‘He’s fine. But, you know, they’re under a lot of pressure. The peace between Germany and the US is hanging by a thread.’

He smiled, and that was all the small talk done with.

‘Right then,’ Wilde said. ‘I’m pretty sure this isn’t a courtesy call, so tell me – what can I do for you gentlemen?’ His gaze shifted between the two visitors.

Eaton nodded. ‘I’ll leave this to Cashbone. I’m only here to make the introductions. You see, the Office of the COI has been working closely with us.’

‘You know about the COI, I take it, Wilde?’ Cashbone asked.

‘The Co-ordinator of Information – Bill Donovan’s intelligence outfit?’

‘Yup, that’s right. We collate information from the various agencies and report directly to the President. Well, a new COI office is being set up in London, under the command of William Dwight Whitney. I’m part of the small team he’s brought over with him.’ He inclined his head. ‘I’ll cut to the chase – I’m here to recruit you, too, Wilde.’

Wilde found himself smiling. This all came as no surprise; in some ways he’d probably been waiting for it all his life. It was, after all, the reason he had been studying German so assiduously for the last two years. But he still wanted to be courted and convinced; he had learned that those who worked in intelligence were not always entirely trustworthy.

‘Is this all above board, Eaton? Do they know I’m but a humble history professor?’

‘They do. And you fit the bill. In America, Donovan’s busy raiding Harvard and Princeton for their finest minds. Intellectuals are the order of the day.’

‘And the British are OK with a foreign agency working here alongside them?’

‘Astute as ever, Wilde,’ Eaton said. ‘Yes, some noses have been put out of joint, but Churchill’s given the go-ahead, so that’s the way it’s going to be. We will co-operate. So what do you say?’

‘Depends what’s wanted of me. Also depends what Lydia has to say. I’m a father now, you know.’

‘How are they?’

‘Come along for lunch and find out for yourselves. Both of you.’

Eaton and Cashbone exchanged glances.

‘We’d love to,’ the American said.

*

Wilde managed four hours’ sleep before Lydia woke him at noon with a cup of coffee.

‘Your friends will be here soon, darling.’

‘My friends? I never thought of Eaton as a friend.’

Lydia laughed. ‘I think you love him and loathe him in equal measure. Get yourself shaved and dressed. You’re about to have a job interview.’

‘Not exactly. They’ve already offered me the job. I’ll be interviewing them. Sorry, we’ll be interviewing them – you and me.’

‘If you insist.’

‘Well, it’s true.’

‘Tom, darling, you have been gearing up for this for two years now. Do you think I didn’t realise why you were putting so much bloody effort into your language training? What will you be doing – code-breaking?’

Wilde said nothing. What was there to say? She was only telling the truth.