Pst S9. The Inquiry is about to conclude.
"Do you love Sir Harry Pearce?"
"There is a lot between us."
"Do you love him?"
"I am very close to him."
"Do you love him?"
"I would, and indeed I have given up everything for him because I believe in what he represents."
"Miss Evershed, it is a simple question. Please do us the justice of a simple answer. Do you love Harry Pearce?"
"May I ask if my answer will influence your decision?"
"You may not."
"Well….I…."
"But I can tell you that whatever you say now it is probably too late to change the result of this inquiry."
"Yes."
"You love him?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Miss Evershed."
"How was it, Ruth?"
"Not good. They've made up their mind."
"You saw Harry, though?"
"No."
"But he must have been there."
"No, Dimitri, he wasn't there."
"Sir Harry, we have heard various statements, including your own. I think we now understand the events that took place in Berlin, Bonn and Moscow. What we need to comprehend before we finally rule on this Inquiry is the situation as it stands with your senior analyst Ruth Evershed and the nature of your personal relationship."
"There is no situation to understand. There is no personal relationship."
"There isn't?"
"No, sir there is not."
"You were protecting the life of a colleague, over and above the value of Albany, is that right Harry?"
"Yes, Home Secretary it is."
"And is she a valuable colleague?"
"Very valuable."
"Why so?"
"She is the most insightful, instinctive, forward thinking analyst I have ever known. The difference she makes to Section D is invaluable."
"Do you love her, Harry?"
"Home Secretary, surely I can admire her without you jumping to such conclusions."
"But do you love her?"
"She is …"
"Harry, do you love her?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then it must have influenced your decisions to save her?"
"Was I willing to sacrifice a superb officer for something that did not work? No, I don't believe I was."
"Or was it simply that you were not willing to let the woman you love die?"
"That must be a conclusion for you to reach, Home Secretary. Fortunately I never had to choose between the consequences of relinquishing the real Albany for Ruth and I am truly thankful for that. But whatever I chose, it was not to win her heart or affections because my feelings were not reciprocated."
"That's strange because that's not what she said."
"She didn't?"
"No she told us that she loved you."
"She did!"
"Yes, Harry, she did."