‘Are you sure she knew what was going on here?’

‘Apparently she said she’d had it from a man who said it was all over the Institute.’

‘I see. Well, I’ll look into it.’

‘I mean, I shouldn’t like you to think we were trying to influence the work being done in the new wing just because we’ve put up the money.’

‘Of course not.’

‘Nothing further from our minds. Rothermere would never dream of doing anything like that.’

‘Of course he wouldn’t.’

‘It’s just that we have to be careful what the Company’s name is associated with.’

‘Exactly. Exactly. Of course, I never interfere in the running of the departments, as I’m sure you’ll understand.’

‘Oh, of course.’

‘But I’ll certainly put my foot down on any nonsense about pornographic novels and sex manuals.’

‘Well, I told Rothermere we could rely on you.’

‘Only too pleased to help.’

‘There’s nothing personal in this, Nunn.’

‘Of course not.’

‘But I’ve had Rothermere on to me all morning about it. I hope I didn’t sound sharp?’

‘You’d have been fully justified. Fully justified.’

‘I mean, Rothermere’s rather a stickler for this sort of thing. And frankly, after a whole morning of it the old tummy starts to play up a bit.’

‘Leave it to me. I’ll have a word with Macintosh right away.’

‘I suppose Macintosh does have his heart in the new wing?’

‘Oh, a hundred per cent.’

‘Really? I couldn’t help getting the impression he was a bit luke-warm when I met him.’

‘No, no, keen as mustard.’

‘I mean, he kept saying he didn’t want the wing and he wouldn’t have anything to do with it.’

‘Oh, that’s just his way of expressing himself. Queer fellows, these scientific johnnies.’

‘I suppose they are.’

‘Never cease to astonish me.’

‘No.’

‘Right you are, then.’

‘So you’ll get on to Macintosh?’

‘I’ll get on to Macintosh.’

‘All right, then.’

‘Thanks for letting me know.’

‘No, thank you.’

‘I’ll get on to Macintosh right away.’

‘You’ll get on to him, will you?’

‘Right away.’

‘There we are then.’

‘I think that covers everything.’

‘I think so.’

‘Well, then . . .’

‘Well, if you’ll get on to Macintosh.’

‘Yes, I’ll get on to Macintosh.’

‘I think that’s it, then.’

‘I think it should be.’

‘If there’s anything else we can always ring one another again.’

‘Of course we can.’

‘Well, then, my compliments to your good lady.’

11

‘Hugh Rowe,’ wrote Hugh Rowe, ‘has given us a brilliant first novel. Warm, witty, wise – R is compulsively readable from first page to last. I have no hesitation at all in choosing it as my Book of the Year.’

Goldwasser came into the laboratory.

‘I saw you at it again out of my window. Couldn’t resist coming down for a closer look.’

‘Oh?’ said Rowe.

‘R,’ he wrote, ‘opens a new and exciting era in the development of the novel as an art form.’

‘Your novel, is it?’ asked Goldwasser.

‘Yes,’ said Rowe. He wrote: ‘A hit! A hit! A palpable hit!’