‘Well?’ demanded Wilson.

‘Potentially bad,’ said Harkness. ‘Rome had grade two listing on the access list. I’ve gone back three years. If he’s been leaking that long, Moscow has virtually been sitting in on most of the cabinet discussions affecting Europe. And, because of NATO, there’s a lot of cross referencing with America.’

‘So Naire-Hamilton’s right about the possible embarrassment?’

Harkness hesitated, conscious of how the Permanent Under Secretary wanted the matter resolved. Reluctantly he said, ‘Yes. We’d look very stupid.’

‘Damn!’ said Wilson.

‘It’s only an estimate,’ qualified Harkness. ‘He might not have been operating that long.’

‘Or it might have been longer,’ said Wilson objectively. ‘Until we get him and can fix the date. I don’t think we should minimize what might have happened.’ He looked towards the records Harkness had brought with him. ‘Any possibilities?’

‘Two,’ said Harkness.

‘On what grounds?’

‘Moscow service, when they might have been turned. One is our Resident in Rome.’

‘Who’d have personnel movement access?’

‘Yes.’

‘Him first,’ said Wilson.

Harkness took up the file, going to the second table so he could spread out the information. Before he began talking he pinned an official-looking, posed photograph to the first blackboard: the picture showed a heavily built, jowly man, with fair hair and a clipped, military moustache.

‘Henry Walsingham,’ said Harkness. ‘Late entrant, after army service with the Green Jackets. Bought himself out at the rank of lieutenant. Tried a year with his father’s brokerage firm in the City, then took the entry examination. Average pass. Went to electronic surveillance at the government communication HQ at Cheltenham and did well: sort of mind that understands technical things. Transferred back to secret intelligence eight years ago. High Commission in Canberra, where he met his wife. Tokyo, then Moscow. After Moscow he went to Washington. Left there about a year ago for Rome.’