walked.â
The girl went silent, expecting an angry reaction. Instead she detected him laughing and smiled, too. Charlie was such an unpredictable man, she thought, fondly. She would take him to Jenniferâs 21st.
âI did miss you, Charlie.â
âYes,â he said, distantly, his mind on other things.
âCharlie.â
âWhat?â
âMake love to me again ⦠the way I like it â¦â
The trouble with her preference, thought Charlie, pushing the sheet away, was that he always got cramp in his legs.
He sighed. And it was going to be a cold walk home, he thought. Heâd been relying on those expenses: now he couldnât afford a taxi.
(7)
Hesitant and uncomfortable, like a couple selected by a computer dating service, the two Directors finally met at Cuthbertsonâs club in St Jamesâs Street, agreeing its security. Each had had detailed biographies prepared by their services on the other, and had memorised them. Purposely, phrases were introduced into the small talk, showing the preparation, each wanting the other to know that he was aware it wasnât really a social occasion.
Heâd been right, decided Ruttgers, smiling across the lunch table at the man. Sir Henry Cuthbertson was lost outside the barrack square and the benefit of Queenâs Regulations.
The Kalenin approach had been made at an American embassy function, recalled Cuthbertson, answering the smile. Their awareness and the consequent approach was hardly surprising. That the Director had come from Washington was unexpected, though. Heâd impress Ruttgers, like heâd impressed the Prime Minister, three weeks earlier, determined the Briton.
âThese Arbroath smokies are very good,â complimented the American, boning the smoked fish. âItâs something we donât have in America.â
âIâm very fond of your cherry-stone clams,â countered Cuthbertson. Advantage Cuthbertson, he decided.
âI was very glad when the Secretary of State suggested I come to make your acquaintance.â
The American lifted the Chablis at the end of the sentence.
âCheers.â
âCheers,â accepted Cuthbertson. âYes, liaison is very important.â
âVitally important,â said Ruttgers.
Deuce, decided Cuthbertson, irritably.
The waiter came to clear the plates, saving him.
âIn every field,â he generalised.
âBut Iâm interested in one particular aspect,â pressed Ruttgers. âThe immediate future plans of a certain General.â
Cuthbertson stared around him, alarmed. He was going to lose the encounter, he thought, worriedly.
The artificial reaction amused the American, who waited until the other man had come back to him. This was going to be comparatively easy, thought Ruttgers.
âWe know all about it,â exaggerated the C.I.A. chief. âWe know youâre expecting further contact within a week or two.â
It had been easy in the closed environment of Moscow to discover the impending arrival of the man named Snare. Already, the operative who had been Braleyâs deputy in the Soviet capital had been ordered to keep the Briton under permanent observation once he arrived. Theyâd know immediately there was a move, Ruttgers hoped.
âI find it difficult to understand what youâre talking about,â said Cuthbertson, stiffly. This wasnât going at all like the Downing Street meeting. No one had pushed him then, just listened in polite attention.
âCome now, Sir Henry,â protested Ruttgers, lightly, carefully lifting the mollusc from the top of his steak and kidney pudding and frowning at it.
âItâs an oyster,â said the Briton helpfully. âYouâre supposed to eat it with the pudding.â
Ruttgers pushed it to the side of his plate.
âThere is no other man in the world to whom I would dream of talking as directly as this,â continued Ruttgers,
Legs McNeil, Jennifer Osborne, Peter Pavia