‘I know. But I can see it’s much more than a job to you.’ He felt her lean close, sensed her warm lips barely brush his cheek, her breath silky on his neck, sending its nerves into a frenzy. ‘So why have you dropped whatever it was you were doing to come out and sit on a trailer on a starless night with me?’ Her lips touched his ear, then vanished.

She was right, of course. She could read him so well even in the dark. He edged his shoulder away from hers, because if he didn’t he would stay sitting like that all night and never tell her.

‘I interviewed Isaac.’

Her face snapped round to face him, a paler oval of darkness. ‘What did he say?’

‘The usual. The end of the world is nigh and only the Communist Party can save it. The American capitalist system is designed by the rich for the rich. You know the party line.’

He felt rather than saw her nod. ‘Come on, Léon, let me hear whatever it is you’ve come to tell me. I promise I won’t swoon or bite your head off.’

‘He tells me there are Intelligence leaks coming from the air base.’

She didn’t react.

‘And that there are rumours flying around.’

‘What kind of rumours?’

‘The kind your MGB friend might be here for.’

‘He’s not my friend.’

Léon waited for her feathers to settle. ‘Rumours that are coming from a leak at the Dumoulin base and are getting the Communist devotees all hot under the collar.’

She smacked his knee. ‘Tell me.’

‘That the American aircraft industry is developing a nuclear plane. Not one that just carries nuclear attack weaponry. One that is powered by nuclear energy. One that Isaac claims is being rushed through its top-secret prototype stage in America far too quickly because they want to bring it to Europe. To our base here at Dumoulin. And if one ever crashes on landing or is shot down, God help us all.’

She gave a low whistle that seemed to attract some wild creature because an instant bark responded from the darkness. She slapped away a mosquito with more vehemence than necessary.

‘So that’s why he’s here,’ she muttered under her breath.

‘Isaac?’

‘No. My MGB Soviet agent friend.’

‘Mickey Ashton could have been his contact.’ Her intake of breath was so soft he almost missed it. ‘But we have no proof that he was the leak.’

‘None at all. And I didn’t spot Gilles Bertin in Serriac today. Oh, Léon, so many secrets. So many things I wish I could tell you.’

‘Then do so.’

‘I can’t.’

Fear for her uncurled in Léon’s guts. ‘That’s the trouble with espionage, Eloïse. It builds barriers around you, it cages you alone with only your secrets for company. Is that what you want?’