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the Ivanov？ I've just heard the RAF transport's vanished。 It refueled in Bombay then vanished somewhere over the Indian Ocean。〃
60
6：58 P。M。：
The governor was in an Olympian rage。 He got out of the car and stomped to the side door of the bank where Johnjohn was waiting for him。
〃Have you read this？〃 The governor waved the evening edition of the Guardian in the night air。 The huge headline read： MPs ACCUSE PRC。 〃Bloody inpetent fools； what？〃
〃Yes sir。〃 Johnjohn was equally choleric。 He led the way past the uniformed doorman into a large anteroom。 〃Can't you hang both of them？〃
At their afternoon press conference； Grey and Broadhurst had proclaimed publicly everything that he； Johnjohn； Dunross and the other tai…pans had； at length； patiently condemned as totally against Britain's； Hong Kong's and China's interest。 Grey had gone on at length discussing his private and personal opinion that Red China was bent on world conquest and should be treated as the great enemy of world peace。 〃I've already had one unofficial official scream。〃
Johnjohn winced。 〃Oh God； not from Tiptop？〃
〃Of course from Tiptop。 He said； in that calm silky voice of his； 'Your Excellency； when our peers in Peking read how important members of your great English Parliament view the Middle Kingdom； I think they will be really quite angry。' I'd say our chances of getting the temporary use of their money now is nil。〃
Another wave of anger went over Johnjohn。
〃That damned man implied his views were the mittee's views； which is totally untrue！ Ridiculous to inflame China under any circumstances。 Without China's benevolence our position here is totally untenable。 Totally！ Bloody fool！ And we all went out of our way to explain！〃 The governor took out a handkerchief and blew his nose。 〃Where are the others？〃
〃Superintendent Crosse and Mr。 Sinders are using my office for a moment。 Ian's on his way。 What about Ian and Grey； sir； Grey being Ian's brother…in…law？ Eh？〃
〃Extraordinary。〃 Since Grey had mentioned it in response to a question this afternoon he had had a dozen calls about it。 〃Astonishing that Ian never mentioned it。〃
〃Or Penelope！ Very odd。 Do you th… 〃 Johnjohn glanced up and stopped。 Dunross was walking toward them。
〃Evening； sir。〃
〃Hello； Ian。 I put the time back to 7：00 p。m。 to give me a chance to see Sinders and Stanley Rosemont。〃 The governor held up the paper。 〃You've seen this？〃
〃Yes sir。 The Chinese evening papers are so incensed； I'm surprised every edition's not on fire and all of Central with them。〃
〃I'd try them for treason；〃 Johnjohn said； his face sour。 〃What the devil can we do； Ian？〃
〃Pray！ I've already spoken to Guthrie； the Liberal MP； and some of the Tories。 One of the Guardian's top reporters is interviewing them right now and their opposite opinions will be the morning headlines refuting all this poppycock。〃 Dunross wiped his hands。 He could feel the sweat on his back as well。 The bination of Grey； Tiptop； Jacques； Phillip Chen； the coin and the AMG files was unnerving him。 Christ Jesus； he thought； what next？ His meeting with Murtagh of the Royal Belgium had been what Casey had forecast … a long shot but a good one。 ing out of that meeting someone had given him the afternoon papers and the bombshell that such ill…advised remarks was going to create had almost knocked him over。 〃We'll have to just dismiss the whole thing publicly； and privately work like hell to make sure Grey's bill to bring Hong Kong down to Britain's level never gets to a vote； or is voted down； and Labour never gets elected。〃 He felt his bile rising。 〃Broadhurst was just as bad if not worse。〃
〃Ian； have you talked to Tiptop？〃
〃No； Bruce。 His line's still busy though I did send a message around。〃 He told them what he had arranged with Phillip Chen。 Then the governor related Tiptop's plaint。 Dunross was aghast。 〃When did he call； sir？〃
〃Just before six。〃
〃He would have had our message by then。〃 Dunross felt his heart thumping。 〃After this 。。。 this debacle； I'd lay heavy odds there's no chance for Chinese money。〃
〃I agree。〃
Dunross was acutely aware they had not mentioned Grey's relationship to him。 〃Robin Grey's worse than a fool；〃 he said； thinking he might just as well bring it out into the open。 〃My god…cursed brother…in…law could not have done better for the Soviets if he was a member of the Politburo。 Broadhurst as well。 Stupid！〃
After a pause the governor said； 〃As the Chinese say； 'The devil gives you your relations； thank all gods you can choose your friends。' 〃
〃You're so right。 Fortunately； the mittee's due to leave Sunday。 With the races tomorrow and all the 。。。 all the other problems； perhaps it'll all get lost in the shuffle。〃 Dunross mopped his brow。 〃It's close in here； isn't it？〃
The governor nodded； then added testily； 〃Is everything ready； Johnjohn？〃
〃Yes sir。 The va… 〃 In the hall the elevator opened and Roger Crosse and Edward Sinders； chief of MI…6； came out。
〃Ah； Sinders；〃 the governor said as they both came into the anteroom； 〃I'd like you to meet Mr。 Dunross。〃
〃Pleased to meet you； sir。〃 Sinders shook hands with Dunross。 He was a middle…aged； middle height； nondescript man with crumpled clothes。 His face was thin and colorless； the stubble of his beard gray。 〃Please excuse my rumpledness； sir； but I haven't been to the hotel yet。〃
〃Sorry about that；〃 Dunross replied。 〃This could certainly have waited until tomorrow。 Evening； Roger。〃
〃Evening； sir。 Evening； Ian；〃 Crosse said crisply。 〃As we're all here； perhaps we could proceed？〃
Obediently Johnjohn began to lead the way but Dunross said； 〃Just a moment。 Sorry； Bruce； could you excuse us a moment？〃
〃Oh certainly。〃 Johnjohn covered his surprise； wondering what this was all about and who Sinders was； but much too wise to ask。 He knew they would tell him if they wanted him to know。 The door closed behind him。
Dunross glanced at the governor。 〃Do you attest； sir； formally； this is Edward Sinders； head of MI…6？〃
〃I do。〃 The governor handed him an envelope。 〃I believe you wanted it in writing。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃 To Sinders； Dunross said； 〃Sorry； but you understand my reluctance。〃
〃Of course。 Good； then that's settled。 Shall we go； Mr。 Dunross？〃
〃Who's Mary McFee？〃
Sinders was shocked。 Crosse and the governor stared at him； perplexed； then at Dunross。 〃You have friends in high places； Mr。 Dunross。 May I ask who told you that？〃
〃Sorry。〃 Dunross kept his gaze on him。 Alastair Struan had got the information from some VIP in the Bank of England who had approached someone high up in the government。 〃All we want to do is to be sure Sinders is who he pretends to be。〃
〃Mary McFee's a friend；〃 Sinders said uneasily。
〃Sorry； that's not good enough。〃
〃A girl friend。〃
〃Sorry； neither's that。 What's her real name？〃
Sinders hesitated； then； his face chalky； he took Dunross by the arm and guided him to the far end of the room。 He put his lips very close to Dunross's ear。 〃Anastasia Kekilova； First Secretary of the Czechoslovak Embassy in London；〃 he whispered； his back to Crosse and the governor。
Dunross nodded； satisfied； but Sinders held on to his arm with surprising strengt