Stealth

10

Fife-Simpson looked slightly less military in a well-cut pin-striped suit. “Well, Colonel, I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Stone said.

“Please, it’s Roger,” he said.

“And we’re Stone and Rose.”

“Roger is down here at my request,” Dame Felicity said. “He’s joined us at the Circus.” Stone knew that was an old nickname for MI-6, since they had been previously quartered in Cambridge Circus. “He is, as of today, my deputy.”

“Congratulations, Roger,” Stone said. “Or does a Royal Marine regard that as less than a promotion?”

“It’s a promotion any way you slice it,” Roger said. “And as if to underline it, I’ve been promoted to brigadier.”

“Twice congratulations, then,” Stone said. “The previous owner of this house was a Royal Marine, as were some of his neighbors and one of the house’s staff.”

“I knew them all,” Fife-Simpson replied, “though as a junior officer. I did not know that you had bought Sir Charles’s property.”

“I was press-ganged into that decision by Felicity,” Stone said, raising his glass to her. “To my delight.”

“Stone,” the brigadier said with a change of tone. “I’m very much afraid that I owe you and Rose an apology.”

“Why so?” Stone asked, mystified.

“The people following you from Station Two to Glasgow and, later, in London were mine. I was concerned for the safety of both of you, I assure you. I’m sorry that resulted in you taking on private security.”

“Well,” Stone said. “You’ve solved a mystery for me, and I know that it’s as much a relief for Rose as for me.”

“It certainly is,” Rose said.

“May I ask, Roger: Why were you concerned for our safety?”

“I’m afraid that the black-parachute operation we rooted out was made up of more than the one or two we at first thought.”

Felicity spoke up. “That came from us, in London, actually,” she said. “We, ah, got wind of an operation to plant half a dozen GRU agents on our island, and they chose that means of entry. Really, you’d think they could just issue a few more diplomatic passports and give them spurious titles at their embassy.”

“But you would have known immediately,” Roger said. “Whereas, if they’d pulled off the black-parachute operation without incident, they would already be infiltrating into the country, and we’d have no idea. So, Stone, at the price of your ankle and Felicity’s car, we have extinguished a nest of spies.”

“If that’s so, Roger, why are you still concerned about our safety?”

Roger shrugged. “We’ve accounted for all of them. We’ve increased Felicity’s security, as well, not to mention my own, just in case there are more.”

“Well, I hope they’re not on the estate as we speak, bumping into our guard.” Stone took out his cell phone and pressed a button. “It’s Barrington. Our situation has been resolved, so you may stand down and return to London. Anyone you encounter here tonight will be a friendly.” He hung up. “There, I hope that prevents heads being broken.”

“As do I,” Felicity said.

They were called to dinner at a table set before the fireplace. Stone was allowed to taste the wine, then food was served.

When the servants had delivered the main course and retired, Roger leaned in. “Stone,” he said, “it’s my understanding that you have an airstrip on your property that will accommodate a fairly large aircraft.”

“That is so,” Stone replied warily. “Why does that interest you — and Dame Felicity — Roger?”

“We are planning a training exercise over a period of two, perhaps three, weeks that would involve both amphibious aspects and airborne, and it occurs to me that your property, situated as it is in a quiet area on a navigable river and with its own airstrip, might be an ideal base for our operations.”

“Roger,” Stone said, “I’m sorry to tell you that it would be a great deal less than ideal where my neighbors are concerned. We’ve taken pains not to create a noise problem hereabouts. The neighbors have been accustomed to an airplane landing and taking off now and then — on less than a weekly or even monthly basis — and I would not like to test their patience further. Also, as you may have heard” — he glanced at Felicity, who avoided his gaze — “my partners and I have bought the immediately neighboring property and established a country hotel there. Our guests would not welcome noisy aircraft and helicopters outside their windows, nor assault boats roaring up and down the Beaulieu River, so what you suggest is simply not possible.”

“We had hoped to keep it all in the family,” Roger replied, obviously disappointed.

“If that’s what you’d like to do, then Felicity has a larger property than mine. It’s only just across the river, as you discovered tonight, so perhaps she would be pleased to host your little party.”

“Now, now,” Felicity said, throwing up a hand. “Let’s not get carried away.” She took a swig of her wine. “Roger, put that notion out of your mind.”

“Quite,” Roger said, returning to his dinner.

They finished dessert and port and Stilton, then the guests made their goodbyes and departed, driven back to their boat by Stan, in the golf cart.

Stone and Rose made their way upstairs to bed and had just fallen into each other’s arms when Stone disengaged for a moment.

“Tell me,” he said to Rose. “Are you a party to this little scheme of Fife-Simpson and Dame Felicity’s?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, retreating to her side of the bed.

“Well, it occurs to me that, in addition to being a physician, you hold military rank.”

“I have a reserve commission,” she replied, “in the Home Guard. They helped pay for my surgical training.”

“It also occurs to me that Roger and Felicity were discussing what must be a highly classified operation in your presence, as if you were cleared to hear it. I don’t know about Roger, but it’s very unlike Felicity to discuss something like that in an unclassified environment.”

“That seemed to be Fife-Simpson’s decision,” she replied. “And, you may recall, Dame Felicity spoke only to scotch the idea.”

“Then is it not true that your employer is a certain intelligence service, rather than a London hospital?”

She reached for his nether region and fondled him. “I can neither confirm nor deny your conjecture. I can, however, help you forget that you asked.”

“That is certainly a possibility,” Stone said, moving closer to give her easier access.

She kissed his ear, then used her tongue. “I thought you might think so,” she whispered.