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〃They asked； sir。 I didn't think it was a very good idea for me。〃
〃Think again；〃 Sir Basil suggested gently。 〃This Junior Varsity idea was a good one； like the Team…B program back in the seventies。 We do it also get some outside academics into the shop to take a new look at all the data that cascades in the front door。 Judge Moore； your new DCI； is a genuine breath of fresh air。 Splendid chap。 Knows the trade quite well； but he's been away from it long enough to have some new ideas。 You are one of them； Doctor Ryan。 You belong in the business； lad。〃
〃I'm not so sure about that； sir。 My degree's history and 〃
〃So is mine；〃 Bill Holmes said。 〃One's degree doesn't matter。 In the intelligence trade we look for the right sort of mind。 You appear to have it。 Ah； well； we can't recruit you； can we？ I would be rather disappointed if Arthur and James don't try again。 Do think about it。〃
I have； Ryan didn't say。 He nodded thoughtfully； mulling over his own thoughts。 But I like teaching history。
〃The hero of the hour！〃 Another man joined the group。
〃Good evening； Geoffrey；〃 Charleston said。 〃Doctor Ryan； this is Geoffrey Watkins of the Foreign Office。〃
〃Like David Ashley of the 'Home Office'？〃 Ryan shook the man's hand。
〃Actually I spend much of my time right here；〃 Watkins said。
〃Geoff's the liaison officer between the Foreign Office and the Royal Family。 He handles briefings； dabbles in protocol； and generally makes a nuisance of himself；〃 Holmes explained with a smile。 〃How long now； Geoff？〃
Watkins frowned as he thought that over。 〃Just over four years； I think。 Seems like only last week。 Nothing like the glamour one might expect。 Mainly I carry the dispatch box and try to hide in corners。〃 Ryan smiled。 He could identify with that。
〃Nonsense；〃 Charleston objected。 〃One of the best minds in the Office； else they wouldn't have kept you here。〃
Watkins made an embarrassed gesture。 〃It does keep me rather busy。〃
〃It must；〃 Holmes observed。 〃I haven't seen you at the tennis club in months。〃
〃Doctor Ryan； the Palace staff have asked me to express their appreciation for what you have done。〃 He droned on for a few more seconds。 Watkins was an inch under Ryan's height and pushing forty。 His neatly trimmed black hair was going gray at the sides； and his skin was pale in the way of people who rarely saw the sun。 He looked like a diplomat。 His smile was so perfect that he must have practiced it in front of a mirror。 It was the sort of smile that could have meant anything。 Or more likely； nothing。 There was interest behind those blue eyes； though。 As had happened many times in the past few weeks； this man was trying to decide what Dr。 John Patrick Ryan was made of。 The subject of the investigation was getting very tired of this； but there wasn't much Jack could do about it。
〃Geoff is something of an expert on the Northern Ireland situation；〃 Holmes said。
〃No one's an 'expert；' 〃 Watkins said with a shake of his head。 〃I was there at the beginning； back in 1969。 I was in uniform then； a subaltern with well； that hardly matters now； does it？ How do you think we should handle the problem； Doctor Ryan？〃
〃People have been asking me that question for three weeks； Mr。 Watkins。 How the hell should I know？〃
〃Still looking for ideas； Geoff？〃 Holmes asked。
〃The right idea is out there somewhere；〃 Watkins said； keeping his eyes on Ryan。
〃I don't have it；〃 Jack said。 〃And even if someone did； how would you know？ I teach history； remember； I don't make it。〃
〃Just a history teacher； and these two chaps descend on you？〃
〃We wanted to see if he really works for CIA； as the papers say；〃 Charleston responded。
Jack took the signal from that。 Watkins wasn't cleared for everything； and was not to know about his past association with the Agency not that he couldn't draw his own conclusions； Ryan reminded himself。 Regardless； rules were rules。 That's why I turned Greer's offer down； Jack remembered。 All those idiot rules。 You can't talk to anybody about this or that； not even to your wife。 Security。 Security。 Security 。 。 。 Crap！ Sure； some things have to stay secret； but if nobody gets to see them； how is anyone supposed to make use of them and what good is a secret you can't use？
〃You know； it'll be nice to get back to Annapolis。 At least the mids believe I'm a teacher！〃
〃Quite；〃 Watkins noted。 And the head of SIS is asking you for an opinion on Trafalgar。 What exactly are you； Ryan？ After leaving military service in 1972 and joining the Foreign Office； Watkins had often played the foreign service officer's embassy game： Who's the spook？ He was getting mixed signals from Ryan； and this made the game all the more interesting。 Watkins loved games。 All sorts。
〃How do you keep yourself busy now； Geoff？〃 Holmes asked。
〃You mean； aside from the twelve…hour days？ I do manage to read the occasional book。 I just started going through 'Moll Flanders' again。〃
〃Really？〃 Holmes asked。 〃I just started 'Robinson Crusoe' a few days ago。 One sure way of getting one's mind off the world is to return to the classics。〃
〃Do you read the classics。 Doctor Ryan？〃 Watkins asked。
〃Used to。 Jesuit education； remember？ They don't let you avoid the old stuff。〃 Is 'Moll Flanders' a classic？ Jack wondered。 It's not in Latin or Greek； and it's not Shakespeare 。 。 。
〃 'Old stuff。' What a terrible attitude！〃 Watkins laughed。
〃Did you ever try to read Virgil in the original？〃 Ryan asked。
〃Arma virumque cano； trojae qui primus ab oris 。 。 。？〃
〃Geoff and I attended Winchester together；〃 Holmes explained。 〃Contiquere omnes； intenteque ora tenebant 。 。 。 〃 Both public school graduates had a good chuckle。
〃Hey； I got good marks in Latin； I just don't remember any of it；〃 Ryan said defensively。
〃Another colonial philistine；〃 Watkins observed。
Ryan decided that he didn't like Mr。 Watkins。 The foreign…service officer was deliberately hitting him to get reactions； and Ryan had long since tired of this game。 Ryan was happy with what he was； and didn't need a bunch of amateur pshrinks； as he called them； to define his personality for him。
〃Sorry。 Where I live we have slightly different priorities。〃
〃Of course；〃 Watkins replied。 The smile hadn't changed a whit。 This surprised Jack； though he wasn't sure why。
〃You live not far from the Naval Academy； don't you？ Wasn't there some sort of incident there recently？〃 Sir Basil asked。 〃I read about it in some report somewhere。 I never did get straight on the details。〃
〃It wasn't really terrorism just your basic crime； A couple of midshipmen saw what looked like a drug deal being made in Annapolis； and called the police。 The people who got arrested were members of a local motorcycle gang。 A week later； some of the gang members decided to take the mids out。 They got past the Jimmy Legs the civilian security guards about three in the morning and sneaked into Bancroft Hall。 They must have assumed that it was just another college dorm not hardly。 The kids standing midwatch spotted them； got the alarm out； and then everything came apart。 The intruders got themselves lost Bancroft has a couple of miles of corridors and cornered。 It's a federal case since it happened on government property； and the FBI takes a very dim view of people who try to tamper with witnesses。 They'll be gone for a while。 The good news is that the Marine guard force at the Academy has been beefed up； and it's a lot easier to get in and out now。〃
〃Easier？〃 Watkins asked。 〃But 〃
Jack smiled。 〃With Marines on the perimeter； they leave a lot more gates open a Marine guard beats a locked gate any day。〃
〃Indeed。 I 〃 Something caught Charleston's eye。 Ryan was facing the wrong way to see what it was； but the reactions were plain enough。 Charleston and Holmes began to disengage； with Watkins making his way off first。 Jack turned in time to see the Queen appear at the door； ing past a servant。
The Duke was at her side； with Cathy trailing a diplomatically defined distance behind and to the side。 The Queen came first to him。
〃You are looking much better。〃
Jack tr