Chapter 35

Chatsworth was cleaning off his desk late in the afternoon when his secretary led Rebecca Fogg into the room. She was looking less hostile and rather happy this evening. He noted it and hoped it was a good thing for him as well as for her. This was the first time she had come to the offices since their capture of Jordan.

"Good evening, Rebecca," he greeted as the door closed.

"Good evening, Sir Jonathan," she said before taking the seat he offered her. "I think we have a matter to discuss."

"Indeed, we do," he said. He put all but one folder on his desk away and sat down, giving her his full attention. It was for her to start this.

"I did not take your orchestration of my last mission well. It was the first time a mission had been brought to me half accomplished, so to speak. Sir Boniface had never done that when he was alive. I have since been told it is not an unusual way for a mission to be run and that, should I continue in the service, I would have to be prepared for such things."

"As I mentioned," Sir Jonathan said, "it is not something I would normally do. I am familiar with Sir Boniface's methods and have never considered that one the wisest of choices because of the undue stress it puts on an agent, but I cannot say I would not use it again, so it would indeed be wise that you be prepared. I am not Boniface Fogg, but I will acknowledge that his methods are sometimes the best choices."

"Yes," she said. "I understand that. Truly, I do. Sir Boniface taught me this business, too. He would make no apologies for his management. I would expect none from you either."

"Then you accept that and will continue as you have?" he said.

"Not completely," Rebecca said. "There will be some changes. I understand Phileas spoke with you concerning his willingness to partner with me as needed in the future. Did he also tell you we are to be married?"

Chatsworth did a double take, but recovered quickly. "No, he omitted that part. I suppose congratulations are then in order."

He did not look pleased at the giving. Rebecca let that go. That would have more to do with his and Phileas's antagonism. "I intend to remain in the service after my marriage and will expect to be treated as any other married agent. Is that acceptable?"

"Indeed," Chatsworth said. "However, you will not continue as a field agent in the same manner. That would be in accordance with the way I treat married agents and a change in the management structure here."

"How so?" Rebecca said.

"Agent Nelson has recently turned in his resignation," Sir Jonathan said. "He was a good man and had been supervising missions for some time. Add to that, my second, is planning to retire. Granted, he is past due, but happening together, their losses will be difficult to bear without some reshuffling of duties. You have the seniority for such tasks and will step up from field agent to lead agent. It will mean less time in the field, but that is the price of seniority. You will get an office here down the hall and will have nine agents answering you until December. After that, your load will be reduced to six."

"What is happening between now and December?"

Chatsworth grinned. He looked pleased that she had asked. "I am going on a vacation."

Rebecca did a double take and grinned back at him.