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Spence reached out and tried to push the paper away from him, seemingly afraid to get too near to it 'Where on earth did you get that?' He looked around desperately to see whether anyone had noticed the exchange.
Mattie picked up the piece of paper and began reading it out loud.' "Opinion Research Survey Number 40" - this is yours, isn't it?'
Yes, but... Please, Miss Storin!'
He was not used to dissembling. Spence was clearly deeply upset, and seeing no way of escape decided to throw himself on the mercy of his breakfast companion. In a hushed voice, and still looking nervously around the room, he pleaded with her.
I'm not supposed to talk to you about any opinion research. It's strictly confidential.'
'But Kevin, it's only one piece of paper.'
You don't know what it's like. If these figures get out, and I'm the one thought to have given them to you, I'd be out on my ear. Everyone's looking for scapegoats. There are so many rumours flooding around. The PM doesn't trust the Chairman. The Chairman doesn't trust us. Everybody says that heads are going to roll. I like my job, Miss Storin. I can't afford to be blamed for leaking confidential figures to you.'
'I didn't realise morale was so bad.'
Spence looked utterly miserable. I've never known it worse. Everyone was exhausted after the election, and there was a lot of bad feeling flying around because the result wasn't as good as we expected. Then all those leaks and reports that the Cabinet were at each other's throats, so instead of a long break during the summer Lord Williams kept us all hard at it. Frankly, all most of us are trying to do is to keep our heads down so that when it hits the fan we get as little of it as possible.'
He looked at Mattie eye-to-eye for the first time. 'Please don't drag me into this.'
'Kevin, you did not leak this report to me and I shall confirm that to anyone who wants to know. But if I'm to help you I shall need a little help myself. This is your latest polling report, right?'
She slipped the paper back across the table. Spence took another anguished look at it and nodded in confirmation.
They are prepared, by you and circulated on a tightly restricted basis?' Another nod.
'All I need to know from you, Kevin, is who gets them. That can't be a state secret, can it?'
There was no more fight left in Spence. He seemed to hold his breath for a long time before replying.
'Numbered copies are circulated in double-sealed envelopes solely to Cabinet Ministers and five senior headquarters personnel: the Deputy Chairman and four senior directors.'
He tried to moisten his mouth with another drink of tea, but discovered he had already spilt most of it. How on earth did you get hold of it?'
'Let's just say someone got a little careless, shall we?'
'Not my office?' he gasped, his insecurity flooding out.
'No, Kevin. You've just given me the names of over two dozen people who receive the figures, and with their secretaries it would bring the possible number of sources to well over fifty.' She gave him one of her most reassuring, warm smiles. Don't worry, I won't involve you. But let's keep in touch.'
Mattie left the breakfast room. She should have been feeling elated about the front page story she was now able to write but she was wondering too hard how the devil she was ever going to identify the turncoat.
Room 561 in the hotel could not be described as five star. It was one of the smallest rooms, far away from the main entrance and at the end of the top floor corridor under the eaves. The party hierarchy did not stay here, it was definitely a room for the workers.
Penny Guy hadn't heard the steps outside in the corridor before the door burst open. She sat bolt upright in bed, startled and exposing two perfectly formed breasts.
'Shit, Roger, don't you ever bloody knock?' She threw a pillow at the intruder. 'And what the hell are you doing up so early? You don't normally surface until lunchtime.'
She did not bother to cover herself as O'Neill sat down at the end of the bed. There was an ease between them suggesting an absence of any sexual threat which would have startled most people. O'Neill constantly flirted with her, particularly in public, but on the two occasions when Penny had offered, O'Neill had been very affectionate and warm but had complained of being too exhausted. She guessed he had a deep streak of sexual insecurity running through him, which he hid beneath flattery and innuendo. Penny had heard from other women who had spent time with O'Neill that he was frequently too exhausted - attentive, Very forward, suggestive, but rarely able to commit himself fully. She was very fond of him, and longed to ease the insecurities out of him with her long, electric fingers, but she knew he would not drop his guard long enough to let her weave her magic. She had worked for O'Neill for nearly three years and had seen him slowly change as he found the pressures of political and public life increasingly infatuating, yet steadily more difficult to cope with.
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