But right here, right now, he had the upper hand and they both knew it.
She said, “Very well. Wormwood Scrubs for young Cartwright, treble G&Ts all round for the private sector. I assume we can expect to hear that Sly Monteith’s about to land some lucrative contract or other? Perhaps he could replace those clowns who did their best to scupper the Olympics.”
“Bitterness is so unbecoming.”
“Are you expecting my resignation?”
He bared a palm, as if to demonstrate no evil intent. Only one palm, she noted. “Heaven forbid.”
“Then what is it you want?”
Unlike many another politico, he didn’t waste time pretending he didn’t know what she meant. “An, ah, what shall we call it? An understanding. No. An alliance.”
“You’re my minister. I answer to you on a daily basis. I’m sure we already understand each other, and as for alliances, there should be little doubt that we’re on the same side.”
“Oh, we’re all on the same side. But that doesn’t mean we don’t pick teams. You’re a civil servant. I’m a politician. With a fair wind, you might expect to be head of your Service until retirement. But one way or the other, I don’t expect to be in this office for more than another year. If I leave it on my terms, it will be because I’m moving into Number Ten. Otherwise . . . Well, political careers have been known to founder.”
“And you’re worried yours might.”
“Once the PM decides he’s in a strong enough position, yes. He brought me inside the fold to forestall a challenge from the back benches. Any such challenge now would seem . . . ”
“Treacherous.”
“Impolite.”
“And thus unlikely to garner support within the party.”
Judd blinked in silent agreement.
“Unless his circumstances changed.”
Judd blinked again.
It was cool in the office. A fake breeze hummed somewhere, as if it were blowing in off a carpet of ice cubes. But as an undercurrent to that, Ingrid Tearney felt a sudden access of warmth; that of acquired knowledge. Judd wanted to render the Service a sharp kick in the teeth, that had always been clear; a way of both asserting his own current mastery, and revenging himself for a rejection three decades ago. But in addition to that, he wanted—needed—her cooperation. Tearney recognised this ability to layer scheme upon scheme, to allow for maximum benefit. It wasn’t so much playing both ends against the middle as securing the middle and flaying anyone within reach with the ends.
She said, “I see.”
“I rather thought you might.”
“So the file Cartwright was sent to steal—that wasn’t a random choice.”
“For the purposes of the exercise, one file was as good as any other,” he said smoothly.
“Of course. I’m just getting an inkling of the use you might have put it to if he’d succeeded.”
“Well,” he said. “That was never likely to happen, was it? Not unless security at the Park turned out to be in even more parlous a state than was the case.” He rose suddenly, and carried his empty cup and saucer to the tea tray. With his back to her, he went on, “Besides, there’s no need for me to go to such lengths to examine the contents of an old file housed in a department over which I have ministerial control.”
“Subject to the usual limitations,” Dame Ingrid said.
He returned to where she sat, and held a hand out. She gave him her crockery.
He said, “Of course. I’m simply seeking an assurance that all and any information relevant to the security of the nation is brought to my attention. That would inevitably include information relating to the reliability or otherwise of those entrusted with the great offices of state.”
“Which might then be used to ease those same unreliables out of those offices.”
“Well now. Once we’ve established the unfitness of an office holder, it would be a dereliction of duty not to do something about it.”
He carried her crockery to the table and carefully arranged the empty cups and used saucers in as efficient a tableau as possible. Then he returned to his chair and sat once more, smiling pleasantly.
She said, “Have you any idea how many times over the past half century the Service has been asked to consider doing what you’re suggesting?”
He pretended to give it some thought. “I would guess at least once during each administration. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The important thing is that we both know whose team we’re on.”
“I see.”
