10 JANUARY 1998, Page 23

Reals of fantasy

Sir: This old hound has sat mum for months through Paul Johnson's baroque barkings over the Aitken and Hamilton cases. But every dog must have his day and Paul almost got something right in his review of The Liar (Books, 20/27 Decem- ber). Alas, I never shared an Oxford girl- friend (or anything else) with Jonathan. I'd left the university before he arrived. Paul must have been thinking of my passionate 1957 romance with the delightful, Guardian-reading Marigold Hunt — who then upped and married Paul Johnson. There now . . the roots of beserk vendetta exposed at last! (Of course this story is garbage too. But why start letting dreary facts get in the way of a good yarn?)

Peter Preston

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