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“And if you do ill Mr Wilson n secretary?”
“Unofficially, I have to be in with a chance”
“And officially?” asked Jan Hilbert, the Dutch minister
“I shall serve Her Majesty’s Government in whatever capacity the prime minister thinks fit”
“And I’ to win the next Monte Carlo Rally,” said Hilbert
“And I’ back to my suite to check over my papers,” said Giles, aware that only debutants sat around drinking just to end up spending the next day yawning You had to be wide awake if you hoped to catch the one unguarded revelation that oftenhile
The conference opened the following eneral secretary, Walter Ulbricht, elcoates It was clear that the contents had been written in Moscohile the words were delivered by the Soviets’ puppet in East Berlin
Giles leaned back, closed his eyes, and pretended to listen to the translation of a speech he’d heard several tian to wander Suddenly he heard an anxious voice ask, “I hope there’s nothing wrong with my translation, Sir Giles?”
Giles glanced around The Foreign Office had h every minister would have their own interpreter, they ca Most of them worked for the Stasi, and any unfortunate remark or lapse in behavior would undoubtedly be reported back to their masters in the East German Politburo
What had taken Giles by surprise was not sowoht West Country accent
“Your translation is just fine,” he said, taking a closer look at her “It’s just that I’ve heard this speech, or a slight variation of it, several times before”
She earing a gray shapeless dress that nearly reached her ankles, and that could only have been purchased off the peg fro you couldn’t buy at Harrods, luxuriant auburn hair that had been plaited and wound into a severe bun, to hide any suggestion of femininity It was as if she didn’t want anyone to notice her But her big brown eyes and captivating smile would have causedGiles She was like one of those ugly ducklings in a film that you knoill turn out in the last scene to be a swan
It stank of a setup Giles immediately assumed she worked for the Stasi, and wondered if he could catch her out
“You have a slight West Country burr if I’m not mistaken,” he whispered
She nodded and displayed the sa smile “My father was born in Truro”