She was aware as she spoke that her colleagues had grown quiet and attentive. During the debate on the new layout there had been the usual distracted fidgeting, fiddling with pens and lighters, the grinding out of cigarettes, but they were all now focused on her.

“The blood tests were compatible, and,” she looked down at her papers to the most recent letter from Dr. Lloyd-Jones, “I’m quoting the doctor here—in the ‘taste test,’ both mother and daughter could taste phenylthiocarbamide at exactly the same threshold value of 2:54 mg per liter. This is significant. In the saliva test, both mother and daughter were ‘non-secretors’ and produced identical titers after treating their saliva samples against an anti-A antiserum.”

“Does this amount to proof?” asked Bill.

“Not 100 percent.” She referred back to her notes. “The probability of this kind of agreement if there was a father involved is less than 0.01 percent. There is one more serum test and then if they pass that, the clincher is a skin graft, but obviously they wouldn’t proceed with that if any of the previous tests failed.”

“The really persuasive thing as I understand it,” said Roy, entering the discussion for the first time, “is that Mrs. Tilbury presented herself as an example of a virgin mother before she was aware of the results of these tests and not the other way around.”

“Yes, exactly,” said Jean.

“Does the lady herself know the outcome of the tests now?” Larry wanted to know.

Jean nodded. “She’s been kept informed at every stage. The doctor leading the project was adamant that results should not be withheld from her.”

“What’s to stop her, having proved her case at our expense, so to speak, running off to one of the nationals with her story? Has she signed any kind of exclusivity contract yet?”

“No,” said Jean. “It’s not necessary. She isn’t the least bit interested in money or notoriety.”

“She might be,” said Larry. “If she knew how much was available.”

“I’ve built up a relationship with her. She trusts me and I trust her. However,” she turned to Roy, “if you think it’s necessary, I’m prepared to ask her to sign something.”

Roy looked at her over his glasses, considering.

“But,” she went on, “I think it would bring the issue of money to the foreground and possibly damage our relationship, so I’d be against it on those grounds.”

“I agree with Larry up to a point. It’s not much to ask. But on this occasion, I’m going to trust Jean’s judgment.”

“Thank you,” said Jean.

“What about the medics? Are they sound?” Larry asked.

“They are already operating under a code of patient confidentiality,” Jean assured him. “They know that eventually the research will be theirs to publish and own if it has any scientific value. And unlike us, they don’t expect everything to be done by yesterday.”

“Suffice to say that in their cautious, academic way they are intrigued,” said Roy.

“So they ought to be,” said Bill. “It’s a hell of a story.”