“I don’t care what his motives are. I don’t care if he himself is terrified of dying (and I have a hunch that that is the real reason for his hesitancy) but I do know that I don’t want him dead by his own hand.”
“You’re quite sure of that?”
“Absolutely sure. I’m a director of the Establishment and don’t forget it, Paul: it’s Iris, Cave and I against you and Stokharin. You may control the organization but we have Cave himself.” I gathered courage in my desperation. I purposely sounded as though I were in warm concert with the others.
“I realize all that.” Paul was suddenly meek, conciliatory, sublimely treacherous. “But you must allow me as much sincerity as you withhold for yourself. I want to do what’s best. I think he should die and I’ve done everything to persuade him. He was near agreement when you upset everything.”
“For which I’m happy ... though it was something of an accident. Are you sure that it is only for the sake of Cavesword you want him dead?”
“What other possible reason?” He looked at me indignantly. I could not be sure whether he was telling the truth or not. I doubted it.
“Many other reasons. For one thing you would be his heir, in complete control of the Establishment; and that of course is something worth inheriting.”
Paul shrugged convincingly. “I’m as much in charge now as I would be with him dead,” he said with a certain truth. “I’m interested in Cavesword, not in Cave. If his death enhances and establishes the Word more securely then I must do all I can to convince him to take that course.”
“There is another way,” I said, smiling at the pleasant thought.
“Another way?”