We abide by their rules and customs, and only offer our skills to those that would accept them. We show them the respect a decent life deserves. And f...ar, well, we reserve fear for those who try to use it against them.” I finished as I slowly leafed through the delicate pages of the text in my lap, letting the idea percolate in their minds.“Ah, here it is.” I said as I finally found the simple, yet very profound poem I had been looking for. “This verse is possibly the easiest way to explain. You could never quite make out her face, but youcould tell it wasn't Dolly."Your father converted one of the attic rooms into a 'maid's quarters' andput all his feminine things up there. His men's clothes stayed in thewardrobes and cupboards of the master bedroom, and he still slept there -in a nightie - but Ingrid told me he used to get up at six, get dressed asthe maid, and go off to do his morning duties, bringing his mistressbreakfast in bed at seven-thirty. When she went in to work at. What else am I going to do?“Well, that was ... interesting,” she said as she regained her balance and gave my leg a little pat. She stood and offered me her hand so I could pull myself up. Not that I couldn’t have done that myself, but it was a nice gesture and told me more than words could have that she wasn’t upset. “You’re a good-looking guy, Jacob. And good company. If there was just a little less age-gap, I’d want to do some exploring with you. For now, though ... well, better just enjoy. It was now his quest.The problem was the agency. He faced the terrible necessity of becoming a double agent. He couldn't walk away from the agency. Nobody did that without the agency's blessing and guarantees issued upon pain of death. If he foolishly abandoned this agency assignment, they could descend on him and this mission with redoubled fury. There'd be no way for Michael to succeed.He needed a screen, a cover to stall the agency, to keep them many steps behind while he and Michael somehow.