“If that’s what you’d like to do, then Felicity has a larger property than mine. It’s only just across the river, as you discovered tonight, so perhaps she would be pleased to host your little party.”

“Now, now,” Felicity said, throwing up a hand. “Let’s not get carried away.” She took a swig of her wine. “Roger, put that notion out of your mind.”

“Quite,” Roger said, returning to his dinner.

—

They finished dessert and port and Stilton, then the guests made their goodbyes and departed, driven back to their boat by Stan, in the golf cart.

—

Stone and Rose made their way upstairs to bed and had just fallen into each other’s arms when Stone disengaged for a moment.

“Tell me,” he said to Rose. “Are you a party to this little scheme of Fife-Simpson and Dame Felicity’s?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, retreating to her side of the bed.

“Well, it occurs to me that, in addition to being a physician, you hold military rank.”

“I have a reserve commission,” she replied, “in the Home Guard. They helped pay for my surgical training.”

“It also occurs to me that Roger and Felicity were discussing what must be a highly classified operation in your presence, as if you were cleared to hear it. I don’t know about Roger, but it’s very unlike Felicity to discuss something like that in an unclassified environment.”

“That seemed to be Fife-Simpson’s decision,” she replied. “And, you may recall, Dame Felicity spoke only to scotch the idea.”

“Then is it not true that your employer is a certain intelligence service, rather than a London hospital?”

She reached for his nether region and fondled him. “I can neither confirm nor deny your conjecture. I can, however, help you forget that you asked.”

“That is certainly a possibility,” Stone said, moving closer to give her easier access.

She kissed his ear, then used her tongue. “I thought you might think so,” she whispered.

11

The next morning they were having breakfast in bed when Rose said, “You’re very quiet this morning.”

“I suppose I am,” Stone said. “My discovery that you are playing on Dame Felicity’s team has confused me.”

“How so?” she asked.

“Well, are you here in my house and my bed and my pants because you have made that choice, or because duty requires it of you?”

“That’s an insulting question,” she replied.

“I’m sorry if it seems so. As I said, I am confused, and while in that state, should not be required to make discerning judgments about the emotional state of others.”

“Would you like me to go?”

“I would not. I would merely like you to familiarize me with your current state of mind and your intentions.”

“My current state of mind is serene,” she said, “when I am not being asked annoying questions.”

“And your intentions?”

“Honorable.”