‘I don’t care what you believe,’ interrupted Jimmy. ‘My only interest is getting you elected.’
‘Jimmy, do you have any morals at all?’
‘How could I?’ Jimmy replied. ‘My father’s a politician and my mother sells real estate.’
‘Despite your pragmatism, I still couldn’t get myself to speak in favour of such a motion.’
‘Then you’re doomed to a life of endless study and holding hands with my sister.’
‘Sounds pretty good to me,’ said Fletcher, ‘especially as you seem quite incapable of having a serious relationship with any woman for more than twenty-four hours.’
‘That isn’t Joanna Palmer’s opinion,’ said Jimmy.
Fletcher laughed, ‘And what about your other friend, Audrey Hepburn? I haven’t seen her on campus lately.’
‘Neither have I,’ said Jimmy, ‘but it will only be a matter of time before I capture Miss Palmer’s heart.’
‘In your dreams, Jimmy.’
‘You will in time, apologize, O ye of little faith, and I predict that it will be before your disastrous contribution to the freshman debate.’
‘You won’t change my mind, Jimmy, because if I take part in the debate, it will be to oppose the motion.’
‘You do like to make life difficult for me, don’t you, Fletcher. Well, one thing’s for certain, the organizers will welcome your participation.’
‘Why’s that?’ asked Fletcher.
‘Because they haven’t been able to find anyone half electable who is willing to put the case against withdrawal.’
‘Are you sure?’ asked Nat quietly.
‘Yes, I am,’ replied Rebecca.
‘Then we must get married as soon as possible,’ said Nat.
‘Why?’ asked Rebecca. ‘We live in the Sixties, the age of the Beatles, pot, and free love, so why shouldn’t I have an abortion?’
‘Is that what you want?’ asked Nat in disbelief.
‘I don’t know what I want,’ said Rebecca. ‘I only found out this morning. I need some more time to think about it.’
Nat took her hand. ‘I’d marry you today if you’d have me.’
‘I know you would,’ said Rebecca, squeezing his hand, ‘but we have to face the fact that this decision will affect the rest of our fives. We shouldn’t rush into it.’
‘But I have a moral responsibility to you and our child.’
‘And I have my future to consider,’ said Rebecca.
‘Perhaps we should tell our parents, and see how they react?’
‘That’s the last thing I want to do,’ said Rebecca. ‘Your mother will expect us to get married this afternoon, and my father will turn up on campus with a shotgun under his arm. No, I want you to promise you won’t mention that I’m pregnant to anyone, especially our parents.’
‘But why?’ pressed Nat.
‘Because there’s another problem...’
‘How’s the speech coming on?’
‘Just finished the third draft,’ said Fletcher cheerfully, ‘and you’ll be happy to learn that it’s likely to make me the most unpopular student on campus.’
‘You do like making my task more difficult...’
‘Impossible is my ultimate aim,’ admitted Fletcher. ‘By the way, who are we up against?’
‘Some guy called Tom Russell.’
‘What have you found out about him?’
‘Went to Taft.’
‘Which means that we have a head start,’ said Fletcher with a grin.
‘No, I’m afraid not,’ said Jimmy. ‘I met him at Mory’s last night, and I can tell you he’s bright and popular. I can’t find anyone who doesn’t like him.’
‘Have we got anything going for us?’
‘Yes, he admitted that he’s not looking forward to the debate. He’d rather support another candidate, if the right one came forward. Sees himself as more of a campaign organizer than a leader.’
‘Then perhaps we could ask Tom to join our team,’ said Fletcher. ‘I’m still looking for a campaign organizer.’
‘Funnily enough, he offered me that job,’ said Jimmy.
Fletcher stared at his friend. ‘Did he really?’
‘Yes,’ replied Jimmy.
‘Then I’ll have to take him seriously, won’t I?’ Fletcher paused, ‘Perhaps we should start by going over my speech tonight, then you can tell me if...’
‘Not possible tonight,’ said Jimmy. ‘Joanna’s invited me over to her place for supper.’
‘Ah yes, that reminds me, I can’t make it either. Jackie Kennedy has asked me to accompany her to the Met.’
‘Now you mention it, Joanna did wonder if you and Annie would like to join us for a drink next Thursday. I told her that my sister was coming over to New Haven for the debate.’
‘Are you serious?’ said Fletcher.
‘And if you do decide to join us, please tell Annie not to hang around for too long, because Joanna and I like to be tucked up in bed by ten.’
When Nat found Rebecca’s hand-written note slipped under his door, he ran all the way across campus, wondering what could possibly be that urgent.
When he walked into her room she turned away as he tried to kiss her, and without explanation locked the door. Nat sat by the window, while Rebecca perched herself on the end of the bed. ‘Nat, I have to tell you something that I’ve been avoiding for the past few days.’ Nat just nodded, as he could see that Rebecca was finding it difficult to get the words out. There followed what seemed to him to be an interminable silence.
‘Nat, I know you’ll hate me for this...’
‘I’m incapable of hating you,’ said Nat, now looking directly at her.
She met his gaze but then lowered her head. ‘I’m not sure you’re the father.’
Nat gripped the sides of his chair. ‘How’s that possible?’ he eventually asked.
‘That weekend you went over to Penn for the cross-country meet, I ended up at a party and I’m afraid I drank a little too much.’ She paused again. ‘Ralph Elliot joined us and I don’t remember a great deal after that, except waking up in the morning, and finding him sleeping next to me.’
It was Nat’s turn not to speak for some time. ‘Have you told him that you’re pregnant?’
‘No,’ said Rebecca. ‘What’s the point? He’s hardly spoken to me since.’
‘I’ll kill the bastard,’ said Nat, rising from his chair.
‘I don’t think that will help,’ said Rebecca quietly.
‘It doesn’t change anything,’ said Nat, walking across to take her in his arms, ‘because I still want to marry you. In any case, the odds are far more likely that it’s my child.’
‘But you could never be sure,’ said Rebecca.
‘That’s not a problem for me,’ said Nat.
‘But it’s a problem for me,’ said Rebecca, ‘because there’s something else I haven’t told you...’
The moment Fletcher entered the packed Woolsey Hall he regretted not heeding Jimmy’s advice. He took his place on the bench opposite Tom Russell, who greeted him with a warm smile, as a thousand students began to chant, ‘Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids have you killed today?’
Fletcher looked up at his opponent as he rose from his place to open the debate. Tom was welcomed by the assembled throng with acclamation even before he’d opened his mouth. To Fletcher’s surprise he appeared to be just as nervous as he was, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
The crowd fell silent the moment Tom began to speak, but he had only delivered two words when it turned to boos. ‘Lyndon Johnson,’ he waited. ‘Lyndon Johnson has told us that it is America’s duty to defeat the North Vietnamese and save the world from creeping communism. I say it’s the president’s duty not to sacrifice one American life on the altar of a doctrine that, given time, will defeat itself.’