Mary sat there, numb, thinking, So That’s why that man was questioning Florence. She looked up at Edward and the children and said slowly, “The President read my book and the article in Foreign Affairs, and he thought they were brilliant. He said That’s the kind of thinking he Wants for his people-to-people program. He wants to nominate me as ambassador to Remania.”
There was a look of total disbelief on Edward’s face. “You?
Why you?”
It was exactly’what Mary had asked herself, but she felt Edward could have been more tactful. He could have said, How wonderfull You’d make a great ambassador.
“You haven’t had any political experience.”
“I’m well aware of that,” Mary responded tartly. “I agree that the whole thing is ridiculous.”
“Are you going to be the ambassador?” Tim asked.
Edward turned to the children. “You two finish your dinner.
Your mother and I would like to have a little talk.” Edward took Mary’s arm and led her into the library. He turned to her and said, “I’m sorry if I sounded like a pompous jerk in there. It was just such a-“
“No. You were perfectly right. Why on earth should they have chosen me?”
“Honey, you’d probably make a great ambassador. But you must admit it came as a bit of a shock.”
“Try thunderbolt. I still can’t believe it.” Mary laughed. “Wait until I tell Florence. She’ll die.”
“You’re really excited about this, aren’t you?” asked Edward.
She looked at him in surprise. “Of course. Wouldn’t you be?”
Edward chose his words carefully. “It is a great honor, honey, and I’m sure they must have had good reason for choosing you’.”
He hesitated. “We have to think about this very carefully.”
She knew what he was going to say, and she thought, Edward’s right. Of course he’s right.
“I can’t just leave my practice and walk out on my patients. I have to stay here. I don’t know how long you’d have to be away, but if it really means a lot to you, well, maybe you could go over there with the children and I could join you whenever-“
Mary said softly, “You crazy man. Nothing means as much to me as you and the children. I could never live away from you.”
He took her in his arms. “Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. It was exciting being asked. That’s enough.”
THE following morning Mary dialed the number that the President had given her. “This is Mrs. Edward Ashley. The Presidents assistant, Mr. Greene, is expecting my call.”
“One moment, please.”
A male voice on the other end said, “Hello. Mrs. Ashley?”
“Yes,” Mary said. “Would yo. “Please give the President a message for me? That I’m very, very flattered by his offer, but my husband’s profession ties him down here, so I’m afraid it would be impossible for me to accept. I hope he understands.”
“I’ll pass on your message,” the voice said noncommittally. “Thank you, Mrs. Ashley.” The line went dead.
Mary slowly replaced the receiver. It was done. For one brief
moment a tantalizing dream had been offered her. But that was all it was. A dream. This isomy real world, she thought. I’d better get ready for my first class.
Manama, Bahrein. The whitewashed stone house was anonymous, hidden among dozens of identical houses a short walk from the souks, the large, colorful outdoor markets. It was owned by a merchant sympathetic to the cause of Patriots for Freedom.
The chairman was speaking to the men gathered in the living room. “A problem has arisen. The motion that was recently passed has run into difficulty. The go-between we selected Harry Lantz-was murdered. His body was found floating in the harbor in Buenos Aires.”
“Do the police have any idea who did it?” Balder asked. “I mean, can they connect this to us in any way?”
“No. We’re perfectly safe.”
Thor asked, “What about our plan? Can we go ahead with it?”
“Not at the moment. We have no idea how to reach Angel. However, the Controller gave Harry Lantz permission to reveal his name to him. If Angel is interested in our proposition, he will find a way to get in touch with him. All we can do now is wait.”
THE man directly responsible for Marin Groza’s safety was Roland Passy, the French minister of defense. Gendarmes were stationed in front of the villa -in Neuilly twenty-four hours a day, but it was the knowledge that Ley Pastemak was in charge of the villa’s inner security that gave Passy confidence. He had seen the security arrangements himself and was firmly convinced that the house was impregnable.
In recent weeks rumors had been sweeping the diplomatic world that a coup was imminent, that Marin Groza was planning to return to Remania, and that Alexandres lonescu was going to be deposed by his senior military officers.
Ley Pastemak knocked on the door and entered the bookcrammed library that served as Mann Groza’s office. Groza was seated behind his desk, working.
“Everybody wants to know when the revolution is going to happen,” Pastemak said. “It’s the world’s worst-kept secret.”
Tell them to be patient. Will you come to Bucharest with me, Ley?”
More than anything Ley Pastemak yearned to return to Israel. “I’ll only take this job temporarily,” he had told Marin Groza. “Until you’re ready to make your move.” Temporarily had turned into weeks and months, and finally into two years. And now it was time to make another decision. In a world peopled with pygmies, Ley Pastemak thought, I have been given the privilege of serving a giant. Marin Groza was the most selfless and idealistic man Ley Pastemak had ever known.