'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?

I did not get the chance to ask. The door opened, and Rouvier came in, already wearing his winter coat and carrying his hat and gloves.

'Dear Countess, I come to take my leave of you, and to thank you once again for your hospitality,' he said as she rose from the sofa to have her hand kissed. 'Alas, I wish the conversation had been as agreeable this evening as is customary in your house.'

'I am sorry you were disappointed, Minister,' she replied. 'Can I not persuade you to stay a little longer?'

Rouvier had a look of such self-satisfaction that it was almost intolerable. 'It is very late, and I think everything that can be said, has been. More importantly, I believe I will have a busy day tomorrow. A very busy day.'

'One moment, Minister,' I said. I still did not know precisely what I was going to say but I knew that the moment he was out of the door all was lost.

'Mr . . . ?'

'Cort, sir. Henry Cort. I work for The Times newspaper.'

He looked puzzled by that, as well he might. 'What could you possibly say of interest to me?'

I was completely without emotion. The fury at Stone was so intense that I didn't even notice it; it was suffusing my being so much that it was all I was. I had a choice, and I took it fully aware of what I was doing. I can offer no excuse and no explanation which would not be false. I wanted to beat Stone, and hurt him. I wanted to show I could retrieve a situation when he had failed. Whatever the price, whatever was necessary to do it. And there was only one way. May God forgive me, I did not hesitate.

'Minister, you are a politician. You have been Prime Minister once, you may very well have the honour of that great position once more. I wish you well; I do not wish anything to stand in your way. Public spirit is a fine thing, and you have demonstrated over the years that you are a highly competent administrator.'

'Thank you, young man,' replied Rouvier, with a look of amused surprise on his face.

'Unfortunately, I will ensure that your career comes to an end unless you consider what I have to say. The Bank of France and most of the banking community of Paris desire to stave off a dreadful crisis which will plunge the whole of Europe into a terrible slump. The Bank cannot do so unless you give it permission. You will give that permission.'

'And why should I do that?' he asked in mocking astonishment.

'You want something else?'

'The evacuation of Egypt, the withdrawal of the Royal Navy from the waters off Siam, and a free hand in the Lebanon. I am afraid bankers have poor vision, and think only of money. I can see further than they. I am saving them from their small-mindedness.'

'That will not be possible.'

'In that case, we have no more to talk about.'

'I'm afraid we do,' I said. 'We must also talk about the Countess von Futak.'

Elizabeth froze. She did not move, but I could see her eyes widening, and she took up that position – unnoticeably to anyone who did not know her as well as I did – that signified tension, watchfulness. Fear. Stone did not react at all. Not yet.

Rouvier smiled. 'Ah, dear Elizabeth. I do hope you are not going to threaten to expose me. I really do not think that it would do my career any harm at all. Only the puritanical English could think of such a thing. In France we . . .'

'Yes, Yes. I know all about that. Having conquered the Countess von Futak would indeed be a fine thing. But having paid for her out of government funds is another matter. She is a very expensive woman, as Count Gurunjiev and many others will tell you. You didn't think you were the only person she was skinning, do you? Surely not, a man of the world like you? You must have realised you were only one of heaven knows how many people she – what's the word – entertains?'

He shot her a look of growing alarm. Stone still did nothing, but stood, hands in pockets, looking at Elizabeth, as he listened to my words, unable to take his eyes off her. I wanted to see the disgust and the revulsion spread into his face. He had everything. I was damned if he was going to have her as well.

Rouvier shrugged dismissively. 'A small scandal which will be forgotten if I become known as the man who restored France to pre-eminence.'

'She's not a countess, of course. You've been spending fifty thousand a month on a common streetwalker from Nancy. Didn't you realise? What you paid ten thousand a night for, any soldier on the eastern frontier who wanted her has had for a franc. She is also a murderer, wanted for the cold-blooded slaughter of a client in Lyon.'

He was pale now, but still undecided. Elizabeth was sitting with her hands in her lap, quite unmoving, her self-control still total. Except that I could feel the numbness spreading through her, the chill of despair as she heard her life, her reputation dissolving as someone she trusted – perhaps the only person she had dared to trust – tore her life to shreds. It was a numbness that was in me, as well.