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‘So which artists should I be looking out for now, re my salary?’ William asked

‘Diana Arie Aitchison, and Sydney Harpley You’ll find them all in the RA’s Summer Exhibition’

William made a note of the names

Over lunch Williarains of sand from Blackpool beach for the moon dust, as he was confident that the American under-secretary wouldn’t know the difference Talbot had laughed, but pointed out that his opposite nuh he’d probably never been to Blackpool

Williaazine to check which exhibitions were co up that he couldn’t afford to miss He selected three, circled them and put the dates in his diary: Picasso, the early years; Hockney’s California or bust; and the annual Summer Exhibition at the RA, where he would check out the three artists Dr Talbot had recootten when he turned the page to find that Dr Ti a lecture on the history of the uided tour, in a couple of weeks’ time Tickets were five pounds, and only fifty people would be aditi to miss it

Williah his only companion was a locked briefcase He would have liked to tear up both copies of the release foret their way in the end

Willia, but took the tube to Green Park, before walking across to New Bond Street He was standing outside the auction house long before a porter opened the doors at nine o’clock

Melanie Clore studied Dr Talbot’s signature carefully, and compared it to the one on the sale docu to part with lot nineteen She then disappeared to collect the phial fro a few minutes later

William couldn’t believe it when he saw the phial for the first tier He wrapped it in a tissue before putting it back in the box More forn before he could leave and make his way to Grosvenor Square He climbed the steps of the American eeant on the front desk He asked to see Mr Underwood

‘Do you have an appointment, sir?’

‘No,’ he said, producing his warrant card

The marine pressed three buttons on his phone, and when a voice came on the line he repeated William’s request

‘I’ at the moment, but he could fit Mr Warwick in at four this afternoon’

‘Tell hiot his moon dust,’ said William

He could hear a voice saying, ‘Send him up’