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It was a masculine, clublike place, but the women seemed to like the food and the attention, he recalled. Washington, in fact, was a masculine town despite being the foremost equal opportunity employer, the spiritual home of politically correct and nonsexist language and laws. Some women here had power, to be sure, but it was a town whose fundamental attitudes toward females had lagged far behind the public utterances. For one thing, Keith knew, young, good-looking women outnumbered their male counterparts by some unhealthy ratio. For another thing, power was an aphrodisiac, and the men had it. The women who came to Washington from the hinterlands to work as government secretaries and aides were often the type who were content to bask in reflected power. In other words, the women in official Washington were furniture and happy to be polished and sat on once in a while. Everyone denied this, of course, and in Washington that meant it was true.

There were changes in the air, to be sure, but aside from a handful of rich and powerful old Washington dowagers, there weren't many women dining with other women in the Jockey Club.

Keith hadn't come here often, but when he did, he'd noticed that the place was fairly nonpartisan in regard to politics. Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan were as likely to be at the corner table as were black civil rights leaders Vernon Jordan and Jesse Jackson. The place was heavy with media stars as well, and on this afternoon, Keith spotted Mike Wallace and George Will at separate tables. People seemed to be taking mental notes of who was dining with whom. Keith asked Charlie, "Will anyone important be joining us? We're disappointing these people."

Charlie lit a cigarette. "You could be here in a few weeks, wearing the uniform of a general."

"Generals are a dime a dozen in this town, colonels are office boys, and I don't wear my uniform anyway."

"Right. But you could have your secretary call and say, 'This is the White House. I'd like to make a reservation for General Landry.' "

"Hey, that's almost as important as actually doing the job."

"Well, then, think about this — with a promotion and thirty years' service, your retirement pay will be nearly double, and you can live comfortably. You'd still be a young man when you retire."

"What's it to you, Charlie?"

"I'd like to have you around again."

"I won't be around you. I'll be across the street."

"I'd like to have a friend in the White House."

"Ah. The motive."

"I'm also thinking of your best interests."

"That's two of us." He added, "I appreciate that." The waiter came, and Keith ordered a double Scotch on the rocks. Charlie had his usual vodka with a twist.

Charlie said, "I've booked you at the Four Seasons tomorrow. I figured you'd want to be in Georgetown."

"Who's paying for all this?"

"White House."

"Including tomorrow night with my married girlfriend?"

"Anyway, if you take the two-fifteen out of Toledo tomorrow, you should be in your room by five. I'll call you, and we'll all have dinner in Georgetown."

"Fine."

"We'll do a nice tour of the city on Monday, and by Tuesday, you'll have talked it over with her and come to a decision."

"In other words, I don't have to be at work on Monday morning?"

"I'll take care of that. We'll get you a residency hotel until you find something. I'll get that approved."

"Thank you."

Keith studied the menu.

Charlie said, "With a promotion, you can afford a town house in Georgetown."

"I doubt it."

"What's a brigadier general make these days? About eighty-five thousand?"

"I guess. I'll give it my full consideration."

"But how are you leaning?"

"Forward. I'm trying to read the menu. This conversation is closed."

The drinks came, and Charlie proposed a toast. "To all of us who serve, past, present, and future."

"Cheers."

The waiter took their order.

Charlie asked, "Did you speak to your lady last night?"

"She lives with her husband."

"Oh, right." He chuckled and said, "Ted almost dropped his dentures when you said that. That was pretty funny. I didn't know you were going to say that." He added, "Why did you say that?"

"I felt like it."