The More Deceived Read Free Page B

score – thirty at the most.’
    ‘I will have to have some letter of authorization if I am to get anywhere.’
    ‘That goes without saying,’ Vansittart said with relief, making the assumption that Edward had agreed to undertake the investigation. ‘You will be sworn in as an officer in Special Branch. You will have all the authority you need, I can promise you. However, the investigation must be most discreet. No word of our anxiety must reach the newspapers or we shall be pilloried. You understand?’
    ‘I do, Sir Robert. And I report direct to you?’
    ‘Myself or Major Ferguson. The fewer people who have to know about this the better. And, by the way, commit nothing to paper. Any report you make should be verbal. We don’t want any memorandum from you being reprinted in one of Lord Weaver’s rags, do we?’
    That seemed to Edward to be a warning. Vansittart must know of his friendship with the owner of the
New Gazette
and other newspapers with little love for the government.
    ‘There is nothing else you can tell me? You have no suspicions yourself as to who may be talking to Mr Churchill? Presumably Major Ferguson must have made some preliminary investigation.’
    ‘That is true,’ Sir Robert said, rising to his feet to indicate the interview was at an end. ‘He had a hint that one of my people, Charles Westmacott, a junior employee in Desmond Lyall’s section, might have – how shall I put it? – a weakness for Mr Churchill. Major Ferguson made an appointment to see him.’
    Edward was on his feet too. ‘Which department is Mr Lyall’s?’
    Vansittart hesitated. Then he said, ‘I suppose you will have to know. Lyall is Director of of Industrial Intelligence. His job is to study arms deals amongst our European friends and possible enemies and gather and collate industrial intelligence from our people abroad. The department is most secret and must not be referred to outside this room.’
    ‘And what was the result of Major Ferguson’s meeting?’
    ‘It never took place. Westmacott disappeared the evening before Ferguson was to interview him.’
    ‘Disappeared? When was this?’
    ‘Exactly a week ago.’
    ‘And no one has any idea where he is?’
    ‘No. Westmacott left the Foreign Office about his usual time – five thirty or six, we believe – and has not been seen since. Ferguson will brief you but he’s in the dark along with the rest of us. Of course, this may have nothing to do with what we have been talking about but . . .’
    ‘Would his knowledge have been useful to the . . . to other countries? Does he have access to secret documents?’
    ‘Up to a point. Ferguson will give you all the gen.’ Sir Robert seemed anxious now to get rid of his guest. ‘He saw certain low-level secret documents . . . He was, as I say, relatively junior but Lyall trusted him. He might have seen more than he was supposed to. Ferguson will arrange for you to talk to Lyall. As you can imagine, Westmacott’s wife is distraught but at least we have kept the news of his disappearance out of the press – for the moment anyway. Lord Weaver and the other proprietors have been most understanding.’
    Always, Edward thought, there was this fear of the public knowing what was going on. Government kept control by not permitting the general public to know what was done in its name and what mistakes were made. However, perhaps in this instance there was some justification. As he said his farewell to Sir Robert, he realized he had never actually said he would take on the investigation. His agreement had been presumed. He sighed. No doubt in a few hours he would receive a telephone call from Major Ferguson and feel bound to respond positively. He could not deny that he was intrigued. Mr Churchill was a colourful character. He had seen him once in the House of Commons in full flood and been carried away by his oratory. His friend Marcus Fern admired him and Edward trusted his judgement. In fact, he had an idea that Fern