Gavin Lyall - The Conduct of Major Maxim

"In my Department," Miss Milward put in, "at least three people know the basic facts – if they are facts – behind Plain-song."

Maxim felt as if he had baked (if that was what you did) a perfectsouffléof evidence, all crisp and firm, andthenßoop: it was swimming off the plate and dripping on his shoes.

Husband said sympathetically: "Security, Major, security. So often interpreted in this country as merely not telling anybody who's actually got a hammer and sickle embroidered on his tie. But don't think I'm being complacent about this. I'm quite willing to accept the possibility of a leak within my own service, and I'm sure Dieter accepts that also. " Sims did, nodding gently. "It would be foolish to forget that it's happened before. But that only adds a new dimension of urgency to the business. If the Other Side knows enough to be looking for Blagg, it could know enough to destroy or neutralise the information, whatever it may be, in his possession."

It was difficult to argue back. Maxim knew that George was looking across at him, on the brink of surrender.

"It was your people who got him into this, " he persisted.

Husband took off his blue-tinted glasses and polished them on a silk handkerchief chosen to pick up the colours of both his suit and his tie. "When Mrs Howard asked for an escort, I naturally assumed we would assign her one of our own people. Apparently she said she'd prefer somebody she had worked with before, and she knew Blagg's battalion was in Germany, and Dieter – rashly, we now agree – left the decision to her. I think the German end was indeed mishandled."

"That's very reassuring," Maxim said coldly. "That boy could have been in my company or squadron. He was lied to, conned into believing that the Bad Schwarzendorn operation had been approved by the Army. He thought your freelance Mrs Howard represented the same thing that he thinks he represents himself: the defence of this country. He could have wound up dead. Okay, that's something a soldier has to accept, in an abstract sort of way. But instead, he ended up a deserter and being chased by the police for a killing that was forced on him, and that's something he doesnot have to accept – and neither do I. "

Miss Milward said "You're getting emotional, Major."

"Good. I didn't think I was getting anywhere."

Husband said: "I have agreed that Dieter was at fault in that, gravely at fault. But…" Sims's smile had gone a little rueful and he was looking down at his hands, turning a gold-tipped cigarette in his small fingers. Momentarily, Maxim felt sorry for him. Whatever his sins, he was being forced to pay for them in public – well, as public as the Secret Service ever wanted to get.

"But," Husband went on, "wehave to deal with matters as they now stand. And with Corporal Blagg. "

"What are you offering?" And when the three figures stiffened in surprise, Maxim added: "What are you offering him?"

"You mean money?" asked Husband.

Miss Milward was quicker, or more sensitive. "Can we put Humpty Dumpty together again as a Corporal with a clean record? – I assume that's what he wants. Well, we certainly ought to try, and if we can't then there'll be a very good case for generous compensation out of the secret funds. "

"Quite," Husband nodded. "Quite so. Does that satisfy you, Major?"

"It's the best you can do at the moment. I'll talk to him. "

There was a moment of shocked silence, then Husband said:"You will talk to him? Our whole agreement was thatu›e should do -"

"We've got no agreement worth a damn to Blagg. I'll talk to him and see what he knows, if anything. "

"Mr Harbinger," Miss Milward turned to him, "do you think you should intervene now?"

George shrugged and nearly slid himself off the chair in which he was slumped. "You can see what I'm up against.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, as I often do, Harry still goes and does whatever he wants. Perhaps I lack charity. Why don't you wait a few hours and see if he gets what you need from Blagg?"

The three of them looked at each other, and Husband said cautiously: "If you say a matter of hours, you do mean tonight?"

"I'll do my best," Maxim said. "Is there anything I should know in order to ask the right questions?"

They went into a huddle, with Miss Milward murmuring behind her hand at Husband and Sims shaking his head in a jittery movement. Finally Husband said: "I assume, security being what it is, that you know our ultimate target is Gustav Eismark?Quite. Well, according to the late Mrs Howard, we got this much from her at least, there is some doubt about the validity of his second marriage. His first wife was supposed to have died at the end of the war. There is, it seems, a strong possibility that he abandoned her in the West and took their baby son over to the Russian zone. In the confusion of 1945 and '46, there would have been no means for her to trace him. Once there, he could claim she was dead; in the West, she might build a new life.But if she were still alive at the time of his second marriage, nearly twenty years later, then it was bigamous."

"Is that bad?" Maxim asked, a little surprised.

"Perhaps not in every Sovbloc country. But the GDR, as Dieter will confirm, I'm sure, happens still to have the morality of Salem when they are putting little old ladies to the torch – at least at the highest political level. And bear in mind that's what we're talking about, Major: the highest level. Nothing to do with public morality; the public doesn't come into this. Somehow a Sovbloc politician can corner ninety-nine per cent of the vote without everybody having to know the name of his dog and which football team he supports." Husband smiled contentedly at his own wit. "It does keep things tidy: you don't suddenly lose your best men because of an unexpected scandal. I'm sure George would be delighted to see it introduced over here."

George ignored the sly threat and just grunted. Miss Milward chipped in: "Of course, if the first wife turned out to be still alive and willing to testify, that would be even better."

"And somewhere," Husband said, "Mrs Howard must have been keeping a file on Gustav Eismark. She reported very little to us, I mean to Dieter. I believe that's right?"

Ever-smiling, Sims acknowledged that it was.

Maxim said: "Her luggage got dumped in the river. There weren't any papers among it. I was told."

The three behind the table exchanged looks. Sims said: "It would not be likely to bejust in her cases, like clothes. Perhaps in the lining…"

Maxim doubted Blagg had bothered to rip open the suitcase linings; he just wouldn't be thinking in those terms.

"It sounds," Husband said, "as if our soldier friend has probably destroyed anything that we might have to show for months of expensive -"

"Then get expensive enough to hire people who can put one foot in front of another without the Army having to tell them how!"

Husband was on his feet shouting, George saying: "Harry!" and Miss Milward: "Gentlemen, now please -" Sims just sat there, but momentarily without his smile.

Maxim said: "Your mother's moustache."

Everybody took a deep breath. Miss Milward said calmly: "I think the only other thing you may need to know, Major, is the first Frau Eismark'sname. It was Brigitte Krone. So if youdo happen across any documents relating to her…"

"You don't know where Mrs Howard got the first clue about this?"

"Major, we are not asking you to start the investigation again from scratch. Please. If you'd confine yourself to finding out what Corporal Blagg knows, we'd be very grateful. "

George said: "Surprised, too, I imagine." He stood up. "If that's it, then… are we fit?"

Maxim said: "I don't want to be followed again. "

"Harry…"

"No, if there's somebody behind me, I want to be sure that it's One Of Theirs."