‘Will you be in a position to assess . . . to see the material?’

‘You mean the kompromat video, ma’am?’

‘The alleged kompromat, yes.’

‘That is essentially the purpose of the meeting. As I’m sure Sir Alan has outlined, the potential defection of the former head of one of Russia’s main intelligence agencies is highly unusual, not to say unheard-of, and down the line will require enormous effort, expenditure and a great many resources on our part. They will come to the meeting with the material. I’m sure of it.’

‘It’s the unusual-bordering-on-unheard-of bit that bothers me.’

‘But that is why it’s important I see the material firsthand. Once we’ve assessed it, we’ll be in a position to say whether the defection is a risk worth running. But if they’re prepared to bring us evidence that the Russians have been blackmailing our prime minister, I think it’s a chance we must take.’

Simpson stared at the empty fireplace. The decisive air she’d cultivated at the start of the meeting seemed to have dissipated in Kate’s discussion of the detail. ‘You have my permission to go to the next stage,’ she said finally. ‘But no further. Assess the material, then let us speak again immediately.’

Kate realized she was expected to answer. ‘Of course, ma’am. I’ll come in to brief you as soon as I’m off the plane, although . . .’

‘Yes?’

‘Mikhail will want to know for sure whether we’re prepared to offer his father and family sanctuary.’

‘That’s what we’ll decide once you’ve assessed it.’

‘He will almost certainly want an answer on the spot. And we may lose them if I can’t give him that assurance.’

‘Lose them to whom?’

‘Another foreign intelligence service. The French, the Germans. Perhaps even the Americans. And they will know we turned Mikhail and his father down.’

The foreign secretary evidently didn’t like the sound of that. ‘Very well. Say what you need to say. We can always change our minds at a later date.’

‘That isn’t how we do business.’

Simpson looked up sharply. ‘These people are sharks. I won’t be lectured on morality by them, thank you very much.’ That wasn’t what Kate meant and both women knew it, but she let it go. ‘If the material is legitimate, we will almost certainly go ahead with the exchange, repugnant as it may be. But we will take one step at a time.’ She rang the bell and waited for the butler. Rather like the Queen, Kate thought, but didn’t say. ‘Could you bring Suzy in?’ Simpson asked.

Suzy, Kate noted. Not Miss Spencer, or even Suzy Spencer. Just Suzy. They were clearly better acquainted than she’d imagined, but the question was how and why? Kate tried to catch Sir Alan’s eye, but he was staring out of the window at the moonlight.

Suzy walked crisply in. ‘Foreign Secretary, Sir Alan,’ she said, nodding at each in turn. She sat. She was dressed in a tailored dark suit and a white shirt: a model of cool professionalism. Kate glanced down at her weathered trousers and scuffed brown suede flats. Perhaps she should have made more of an effort.