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'Now we know why they wanted us so urgently,' Canning said. 'Hostages to bargain with in the hope he might save his rotten neck.' He rubbed his hands together excitedly. 'Good work, Bannerman. You've really earned your keep with that one. Take him away now, Max, and get some dry clothes on him.'

Hesser and Jackson went out. Madame Chevalier said, 'What does this mean, General? I've heard of this man, Bormann. A member of the inner circle, isn't that so?'

'Not a thing to worry about, I assure you,' Canning said. 'Now have some more coffee, sit down and take it easy and I'll be back in a moment.'

He went out with Howard and Finebaum, closed the door behind him and paused in the shadows at the head of the stairs.

'What do you think, sir?' Howard asked.

Canning looked down at Finebaum. 'Is he any good?'

'A sackful of medals. He seems to have a talent for killing people, General.'

'Okay, soldier,' Canning said. 'You watch Bannerman like a hawk. Not too close, but be around just in case.'

'I'm your man, General.' Finebaum went down the stairs into the shadows.

'You don't believe Bannerman, sir?' Howard asked.

'I had a Scottish grandmother, Captain, from the Isle of Skye, who used to say she had an instinct for things. No proof, because there was no need. She just knew. I sometimes think some of it rubbed off on me. Now get back to that gate. I'll join you there as soon as I can.'

He opened the door and went back into the dining hall.

When Howard climbed up to the ramparts above the gate it was snowing hard, large flakes drifting down through the yellow glare of the spotlight, spiralling in the slight wind. Hoover was up there with three Germans. Like them, the American was wearing a Wehrmacht winter-issue parka.

'Decided to change sides, I see,' Howard said. 'Kind of late in the war, isn't it?'

'The romantic in me,' Hoover said. 'My great-grandfather was in the Army of the Confederacy. We Hoovers just take to losing naturally, I guess. What about Bannerman?'

'He tells a convincing story. Says the opposition are going to hit us just before dawn. Slip a couple of guys across the moat with explosives and come running.'

He carried on to explain the rest of it, and when he was finished Hoover said, 'That last part doesn't make too much sense to me. I never even heard of this guy Bormann. Did you?'

'Somewhere or other,' Howard said. 'But I never thought he was particularly important. I mean, not like Ribbentropp or Goebbels or one of those guys. Sending someone like him sure lays it on the line how much they want to get their hands on these people as hostages.'

'Where's Finebaum?'

'Somewhere back there in the north tower, keeping an eye out for Bannerman on General Canning's orders.'

One of the sentries said quickly in German, 'Something moves - out there.'

He grabbed Howard's arm and pointed. A moment later, Karl Ritter, Hoffer and Strasser moved out of the darkness into the circle of light.

'Hello, the wall,' Ritter called. 'Is General Canning there?'

Howard stayed back in the shadows. 'What do you want?'

'Herr Strasser would like a word with General Canning. He has a proposition to put to him.'

'Tell me,' Howard called.

Ritter shrugged. 'If that is your attitude, then I can see we are wasting your time. Thank you and good night.'

They turned to go and Hoover whispered, 'Sir, this could be important.'

'Okay, Harry, okay.' Howard leaned forward into the light. 'Hold it. I'll see what he says.'

A moment later he was speaking to Canning on the field telephone. 'It could be a trap, sir.'

'I don't think so,' Canning said. 'They must know they'd be cut down in half a second, those two, at the first sign of trouble, and I don't think they'd make that kind of sacrifice, not if Strasser is who Jackson says he is. No, drop the drawbridge and have them in. Send Strasser up here to me. Keep Ritter with you.'

A few moments later, the drawbridge started to descend with a rattle of chains. Ritter said softly, 'So, the