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"That's not what we read in the newspapers," she said. "How very sad. " She squeezed his arm sympathetically. The touch affected him like a mild electric shock. No woman outside his family had touched him for two years. He suddenly thought how wonderful it would be to take Monika in his arms, press her warm body to his, and kiss her lips. Her amber eyes looked back at him with a candid gaze, and after a moment he realized she had read his mind. Women often did know what men were thinking, he had found. He felt embarrassed, but clearly she did not care, and that thought made him more aroused.
Someone approached them, and Walter looked up irritably, guessing the man wanted to ask Monika to dance. Then he recognized a familiar face. "My God!" he said. The name came back to him: he had an excellent memory for people, like all good diplomats. He said in English: "Is it Gus Dewar?"
Gus replied in German. "It is, but we can speak German. How are you?"
Walter stood up and shook hands. "May I present Freiin Monika von der Helbard? This is Gus Dewar, an adviser to President Woodrow Wilson. "
"How delightful to meet you, Mr. Dewar," she said. "I shall leave you gentlemen to talk. "
Walter watched her go with regret and mingled guilt. For a moment he had forgotten that he was a married man.
He looked at Gus. He had immediately liked the American when they met at Ty Gwyn. Gus was odd-looking, with a big head on a long thin body, but he was as sharp as a tack. Just out of Harvard then, Gus had had a charming shyness, but two years working in the White House had given him a degree of self-assurance. The shapeless style of lounge suit that Americans wore actually looked smart on him. Walter said: "I'm glad to see you. Not many people come here on holiday nowadays. "
"It's not really a holiday," Gus said.
Walter waited for Gus to say more and, when he did not, prompted him. "What, then?"
"More like putting my toe in the water to see whether it's warm enough for the president to swim. "
So this was official business. "I understand. "
"To come to the point. " Gus hesitated again, and Walter waited patiently. At last Gus spoke in a lowered voice. "President Wilson wants the Germans and the Allies to hold peace talks. "
Walter's heart beat fast, but he raised a skeptical eyebrow. "He sent you to say this to me?"
"You know how it is. The president can't risk a public rebuff-it makes him look weak. Of course, he could tell our ambassador here in Berlin to speak to your foreign minister. But then the whole thing would become official, and sooner or later it would get out. So he asked his most junior adviser-me-to come to Berlin and use some of the contacts I made back in 1914. "
Walter nodded. A lot was done in this fashion in the diplomatic world. "If we turn you down, no one needs to know. "
"And even if the news gets out, it's just some low-ranking young men acting on their own initiative. "
This made sense, and Walter began to feel excited. "What exactly does Mr. Wilson want?"
Gus took a deep breath. "If the kaiser were to write to the Allies suggesting a peace conference, then President Wilson would publicly support the proposal. "
Walter suppressed a feeling of elation. This unexpected private conversation could have world-shaking consequences. Was it really possible that the nightmare of the trenches could be brought to an end? And that he might see Maud again in months rather than years? He told himself not to get carried away. Unofficial diplomatic feelers like this usually came to nothing. But he could not help being enthusiastic. "This is big, Gus," he said. "Are you sure Wilson means it?"
"Absolutely. It was the first thing he said to me after he won the election. "
"What's his motivation?"
"He doesn't want to take America to war. But there's a danger we'll be dragged in anyway. He wants peace. And then he wants a new international system to make sure that a war like this never happens again. "
"I'll vote for that," said Walter. "What do you want me to do?"
"Speak to your father. "
"He may not like this proposal. "
"Use your powers of persuasion. "
"I'll do my best. Can I reach you at the American embassy?"
"No. This is a private visit. I'm staying at the Hotel Adlon. "
"Of course you are, Gus," said Walter with a grin. The Adlon was the best hotel in the city and had once been called the most luxurious in the world. He felt nostalgic for those last years of peace. "Will we ever again be two young men with nothing on our minds except catching the waiter's eye to order another bottle of champagne?"
Gus took the question seriously. "No, I don't believe those days will ever come back, at least not in our lifetime. "
