15. Afterword

Among the guests at the wedding of Pamela Vereker and Harry Kane two years later was Colonel Corcoran.

"I wonder if the story of "Eagle" will ever be told" Kane said when he found himself alone for a moment with Corcoran.

Corcoran smiled. "In a sense there is no story to tell," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"The weekend of "Eagle", Winston churchill was on his way, in secret, to the Teheran Conference. A dangerous journey, if the Germans had known about it. So it was useful to have him appearing publicly elsewhere."

"Then who was it at Meltham House?"

"His name was George Howard Foster. An actor who looked very like Churchill. He gave the performance of his life that night. I was the only person who knew he wasn't the Prime Minister."

Kane remembered Steiner at Melthem House, the fatal moment of hesitation. "So even if Steiner had fired," he said, "it would all haave been for nothing."

"Perhaps," Corcoran said. "But finally, we can only repeat what Foster said that night: "He was a fine soldier and a brave man"."