Gus was a big shot. His father had been a senator before him, a dynastic succession that Greg thought was un-American. Gus had helped Franklin Roosevelt become Governor of New York and then President. Now he was on the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

His sons, Woody and Chuck, went to the same school as Greg. Woody was brainy, Chuck was a sportsman.

Lev said: ‘Has the President told you to settle my strike, Senator?’

Gus smiled. ‘No – not yet, anyway.’

Lev turned to Greg. ‘Last time the foundry was on strike, twenty years ago, President Wilson sent Gus to browbeat me into giving the men a raise.’

‘I saved you money,’ Gus said mildly. ‘They were asking for a dollar – I made them take half that.’

‘Which was exactly fifty cents more than I intended to give.’

Gus smiled and shrugged. ‘Shall we have lunch?’

They went into the dining room. When they had ordered, Gus said: ‘The President was glad you could make it to the reception at the White House.’

‘I probably shouldn’t have taken Gladys,’ Lev said. ‘Mrs Roosevelt was a bit frosty with her. I guess she doesn’t approve of movie stars.’

She probably doesn’t approve of movie stars who sleep with married men, Greg thought, but he kept his mouth shut.

Gus made small talk while they ate. Greg looked for an opportunity to ask his favour. He wanted to work in Washington one summer, to learn the ropes and make contacts. His father might have been able to get him an internship, but it would have been with a Republican, and they were out of power. Greg wanted to work in the office of the influential and respected Senator Dewar, personal friend and ally of the President.

He asked himself why he was nervous about asking. The worst that could happen was that Dewar would say no.

When the dessert was finished, Gus got down to business. ‘The President has asked me to speak to you about the Liberty League,’ he said.

Greg had heard of this organization, a right-wing group opposed to the New Deal.

Lev lit a cigarette and blew out smoke. ‘We have to guard against creeping socialism.’

‘The New Deal is all that is saving us from the kind of nightmare they’re having in Germany.’

‘The Liberty League aren’t Nazis.’

‘Aren’t they? They have a plan for an armed insurrection to overthrow the President. It’s not realistic, of course – not yet, anyway.’

‘I believe I have a right to my opinions.’

‘Then you’re supporting the wrong people. The League is nothing to do with liberty, you know.’

‘Don’t talk to me about liberty,’ Lev said with a touch of anger. ‘When I was twelve years old I was flogged by the Leningrad police because my parents were on strike.’

Greg was not sure why his father had said that. The brutality of the Tsar’s regime seemed like an argument for socialism, not against.

Gus said: ‘Roosevelt knows you give money to the League, and he wants you to stop.’