“Have you heard about the Typewriter Decree?”
“No.”
“It’s Ionescu’s latest brainstorm. He ordered every typewriter and copy machine in the country registered. As soon as they were registered, he had them confiscated. Now Ionescu controls all the information that’s disseminated. More coffee?”
“No, thanks.”
“Ionescu is squeezing the people where it hurts. They’re afraid to strike because they know they’ll be shot. The standard of living here is one of the lowest in Europe. There’s a shortage of everything. If the people see a line in front of a store, they’ll join in and buy whatever it is that’s for sale while they have the chance.”
“It seems to me,” Mary said slowly, “that all these things add up to a wonderful opportunity for us to help them.”
Mike Slade looked at her. “Sure,” he said, dryly. “Wonderful.”
As Mary was going through some newly arrived cables from Washington that afternoon, she thought about Mike Slade. He was a strange man. Arrogant and rude, and yet: “I’ve arranged for the children’s school. Florian will deliver them mornings and pick them up afternoons.” And he really seemed to care about the Romanian people and their problems. He may be more complex than I thought, Mary decided.
I still don’t trust him.
It was by sheer accident that Mary learned of the meetings going on behind her back. She had left the office to have lunch with the Romanian minister of agriculture. When she arrived at the Ministry, she was told he had been called away by the President. Mary decided to return to the embassy and have a working lunch. She said to her secretary, “Tell Lucas Janklow, David Wallace, and Eddie Maltz that I would like to see them.”
Dorothy Stone hesitated. “They’re in a conference, ma’am.”
There was something evasive in her tone.
“In a conference with whom?”
Dorothy Stone took a deep breath. “With all the other consulars.”
It took a moment for it to sink in. “Are you saying that there’s a staff meeting going on without me?”
“Yes, Madam Ambassador.”
It was outrageous! “I gather that this isn’t the first time?”
“No, ma’am.”
“What else is going on here that I should know about and don’t?”
Dorothy Stone took a deep breath. “They’re all sending out cables without your authorization.”
Forget about a revolution brewing in Romania, Mary thought. There’s a revolution brewing right here in the embassy. “Dorothy—call a meeting of all department heads for three o’clock this afternoon. That means everybody.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Mary was seated at the head of the table, watching as the staff entered the conference room. The senior members seated themselves at the conference table and the junior members took chairs against the wall.
“Good afternoon,” Mary said crisply. “I won’t take up much of your time. I know how busy you all are. It has come to my attention that senior-staff meetings have been called without my knowledge or sanction. From this moment on, anyone attending such a meeting will be instantly dismissed.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dorothy taking notes. “It has also come to my attention that some of you are sending cables without informing me. According to State Department protocol, each ambassador has the right to hire and fire any member of the embassy staff at his or her discretion.” Mary turned to Ted Thompson, the agriculture consular. “Yesterday, you sent an unauthorized cable to the State Department. I’ve made reservations for you on a plane leaving for Washington at noon tomorrow. You are no longer a member of this embassy.” She looked around the room. “The next time anyone in this room sends a cable without my knowledge, or fails to give me full support, that person will be on the next plane back to the United States. That’s all, ladies and gentlemen.”
There was a stunned silence. Then, slowly, the people began to rise and file out of the room. There was an intrigued expression on Mike Slade’s face as he walked out.
Mary and Dorothy Stone were alone in the room. Mary said, “What do you think?”
Dorothy grinned. “Neat, but not gaudy. That’s the shortest and most effective staff meeting I’ve ever seen.”