Sam took a breath. He wasn’t at all clear what the rules of engagement were here, but Nasima was right beside him, watching intently.

‘Well . . .’ he ventured ‘. . . whatever the outcome is, I can say this much. Some of the people returning from Syria are very damaged.’

‘Oh, so you don’t condemn them, then?’

Sam reflected briefly on how much his life, and his thinking, had changed. Dink had committed that brutal assault on him for the same reason he was here now, so close to the seat of power: it was because of his difference. All this time he had been living his life believing he was no different from the mainstream. Now he was being sought out for his views because of his background. He didn’t know whether to be amused or outraged. It was as if he had been both alienated and empowered at the same time. How weird was that? He cleared his throat.

‘I do condemn the bombing, utterly. But it is important to understand the motivations of those who go to help in Syria, the desire to help their brothers, to do some good. Many of them come back utterly traumatized by the experience of war. Rather than just punish them, we should offer them support.’

The reporter let out a long garlicky sigh. ‘Blimey. I wonder what your new mate the PM’s going to say about that.’

Pippa was suddenly by their side. ‘Kevin, this is a reception not a bloody press conference.’ She turned to Sam. ‘He can’t use a single word.’

‘What – really?’

Sam looked at the smiling reporter in bafflement.

‘Yes. Really. Now run along.’ She held out a newly manicured hand to Nasima. ‘Philippa Kendrick, head of communications. Thank you so much for coming.’ She gazed at them approvingly. ‘Would you like to meet the prime minister?’

Chapter 38

38

Across the room, Stephen Mandler, director general of MI5, was working his way through a much-needed glass of claret. He observed the entourage swirling around the PM with a mixture of pity and contempt. From his perspective the man was out of his depth, splashing away frantically, trying to keep his head above the waves.