he best person。〃
〃Ah yes； Rosemont。 He's here now。〃
〃Yes sir。〃
Sir Geoffrey's eyes hardened。 〃You have copies of all my guest lists； Roger？〃
〃No sir。 Half an hour ago I called the consulate to find out where he was。 They told me。〃
Sir Geoffrey looked back at him under his shaggy eyebrows； disbelieving him； sure that the chief of SI did know whom he invited and when。 Never mind； he thought testily； that's his job。 And I'll bet a golden guinea to a doughnut that these prints aren't the only copies Roger made； for he knows our Admiralty would love to see them too and it's his duty to provide them。 〃Could this have any connection with the AMG business？〃
〃No。 No not at all；〃 Crosse said and the governor thought he heard the momentary flutter in Crosse's voice。 〃I don't think there's any connection。〃
Sir Geoffrey got out of the tall chair and paced for a moment； his mind sifting possibilities。 Roger's right。 Chinese Intelligence on both sides of the bamboo fence are bound to find out quickly； as every one of our Chinese police has PRC or Nationalist sympathies。 So it's far better to have the spy out of reach。 Then no one will be tempted … at least； not here。 〃I think I should chat with the minister at once。〃
〃Perhaps； under the circumstances； sir； you could inform the minister what I've done about the major … sending him to London under es… 〃
〃He's already gone？〃
〃No sir。 But it's well within my authority to expedite that … if you agree。〃
Thoughtfully Sir Geoffrey glanced again at the clock。 At length。 he said with a small smile； 〃Very well。 It's lunchtime now in London； I'll inform him in an hour or so。 Is that sufficient time？〃
〃Oh yes； thank you； sir。 Everything's arranged。〃
〃I presumed it was。〃
〃I'll breathe a lot easier when the fellow's en route home； sir。 Thank you。〃
〃Yes。 And the sailor？〃
〃Perhaps you could ask the minister to approve our handing him over to Rosemont； sir。〃
There were a dozen questions Sir Geoffrey would like to have asked but he asked none of them。 From long experience he knew he was not a good liar； so the less he knew the better。 〃Very well。 Now； what's the second piece of 'good' news。 I trust this will be better。〃
〃We've caught the mole； sir。〃
〃Ah！ Good。 Excellent！ Very good。 Who？〃
〃Senior Superintendent Kwok。〃
〃Impossible！〃
Crosse kept the pleasure off his face。 〃I agree； sir。 Even so； Superintendent Kwok's a munist mole and spy for the PRC。〃 Crosse related how Brian Kwok's cover had been penetrated。 〃I suggest Superintendent Armstrong should get a mendation … also Spectacles Wu。 I'm taking him into SI； sir。〃
Sir Geoffrey was staring out of the window； stunned。 〃Bless my soul！ Young Brian！ Why？ He would have been an assistant missioner in a year or two。 。。。 I suppose there's no mistake？〃
〃No sir。 As I said； the proof is irrefutable。 Of course； we don't know the how or the why yet but we soon will。〃
Sir Geoffrey heard the finality and he saw the thin； hard face and cold eyes and he felt very sorry for Brian Kwok； whom he had liked for many years。 〃Keep me advised about him。 Perhaps we can discover what makes a man like that do such a thing。 Good God； such a charming chap and a first…class cricketer too。 Yes； keep me advised。〃
〃Certainly； sir。〃 Crosse got up。 〃Interesting。 I could never understand why he was always so anti…American … it was his only flaw。 Now it's obvious。 I should have spotted that。 Sorry sir； and sorry to interrupt your evening。〃
〃You're to be congratulated； Roger。 If the Soviet agent's being sent to London perhaps Brian Kwok should go too？ The same reasons would apply to him？〃
〃No sir。 No I don't think so。 We can deal with Kwok here much quicker and better。 We're the ones who need to know what he knows … London wouldn't understand。 Kwok's a threat to Hong Kong； not to Britain。 He's a PRC asset … the other man's Soviet。 The two don't parallel。〃
Sir Geoffrey sighed heavily； knowing Crosse was right。 〃I agree。 This has really been a quite dreadful day； Roger。 First the bank runs； then the stock market 。。。 the deaths last night； poor Sir Charles Pennyworth and Toxe's wife 。。。 and this morning the Aberdeen mud…slide deaths 。。。 the Noble House's tottering 。。。 it looks as though this storm front's developing into a blasted typhoon which will probably wreck Saturday's racing 。。。 and now all your news； an American sailor betrays his country and ship and honor for a paltry 2；000？〃
Crosse smiled his thin smile again。 〃Perhaps 2；000 wasn't paltry to him。〃
We live in terrible times； Sir Geoffrey was going to say； but he knew it was not the times。 It was merely that people were people； that greed pride lust avarice jealousy gluttony anger and the bigger lust for power or money ruled people and would rule them forever。 Most of them。
〃Thank you for ing； Roger。 Again； you're to be congratulated。 I will so inform the minister。 Good night。〃
He watched Crosse walk off； tall； confident and deadly。 When the iron door in the high wall had been bolted behind him by his aide； Sir Geoffrey Allison allowed the real unasked question to surface once more。
Who's the mole in my police？
AMG's paper was quite clear。 The traitor's a Soviet asset； not from the PRC。 Brian Kwok has been flushed out by chance。 Why didn't Roger point out the obvious？
Sir Geoffrey shuddered。 If Brian could be a mole anyone could。 Anyone。
50
8：17 P。M。：
Almost before he took his finger off the bell the door swung open。
〃Oh； Linc；〃 Orlanda said breathlessly； her happiness spilling over； 〃I'd given you up。 Please e in！〃
〃Sorry to be late；〃 Bartlett said； taken aback by her beauty and marvelous warmth。 〃The traffic's snarled to hell and the ferries jammed and I couldn't get to a phone。〃
〃You're here so you're not late； not at all。 I was just afraid that 。。。〃 Then she added in a rush； 〃I was afraid you wouldn't e back tonight and then I'd've been shattered。 There； I've said it and all my defenses are down but I'm so happy to see you I don't care。〃 She stood on tiptoe and kissed him a swift happy kiss； took his arm and shut the door behind them。
Her perfume was delicate and barely there but he felt it as a physical presence。 The dress she wore was knee…length white chiffon that sighed as she moved； close at the wrists and neck。 It showed but somehow didn't quite show her golden skin。 〃I'm so happy you're here；〃 she said again and took his umbrella and put it into a rack。
〃So am I。〃
The room was prettier by night； mostly candlelit； the tall glass doors of the terrace open to the air。 They were just below the overcast and the city sprawled down the mountain to the sea； the lights misting from time to time as whiskers of the low clouds passed by。 Sea level was seven hundred feet below。 Kowloon was dim and the harbor dim but he knew the ships were there and he could see the huge carrier at the wharf； her great angled deck floodlit； the needle…nosed jets floodlit； her battle…gray bridge reaching for the sky … the Stars and Stripes hanging damp and listless。
〃Hey；〃 he said； leaning on the terrace railing； 〃what a great night； Orlanda。〃
〃Oh yes； yes it is。 e and sit down。〃
〃I'd rather look at the view； if it's okay。〃
〃Of course； anything you want's fine； anything。 That suit's great on you； Linc； and I love your tie。〃 She said it happily； wanting to pliment him even though she did not think the tie matched too well。 Never mind； she thought； he's just not color conscious like Quillan； and needs helping。 I'll do what Quillan taught me to do； not criticize but go out and buy one I like and give it to him。 If he likes it； marvelous； if not never mind； for what does it matter … he's the one who's wearing it。 Blue； blue would match Linc's eyes and go better with that shirt。 〃You dress very well。〃
〃Thanks； so do you。〃 He was remembering what Casey had said about his tie and how furious he had been with her tonight all the way across the ferry； all the time waiting for a cab； and the old woman who had trod on his foot shoving past to usurp his cab but he had foiled her and cursed her back。
It was only now that his rage…temperature had vanished。 It was Orlanda's pleasure at seeing me that did it； he told himself。