It would be better once Cecilia was here but in the meantime there was so much to-
“Hello-who the devil are you?”
Renzi’s eyes snapped open. A tousled, unsavoury man of years in a dressing-gown stood in the doorway, blinking.
“I’m Lord Farndon. And who the devil are you, sir?”
“Ah, of course. The old boy popped off and you’re his whelp.”
Anger suddenly boiled and Renzi got to his feet. “I demand an explanation from you, sir,” he barked, “or I’ll have you thrown on the street as you stand.”
The man sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. “You can’t do that, it ain’t allowed.”
“I can, and I-”
“I’ve got assured and legal occupation in this house for a peppercorn rental-your father was generous to those that were useful to him for … certain purposes. As you will be, when you know the lie, young fellow.”
The utter banality of a pointless, aimless existence for the rest of his life threatened to choke him. Head down, Renzi stormed out of the house.
The Mayfair streets were stirring. Calls were being made, assignations of the evening settled. Footmen hurried on their errands and tradesmen of the better sort were making their rounds.
As he turned the corner a black carriage taking the shorter path turned across and obliged him to flatten to the wall. It ground past and he caught a glimpse of an old, pale face. Their eyes met but then the coach was gone.
He set off in the opposite direction, in his black mood ignoring the faint shouting behind him.
Then he became aware of a commotion. It was the black carriage in a desperate tangle, trying against the irate flow of traffic to turn about and come back. Curses and cries from other carriages rang out as it finally trotted up to him.
The door was flung open and a man leaned out and cried, “Dear fellow! Ren-that is to say, my lord Farndon! Well met, well met indeed! Are you in haste? Or would you do me the honour of a luncheon at my club?”
It was the Marquess of Bloomsbury, Cecilia’s previous employer, now retired from some discreet diplomatic post on account of health.
“Most willingly, sir,” Renzi said, brightening, and climbed in to sit beside him.
“I do beg your pardon most humbly,” the marquess said. “I see from the Gazette you are now ennobled. I could scarcely credit the news. My earnest felicitations, of course.”
He had aged greatly, was frail and bent, but his eyes nevertheless held a keen humour.
“More deserved of your kind sentiments, sir, is my recent marriage to the woman of my heart-Miss Cecilia Kydd as was.”
“Splendid! Now, why do I believe the marchioness will not be surprised one whit?”
Time passed agreeably on the way to Boodles. They had first met in dramatic circumstances together in a shipwreck in the Caribbean and much had happened since.
After the rib of lamb they retired to the library for brandy.
“I can’t pretend that I find our meeting other than fortuitous,” Bloomsbury said. “I’ve been vexed for some time to think of an excuse to speak to you alone, as it were.”
“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.”