‘Don’t you start. Poor old Elizabeth has stuck her neck out by insisting it doesn’t matter. People are falling out with each other – her friend Marjorie refuses to speak to her and the vicar’s close to having a nervous breakdown. And now they’ve asked me to come along to the parish council to give my opinion – as if I have one!’

‘They know what you do?’

‘Not as such, but most of the people in the village like to think they have an idea. I’d love to sit there and explain how I have to consider matters of life and death every day. I’d like to think that would give them some sense of perspective, but I very much doubt it. You know what village life is like, eh? Now then, talking of life and death…’

They were walking slowly along a corridor somewhere underneath Downing Street. Gilbey had a sense they were passing under the Cabinet Office, perhaps even under Whitehall. They were going to use one of the new secure meeting rooms, which apparently had fresh air pumped into it.

‘You’ve seen Agent Laertes’ report, no doubt, Roly. Terribly helpful.’

Pearson held out an arm to stop his companion. He needed to catch his breath. ‘Wait for the meeting, Tom, eh?’

The secure meeting room was less cramped and stuffy than the one they’d met in the previous month, but the air of tension was the same, as was Lord Swalcliffe’s evident irritation. Churchill’s principal scientific adviser sat on his own on one side of the table, files and pencils arrayed in front of him, fingers tapping impatiently and a generally unhappy demeanour about him.

Air Vice Marshal Frank Hamilton and his colleague from the RAF intelligence branch sat at one end of the table, the wall behind them covered with charts and photographs. Long from the Ministry sat at the other end, while Pearson and Gilbey sat next to each other, opposite Lord Swalcliffe.

‘The lighting in here is far too bright.’

‘I think you may find, Lord Swalcliffe, that the lighting in the previous room we used was too dim.’

‘You don’t need to lecture me of all people on the difference between bright and dim, Pearson, I’m the scientist here. Now, this report – I’m not sure it’s anywhere as reassuring as you evidently think it is, Gilbey.’

‘On the contrary, Lord Swalcliffe, based on what we received from Agent Laertes on his return to Copenhagen, it is clear that the German called Kurt answered all the questions we sent over. Isn’t that correct, Frank?’

Hamilton leaned forward to answer but was interrupted by Lord Swalcliffe.