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h garden； shrubs； flower beds surrounded by the high white wall； the sunset good。 His wife was cutting flowers； wandering among the beds at the far end of the gardens； followed by a sour…faced； disapproving Chinese gardener。 Sir Geoffrey watched her a moment。 They had been married thirty years and had three children； all married now； and they were content and at peace with each other。 〃Always traitors；〃 he said sadly。 〃The Soviets are past masters in their use。 So easy for the Sevrin traitors to agitate； to spread a little poison here and there； so easy to get China upset； poor China who's xenophobic anyway！ Oh how easy it is to rock our boat here！ Worst of all； who's your spy？ The police spy？ He must be at least a chief inspector to have access to that information。〃
〃I've no idea。 If I had； he'd've been neutralized long since。〃
〃What are you going to do about General Jen and his Nationalist undercover agents？〃
〃I'm going to leave them alone … they've been pegged for months。 Much better to leave known enemy agents in situ than to have to ferret out their replacements。〃
〃I agree … they'd certainly all be replaced。 Theirs； and ours。 Sad； so sad！ We do it and they do it。 So sad and so stupid … this world's such a paradise； could be such a paradise。〃
A bee hummed in the bay windows then flew back to the garden again as Sir Geoffrey eased the curtain aside。 〃The minister asked me to make sure our visiting MPs … our trade delegation to China that returns tomorrow … to make sure their security was optimum； judicious； though totally discreet。〃
〃Yes sir。 I understand。〃
〃It appears that one or two of them might be future cabinet ministers if the Labour Party get in。 It'd be good for the Colony to create a fine impression on them。〃
〃Do you think they've a chance next time？ The Labour Party？〃
〃I don't ment on those sort of questions； Roger。〃 The governor's voice was flat； and reproving。 〃I'm not concerned with party politics … I represent Her Majesty the Queen … but personally I really do wish some of their extremists would go away and leave us to our own devices for clearly much of their left wing socialist philosophy is alien to our English way of life。〃 Sir Geoffrey hardened。 〃It's quite obvious some of them do assist the enemy； willingly … or as dupes。 Since we're on the subject； are any of our guests security risks？〃
〃It depends what you mean； sir。 Two are left…wing trades unionists back…benchers； fire…eaters … Robin Grey and Lochin Donald McLean。 McLean openly flaunts his B。C。P。 … British munist Party … affiliations。 He's fairly high on our S…list。 All the other Socialists are moderates。 The Conservative members are moderate； middle…class； all ex…service。 One's rather imperialist； the Liberal Party representative； Hugh Guthrie。〃
〃And the fire…eaters？ They're ex…service？〃
〃McLean was a miner； at least his father was。 Most of his munist life's been as a shop steward and unionist in the Scottish coalfields。 Robin Grey was army； a captain； infantry。〃
Sir Geoffrey looked up。 〃You don't usually associate ex…captains with being fire…eating trades unionists； do you？〃
〃No sir。〃 Crosse sipped his sherry； appreciating it； savoring his knowledge more。 〃Nor with being related to a tai…pan。〃
〃Eh？〃
〃Robin Grey's sister is Penelope Dunross。〃
〃Good God！〃 Sir Geoffrey stared at him； astounded。 〃Are you sure？〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃But why hasn't； why hasn't Ian mentioned it before？〃
〃I don't know； sir。 Perhaps he's ashamed of him。 Mr。 Grey is certainly the plete opposite of Mrs。 Dunross。〃
〃But 。。。 Bless my soul； you're sure？〃
〃Yes sir。 Actually； it was Brian Kwok who spotted the connection。 Just by chance。 The MPs had to furnish the usual personal information to the PRC to get their visas； date of birth； profession； next of kin； etcetera。 Brian was doing a routine check to make sure all the visas were in order to avoid any problem at the border。 Brian happened to notice Mr。 Grey had put 'sister； Penelope Grey' as his next of kin； with an address； Castle Avisyard in Ayr。 Brian remembered that that was the Dunross family home address。〃 Crosse pulled out his silver cigarette case。 〃Do you mind if I smoke； sir？〃
〃No； please go ahead。〃
〃Thank you。 That was a month or so ago。 I thought it important enough for him to follow up the information。 It took us relatively little time to establish that Mrs。 Dunross really was his sister and next of kin。 As far as we know now； Mrs。 Dunross quarreled with her brother just after the war。 Captain Grey was a POW in Changi； caught in Singapore in 1942。 He got home in the later part of 1945 … by the way their parents were killed in the London blitz in '43。 At that time she was already married to Dunross … they'd married in 1943； sir； just after he was shot down … she was a WAAF。 We know brother and sister met when Grey was released。 As far as we can tell now； they've never met again。 Of course it's none of our affair anyway； but the quarrel must have been … 〃
Crosse stopped as there was a discreet knock and Sir Geoffrey called out testily； 〃Yes？〃
The door opened。 〃Excuse me； sir；〃 his aide said politely； 〃Lady Allison asked me to tell you that the water's just gone on。〃
〃Oh； marvelous！ Thank you。〃 The door closed。 At once Crosse got up but the governor waved him back to his seat。 〃No； please finish； Roger。 A few minutes won't matter； though I must confess I can hardly wait。 Would you like to shower before you go？〃
〃Thank you； sir； but we've our own water tanks at police HQ。〃
〃Oh yes。 I forgot。 Go on。 You were saying … the quarrel？〃
〃The quarrel must have been pretty serious because it seems to have been final。 A close friend of Grey told one of our people a few days ago that as far as he knew； Robin Grey had no living relatives。 They really must hate each other。〃
Sir Geoffrey stared at his cup； not seeing it。 Suddenly he was remembering his own rotten childhood and how he had hated his father； hated him so much that for thirty years he had never called him； or written to him； and； when he was dying last year； had not bothered to go to him； to make peace with the man who had given him life。 〃People are terrible to each other；〃 he muttered sadly。 〃I know。 Yes。 Family quarrels are too easy。 And then； when it's too late； you regret it； yes； you really regret it。 People are terrible to each other 。。。〃
Crosse watched and waited； letting him ramble； letting him reveal himself； cautious not to make the slightest movement to distract him； wanting to know the man's secrets； and skeletons。 Like Alan Medford Grant； Crosse collected secrets。 Goddamn that bastard and his god…cursed files！ God curse Dunross and his devilry！ How in the name of Christ can I get those files before Sinders？
Sir Geoffrey was staring into space。 Then the water gurgled delightedly in the pipes somewhere in the walls and he came back into himself。 He saw Crosse watching him。 〃Hmmm； thinking aloud！ Bad habit for a governor； eh？〃
Crosse smiled and did not fall into the trap。 〃Sir？〃
〃Well。 As you said； it's really none of our business。〃 The governor finished his drink with finality and Crosse knew that he was dismissed。 He got up。 〃Thank you； sir。〃
When he was alone the governor sighed。 He thought a moment then picked up the special phone and gave the operator the minister's private number in London。
〃This is Geoffrey Allison。 Is he in please？〃
〃Hello； Geoffrey！〃
〃Hello； sir。 I've just seen Roger。 He assures me that the hiding place and Dunross will be pletely guarded。 Is Mr。 Sinders en route？〃
〃He'll be there on Friday。 I presume there have been no repercussions from that seaman's unfortunate accident？〃
〃No sir。 Everything seems to be under control。〃
〃The P。M。 was most concerned。〃
〃Yes sir。〃 The governor added； 〃About the 1…4a 。。。 perhaps we shouldn't mention anything to our friends； yet。〃
〃I've already heard from them。 They were distressingly irritated。 So were our fellows。 All right； Geoffrey。 Fortunately it's a long weekend this week so I'll inform them Monday and draft his reprimand then。〃
〃Thank you； sir。〃
〃Geoffrey； that American senator you have with you at the moment。 I think he should be guided。〃
The governor frowned。 Guided was a code word between them； meaning 〃watched very carefully。〃 Senator Wilf Tillman； a presidential hopeful； was visiting Hong Kong en route to Saigon for a well…publicized fact…finding mission。
〃I'll take care of it as soon as I'm off the phone。 Was there anything else； sir？〃 he asked； impatient now to bathe。
〃No； just give me a private minute on what the senator's program has been。〃 Program was another code which meant to furnish the Colonial Office with detailed information。 〃When you've time。〃
〃I'll have it on your desk Friday。〃
〃Thank you； Geoffrey。 We'll chat at the usual time tomorrow。〃 The line went dead。
The governor replaced the phone thoughtfully。 Their conversation would have been electronically scrambled and； at either end； unscrambled。 Even so； they were guarded。 They knew the enemy had the most advanced and sophisticated eavesdropping equipment in the world。 For any really classified conversation or meeting he would go to the permanently guarded； concrete； cell…like room in the basement