I say 'from Damian' but in fact Bassett's modest, unassuming voice greeted me down the receiver. 'Mr Baxter was wondering . . .' He paused nervously and I began to wonder what Damian could be wondering that would give me such offence, but the answer, when it came, was mild, 'if you might possibly be able to get down to see him at all soon.'I felt I should confess my lack of progress straight away, not that it was very likely I was concealing a major find. 'I haven't much to report yet, I'm afraid,' I said.But Bassett did not seem to be expecting anything different. 'Mr Baxter knows that, Sir. He assumed that he would have heard from you before now if there was anything to hear. But he would like to catch up with you all the same.'Despite Bassett's dulcet tones, there was an absolute expectation of my agreeing to this suggestion that triggered an alarm bell in my vitals. I had the uncomfortable feeling that I had somehow put myself in Damian's power by agreeing to his request, that, in short, far from doing him a favour I had in fact been bought.
