It was possible to travel to most of the major provincial cities by high speed bus, mainly on the motorways. He consulted the timetables and found what he was looking for, a bus to Glasgow via Carlisle and Dumfries. It left in one hour. He booked a ticket and went in search of something to eat.

II.

GEORGI ROMANOV was senior attache in charge of public relations at the Russian Emba.s.sy in London. He was a tall, amiable-looking man of fifty, secretly rather proud of his aristocratic name. He had worked for the KGB in London for eleven years now, and had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel the previous year. Ferguson liked him and he liked Ferguson. When Ferguson phoned him just after his final telephone conversation with Devlin and suggested a meeting, Romanov agreed at once.

They met in Kensington Gardens by the Round Pond, a rendezvous so convenient to the Emba.s.sy that Romanov was able to walk. Ferguson sat on a bench readingThe Times. Romanov joined him.

'h.e.l.lo, Georgi,' Ferguson said.

'Charles. To what do I owe the honour?'

'Straight talking, Georgi. This one is about as bad as it could be. What do you know about a KGB agent, code name Cuchulain, put in deep in Ireland a good twenty years ago?'

'For once I can answer you with complete honesty,' Romanov said. 'Not a thing.'

'Then listen and learn,' Ferguson told him.

When he was finished, Romanov's face was grave. 'This really is bad.'

'You're telling me. The important thing is this. This madman is somewhere in the country having boasted of his intention of shooting the Pope at Canterbury on Sat.u.r.day and frankly, with his track record, we have to take him seriously. He isn't just another nutter.'

'So what do you want me to do?'

'Get in touch with Moscow at the highest level. I should

imagine the last thing they want is the Pope dead, at the hands of someone who can be proved to be a KGB agent, especially after that botched attempt in Rome. Which is exactly what Cussane wants. Warn them that, on this one, we'll brook no interference. And if, by some wild chance, he gets in touch with you, Georgi, you tell me. We're going to get this b.a.s.t.a.r.d, make no mistake and he dies, Georgi. No nonsense about a trial or anything like that. There again, I'm sure that's what your people in Moscow will want to hear.'

'I'm sure it is.' Romanov stood up. 'I'd better get back and send a signal.'

'Take a tip from an old chum,' Ferguson told him. 'Make sure you go higher than Maslovsky.'

In view of the importance of the matter, Ferguson had to go to the Director General, who in turn spoke to the Home Secretary. The result was a summons to Downing Street when Ferguson was half-way through his lunch. He rang for his car at once and was there within ten minutes. There was the usual small crowd at the end of the street behind barriers. The policeman on the door saluted. It was opened the moment Ferguson raised a hand to the knocker.

There was a hum of activity inside, but then there would be with the Falklands affair beginning to hot up. He was surprised that she was seeing him personally. His guide led the way up the main staircase to the first floor and Ferguson followed. On the top floor, the young man knocked at a door and led the way in.

'Brigadier Ferguson, Prime Minister.'

She looked up from her desk, elegant as always in a grey tweed dress, blonde hair groomed to perfection, and laid down her pen. 'My time is limited, Brigadier. I'm sure you understand.'

'I would have thought that an understatement, Ma'am.'

'The Home Secretary has filled me in on the relevant facts. I simply want an a.s.surance from you that you will stop this man.'

'I can give you that without the slightest hesitation, Prime Minister.'

'If there was any kind of attempt on the Pope's life while he is here, even an unsuccessful one, the consequences in political terms would be disastrous for us.'

'I understand.'

'As head of Group Four, you have special powers, direct from me. Use them, Brigadier. If there is anything else you need, do not hesitate to ask.'

'Prime Minister.'

She picked up her pen and returned to work and Ferguson went out to find the young man waiting for him. As they went downstairs, it occurred to Ferguson, not for the first time in his career, that it was his own head that was on the block as much as Cussane's.

In Moscow, Ivan Maslovsky received another summons to the office of the Minister for State Security, still occupied by Yuri Andropov, whom he found sitting at his desk considering a typed report.

He pa.s.sed it across. 'Read it, Comrade.'

Maslovsky did so and his heart seemed to turn to stone. When he was finished he handed it back, hands shaking.

'Your man, Maslovsky, is now at large in England, intent on a.s.sa.s.sinating the Pope, his sole idea apparently being to embarra.s.s us seriously. And there is nothing we can do except sit back and hope that British Intelligence will be one hundred per cent efficient in this matter.'

'Comrade, what can I say?'

'Nothing, Maslovsky. This whole sorry affair was not only ill-advised. It was adventurism of the worst kind.' Andropov pressed a b.u.t.ton on his desk, the door opened behind Maslovsky and two young KGB captains in uniform entered. 'You will vacate your office and hand over all official keys and files to the person I designate. You will then be taken to the Lubianka to await trial for crimes against the State.'

The Lubianka, how many people had he sent there himself? Suddenly, Maslovsky found difficulty in breathing and there was a pain in both arms, his chest. He started to fall and clutched at the desk. Andropov jumped back in alarm and the two KGB officers rushed and grabbed Maslovsky's arms. He didn't bother to struggle, he had no strength, but he tried to speak as the pain got worse, tried to tell Andropov that there would be no cell in the Lubianka, no state trial. Strangely enough, the last thing he thought of was Tanya, his beloved Tanya seated at the piano playing his favourite piece, Debussy'sLa Mer. Then the music faded and there was only darkness.

Ferguson had a meeting with the Home Secretary, the Commander of Ci3, Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist squad and the Director General of the Security Services. He was tired when he got back to the flat and found Devlin sitting by the fire readingThe Times.

The Pope seems to be taking over from the Falklands at the moment,' Devlin said and folded the paper.

'Yes, well that's as maybe,' Ferguson said. 'He can't go back fast enough for me. You should have been with me at this meeting I've just attended, Liam. Home Secretary himself, Scotland Yard, the Director, and you know what?' He warmed himself, back against the fire. 'They aren't taking it all that seriously.'

'Cussane, you mean?'

'Oh, don't get me wrong. They accept his existence, if you follow me. I showed them the record and his activities in Dublin during the past few days have been bad enough, G.o.d knows. Levin, Lubov, Cherny, two IRA gunmen. The man's a butcher.'

'No,' Devlin said. 'I don't think so. To him, it's just part of the job. Something that has to be done. He gets it over with cleanly and expeditiously. He has frequently spared lives over the years. Tanya and myself were a case in point. He goes for the target, that's all.'

'Don't remind me.' Ferguson shuddered, and then the door opened and Harry Fox came in.

'h.e.l.lo, sir. Liam. I believe things have been happening while I've been away.'

'I think one could say that,' Ferguson told him. 'Did things go well in Paris?'

'Yes, I saw Tony. He's in control.'

'You can tell me later. I'd better fill you in on the latest events.'

Which he did, as quickly as possible, Devlin occasionally making a point. When Ferguson was finished, Harry Fox said, 'What a man. Strange." He shook his head.

'What is?'

'When I met him the other day, I rather liked him, sir.'

'Not a difficult thing to do,' Devlin said.