For a moment, she watched something – a flash of resentment, a warning, a moment of doubt – slip through his conscious mind before he faced her again with unalloyed eagerness, but whatever it was, it triggered a counterbalancing reaction in her own mind: was her offer real? Did she mean it? Was it even possible? Or was she just using him? Even she didn’t know the answer to that one.

Kate took the plunge nevertheless. She nodded. He downed a last swig of his coffee and answered her. ‘I know it may not seem much, but I mostly talked to them about Imogen and British politics. They were interested in her ambitions, particularly in my take on whether she was ever going to realize them and, if so, how, when and why that might happen.’

‘Did you get the impression they wanted her to be promoted?’

‘They were careful never to ask leading questions. They just seemed genuinely interested in my views on the political scene.’

‘Did they ask for papers?’

‘Sometimes, yes. If I was on the circulation list for anything that was unusual or interesting, I’d hand it over. I was trying to keep them happy, you know . . .’

‘What did you tell them about the Service?’

‘Nothing.’ He was clearly aghast. ‘For God’s sake, Kate, I’d never have betrayed you like that.’ Kate was almost tempted to say that fucking their friend was a rather bigger betrayal, but this time she held her tongue.

‘They must have asked.’

‘They did, but I just said you never, ever talked about your work at home – which was true, most of the time.’

‘Did they ask you to access my phone or computer?’

‘Yes, but they’re all password-protected and I told them that. To be completely honest, they didn’t seem that incredibly interested.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, they asked about you, definitely, but I didn’t feel that I had to deliver any of the detail they requested or they’d expose me. When I said I didn’t know or couldn’t find out, they didn’t press me.’

Kate thought about this. It was certainly not what she’d expected to hear. ‘Did you tell them about the operation in Istanbul?’

‘What operation?’ If his confusion wasn’t genuine, Stuart had turned into an amazingly competent actor.

‘“How did it go in Italy?” you asked me. “Istanbul,” I answered.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, Kate. I can’t remember that at all.’

‘What about when I went to Greece a few days later?’

‘What about it?’

‘Did you tell them about that?’

‘No! Why would I have done?’

‘Did they ask about it?’

‘No.’

‘Did you tell them the former PM had prostate cancer?’

‘I didn’t even know he had it until he made that announcement in Downing Street.’