Iain Pears - Stone's Fall

Eventually Goschen sat back. 'Any further comments?'

Wilkinson shook his head, and there was silence.

'Then I suggest we talk to the Russians once more. Mr Stone, if you would be so good as to come with us?'

I was left out of that one. The deal was done; the French and the Russians had both got what they wanted, and the end of the crisis was in sight. All they had to do was send the telegrams to deposit money in the Bank of England and it would be over. I could still hardly believe it; Britain had got off lightly; astonishingly lightly.

'You look tired, my friend,' Elizabeth said. She had come when she heard the others marching down the corridor.

'I'm afraid you've been a guest in your own house this evening.'

'Yes, and my chef might resign tomorrow. The amount these people eat and drink is astonishing. It all seems quite good-tempered, though.'

'I think they've been thoroughly enjoying themselves,' I said. 'It's what they love more than anything. I don't think it would suit me at all.' I yawned. 'Lord, but I'm tired. I'll sleep well tonight.'

There was a ring at the doorbell, and a few moments later a footman came in with a card on a tray.

'Please show M. Rouvier into the sitting room,' she said, then turned back to me. 'That is where the French are?'

'Just in time to hear what has been agreed. Good.'

'I gather you visited Count Gurunjiev a few days ago.'

'Yes. And I apologise for mentioning your name. I did it very discreetly, though. I gave no hint at all of knowing anything about you, other than saying I was your friend.'

'Thank you. But please don't do it again.'

'I promise.'

Fateful words. A few moments later the door opened and Goschen and Wilkinson came in, followed by Stone and Rothschild, who looked worried.

'Problem?' I asked.

'M. Rouvier is apparently shouting at the Governor of the Bank of France, telling him he had no right to agree to anything without his approval. And that he does not give his approval. To put it another way, he won't take the deal. And if the French won't the Russians won't either. Come, gentlemen, let us go and talk this over.'

They trooped out again, leaving me with Stone and Elizabeth. He went and sat opposite her, and smiled gently.

'Well, this is a problem,' he said.

'You mean you didn't foresee it?'

'What do you mean?'

I shook my head and frowned, thinking furiously. A whole host of little details, previously unconnected, seemingly random, seeming to be sticking themselves together into new and troubling patterns. And then, there it was. Undeniable.

'This is all you, isn't it?' I said. 'From the start.'

'I don't think I understand.'

'When did you come up with this scheme? To create a crisis, and force a solution that allowed you to do as you wanted?'

He smiled. 'You overestimate me, Mr Cort. That does not happen often. I'm not used to it. What do you mean, my scheme?'

'The first time I met you you mentioned that the government had forbidden you from working for the Russians. Now you will be able to do so with their blessing and appear a selfless patriot at the same time. The banks to organise all this, they will be same as the ones leading the assault on London. Credit International, Banque de Bruges. This whole business could not possibly have taken place without you knowing about it long in advance.'

Stone, who had been examining a Chinese bowl on the mantelpiece, turned around.

'I haven't broken it yet, you see,' she said. 'And I have given it a place of honour.'

'I am flattered,' he said with a gentle smile.

Stone put it carefully back in its place, then stood back anxiously to make sure it wasn't about to crash to the floor.

'I'm sorry, Mr Cort. You were saying?'

'The Russians and the French could have destroyed London, but they are settling for a shipyard and a few bond issues. And, by pure coincidence, the owner of Britain's biggest arms company is in a hotel down the road, ready to oblige. And you came up with this staggeringly complex scheme in the time it took to take a cab from the Louvre to here. How could anybody think of something that complicated in a matter of minutes?'

'I'm very good at my job.'

'Not that good. Not without thinking it out in advance.'

'I did not create this situation,' he said quietly. 'Barings was going to fail anyway; that has been obvious for months. I merely made sure that I benefited. And that my country benefits as well.'

'What do you care about your country?'

'It may surprise you if I say I care a great deal. The Russians were going to get a shipyard; it was merely a matter of who built it and profited from it. They will be bound ever tighter to France, and that will make Germany . . .'

I held up my hand. 'That was Wilkinson's argument as well. Does this come from him as well? Was this his doing? A Civil Service plot to rewrite Britain's foreign policy against the wishes of the Government and the electorate?'

'You sound very pompous for such a young man. We merely agree on certain matters. And you will discover there are many people who will be well satisfied how things have turned out,' he said.

'Goschen?'

'No. Not him. Nor the Prime Minister. But this is how Britain governs itself, and how its Empire prospers. And how governments take decisions the electorate does not wish to know about. Business needs to be protected from politicians. I could say that the country does as well.'

'And you make a lot of money out of it?'

'I do. That is my job.'

'But how did you get the French to agree? The Russians?'

'Everybody benefits, you know, and the Russians do like their bribes. Count Gurunjiev required prodigious amounts of money. Of course, he also has a fine triumph to take back with him to St Petersburg.'

I came very close then to saying what the Count had done with Stone's money, but stopped myself.

'And me? I didn't even need bribing.'

'No. But you played your part very well. Do not think that your skills and intelligence are not appreciated. There is little point continuing this, you know.'

'I like to get things clear. The Government had to be panicked into realising that this was a plot that had its price, rather than the random chaos of the market. And I did that. I was essential for that. It had to be noticed in time. So you got me to do it. With just a little hint here and there from people like Netscher to point me in the right direction. So I would work out what was going on, frighten the life out of the Government . . .'

Stone nodded. 'You deserve everybody's thanks.'

But I wasn't finished yet. There was something else as well. It niggled me. 'So that's the Russians. The French are a different matter. How did you plan to control them? The banks could be bought off with the promise of a free run at Russia, but what's going on now? What about Rouvier?'

I paused and looked at him and finally understood. 'Oh, my God. It's out of control, isn't it? Rouvier isn't part of the plan. And he's about to wreck everything.'

'It does seem that M. Rouvier is acting unreasonably at the moment,' Stone said quietly.

'You assumed that Rouvier would do what the banks and the Governor of the Bank of France told him.'

'What they told him was in the best interests of the country. Yes. And it is. Anyone but an idiot could see that.'

'Unfortunately he's an idiot.'

'It does seem that he dreams of some grand personal triumph.'

'He blocks the Bank of France, the Russians will follow suit and the deal is off. Do you have any idea what you have done?'

'Not all gambles pay off, unfortunately.'

'Is that all you can say?'

He shrugged perfectly calmly.

I couldn't believe it. It was his calm, emotionless way of confronting what was happening that bowled me over. Mingled with that was my fury at what he had done to me. That was a weakness, I know. But he had deceived and manipulated me from beginning to end. Was that even why Wilkinson had sent me to Paris? Was that in his mind even then? Did he plan this so very far in advance?