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During the official dinner held at the Palast der Republik, Karin sat directly behind hi every word of the interminable, repetitive speeches, until Giles finally weakened

“If you write a letter to your father, I’ll post it to hiland, and I’ll also have a ith a colleague in the iration office”

“Thank you, Sir Giles”

Giles turned his attention to the Italianhis food around the plate while gru to serve three prime ministers in one year

“Why don’t you go for the job yourself, Uested Giles

“Certainly not,” he replied “I’ for early retirement”

Giles was delighted when the last course of the endless uests were allowed to depart He said good night to soates as he left the room He then joined the ambassador and was driven back to his hotel

He picked up his key and was back in his suite just after eleven He’d been asleep for about an hour when there was a tap on the door Son But that didn’t con Office had even issued a briefing note to cover that eventuality So he knew exactly what to expect and, more important, how to deal with it

He reluctantly got out of bed, pulled on his dressing gown, and went to the door, having already been warned that they would try to produce a lookalike of his wife, but twenty years younger

When he opened the door he was momentarily stunned Before hih cheekbones, deep blue eyes, and the shortest leather skirt he’d ever seen

“Wrong wife,” said Giles once he’d recovered, although he was reinia all those years ago “But thank you, ne He read the label “Veuve Clicquot 1947 Please pass on e,” he added, before closing the door

He smiled as he climbed back into bed Harry would have been proud of him

The second day of the conference becaates attempted to close deals so they wouldn’t have to return home ereed to remove their ihted, although he tried not to show it, when his French counterpart hinted that if the British government were to issue an official invitation for the French president to visit Britain in the new year, it would be seriously considered He wrote down the words “seriously considered” so there could be no

As always happens on these occasions, ; so Giles ended up scheduling one before dinner, with an East Ger, with his Dutch counterpart, and finally one after dinner with Walter Scheel, the West Gerndecided that if she orking for the Stasi, she was a better actress than Peggy Ashcroft And if she agreed, he just hoped she’d let her hair down