‘You authorized it,’ Kate reminded him.

‘Yes, but when the bombshell dropped, I didn’t believe it. I said it was too convenient, that we were being taken for a ride.’ There was a shrill timbre to Ian’s voice now. ‘The prime minister a Russian agent of influence? I mean, it was absurd!’

‘I seem to recall,’ Sir Alan interjected, ‘that when Igor Borodin offered to defect with proof of the prime minister’s treachery, you were all for it.’

‘I had my doubts. They’re on the record!’

‘You oversaw the operation,’ Rose reminded him. ‘I went through every aspect of the budget with you. And you said that accepting the defection had been your idea.’

Ian gazed at her with barely disguised hostility. He looked like a cornered rat. But he had one ace in this game – power – and he played it now. ‘That is the past,’ he said. ‘That we ran with this idea but never proved it has done more damage to the standing of this organization than anything else I can recall, and I now intend to move us decisively beyond it.’ He looked at Kate. ‘I will do anything I need to in order to protect the Service’s reputation and good name.’

She wondered if he knew about her investigation already. Was that what had so riled him? And was this some kind of warning that she should expect the full weight of the Service to bear down on her if she went forward with it? He was the master of the coded threat, after all.

‘So we can sit here all morning, but I’m afraid my decision stands. Lena, her sister, the super-yacht, Igor Borodin, his supposed defection and crazy allegations against the prime minister, or indeed members of this Service, are in the past. And the matter is closed.’

Ah, Kate thought. Members of this Service. Now his meaning was clear. He did know about her investigation and this was a direct warning to her.

Sir Alan was the first to move. He stood, folded his napkin and placed it on the table. ‘Thank you for breakfast, Ian, and good luck. You’re going to need it.’ He walked to the door, followed swiftly by Rose and Kate. The butler fetched their coats. No one spoke until they reached the lift.

As soon as the doors closed, Rose said, ‘I’m going to authorize it anyway.’ She shook her head despairingly. ‘Who the fuck does he think he is?’

Sir Alan smiled at her. ‘Brave.’

‘By which you usually mean foolish,’ she said. ‘But I’m done. Let him fire me.’ The door pinged open at her floor and she flashed them both a smile and left them.

Neither Kate nor Sir Alan spoke again until they had reached the street outside the entrance. ‘Don’t tell me you were surprised,’ he said.

‘But why?’

He smiled at her. ‘I’m sure you can work it out. Come down and have lunch with me sometime.’ He walked away.