Lewi's Legacy by Graham Adams

and other valuable collectibles on their behalf at the principle auction houses around the world. He would be expected to meet Mikhail three or four times per year to discuss his progress or otherwise. Mikhail would make the arrangements for these meetings in advance.
    They went through the other pages, discussing salary and expenses and the conditions on the free flat he was already using. When it seemed that the meeting was about to close, Victor had one more question to ask the diplomat.
    ‘Mikhail, what happens to our agreement if you get recalled home?’
    ‘That, my boy is a very good question, and if you would call back here tomorrow with your decision on my offer I will tell you my answer, say at ten tomorrow?’
    The first thing that Victor did when he was back at his flat was ring his father and explain in as much detail as he could the terms of the proposal. His father was quite aware of Mikhail, and had nothing bad to say about him. He repeated the advice to his son of the possible dangers in dealing with such a high officer in the embassy, but then withdrew his comment. The cold war was still the main event in relations when he was at the Foreign Office, and the suspicions were more relevant for that time. When Victor told him that Mikhail had made an appointment at the Foreign Office with Giles Carver, and had encouraged him to feel free to talk openly, his father was pleased at the diplomat’s action, and gave his son his blessing. His father’s approval meant a great deal to him and with this final obstacle overcome, he felt ready for a little celebration, and a local pub dinner seemed favourite to him.
    Victor felt that this was the first time in London that he had able to relax. All his patience and restraint had taken its toll on him, and now having passed the test with flying colours, seemingly his future was assured at last. He walked in the pub at around eight and looked around the crowded dining area. Dismayed, having noticed no tables free, he was about to retrace his steps when he heard his name being called. At a far corner table he could see an arm waving him over.
    Six young Russian students were at a large circular table and they had already squeezed together to allow him to join them. As he approached the table, sitting opposite to his space, was no less than Lydiya the diplomat’s daughter. She smiled at him vaguely, as if she had never met him before. He knew two of the assembled students. As he sat down, one of them introduced Louis to the others, all in Russian.
    ‘And this here is Lydiya.’ His heart beat seemed to get a little faster, when she smiled at him again.
    He carried on the pretence in Russian, and during the evening, when talking to one of the others, he could feel her eyes on him and try as he might, he just couldn’t resist a quick look at her. Tonight she was stunning, he thought to himself. At closing time the other five got up to leave, each shaking his hand, but Lydiya stayed seated.
    ‘I think that you did very well Victor. None of them guessed that you were not from Russia. It was a great achievement.’ She said with a grin showing off her beautiful teeth.
    ‘No Lydiya, it was not me who did well, it was my teacher who did well.’ They both laughed together, and then she got up out of her chair and sat in the next one to him. Her face was just millimetres away from his and he could smell her heady perfume.
    ‘I think it is time for just one more lesson Victor, no?’
    Lydiya quietly closed the flat’s door behind her. It was six am and the dawn was breaking over Kensington. Even at her tender age she was far more experienced at sex than Victor could have dreamed of. He had plenty of stamina but the technique certainly needed some ‘work’. She smiled to herself in the knowledge that he wouldn’t forget that last lesson for a very long time. Come to think of it neither would she.
    She left him sleeping deeply, the utterly dreamless sleep of the totally