Traitors Gate Read Online Free PDF Page A

said.” Mr. Tarbet had been Matthew’s tutor as a child, and thus also Pitt’s. “Ideally placed for a naval base to blockade all the principal German ports on the Rhine,” Matthew explained. “We could trade Heligoland to the Germans for some of their lands in Africa. And believe me, they would be glad enough to do that, if we managed it really well.”
    Pitt smiled wryly. “I can see that you have an extraordinary number of highly complex problems. But what exactlydo you wish to consult the police over? We have no writ in Africa, or even in Heligoland.”
    “But you do in London. And London is where the Colonial Office is, and the German Embassy….”
    “Oh.” In spite of himself, Pitt was beginning to see, or to fear that he did.
    “And the British Imperial South Africa Company,” Matthew went on. “And the various banks who fund explorers and missionaries, not to mention the adventurers, both literal and financial.”
    “Unarguable,” Pitt conceded. “Why is that relevant?”
    The faint flicker of amusement died out of Matthew’s eyes and he became serious.
    “Because there is information disappearing from the Colonial Office, Thomas, and turning up in the German Embassy. We know that because of the bargaining issues the Germans are aware of, and they shouldn’t be. Sometimes they know things almost before we do in the Foreign Office. It hasn’t done any great damage yet, as far as we know, but it could very seriously jeopardize our chances of a successful treaty if it goes on.”
    “So someone in the Colonial Office is passing information to the German Embassy?”
    “I cannot see any alternative explanation.”
    “What sort of information? Could it not have come from some other source? Surely they have men in East Africa too?”
    “If you knew a little more about African affairs you wouldn’t ask that.” Matthew shrugged. “Every report one gets is different from the last, and most accounts are open to a dozen interpretations, especially where the native chiefs and princes are concerned, It is our Colonial Office version the Germans are getting.”
    “Information about what sort of thing?”
    Matthew drank the rest of his tea.
    “So far as we know, at the moment it is mostly about mineral deposits and trading negotiations between variousfactions and the native chiefs. In particular one in Zambezia called Lobengula. We were very much hoping the Germans were unaware of the stage of negotiations we had reached in that matter.”
    “But they are not?”
    “Difficult to say, but I fear not.”
    Pitt finished his own tea and poured more, helping himself to another slice of toast out of the rack. He had a deep liking for homemade marmalade. Charlotte had a way of doing it that was so pungent the flavor seemed to fill his whole head. He had observed that Matthew liked it as well.
    “You have a traitor in the Colonial Office,” he said slowly. “Who else is aware of what you have told me?”
    “My immediate superior, and the Foreign Secretary, Lord Salisbury.”
    “That’s all?”
    Matthew’s eyes widened. “Good heavens, yes. We don’t want people all over the place to know we have a spy in the Colonial Office. Nor do we want the spy himself to know we are aware of him. We need to clear up the whole matter before it does any real damage, and then keep quiet about it.”
    “I can’t work without authority,” Pitt began.
    Matthew frowned. “I will write you a letter of authority if you like. But I thought you were a superintendent now. What more authority do you need?”
    “My assistant commissioner’s, if I am to start questioning people in the Colonial Office,” Pitt replied.
    “Oh, well, him of course.”
    “You don’t believe this has any connection with the other matter, do you?”
    Matthew frowned for a moment, then his face cleared as he understood.
    “Good God, I hope not! The Inner Circle is pretty low, but I had not imagined it was involved in treason, which is what this