His superior took in a long breath, then opened a box of cigars and offered Robert one. He shook his head. Couldn’t stand smoking the things, and couldn’t stand other people smoking them either, but here he didn’t have a choice. He would have to suffer the other man’s foul-smelling smoke, like it or not.

There was a moment’s silence, with only the steady tick-tock of the no doubt priceless mahogany inlay longcase clock breaking the quietude.

‘That rather depends, old boy. On who the dead person is. In this case, he was a national hero, a Conservative Party hero, and Margaret is rather eager to make sure nothing is done to sully his reputation. For the national good. Even though he’s long gone. The other person in question, well, he’s alive, but to be honest we’re not too bothered about it. Not too much of a reputation to protect, if you know what I mean.’

Robert took a quick look at the documents. At first glance, there was nothing that looked insurmountable, but as always, it would come down to resources.

‘How much help can I have on this?’ he asked.

‘Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes. Those were Margaret’s words.’

Each time his superior said the name ‘Margaret’ it was like someone had scraped a piece of rough chalk down a blackboard. That horrible shiver of discomfort. It was known that Gerald was not long off retirement – perhaps he was angling not just for a knighthood, but something even more grand.

‘And the object is what? Destruction of reputation of this academic?’

‘Something like that. The East Germans themselves are rather good at that – perhaps we could employ some of their techniques.’

‘What, gaslighting?’

‘Zersetsung is their term for it, I’ll think you’ll find.’

As head of the German section, Robert was perfectly well aware what Zersetsung meant. He’d just deliberately chosen an Anglicism instead. He kept his counsel.

‘But no,’ continued Gerald. ‘We need something rather more than that. A successful result for us would be that this never sees the light of day, not that it sees the light of day but is discredited, although the latter would be better than nothing. Anyway, can I leave it with you? Will you get back to me by Monday with your proposals, there’s a good chap.’

Although the last sentence had been phrased as though it was a question, Robert knew that it wasn’t.

It was an order. Plain and simple.

Chapter 34

34

Dresden

February 1982