They were featuring the imminent International Peace Conclave as if nothing untoward had happened. Perhaps the secret had been kept; perhaps the press didn’t know that Anstruther was missing. Brecklein had arrived and—his nostrils narrowed—the dirty Schern. That arrogant sentimentalist, Dessaye, was here. The French again would toady to the stronger nations. Once France had been a strong nation. That was before his time, a part of history. She would assuage her fears anew with another loan. Lord Evanhurst arrived today; with him Watkins. Piers could count on Watkins, but Watkins, like himself, was only an undersecretary. Evanhurst was believed to be one of the chief proponents of the withdrawal. The Dominions were against it but they wouldn’t fight the mother country, not if she were lined up with the United States. He didn’t know about the Russians. China would vote with the States; South America with the majority. South Africa was for withdrawal; they were too far away to fear, and there was German blood.
