set at an angle. She had just settled herself in a chair on the other side of it, when she heard the door open and the sound of Papa's voice. Who was he talking to? Ah, she recognized that other voice: it was Mr. Vere.
Her first instinct was to get up, to make her presence known and to remove herself. It was clear the men had no idea she was there, and, situated as she was, she couldn't help overhearing their conversation. It would be uncomfortable to leave now, and therefore better to sit tight and wait for them to leave the library again. Papa would be going upstairs to dress for dinner shortly, it was indeed a strange hour for Mr. Vere to call on him.
She didn't intend to listen to them, but in spite of herself, she became interested in what they were saying. They were talking about a paper, a memorandum that was missing, some important document. What was it that Mr. Standish had said, that Mr. Vere worked in some government department? Her father, of course, sat in the Lords, and he also held some office, although she wasn't sure what he did.
"A very serious matter should it fall into the wrong hands," Mr. Vere was saying.
"It will unquestionably fall into the wrong hands, unless we can trace it and retrieve it so swiftly that no information has been passed on. What would be the extent of the damage should it reach French hands?"
"Incalculable." Mr. Vere's voice was sombre. "The names of half our agents working for us in Paris ? Malbos would give his right hand to have that information."
"We will have to put a watch on all ports, all travellers must be searched."
"That is already arranged, messengers have been sent off. The officials at the ports keep a close eye on travellers as it is, but of course there is always the possibility, indeed, the likelihood, of smugglers taking an agent across, or a fishing boat taking an illicit passenger in return for money. At present, when we are not at war with France , they see no harm in it. No, we need to find how it was taken in England and by whom, so that we can try to prevent whoever has it leaving the capital."
"They will most likely already have done so." Papa's voice sounded as grim as Anna had ever heard it.
A week ago none of this would have meant anything to her, but now she quickly comprehended the seriousness of what was being said. Obviously if there were any danger of war, the government would have people in place, not Englishmen, but Frenchmen who opposed Bonaparte. They would supply the information which would be so necessary to the English should the peace not last.
Mr. Vere was telling Papa who might have had access to the paper, and one name caught Anna's attention. Mr. Standish? Of course, he said that he worked with Mr. Vere. Well, they could cross his name off, he was a man of honour who would never betray his country.
Mr. Vere took his leave, and Papa followed him out of the library. Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness she had not been discovered, for she knew she would have been in trouble had they been aware of her presence. She also felt a moment of guilt, for she knew it was wrong to eavesdrop. But she could be as discreet as the next person, she was hardly going to go around telling people that an important state paper had been mislaid. Mislaid? Mislaid nothing, it was clear that they thought it had been stolen.
That evening, Papa dined at home, and Anna could see how preoccupied he was. He was short-tempered, and paid little attention as Mama chatted inconsequentially about the activities of her day. However, mellowed by a good claret, he rallied towards the end of the meal, and asked Anna how she had spent her day.
In the time between leaving the library and coming down to dinner, Anna had been thinking hard. Mr. Vere had reported the paper missing to Papa and had given him those names, but just what had he himself handed over to that person in the Park? Was it possible that his concern was all a blind, and that he was responsible
Her first instinct was to get up, to make her presence known and to remove herself. It was clear the men had no idea she was there, and, situated as she was, she couldn't help overhearing their conversation. It would be uncomfortable to leave now, and therefore better to sit tight and wait for them to leave the library again. Papa would be going upstairs to dress for dinner shortly, it was indeed a strange hour for Mr. Vere to call on him.
She didn't intend to listen to them, but in spite of herself, she became interested in what they were saying. They were talking about a paper, a memorandum that was missing, some important document. What was it that Mr. Standish had said, that Mr. Vere worked in some government department? Her father, of course, sat in the Lords, and he also held some office, although she wasn't sure what he did.
"A very serious matter should it fall into the wrong hands," Mr. Vere was saying.
"It will unquestionably fall into the wrong hands, unless we can trace it and retrieve it so swiftly that no information has been passed on. What would be the extent of the damage should it reach French hands?"
"Incalculable." Mr. Vere's voice was sombre. "The names of half our agents working for us in Paris ? Malbos would give his right hand to have that information."
"We will have to put a watch on all ports, all travellers must be searched."
"That is already arranged, messengers have been sent off. The officials at the ports keep a close eye on travellers as it is, but of course there is always the possibility, indeed, the likelihood, of smugglers taking an agent across, or a fishing boat taking an illicit passenger in return for money. At present, when we are not at war with France , they see no harm in it. No, we need to find how it was taken in England and by whom, so that we can try to prevent whoever has it leaving the capital."
"They will most likely already have done so." Papa's voice sounded as grim as Anna had ever heard it.
A week ago none of this would have meant anything to her, but now she quickly comprehended the seriousness of what was being said. Obviously if there were any danger of war, the government would have people in place, not Englishmen, but Frenchmen who opposed Bonaparte. They would supply the information which would be so necessary to the English should the peace not last.
Mr. Vere was telling Papa who might have had access to the paper, and one name caught Anna's attention. Mr. Standish? Of course, he said that he worked with Mr. Vere. Well, they could cross his name off, he was a man of honour who would never betray his country.
Mr. Vere took his leave, and Papa followed him out of the library. Anna breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness she had not been discovered, for she knew she would have been in trouble had they been aware of her presence. She also felt a moment of guilt, for she knew it was wrong to eavesdrop. But she could be as discreet as the next person, she was hardly going to go around telling people that an important state paper had been mislaid. Mislaid? Mislaid nothing, it was clear that they thought it had been stolen.
That evening, Papa dined at home, and Anna could see how preoccupied he was. He was short-tempered, and paid little attention as Mama chatted inconsequentially about the activities of her day. However, mellowed by a good claret, he rallied towards the end of the meal, and asked Anna how she had spent her day.
In the time between leaving the library and coming down to dinner, Anna had been thinking hard. Mr. Vere had reported the paper missing to Papa and had given him those names, but just what had he himself handed over to that person in the Park? Was it possible that his concern was all a blind, and that he was responsible
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