‘The foreign secretary is delighted, as you can imagine. Very enthusiastic. Even allowing for the fact that enthusiasm is his default position, he’s more than usually enthusiastic about this.’ Robin Woodstock, Foreign Office permanent secretary, glanced at their fellow lunchers in the Travellers Club. ‘I’ll stick to two courses but you go ahead if you want pudding or cheese or anything.’ He raised a hand to someone on another table. ‘You know, when I joined the Foreign Office it was almost de rigueur to belong to this place but looking round now I can see only two colleagues, both retired. Mind you, you and I are part of a rapidly dwindling minority in Whitehall to acknowledge lunch at all. They all eat sandwiches at their desks now, don’t they, still staring at their screens? Fortunately, the foreign secretary is enthusiastic about lunch, too. Another of his default positions. Pity Gareth Horley isn’t around to join us. Even the chancellor was impressed by the latest. Tell him that when he’s back.’

They were discussing the latest report. Gareth was in Washington, talking to the CIA. The latest Timber Wolf report had been shown to the prime minister but for the time being was withheld from the negotiating team in Brussels in case through their manner they betrayed nonchalance about the EU’s public position. Charles was privately relieved that Gareth wasn’t around to fuel the enthusiasm. ‘Nonetheless, we shouldn’t regard that figure in the report as set in stone,’ he cautioned. ‘They might change their minds about it.’

Robin’s disarmingly boyish features briefly creased with concern. ‘But the sub-sources are sound, aren’t they? Authoritative? Horse’s mouth stuff?’

‘Very much so, yes.’

‘And you trust Gareth to get it right, of course?’

Robin’s appearance of youthful innocence concealed a mind that gripped like a bear-trap. He and Gareth had served together in New York and Charles had the impression of mutual wariness, each ever watchful for chinks in the other’s armour. Charles chose his words carefully. ‘I’m confident Gareth knows exactly what he’s saying. He wouldn’t just get it wrong.’

‘But you are sure that what he says is right?’

‘As sure as I can be. So is he. It’s just that I’m cautioning against the assumption that the EU wouldn’t ever change their minds about what their bottom line is. Just as we do, now and again.’ He disliked temporising but to do otherwise would risk undermining the whole stream of Timber Wolf reporting, perhaps unfairly.

‘The foreign secretary would like a chat with Gareth when he’s back.’ Robin folded his napkin. ‘You see him as your successor?’

It was another indication that others saw him as becoming the past. ‘A strong contender, certainly.’

‘Just make sure you stick around long enough so that no one can argue that we should advertise the post to EU nationals.’