Джеффри Арчер - This Was a Man

‘Freddie, you must remember that Lord Barrington is a very busy man.’

‘But not too busy to accept such a flattering offer.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ said Freddie. ‘I’ll send you the fixture list. Must leave you now,’ he added. ‘I have to work on the batting order with Mr Lawrie, our butler, who’s also the Castle’s captain.’ Freddie dashed off before Giles had a chance to ask his next question.

‘I’m sorry about that,’ said Archie, after the door had closed, ‘but Freddie doesn’t seem to realize that other people just might have a life of their own.’

‘Does he live here with you?’ asked Giles.

‘Only during the holidays, which I’m afraid isn’t ideal, because now my girls have grown up and left home he’s rather short of company. The nearest house is a couple of miles away, and they don’t have any children. But despite Virginia abandoning the poor boy, he’s no financial burden, because my father left Freddie the Glen Fenwick Distillery, which produces an annual income of just under a hundred thousand pounds, which he’ll inherit on his twenty-fifth birthday. In fact, that’s what you’re drinking,’ said Archie as he topped Giles’s glass up, before adding, ‘But I’ve recently been warned by our lawyers that Virginia has her eyes on the distillery, and is taking advice on whether she can break the terms of my father’s will.’

‘It wouldn’t be the first time she’s tried to do that,’ said Giles.

‘Are you nervous?’

‘You bet I am,’ admitted Emma. ‘It reminds me of my first day at school,’ she added, as she adjusted her long red robe.

‘There’s nothing to be nervous about,’ said Giles. ‘Just think of yourself as a Christian who’s about to enter the Colosseum at the time of Diocletian, with several hundred starving lions waiting impatiently for their first meal in weeks.’

‘That hardly fills me with confidence,’ said Emma, as two doormen in court dress pulled open the west doors to allow the three peers to enter the chamber.

The Baroness Clifton of Chew Magna, in the county of Somerset, entered the chamber for the first time. On her right, also wearing a long red gown and carrying a tricorn hat, was Lord Belstead, the leader of the House of Lords. On her left, Lord Barrington of Bristol Docklands, a former leader of the House. The first time in the long history of the Lords that a new member had been supported by the leaders of the two main political parties.

As Emma walked on to the floor of the House, a thousand eyes stared at her, from both sides of the chamber. The three of them doffed their tricorn hats and bowed to their peers. They then continued past the cross benches, packed with members who bore no allegiance to any political party, often referred to as the great and the good. They could be the deciding factor on any contentious issue once they decided which lobby to cast their vote in, Giles had told her.

They proceeded along the government front bench until Lord Belstead reached the despatch box. The table clerk gave the new peer a warm smile, and handed her a card on which was printed the oath of allegiance to the Crown.

Emma stared at the words she had already rehearsed in the bath that morning, during breakfast, in the car on the way to the Palace of Westminster and finally as she was being ‘fitted up’ in the robing room. But suddenly it was no longer a rehearsal.

‘I, Emma Elizabeth Clifton, swear by Almighty God, that I will be faithful, and bear allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen, her heirs and successors, according to the law, so help me God.’

The table clerk turned the page of a large parchment manuscript so the new member could add her name to the test roll. He offered her a pen which she politely declined in favour of one that had been given to her by her grandfather, Lord Harvey, at her christening almost sixty years ago.

Once Emma had signed the test roll, she glanced up at the Distinguished Strangers’ Gallery, to see Harry, Karin, Sebastian, Samantha, Grace and Jessica smiling down at her with unmistakable pride. She smiled back, and when she lowered her eyes, saw a lady from the Commons standing at the bar of the House. The Prime Minister gave her a slight bow, and Emma returned the compliment.

The Baroness Clifton followed her brother along the front bench, past the Woolsack on which sat the law lords, until she reached the Speaker’s chair. The clerk of the house stepped forward and introduced the new peer to the Lord Speaker.

‘Welcome to the House, Lady Clifton,’ he said, shaking her warmly by the hand. This was followed by cries of ‘Hear, hear’ from all sides of the chamber as her fellow peers added their traditional welcome to a new member.

Giles then led his sister past the throne, where several members who were sitting on the steps smiled as she continued out of the east door and into the Prince’s Chamber. Once they were outside the chamber, she removed her tricorn hat and breathed a long sigh of relief.

‘It sounded as if the lions rather liked the look of you,’ said Giles, as he bent down to kiss his sister on both cheeks, ‘although I did notice one or two of my colleagues licking their lips in anticipation of your first appearance at the despatch box.’

‘Don’t be fooled by your brother,’ said Belstead. ‘He’ll be among those licking his lips when the time comes for you to face the opposition.’

‘But not until you’ve delivered your maiden speech, sis. However, after that, I’m bound to admit, you’ll be fair game.’

‘So what next?’ asked Emma.

‘Tea with the family on the terrace,’ Giles reminded her.

‘And once you’re free,’ said Belstead, ‘may I suggest you slip back into the chamber and take your place on the end of the front bench. For the next few days, I would advise you to observe the workings of the House, accustom yourself to our strange ways and traditions, before you consider delivering your maiden speech.’

‘The only speech you’ll make when no members will even consider interrupting you, and whoever follows will praise your contribution as if you were Cicero.’

‘And what then?’

‘You must prepare for your first questions as Under Secretary of State for Health,’ said Belstead, ‘and try not to forget there will be several senior members of the medical profession in attendance.’

‘When the gloves will be off,’ said Giles. ‘And you needn’t expect any brotherly love, even from your kith and kin. The gentle smiles and “Hear, hear”s will only be coming from your side of the House.’

‘And you won’t always be able to rely on them,’ said Belstead with a wry smile.

‘Nevertheless, sis, welcome to the House. I confess, I feel a glow of pride whenever one of my fellow peers says, “Did you know, that’s Lord Barrington’s sister?”’

‘Thank you, Giles,’ said Emma. ‘I look forward to the day when one of my fellow peers says, “Did you know, that’s Lady Clifton’s brother?”’

Tap, tap, tap. Karin was the first to wake. She turned over, assuming she must be dreaming.

Tap, tap, tap. A little louder.

Suddenly she was wide awake. She climbed slowly out of bed and, not wanting to disturb Giles, tiptoed across to the window. Tap, tap, tap, even louder.

‘Is that what I think it is?’ said a sleepy voice.

‘I’m about to find out,’ said Karin as she pulled open the curtain and stared down at the pavement.

‘Good God,’ she said, and had disappeared out of the bedroom before Giles could ask her what was going on.

Karin ran down the stairs and quickly unlocked the front door to find a young boy hunched up on the doorstep, shivering.

‘Come in,’ she whispered. But he seemed reluctant to move until she put an arm around his shoulder and said, ‘I don’t know about you, Freddie, but I could do with a hot chocolate. Why don’t you come inside and see what we can find?’