"Greed was your undoing, Johnson. The decision to use Cornell was your biggest mistake. He was your Achilles Heel, your weakest link, and we exploited it. Ultimately, your arrogance blinded you to the consequences of your actions."
CHAPTER 65
Farnham, Surrey
"Tell me about all this stuff." "What stuff?"
"All these bits and bobs you've got on the shelves and walls."
Alex Morgan came back into his sitting room from the kitchen where he had been pouring drinks. Arena was over by the far wall, in deep thought as she contemplated his personal history, which he now realised was littered throughout his house in various forms. He stood quietly admiring her as she leaned against the bookshelf, captured in the glow of a small lamp on the coffee table. Her faded blue jeans were stretched upon long legs, and her tight, white t-shirt emphasised a flat stomach that arched perfectly into the superb undulation of her breasts. Fine blonde hair fell to her shoulders, and as she stood on tiptoes in her socks to look at a framed parchment on the wall, Morgan was mesmerised.
"You know something? You're too beautiful to be a spook, Halls." "Thanks, but I'm not really a spook, remember? A Foreign Office bean counter I believe you called me." She smiled in a self-deprecating way, took the glass of red wine from him, and continued surveying the collection of photos and certificates that appeared to compete for pride of place. "So, come on, what's this one?" She pointed to the parchment.
"That's my Commission, appointing me as an Army officer," he said with feigned pomp, sipping his wine. "I told you I was a gentleman. I've got a piece of paper signed by the Queen to prove it! How much more proof do you need?"
"You Aussies can never be real gentleman," she chided. "You're too rough around the edges. What about this one? What's this all about?" She was now pointing towards a pewter statuette of Pegasus surmounted by Bellerophon charging into battle.
"Ari, come on. Forget about all that crap. The food's ready, so let's eat.
I'm starving."
"You soldiers love all this, don't you?" She continued her investigations as Morgan went back to serve up their meal. "Is this you? Oh my God, it is you! Too funny!"
"Yeah," Morgan replied, as he returned again from the kitchen, this
time with food in hand. "Me and a mate, both Lieutenants when that picture was taken." The image of two fresh-faced young subalterns, grinning cheerfully, dressed in Army greens, embraced the room. "You were probably still at school when that one was taken."
"Cradle snatcher!" She laughed.
"Now, last warning." He gestured to the sofa, handing over one of his chilli con came creations. "No more talking about the fact that this place has turned into a museum. I take the hint. Let's eat."
Arena took the offered plate in one hand, but then shook an already empty wineglass with the other, winking at Morgan cheekily.
"You'd better bring the bottle in, Mister."
An hour later, having congratulated Morgan on his unexpected prowess in the kitchen, Arena joined him on the floor, where he sat with legs outstretched and back against the sofa, sipping his wine with the last strains of Miles Davis's 'Kind of Blue' playing in the background.
'I'm happy you talked me into coming to Farnham. London's a drag when you're in the thick of it all the time. I've always liked Surrey."
'I'm glad you came down," replied Morgan. "What do you think of the place?"
"Cosy springs to mind. I don't think it's a museum. A woman's touch wouldn't go astray, of course, and I love that Vettriano. 'The Singing Butler', isn't it? It all has a certain boyish charm."
Morgan laughed. He slid over towards the iPod remote to change the music. Ari slid over and grappled the remote from him.
"Hang on a minute, you," she said. "Let's see what else you've got in there." She trekked her way through his iPod, commenting along the way. "Enya? You?"
"It's 'The Celts'," he replied indignantly. "It soothes me." He smiled as she laughed at him.
"Ah," she announced. "Here we go!" Stan Getz came on.
"I can't believe you like jazz," he said with a smile as she returned to him on the floor just as the opening bars of 'Love and the weather' kicked in. The two of them sat quietly, savouring the moment and enjoying the wine.
"Alex?" Ari cooed, easing him from contemplation. She shifted closer and was looking at him intently, inches from his face. She wanted to know more about this elusive white knight who had dropped into her life.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"The life you lead. The things you do. I don't know how many times since we met that I thought that you'd been killed. Why do you keep putting yourself through it ?"