‘Well, for some time I have been trying to locate a shrine to the Roman god, Mithras, somewhere in Eton. It’s mentioned in various historical records but has been lost for centuries. I believe it was built on the site of an earlier Celtic shrine to the goddess Tamesis, after whom the river Thames is named.’

‘I don’t follow you, John,’ said Haight. ‘Where’s this leading?’

‘I’ll get to the point in a minute,’ said Cooper-ffrench. ‘You see, I have always thought that if I could find this shrine it would be an important discovery. My research led me to a building in Eton that appeared to be unoccupied. I visited it on a number of occasions but failed to gain entry. Then one afternoon I found the door open and went in to find a rather alarming man there. A Scotsman whose cheeks were badly scarred and who has the letter M tattooed on each hand. M for Millenaria.’

‘Good God!’ exclaimed Haight. ‘I’ve seen him here in the palazzo. You saw that man in Eton?’

‘The very same,’ said Cooper-ffrench. ‘It’s strange, is it not?’

‘But why have you never said anything to me before?’ said Haight.

Cooper-ffrench blushed and coughed. ‘I must confess I had my suspicions about you, Peter,’ he said. ‘I thought perhaps you might be involved in some way.’

‘Me?’ Haight looked incredulous and then laughed. ‘Involved with criminals and secret Italian societies? How on earth did you come to that conclusion?’

‘Well, it seems ridiculous now,’ Cooper-ffrench muttered. ‘And I must say it’s a load off my mind talking to you. Perhaps I will have a small nip of brandy.’

Haight passed him the flask and he took a quick drink. The two of them walked to the parapet and looked down at the palazzo and the aqueduct below.

‘Have you told anyone else of your suspicions?’ Haight asked casually.

‘No.’ Cooper-ffrench shook his head vigorously. ‘I mean, what if my fears proved to be unfounded? I didn’t want to cause a fuss and risk a scandal at the school. But I knew you visited Sardinia regularly, and I knew the Millenaria had their base here, so I thought I’d better come along and keep an eye on you.’

Haight looked at Cooper-ffrench. So that was why he kept turning up like a bad penny. The poor fool. He had no idea what he had stumbled into.

He put his arm around Cooper-ffrench’s shoulders.

‘First thing tomorrow we take the boys and leave this place,’ he said.

‘Yes,’ said Cooper-ffrench. ‘There is evil here. We ought to say something to the authorities.’

‘Indeed we must,’ said Haight.

‘And what about young James Bond?’ said Cooper-ffrench. ‘Where the devil is he?’

‘Don’t you worry about a thing,’ said Haight. ‘Let me sort everything out.’ So saying, he put a hand between Cooper-ffrench’s shoulder blades and gave him a short, quick shove.