Джеффри Арчер - This Was a Man

‘No, allowing the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street to wash our dirty linen in public would be worse than telling Ruth. Clear the cheque, and let’s hope Miss Lombardo doesn’t present another one before Victor shows up.’

‘She’s what?’ said Sebastian.

‘Pregnant,’ repeated Samantha.

‘I’ll kill him.’

‘You’ll do nothing of the sort. In fact, when you next see Richard, you’ll congratulate him.’

‘Congratulate him?’

‘Yes, and leave them both in no doubt how delighted you are.’

‘Why the hell would I do that?’

‘Because the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. To lose your daughter and never be able to see your grandchild. Just in case you’ve forgotten, you’ve experienced something similar before, and I don’t need to go through that again.’

‘Are they going to get married?’ asked Sebastian, changing tack.

‘I didn’t ask.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it’s none of my business. Anyway, I’m sure they’ll let us know when they’re good and ready.’

‘You’re being very calm, in the circumstances.’

‘Of course I am. I’m looking forward to being a grandmother.’

‘Oh my God,’ said Seb. ‘I’m going to be a grandfather.’

‘And to think the FT described you as one of the sharpest minds in the City!’

Sebastian grinned, took his wife in his arms and said, ‘I sometimes forget, my darling, how lucky I am to have married you.’ He switched on the light on his side of the bed and sat up. ‘We ought to give my mother a call and warn her she’s about to become a great-grandmother.’

‘She already knows.’

‘So was I the last person to be told?’

‘Sorry. I needed to get all the troops on side before you heard the news.’

‘This just hasn’t been my week,’ said Seb, turning the light out.

‘I’ve found out what the forty-two thousand pounds was for, chairman,’ said John Ashley.

‘I’m all ears,’ said Seb.

‘It’s a down payment on a building in South Parade that used to be an escort agency.’

‘That’s all I need. So who’s the agent?’

‘Savills.’

‘Well, at least we know the chairman.’

‘I’ve already had a word with Mr Vaughan. He tells me he’ll be presenting a cheque signed by Miss Lombardo, in full and final settlement for the property, later today, and politely reminded me that if the sale doesn’t go through, Miss Lombardo will lose her deposit.’

‘Let’s hope Victor is back in time for the board meeting, otherwise by the end of next week she’ll probably have taken over the Playboy Club.’

‘What’s the meaning of the word “martinet”?’ asked Freddie, looking up from his prep.

‘A stickler for discipline,’ replied Karin. ‘I think you’ll find the word derives from the French.’

‘How come your English is so good, Karin, when you grew up in Germany?’

‘I always enjoyed languages when I was at school, so when I went to university I studied Modern Languages and became an interpreter, which is how I met Giles.’

‘Have you thought about what you’re going to read when you go up to university?’ asked Giles, looking up from his evening paper.

‘PPC,’ said Freddie.

‘I’m aware of politics, philosophy and economics,’ said Karin, ‘but I’ve never heard of PPC.’

‘Politics, philosophy and cricket. It’s a well-known degree course at Oxford.’

‘Yes, but not for martinets,’ said Giles, ‘and I suspect that were you to look up the word in the Revised Oxford Shorter, you’d find that Lieutenant Colonel Martinet has been replaced by Margaret Thatcher as the primary source.’

‘Take no notice of him,’ said Karin. ‘He’ll use any excuse to have a go at the Prime Minister.’

‘But the press seem to think she’s doing rather a good job,’ said Freddie.

‘Much too well for my liking,’ admitted Giles. ‘The truth is, we had her on the ropes until the Argentinians invaded the Falklands, but ever since then, even though the bullets are still coming at her from every direction, like James Bond, she always seems to duck at the right moment.’

‘And what about the Under Secretary of State for Health?’ asked Freddie. ‘Will she have to duck now you’re back on the front bench?’

‘The bullets are just about to hit her,’ said Giles with some relish.

‘Giles, behave yourself. It’s your sister you’re talking about, not the enemy.’

‘She’s worse than the enemy. Don’t forget that Emma’s a disciple of the blessed Margaret of Grantham. But when she presents the government’s latest NHS bill to the Upper House, I intend to dismantle it clause by clause, until she’ll consider resignation a blessed relief.’

‘I should be careful if I were you, Giles,’ said Karin. ‘I suspect that having served as the chairman of a major hospital, Emma just might be better informed about the health service than you are.’

‘Ah, but you forget the debate won’t be taking place in a hospital boardroom, but on the floor of the House of Lords where I’ve been lying in wait for some time.’

‘Perhaps you’d be wise to heed Grace’s warning,’ said Karin, ‘that Emma might trip you up on the details, because unlike most politicians she’s actually been at the coalface.’

‘I do believe you’re a closet Tory,’ said Giles.

‘I most certainly am not,’ said Karin. ‘I came out of the closet years ago, and it was Emma who converted me.’

‘Traitor.’

‘Not at all. I fell in love with you, not the Labour Party.’

‘For better or worse.’

‘Worse in that particular case.’

‘I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I only wanted to know the meaning of the word “martinet”.’

‘Ignore Giles,’ said Karin. ‘He’s always the same just before a major debate, especially when his sister’s involved.’

‘Can I come and watch?’ asked Freddie.

‘Depends which party you’re going to support,’ said Giles.

‘The party that convinces me it has the better policy.’

‘That’s original,’ said Karin.

‘Perhaps now’s not the time to tell you that I’ve joined the Young Conservatives,’ said Freddie.

‘You’ve done what?’ asked Giles, reeling back and clinging on to the mantelpiece.

‘And it gets worse.’

‘How can it possibly get worse?’

‘We’ve just held a mock election at school, and I stood as the Tory candidate.’

‘And what was the result?’ demanded Giles.

‘You don’t want to know.’

‘He not only won by a landslide,’ said Karin, ‘but he now wants to follow in your footsteps and become a Member of Parliament. Just a pity he won’t be sitting on your side of the House.’

A silence followed that few government ministers had ever managed to impose upon the Rt Hon. the Lord Barrington of Bristol Docklands.

‘When Mr Kaufman arrives, Tom, would you ask him to drop into my office before the board meeting?’

‘Of course, sir,’ said the doorman, as he saluted the chairman.

Seb made his way quickly across the lobby to the lifts. Although eight hadn’t yet struck, when he stepped out at the top floor, John Ashley and Arnold Hardcastle were already waiting for him in the corridor.

‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ said Seb, striding past them and into his office. ‘Please, have a seat. I thought we should discuss tactics before Victor arrives — assuming he does arrive. Let’s start with you, John. Any further news?’

Ashley opened a file that was becoming thicker by the day. ‘The cheque for £320,000 has been presented. However, Mr Vaughan has agreed that we needn’t clear it immediately as we’re still within the settlement period.’