Legacy (37 page)

‘I don’t know.’

‘Too soon to say, eh? Bit of a shock. I can see that.’ Hookey paid the bill. There was no softening of his briskness. ‘Got to take my wife into Norwich. Which reminds me. In my
case it was the dunes in Walberswick, other side of the harbour, while on leave from battle school. Thought it was the only chance I might ever get. There’s rather a good pub there, by the
way. In fact, it was one of the barmaids who took pity on me. Excellent mussels for lunch if you fancy walking off your breakfast. Go along the beach to Dunwich. And stay here the rest of the
weekend. I think the Queen can stretch to that.’ He stood and put his hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. ‘Do your very best to persuade him, my dear, but if he won’t listen,
don’t worry. I’m sure Viktor would be happy for you to take Charles’s place.’ He nodded at Charles, grinned and went.

They sat in silence for a while. ‘Did you know?’ asked Charles.

She shook her head. ‘Not the whole story, and not until just before you came in. He said, “Charles is in for a surprise. His father was a DA working for us all along. He should be
relieved and he will be when he gets used to it, but he might be angry at my deception. We might lose him.”’

‘Did you know he was here, that he was coming this morning?’

‘He said he probably would. Told me not to tell you.’ She lit a cigarette. ‘How do you feel?’

‘Like laughing or smashing the place up. Well, no, not quite like that. It’s hard to say.’ He stopped and made himself smile. ‘Anyway, no room for personal indulgence in
our business, Viktor would say. Or Hookey.’

She put her hand on his arm. ‘What do you think you’ll do?’

‘Don’t know.’

She went out after breakfast while Charles made notes for his write-up of the night before. There was relief in the process of writing and recording. He would have to do two versions, the full
one for Hookey and one that excluded Legacy for Hugo. It took longer than he thought; much of his mind was elsewhere.

Later he found her sitting on one of half a dozen ancient cannon that faced the sea. She was smoking another cigarette. ‘You look like a Senior Service advert.’

‘Peter Stuyvesant, please. Bit more glam.’ She gazed at the sparkling sea. ‘Well?’

‘Well what?’

‘Have you made your decision?’

‘Yes, I have. And the hotel couldn’t extend us. Our rooms are fully booked. Then while I was at the desk someone rang in to cancel one of the larger rooms at the front. But
it’s a double, I’m afraid.’

She took another pull on her cigarette, exhaling slowly. ‘Trust you did the right thing.’

‘I think so.’