‘Sources, sir,’ replied Prince.

‘The main thing, surely,’ said Hanne, ‘is that it proved to be correct. Is that not good enough?’

Sir Roland Pearson pulled his chair forward and said that of course it was good enough; indeed, from what he’d heard, it was more than good enough.

‘And the Soviets, sir?’

‘They turned up at the farm two days after us, didn’t they? It would appear they’re as furious as the Americans are. You look concerned, Prince…’

‘I’m concerned about Kommissar Iosif Gurevich, sir: he’s been very helpful to us. He could continue to be helpful to the Service. You said you’d enquire about him.’

Gilbey drummed his fingers on his blotting pad and slowly moved his fountain pen from one side of the desk to the other. ‘I got Bemrose to ask some questions. He managed to nail a NKVD officer at the Allied Kommandatura last night.’

‘And?’

‘And it would appear Gurevich has been transferred back to Moscow. That could be good news or it could be bad news, but…’

‘…it’s most likely to be bad news, sir.’

‘Perhaps if our chaps in Moscow put in a good word for him – resolute ally against the Nazis, that type of thing?’

‘I think you’ll find, Tom, that our putting a good word in for him may well have the opposite effect.’

‘Maybe you’re right, Roly.’

Prince looked downcast and Hanne put her hand in his. Tom Gilbey cleared his throat and said something about it being a shame neither Edward Palmer nor Myrtle Carter had been captured alive, but on balance it was probably better not to have the awkwardness of a trial.

‘And what will you two do now?’

Hanne and Prince looked at each other.

‘I’ll continue as a police officer, sir. You may recall that when you asked us to take on this mission back in September – when you said it would last just a couple of weeks – I did mention I was in line for promotion to chief superintendent. I understand that is now very much a probability. And in any case…’ He hesitated and blushed, and looked at Hanne.

‘What Richard was about to say, Tom, is that I’m pregnant. Our careers as spies have come to an end.’

Tom Gilbey and Sir Roland Pearson watched from the upper-floor window as Prince and Hanne emerged from the MI6 building and crossed the road before hailing a taxi.

‘Nice to hear they’re having a child, after what they’ve both been through. Doubt we’ll see them again, though, Roly, eh? Pity, both good sorts and first-class agents. We could do with more of them rather than the usual Oxbridge classics scholars.’

‘I wouldn’t be so sure, Tom.’

‘So sure about what?’

‘About not seeing them again.’

‘What makes you say that?’

‘They’re addicted to espionage – and they have an instinct for it. The only people in this game who are any good are people like that. And more to the point, they know Europe; they have a feel for it. I’ve heard you say more than once how the rules of the game have changed and you’re not sure you understand them.’