Lotte often struggled with the conundrum of whether the electric telephone was a blessing or a curse. She certainly did not require it for restaurant bookings because her normal approach to such things was to breeze in and take it for granted that the Maitre D’ would have a table for her.

But a huge negative aspect of the instrument was the fact that the world and his wife could contact her whenever the mood took them and force her to change her plans. This nuisance occurred yet again when Gracie phoned her from the club that day in early 1924.

“Get your fanny down her for 2pm. Your special man has booked you.”

Of course the “special man” could only be Claud who claimed that the club was perfect cover for their clandestine meetings although, in fact, it was a lot more than just cover. Lotte wondered whether Claud’s mysterious bosses had the slightest idea of just what Claud received in exchange for those lovely brown envelopes full of banknotes.

When Claud came into the room at the club, Lotte was already reclining on the bed in her red satin camisole top, matching knickers and black stockings as she felt that this would save time. There is something comical about a man racing to remove his clothing as if he is trying to beat some sort of Olympic record but Lotte was far too professional to give even the slightest grin and she managed to maintain her expression of pure expectation as she watched him.

Claud was, as ever, very eager and there was the usual breathless rolling around and removal of what little clothing Lotte wore before Claud pressed home his advantage. He was so energetic that he soon exhausted himself leaving Lotte all worked up and feeling neglected but the natural chemicals slowly dissipated from her bloodstream as the couple lay naked side by side on the bed.

Claud did not sleep and he spoke softly but precisely.

“We’ve had a bit of luck, old girl. A chap who works in the office at King Street (Communist Party Headquarters) has got himself into some bother with the rozzers and is about to be arrested. Nothing to do with politics, he has been caught passing dud cheques but, when he is locked up, the party will have a vacancy for a clerk.”

Claud was clearly very excited about his plans which included Lotte wangling her way into the office at King Street. Lotte was known in Red circles to have been a good friend of Daphne Feltenup who was now banged up in Holloway Jail for aiding and abetting the Soviet Union. Claud said that it would be entirely natural for Lotte to be so enraged by the incarceration of her old school chum that she would volunteer her services to help the cause as a way of hitting back at Perfidious Albion.

“The absolute first prize would be their membership list.