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'That'll do, Finebaum,' Canning said.

'Anything you say, sir.'

Finebaum moved away. She stood there, defenceless. Canning glared at her, eyes burning, agony on his face.

It was Hesser who said, strangely gentle, 'Strasser is Bormann then?'

'I don't know. I've never met him. Remember the Gestapo security check on the castle two months ago when we were all interviewed personally? I received my instructions then from that SS colonel, Rattenhuber. He said he was acting for Bormann. A special radio was secreted in my room. I was given times when I could expect messages.'

'The damage to our own radio spares?' Hesser said. 'That was you?'

'Yes.'

'Why, for God's sake?' Canning cried harshly.

'It's really quite simple,' she said. 'Remember my husband, Etienne?'

'Of course. Shot dead while trying to escape from SD headquarters in Paris.'

'So I believed,' she said, 'until Rattenhuber was able to prove to me that wasn't true. Etienne is alive, Hamilton. Has been all along. An inmate of Mauthausen concentration camp.'

'I see,' Justin Birr said. 'And the price of his continued existence was your cooperation.'

'It wasn't enough,' Canning cried. 'You hear me? Not to excuse what you have done.'

The rage, the anguish in him was personal and obvious to everyone there. His hand came up, clutching his Walther.

'Shoot me then, Hamilton, if you must,' she said in the same flat voice. 'It doesn't matter. Nothing matters any longer. Etienne is as good as dead now.'

It was Finebaum who moved first, getting in front of her and facing Canning, his M1 still slung from his shoulder.

'General, I respect you - I respect you like hell, but this isn't the way, sir, and I can't just stand by and let you do it.'

Canning gazed at him wildly, the Walther shaking in his hand, and then something seemed to die inside him, the light faded; he lowered the pistol.

'Captain Howard.'

'Sir.'

'Lower the drawbridge, then open the gate.'

'I beg your pardon, sir?'

'You heard me.' Canning's voice was flat. 'I don't want her here, you hear me? Let her go. She can't harm us now.'

He brushed past her and went outside.

It was Sorsa, in the observation post the Finns had set up in the trees above the first bend, who noticed the drawbridge descending. Ritter had only just arrived from the village and was still in the field car on the road below.

Sorsa called softly, 'Something going on up there at the gate. They're lowering the drawbridge.'

Ritter scrambled up the bank to join him, and as he did so the judas opened and Claire de Beauville stepped into the light. She started across without hesitation, and the moment she reached the opposite side the drawbridge lifted again behind her. She came on.

'You know who it is?' Sorsa demanded.

'Madame de Beauville, one of the prominenti.' Ritter lowered his night-glasses. 'Now I wonder what friend Strasser will have to say about this rather singular turn of events?'

As the drawbridge started to rise again, Canning went back into the winding-gear room. Finebaum and Hoover were turning the massive wheels by hand, Howard watching them. Hesser and Birr talked together in low voices.

Canning's face was white with fury. 'Okay, that's it. I've had enough of hanging around and nothing happening. I'm going out there to see what the situation is.'

'Good God, Hamilton, how on earth are you going to do that?' Birr demanded.

'Leave by the water gate. There's an old skiff in the tunnel there. We can cross the moat in that. They'll be heavily occupied with the woman at the moment. They won't expect any move like this.'

Birr shrugged. 'All right, Hamilton. If that's how you want it - I'm your man.'

'No, not you. You're needed here.'

Howard said, 'If you're looking for volunteers, sir.'

'Captain, in my entire career, I never asked anyone under my command to volunteer for anything. If I need a man, I tell him.' He nodded at Hoover and Finebaum. 'I'll take these two. You stay here to back up Colonel Birr. Any questions?'

Birr shrugged helplessly.