"Where did you go when you left us Bill?" - Warren Haggerty
"Intelligence Department Warren, I always did like contrast." - Bill Chandler

- Spencer Tracey & William Powell, Libeled Lady (1936)

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Part 10 – Libeled Lady

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2003.
Oxford Circus, North Side.
London.

"Hello stranger," the voice from behind her said sweetly, moving to kiss her on the cheek.

Zoë paused before replying; composing herself. "Tessa."

"We never had a chance to say goodbye properly did we Zoë?" Tessa smiled, as if greeting an old friend.

"I'm not big on fond farewells," Zoë told her quickly.

Tessa's smile remained. "Oh I rather like them." She paused a moment. "I was most disappointed at your decision. I thought you were a lot cleverer." Zoë stayed silent, knowing that if she gave an inch Tessa would take a mile. Tessa stayed though and, if possible, became even more smug. "How's Tom doing?"

"Tom's fine."

"Really? I would have thought Harry would have taken rather a dim view of interagency liaisons." She pursed her lips. "He always takes the high road even when he's as hypocritical as ever."

"If you want to discuss Tom and Harry then I suggest you organise your next rendezvous with them."

"What about Ruth then?" Tessa grinned. "Now that was a turn up, wasn't it? I'd have loved to have seen Harry's face when she walked in."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh Zoë." Tessa shook her head. "When you have a spare moment why don't you ask little Ruth about Oxford…"

"Tessa," Zoë interrupted, "I don't care about anything you have to say."

"Okay, let's eh… talk about Rafa."

"Rafa?" Zoë asked, playing dumb.

Tessa stayed smiling. "You're never going to turn Mariela Hernandez by playing happy families. I have clients in Spain that know a lot about Rafa. They can help you with some information that will have her dancing to your tune. In return, all that they require is that you let them dispose of Rafa at the end."

"I'll have to get back to you on that."

"All right. Get back to me when you've okay'd it with Tom and Harry." She stared at Zoë for a moment. "Say hello to Ruth for me? It's been a very long time since Raleigh."

Zoë kept her face guarded as Tessa walked away. She'd heard that name before and it was killing her not to ask more about it. "Tessa?" She called her back, letting her get closer before she spoke again. "I'd do it again. You know that, don't you? I've never once regretted that I reported you. It was a very painful thing to have to do but I have never doubted that I did the right thing when I reported you."

Tessa shook her head. "Ah Zoë, you're so like me in some ways. Always wanting the last word."

Zoë opened her mouth before closing it again quickly. She shook her head, smiling despite herself.

As Tessa walked away, Zoë couldn't stop herself from going over their conversation: What the hell was Raleigh?

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1993.
University Parks.
Oxford.

"So… are you going to let me join the club, Oliver?" Harry asked, throwing more bread at the poor, overfed ducks.

Oliver leaned back against the railing. "Why not? You're already there, aren't you Harry?"

"Apparently only partly… I know there's more going on than meets the eye."

"Your eye, you mean?"

Harry looked upwards. "What are you playing at?"

"Oh, you'd find out soon enough," Oliver replied. "Jools probably. Always likes to play favourites."

Harry shook his head. "Stop stalling."

"Oh Harry, seeing shadows even when there aren't any."

Harry clenched his fist around the slice of bread, wanting more than anything to wipe that smug smile off Oliver Mace's face. "You can't tell me this is a normal investigation."

"I've never tried to. I was truthful before. We want her. We think that with training she could be great," Oliver told him, playing innocent. Oliver Mace was a lot of things, but innocent was definitely not one of them.

"And lose her soul in the process?" Was he talking about Ruth now or himself? It was a fine line between them now.

"Perhaps…" Oliver agreed. "But it would be fun wouldn't it? I mean if you follow through, you'll never see her again. But if you let us take her you can carry on… whatever you're doing."

"Nothing's going on," Harry denied. It was an almost truth.

"Yes and Jools is joining the circus next spring. The Harry Pearce I know doesn't spend his valuable time prancing about with someone who'd have made an excellent hippy."

Harry shook his head. "Get it over with." It needed to end now.

Oliver took a breath, weighing up his options. "We may have… missed something in our previous… briefing."

"Namely?"

"Peter."

Harry nodded. "I thought so."

"He's in love with her."

Harry didn't let his surprise show. "And that matters because?"

Oliver pursed his lips. "His… lady friend… is aware of that and we, as in 6, are a little worried she's about to… go on the blink."

"So you're following Ruth because?"

Oliver sighed, deciding to take a different route. "Peter told Jools that his 'Ruthie' had read Tolstoy in seven languages, not including English. When Jools wanted something on little Peter, Ruth Evershed fitted the bill. He wanted to force Peter into leaving Angela… to get her over her episode, but all he could find on Ruth were library fines: not exactly blackmail material. Then he reads a student thesis and determines that someone who could make the Armenian Revolution interesting must be talented, and his interest was sparked beyond any concerns for the girl's safety or Angela's mental health. The more we look at her the more we like her Harry… she's almost perfect. Do you know her real IQ?"

"I don't really care." He didn't and he didn't really want to know either. It was becoming harder and harder to justify his opinion.

"176."

"Then send her to GCHQ."

Oliver shook his head. "How many Classics graduates do you know that can spot a 6 tail without 6 training?"

"So? She's bright." More than bright, he knew that. He just wished she wasn't.

"Oh Harry… I think she's rubbing off on you, or maybe that's just your wishful thinking."

"Charming as ever."

Oliver dropped the act, his face quickly becoming serious. "She'll be wasted as a sleeper."

Harry did the same, moving from the barrier so they stood facing each other. "Better that than with you."

"Ouch… a little personal Harry."

"And you're so professional. You made her think she was being followed day in day out," Harry reminded him.

Oliver shrugged. "Well she is."

"Why? Because a Royal Bodyguard's got a crush on his little sister? Or because Angie Wells doesn't like to lose?" Harry raised his eyebrows, daring Oliver to lie to him.

Mace sighed. The time for holding cards was over. "She's close to losing it Harry," Oliver told him honestly. "All the classics: over involvement, personalising, lack of composure…"

"I thought so…" Harry sighed. "I'm telling you now, I'm warning you. She sleeps. Now."

Oliver shook his head. "And what if we're right about Angela? Do you really want to risk it?"

"So she kills her sister-in-law in a fit of rage? Angela Wells is a cold hearted bitch, she's far more likely to castrate him, so I'd focus there if I were you," he added, glad that he wasn't.

"Jools won't like it."

"He doesn't have a choice," Harry told him, walking away.

"And you?"

"I'll speak to the DG. This is over Oliver," he turned back. "You lost. Get over it." He turned and walked away, leaving Oliver to stew on his own defeat.

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2003.
Chancery Lane.
London.

"And it is our suggestion that the house be put on the market and the proceeds be divided equally." Harry took in her words as he watched Ruth across the table.

Harry looked quickly at Ruth, catching her gaze before nodding at his lawyer in acceptance.

"We agree," he spoke for Harry, taking note of the summary.

Harry moved his gaze back to Ruth, staring at her. It was her house more than his really. She was the one that had seen it; she'd wanted it; she'd spent days up there with Jamie…

He shook himself, speaking for the first time. "You can have it if you want Ruth." He spoke directly to her, ignoring their supposed speakers.

Ruth shook her head even as Harry saw her lawyers mouth turn upwards at his suggestion. "I can't Harry."

"Why not? You love that place… said it reminded you of your father," he reminded her, even though he was sure she'd never forget.

Ruth smiled slightly. "I think that was more about the books and trees than the actual building."

Harry shook his head. "Maybe but… it was your home Ruth."

Ruth shook her head back at him. "It was our home Harry," she told him instead. They held each others gaze as the lawyers shook their heads at each other.

Before they could continue with the probably futile attempt to progress at all with drawing up the necessary paperwork, they were interrupted by not one, but two phones.

Their clients shared a quick glance.

"Work emergency," Harry stated, not even looking at the message. "We'll have to continue another time." He stood quickly, moving away from the table.

Ruth nodded, standing as well. "Sorry about this," she apologised. "Next month okay?"

They nodded quickly. "We'll confirm later," Patrick Kennedy told her.

As they left, Harry opening the door for his almost ex-wife, Liz Smith rolled her eyes and shook her head. "If this one makes it to court, I'll eat my hat."

Her usual rival nodded. "It's almost like we're marriage guidance," Kennedy agreed, gathering his papers. "Got anything else today?" he enquired, making conversation.

"Wronged husband next. She'll be lucky to get out with more than the clothes off her back."

"Sounds fun."

"Its a lot more fun when they hate each other, don't you find?"

"Oh definitely. I've got a cheated wife next. Almost clawed his eyes out at the preliminary hearing."

"Do you think they stare at each other like that wherever they work?" Patrick wondered aloud.

"Probably. I feel sorry for whatever pencil pushers they work for."

"Definitely," he agreed once more.

Liz stopped her packing and walked towards the window. "Huh."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Just checking for snow," she stated, simply, before turning back to him. "You know… cause hell's just frozen over now that you've agreed with me more than once."

Patrick nodded. "Its strange… lets not agree again?" he suggested.

Liz nodded. "No problem," she grabbed her briefcase from the desk.

"Next month?" he put his hand out for her to shake.

"If they make it that long, then I'll see you," she replied, neither of them were convinced as they shook hands quickly and departed.

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1993.
University Parks.
Oxford.

"Whatever it takes, I really don't care." He held the phone close to his ear, it wasn't a safe line but he really didn't care.

"There's no denying they were overzealous Harry but …"

Harry shook his head, interrupting the DG. He didn't care about protocol, that was completely unimportant now. "But nothing. They went too far. You've got what you wanted."

He could hear the smirk over the line. "Felt good didn't it?"

Harry paused before replying. It felt anything but good to him at that moment. "As always," he replied instead or, rather, lied instead.

"So we win and they get nothing."

Harry couldn't help but agree. "Make sure 6 keep their word," he added.

"I will, she's a valuable asset for the future Harry. Even 6 aren't going to jeopardise that."

"I'm not just worried about 6." Harry told her honestly.

"We can keep Malcolm up there… surveillance, keep track of her. The usual."

"Not for Ruth," Harry told her immediately, "other than the basic checks. But if 6 are that worried about Wells then we need to pay extra attention to her."

There was a pause. "I agree."

"Good."

"I've got an interesting one for you next Harry, Tess has been working on this for awhile."

"Excellent," Harry replied, his heart not really in it. He didn't want to think about the next one because that meant this one was truly over. He wasn't ready to completely face that fact just yet.

"You'll report tomorrow?"

Harry nodded to himself as he replied. "Of course."

Denial would only get him so far.

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2003.
Thames House.
London.

Harry sat alone in his office, a bottle of scotch his only companion, apart from the video playing before him. Tessa halfway through one of her speeches.

"Durbeyfield or D'Urberville. There's a fine line. You make decisions and somehow the consequences of those decisions just keep unraveling. It's interesting though isn't it Harry? We all make mistakes but some of us seem to pay more than others. I suppose the difference between us was the simple fact that you had everything and I nothing. Durbeyfield, I suppose. Now we've both got nothing and I'm going to have to reinvent myself again, but God knows we've all had enough practice at that."

Harry reached for the bottle, pouring the liquid to a higher level than usual.

"What do you think Harry?" She wondered aloud, knowing that she'd never get an answer. "Am I Durbeyfield or D'Urberville? Are you Angel or Alec? I suppose I'll never know. Maybe you're both, like two sides of a coin. You were a better person as Angel but I always liked you more as Alec. But that says more about me than it does about you doesn't it?" she paused on the screen as Harry stopped the tape.

"Goodbye Tess," he told her image before pressing stop.

As her face dissolved into static he turned away from the screen and looked out onto the empty Grid, his eyes straying to Ruth's empty desk.

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