He nodded.
‘I don’t believe it.’
‘It’s true.’
‘And — and Shirer?’ I asked.
‘He’s alive too. Didn’t you know?’
I shook my head.
‘He stayed on in Italy and bought a vineyard. He’s living …’
I didn’t hear the rest. A great load seemed to have been lifted from me. I put my head in my hands and let that feeling of relief flood through me. When I became conscious that he was shaking me, I realised that I was crying. I felt the rim of a glass against my mouth. The drink seemed to steady me. ‘Sorry,’ I mumbled.
‘I didn’t know you were engaged to Alice Reece,’ he said.
‘No,’ I said. ‘I didn’t tell you because I wanted Reece to get that job on his merits. I was afraid you’d think—’ I stopped and shrugged my shoulder. ‘It doesn’t matter now. But I thought they were dead — both of them. That’s what they told me at H.Q. I thought I’d killed—’ He shook me then and I pulled myself together. ‘Why did you ask me about Reece?’ I asked him.