All right for some people, getting to chauffeur good-looking women, Parry called.
Holley slid behind the wheel. Bloody flyboys.
He drove away, and Sara said, What have you got against pilots?
Not a thing. As it happens, I m one myself.
Is there no end to your talents?
Well, that remains to be seen, doesn t it?
Which for the moment shut her up, and he turned out onto the main road and headed for London.
She fiddled with his CD player and immediately found Sinatra belting out Night and Day. She joined in for a while, word perfect.
As it finished, Holley said, You like Cole Porter, then?
Love him. It s not just the music the lyrics stand up as poetry in their own right.
She tilted her seat a little and lay back, listening.
Holley said, Are you feeling reasonably happy about things now? I mean, Ferguson forcing you to join the team?
She glanced at him sharply. Are you worried about me?
Of course not.
She smiled. Oh yes, you are.
Worried about the hero of Abusan? Why would I be?
Instead of annoying her, the remark made her smile, but with a certain complacency. Poor Daniel, she said, turned up the volume, and started to hum along with Sinatra.
He left Park Lane at the Dorchester Hotel and drove along South Audley Street, turning right before Grosvenor Square into Highfield Court. It was a fine mid-Victorian property of four stories, standing back from the road so that there was no parking problem. He drove into the drive, got out of the Alfa, and retrieved her luggage.
Why don t you come in. I d like you to meet my grandfather.
She turned, walked to the door, and he followed, suddenly awkward. As she got her key out, he said, Look, you ve been away for some time. He ll be thrilled to see you. I ll just be intruding.
She turned to look at him, quite calm. Daniel, do you have a problem with me?
For a moment he was speechless, then he said, Look, Sara, what is this?
She prodded a finger into his chest. I d like you to meet my grandfather because I think you should.
And what s that supposed to mean?
You ll have to work that out for yourself.
As she turned, the door was opened by a comfortable-looking dark-haired woman who wore horn-rimmed spectacles and a green smock.
So you re back? she said. We wondered when to expect you. You ve never heard of the telephone? A great invention.
Sadie, I love you desperately. She gave the woman a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. I was in Arizona, the other end of the world. Is Granddad at home?
In the study. But he s going out this evening.
She was examining Holley as she spoke, and Sara said, Mrs. Cohen is our housekeeper, Daniel.
That the woman was running an eye over him made Holley feel foolish, standing there with a bag in each hand. He put them down.
A pleasure, Mrs. Cohen. He held out his hand.
She took it briefly, then turned to Sara. I ll bring you tea.
She moved down a wide corridor, obviously making for the kitchen area. They followed her for a moment, then Sara opened a large mahogany door to the left and led the way in.
The room was a relic from the past, a wonderful Victorian library, walls lined with mahogany paneling or bookshelves, a period fireplace, Turkish carpeting on the floor. Rabbi Nathan Gideon was seated at his desk in a swivel chair and turned around as they entered. He had the look of a scholar and wise man, but with the kind of face that seemed ready to break into a smile at any time. The fringe of gray beard suited him, and his unruly hair topped by a black velvet yarmulke somehow made him look quite dashing. So did the old black velvet smoking jacket he wore.
He flung his arms wide and stood to greet her, removing his reading glasses. My dearest girl, how wonderful to see you.
They hugged for a few moments. I love you so damn much, Granddad, she said fiercely.
Such language, he told her. You re bringing tears to my eyes. He took out a hanky to dab at them. What will your friend think?
That you re a lucky man to have such a beautiful granddaughter, Rabbi. Holley held out his hand. Daniel Holley. Sara and I are colleagues.
Is that so? Nathan Gideon led the way across to the fireplace, where two sofas faced each other across a glass coffee table. He sat down with Sara in one, Daniel facing them. The door opened and Sadie Cohen pushed in a trolley.
Do you also work at the Ministry of Defence, like that nice Major Roper who came to hear my sermon? the rabbi inquired.
Now and then, if I m needed, Holley said.
I m also in the shipping business.
But somehow a colleague of my granddaughter who s a captain in the Intelligence Corps. This I don t understand.
He accepted the cup of tea Sadie handed him, and Sara said,
The thing is, I won t be wearing the uniform much anymore.
Except if you have to go to the Palace to get your Military Cross, Holley said.
The news was received with astonishment, Sadie missing a cup entirely while pouring more tea.
The Military Cross? Nathan Gideon was amazed.
Sara, you never said a word.
I only just heard, she said. And it was totally unexpected. Frank, my sergeant, deserved it more.
I don t think he d agree, Holley told her. It was his account of your actions that night that led to you being put up for the award in the first place. He stood up. Look, sir, you re a sensible man and I get the impression that Mrs. Cohen is pretty smart, too, so please listen. Major Roper, Sara, myself, and a few other people work for a top secret intelligence unit, responsible only to the Prime Minister.
He turned to Sara inquiringly and she nodded in agreement.
What Daniel says is true, Granddad. But you know you can t say anything about this, right? Neither of you. It s under the Official Secrets Act.
Her grandfather gaped at her in astonishment as Sadie said,
So no more wars, no more Afghanistan?
Sara smiled and then said, Sadie, I d be perfectly happy if I never have to clap eyes on the place again.
So you will be living at home? That s good. Now, you get that tea down you, and I ll see to the trolley when you re finished.
She went out, and Nathan said, I d like to thank you for clearing the air about all this, Daniel. We all know where we stand now, and you can rely on me and Sadie to play our parts. He smiled mischievously. Such as they are.
Holley said, I ll get out of your way, because I know you must have a lot to talk about, and I know you re going out later.
That s true. A big fund-raiser with a speech, unfortunately. But I suspect we ll be seeing each other again.
They shook hands, and Holley followed Sara out to the hall.
He s a rather wonderful man, isn t he?
You could say that. And very special to me after what happened to my parents. His tie had loosened, and she reached up and adjusted it. Thanks for what you told him. It needed doing, and I didn t know how.
The rush of tenderness he felt at that moment was a totally new experience. He said to her, Doing things for you comes easy.
