chapin. For his continual help, which resulted in my obtaining several unique early photographs taken in the United States, and for his welcoming hand on our visit to New York.

M
ARGARET
H
AYES
, the widow of Charles Hayes, the author of
Oserian.
For kindly obtaining four reels of tape that record every issue of the publication
Le Boulevardier
. Her husband’s book,
Oserian,
covers a century of Kenya’s social history, including some details concerning Alice de Janzé.

D
R
. N
OREENA
H
ERTZ
, author of
The Silent Takeover: Global Capitalism and the Death of Democracy
. For introducing me to Juliet Cassidy and for persuading me to write for two hours each day.

R
OBIN
H
OLLISTER
. For his insight into the making of
Out of Africa
and for his enlightened comments on the making of
The Constant Gardener,
a film set entirely in Kenya.

J
OANNE
G
RADY
H
USKEY
, author, educator, and the wife of an American diplomat. For accompanying the author on his first visit to Alice’s house in the Wanjohi Valley.

S
ENIOR
C
HIEF
W
ILLIAM
K
INUTHIA
, a resident of the Wanjohi Valley, whose house is near Alice de Janzé’s former home there. For being kind enough to coordinate my visit.

R
OBIN
L
ONG
. For his help and his many memories of his stepmother, Paula Gellibrand Long.

P
ATRICIA
M
C
G
UIGAN
(
NÉE
S
ILVERTHORNE
), Alice’s half sister. For her extensive help and her memories of Alice while in London.

L
ORD
M
ONTAGU OF
B
EAULIEU
. For identifying and describing Mr. Silverthorne’s enormous Stoddard-Dayton motorcar.

C
LARE
N
AYLOR
, the vivacious and intelligent author of seven books. For her encouragement. It was her enthusiasm for the Alice story and her professionalism that led me to the world of writing.

M
ARTHA
N
YMAN
. For discovering and bringing to my notice the sensational photograph of Alice in the Police Correctionnelle court in Paris.

F
RANCES
O
SBORNE
. For her friendship and cooperation while writing her second book,
The Bolter,
a biography of her great-grandmother Lady Idina Sackville, who married Joss Hay, the earl of Erroll.

E
MMA
P
ARRY
. For being the most competent literary agent anyone could wish for. Inspirational, and clever in her dealings with neurotic authors.

H
ENRY
P
ORTER
, author of the novel
Remembrance Day
and onetime London editor of
Vanity Fair.
For listening to the Alice story and for encouraging me to make the Gare du Nord event one of the key chapters in this book.

P. J. R
ANSLEY
. For enabling me to trace the original deed plan of Alice’s home in the Wanjohi Valley.

A
RNOLD
R
APHAEL
. For listening early on and lending his support in my research. It was he who made me aware of the crime documentary by Rupert Furneaux.

G
UILLAUME
D
E
R
OUGEMENT
, Alice’s grandson. For providing me with detailed notes taken at the bedside of his mother, Paola, in Londinières, Normandy. These notes contained information about Alice and the de Janzé family. A very remarkable man, he has the finest collection of beetles (Coleoptera) in the world and speaks Aramaic (the language of Jesus Christ).

S
IR
S
ACHEVERELL
R
ERESBY
S
ITWELL
. For supplying a brilliant photograph of Lizzie Lezard, who had been a friend of his mother’s and frequently stayed at her country home.

P
ENNY
S
MITH
, a secretary who has labored mightily with six years of research correspondence and numerous drafts of the manuscript. For her aptitude and loyalty.

Y
ANIV
S
OHA
, Charles Spicer’s editorial assistant. For his dedicated help and first-class capability in the art of bringing a book to completion.

C
HARLES
S
PICER
, my editor at St. Martin’s Press. For all his help and perceptive understanding of this biography, for his enthusiasm and wit, and for his depth of knowledge about publishing.

S
IR
D
ERMOT DE
T
RAFFORD
, Raymund de Trafford’s nephew. For the loan of his uncle’s personal photograph album compiled in Kenya in 1926, and for his help in describing Raymund’s life after the war.

E
RROL
T
RZEBINSKI
, a great and well-known writer, who has made Kenya a special subject of study. Her biography of Joss Erroll,
The Life and Death of Lord Erroll: The Truth Behind the Happy Valley Murder
(2000), has proved to be invaluable. For her enthusiasm about this project and for generously giving me both ideas and help.

R
ONNIE
W
ARD
, of Lake Forest, Illinois. For his liaison work in that part of the world.

D
ANIÈLE
W
ATERPARK
For being French, for taking me to the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, for pulling up French newspaper coverage of the Gare du Nord event, and for providing instant translations. I am also grateful to her for introducing me to Frédéric Armand-Delille, the son of Nolwen de Janzé for inviting me to stay at her daughter Caroline Goulding’s house in Le Touquet and driving me to Normandy to visit the Château de Parfondeval and Paola in Londinières, and for introducing me to Angélique Fiedler, Alice’s granddaughter.

M
ICHAEL
W
ATSON
. For his enlightened comments about his cousin Dickie Pembroke.

R
UPERT
W
ATSON
. For his research in Kenya.