“Sir?”
“In truth I’m in despair of my health. It has cruelly affected me. Particularly where it bears on my service to my country.”
“I’m sorry to hear it, sir.”
“Are you aware, dear chap, of just what it is that I’ve been engaged upon for these years in the country’s cause?” he said quietly, glancing about.
“To be frank, no.”
“I will tell you. But only in the strictest confidence that you are able to conceive.”
“In that case, sir, I’d rather you-”
“Be certain, this is no trivial matter. You may believe I have my reasons for divulging it to you.”
“Very well.”
“Then you will hear it.” He waited until a club member clutching a newspaper had passed then began, speaking softly but with compelling force.
“When nations strive against each other-as they have always done and will ever do-there is a code of conduct between them that rises above their bitterest rivalries. It is the diplomatic code, to which all civilised nations subscribe. A country’s nominated representatives, your ambassadors, plenipotentiaries and so forth, are empowered to treat, with the object of arriving at an understanding that ends expressed in the form of protocols, treaties and the like.
“This level of intercourse rises far above petty politicking, involving as it does the highest levels of state to which it is possible to go.
“I ask you to reflect upon this, if you will. The players are known to each other. They sit in their entrenched positions, which are also known, holding their cards to their chests and playing them to the greatest effect they can manage until the situation stabilises, whether in the form of a treaty or perchance a stalemate.”
He paused then continued with increased intensity: “This is how it has always been done. And it has to be said to the dispassionate observer there is a major flaw. Since the positions are known they may not be modified by concession without possible loss of reputation and standing of the player and his principal. You may easily see how this can result in ruinous confrontations, to the desiring of neither side. How much better, then, that an unknown agency might, by judicious intervention, cause one or the other to yield covertly?”
“I’m not certain I follow you, sir. Are you suggesting a form of clandestine mediation?”
“Not at all. This agency operates with the sole intent of furthering the interests of its principal-in our case the Crown of Great Britain.”
“A form of espionage, then.”
“No, sir,” Bloomsbury said coldly. “It is never that. The practices of gathering intelligence and acts of secret assassination have their place, but are beneath notice for this agency. It is in the realm of princes and governments that it has its calling.”
“Do be plain, sir, I beg. If this is your following, I honour you for it but its remit is not clear to me. Do you-”
“I will be plain, my dear Farndon. With distressing regularity there are situations in this world that loom suddenly to menace the interests of this country. If there is any possibility that I can be of value, that I perceive an opening, however slight in the crisis, I will hasten there to see what can be achieved.”
“Alone?”
“Quite. No one troubles an English milord, for they are patently harmless and useless, yet are known to have the priceless gift of the ear of the highest in the land. I am thereby well placed to listen sympathetically to grievances, be open to the radical and place dismaying information where it will have the most effective consequence.”
“Then I begin to see how-”
“But my enterprise goes beyond this, far beyond. What if a situation arises that demands, shall we say, a need to show resolution, commitment, even? In a cause sympathetic to England, perhaps, or a player too timid to act without he has a shadowy friend to reassure him? It is out of the hands of ambassadors and their ilk for they and their positions are open and known, but it is a very different matter for me, able to take any stance I desire with them.
“You see, I have been invested with secret competences, powers to commit England to any course of action I deem necessary and which may be trusted therefore by the recipient. In this way may be accomplished what the blunt weapon of a whole army division or your naval fleet may not.”
“This is extraordinary to hear, sir! You imply that the government of the day will allow you this latitude, and support you in it ex post facto?”
“These powers are used sparingly and as a last resort, but I have had occasion. Much the more common is the innocent subverting, the guileless deception, the empathetic audience and, still more, the vacuous entertaining.”
“You will have had your successes, I’m persuaded.”
“It is to be admitted. You’ll recollect when we first met in ’ninety-four?”
“In difficult circumstances in the Caribbean.”
“Yes-that was when I carried in my bosom the knowledge of the treacherous plot of the Spaniards to fall upon our possessions there, in forward anticipation of a declaration of war. This was won from a disaffected Don, whom I suborned in the usual way. And, more recently, in the assassination of the Swedish prince, there were elements more than willing to be turned and … Well, I find I am an old man babbling, I do apologise.”
“Sir, do not, I pray! You have my most earnest admiration-as much for what you have not said as what you have revealed to me.”
“I knew you’d understand, my friend.”
For some reason the words touched Renzi greatly. He coughed self-consciously and said, with much feeling, “And I’d believe you’d be finding it hard to resign yourself to inactivity, sir.”
“Yet I have the consolation of my dear wife, who has been by my side over these years …”
“Sir, purely out of unforgivable curiosity, is the marchioness privy to what you’ve been undertaking?”
“There are no secrets between us,” he answered simply. “Else what might she think?” he added, with a dry laugh.
There was an awkward pause.
“Sir, I have to thank you for your hospitality, and look to-”
“Capital brandy. Another?”
So there was to be a postscript.
“Certainly, sir.”
The marquess resettled himself in the high-backed chair, cradling his glass. “You’ll be wondering why I’ve told you this. It is for a purpose.”
“Sir?”
“The times are dolorous but I cannot respond any further to the call. I must needs pass on the banner to another.”
Renzi sat upright. “Sir! If by that you mean-”
“I do. In all my dealings with humanity I cannot think to find another more nearly suited to my trade. You are upright, honourable and possessed of an acute moral sensibility. Unusually, this is coupled with a most complete experience of the world in your nautical travels and similar-and while I’m well aware of your views on covert activities, our Mr Congalton was at pains to laud your successes with the Duc d’Auvergne in Jersey, and may I point out, so recently as Curacao and later.”
He smiled briefly. “Your matchless performance in Paris was observed with envy by myself, who was powerless to act in the matter, and”-he held up a hand to stop the protests-“this can only demonstrate you are undoubtedly possessed of the prime requisites for a species of discreet diplomacy in every respect. And now, since your elever your qualifications are complete.
“Lord Farndon, I invite you to take my place as-shall we say?-an ambassador extraordinaire to serve your country as is seldom that a single individual can. The going will be onerous, the burden dire-but your reward is the sure knowledge that there will be very few indeed who can lay claim to have served Crown and country as lies within your power.
“What do you say, sir?”
How could he refuse the offer? It was a clarion call to purpose in his life, the noble cause of his country. Guiltily he knew that it would as well offer the danger and excitement he craved in exotic parts of the world-his wanderlust would be more than satisfied.