Lance arrived at Windward Hall from London as evening fell. Stone and Rose came out the front door to greet him. Stone introduced Rose to Lance. “We’re just going down to fetch Dame Felicity,” he said. “Come with us.”

They got into the golf cart and drove the quarter mile to the dock, where her boatman was just making fast the boat’s lines. Stone helped Felicity ashore, and since everyone now knew everyone, introductions were unnecessary.

—

Back at the house, Geoffrey served them drinks.

“Thank you for taking the brigadier off my hands for a bit,” Felicity said to Lance.

“Speak of the devil,” Lance said. “I had a call a few minutes ago saying that Fife-Simpson was just rendered unconscious in our technical service department by a sting from a hypodermic disguised as a fountain pen—inadvertently, of course.”

“Of course,” Felicity replied.

“They’ll bring him around soon.”

They were called to dinner, and an old claret was uncorked, tasted, decanted, and poured.

“You said on the phone that you had met Fife-Simpson before?” Felicity asked.

“Yes. The first instance occurred in the casualty ward of a Belfast hospital. I had been observing the work of the Army and Royal Marines in the city and received a superficial bullet wound for my trouble, and while I was being treated, Fife-Simpson—a lieutenant at the time—was brought in. He had been badly beaten, and a friend, another lieutenant, was very concerned. The friend told me that he and a squad of military policemen had extracted young Roger from the clutches of an IRA scrum. The lieutenant said that Fife-Simpson had asked to be taken to a gay bar, but there was a mix-up. The lieutenant, by the way, was to become Admiral Sir Timothy Barnes, now serving as the First Sea Lord.”

“Oh, is the brigadier gay?” Felicity asked.

“I don’t think so. Rather, he is a gay basher, or, as some say, a gay trasher, who has helped along his career in the military by forming friendships with homosexual officers. Then, when it suited him, to gently blackmail his way into better fitness reports and promotions.”

“That is disgusting,” Felicity said.

“Do you know, Stone,” Rose suddenly interjected, “the brigadier asked me if you were gay.”

Felicity and Lance burst out laughing.

“Don’t worry,” Rose said, placing a hand on Stone’s arm, “I’ll give you a good report.”

More laughter.

25

They were on port and Stilton when Lance surprised Stone, and possibly everyone else, by asking Felicity, “Do you wish the brigadier returned to your service in one piece?”

“My desires conflict with my duty,” Felicity said without missing a beat, “as it is seen to be by my betters.”

“You surely must not wish to have your service used as a dumping ground for the unsuitable,” Lance said.