“I understand how you feel,” said George. “But it seems like a pipe dream. Is it possible?”

“Maybe. The Soviet bloc is nearer to collapse than at any time since the Second World War. Our ambassador to Moscow believes that the Brezhnev Doctrine is dead.”

The Brezhnev Doctrine said that the Soviet Union controlled Eastern Europe, just as the Monroe Doctrine gave the same rights to the USA in South America.

George nodded. “If Gorbachev no longer wants to boss the Communist empire, that’s a huge geopolitical gain for the USA.”

“And we should be doing everything we can to help Gorbachev stay in power. But we’re not, because President Bush believes the whole thing is a confidence trick by Gorbachev. So he’s actually planning to increase our nuclear weapons in Europe.”

“Which is guaranteed to undermine Gorbachev and encourage the hawks in the Kremlin.”

“Exactly. Anyway, I have a bunch of Germans coming tomorrow to try and set him straight.”

“Good luck with that,” George said skeptically.

“Yeah.”

George finished his coffee but he did not want to go. He felt comfortable, full of good food and wine, and he always enjoyed talking to Maria. “You know something?” he said. “Aside from my son and my mother, I like you better than anyone else in the world.”

“How is Verena?” Maria said sharply.

George smiled. “She’s seeing your old boyfriend Lee Montgomery. He’s a Washington Post editor now. I think it’s serious.”

“Good.”

“Do you remember . . .” He probably should not say this, but he had drunk half a bottle of wine, and he thought, What the hell. “Do you remember the time we had sex on this couch?”

“George,” she said, “I don’t do it often enough to forget.”

“Unfortunately, neither do I.”

She laughed, but said: “I’m glad.”

He felt nostalgic. “How long ago was that?”

“It was the night Nixon resigned, fifteen years ago. You were young and handsome.”

“And you were almost as beautiful as you are today.”

“Why, you smooth talker.”

“It was nice, wasn’t it? The sex, I mean.”

“Nice?” She pretended to be offended. “Is that all?”

“It was great.”

“Yeah.”

He was possessed by a feeling of regret for missed opportunities. “What happened to us?”

“We had separate paths to follow.”

“I guess.” There was a silence, then George said: “Do you want to do it again?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

They kissed, and immediately he remembered how it had been the first time: so relaxed, so natural, so right.

Her body had changed. It was softer, less taut, the skin dryer to his touch. He guessed the same was true of his own body: the wrestling muscles had gone long ago. But it made no difference. Her lips and tongue were fervently busy on his, and he felt the same eager pleasure at being drawn into the arms of a sensual and loving woman.

She unbuttoned his shirt. While he was taking it off, she stood up and quickly slipped out of her dress.