Summary

When Harry Tapp required Serena’s presence in his office, she thought she’d be getting a reprimand. Instead she faced Tapp and four other men one of whom was Max. Tapp asked how she was settling in. He assured Serena that they had not called her in to reproach her about her performance. Small talk was followed by a discussion of the Prime Minister’s problems with labor, in particular the miners. They discussed other topical issues such as the Common Market which Serena endorsed and the Channel Tunnel which she enthused about. Serena concluded that the entire discussion was being held for the edification of a silver-haired man who listened intently but remained silent.

Tapp said that Max had informed him that Serena read a great deal and asked her about specific authors – William Golding, Kingsley Amis and David Storey. He asked...