‘—and no one knows him better than you.’
‘There must be a dozen or more people who are far better qualified to take on such a responsibility.’
‘You’re my first choice. And I have a feeling your brother will not be pleased when he learns who he’s up against.’ A long silence followed, before Mrs Thatcher added, ‘Come up to London and meet the party chairman, Peter Thorneycroft. He’s already set everything up, so all I need now is a coordinator who will put the fear of God into our local chairmen in those marginal seats.’
This time Emma didn’t hesitate. ‘When do I start?’
‘Tomorrow morning, ten o’clock, Central Office,’ replied the leader of the opposition.
‘You asked to see me, chairman.’
‘I did, and I’ll get straight to the point,’ said Emma even before Hands had been given the chance to sit down. ‘I’ve had several complaints from nurses concerning your unethical behaviour.’
‘Several?’ said Hands, who sat down in his chair, looking relaxed.
‘During the past year, Matron has been collecting evidence, and she has asked me to set up an official enquiry.’
‘Be my guest,’ said Hands. ‘You’ll find nothing will stick, and I’ll be completely exonerated.’
‘Nothing will stick? An unfortunate choice of words, I would have thought, Dr Hands, unless of course...’
‘You say another word, Lady Clifton, and I’ll instruct my lawyers to issue a writ for libel.’
‘I doubt it. Like you, I’ve made sure there are no witnesses, and while I accept that you may be cleared of all the charges, I intend to make sure that your reputation will be in tatters, and you’ll never be able to find a job in this country again. So I suggest—’
‘Are you threatening me? If you are, it could well be your reputation that ends up in tatters, once the enquiry proves to be a waste of time and money — and just when BRI has once again been shortlisted for hospital of the year.’
‘Yes, I had considered that,’ said Emma. ‘In the past your strength has always been that it was your word against that of a young nurse. But this time you won’t be dealing with a frightened young woman but the chairman of the hospital. And yes, I am willing to risk my reputation against yours.’
‘You’re bluffing,’ said Hands. ‘You’ve got less than a year to go, and you really wouldn’t want this to be the one thing you’re remembered for.’
‘Wrong again, Dr Hands. When I expose you for what you are, I suspect your colleagues and the sixteen nurses who have provided written evidence —’ Emma tapped a thick file on the desk in front of her, which was nothing more than a surveyor’s report — ‘will be only too grateful for my intervention, while you’ll find it difficult to get a job in a minor African state.’
This time Hands hesitated before he spoke. ‘I’ll take my chances. I’m confident you don’t have enough evidence to open an enquiry.’
Emma leant forward, dialled an outside number and switched the phone to speaker. A moment later they both heard the word, ‘Editor.’
‘Good morning, Reg. Emma Clifton.’
‘Which one of my reporters do you want strung up this morning, Emma?’
‘Not one of your reporters this time. One of my doctors.’
‘Tell me more.’
‘I’m about to instigate an enquiry into the behaviour of a doctor at the hospital, and I thought you’d want to hear about it before the nationals get hold of the story.’
‘That’s good of you, Emma.’ Hands began waving at her frantically. ‘But if the story is going to make the final edition, I’ll need to send a reporter over to the hospital immediately.’
‘I have an appointment at eleven,’ said Emma, looking down at her diary, ‘but I’ll call you back in a few moments if I can rearrange it.’
As Emma hung up, she spotted beads of sweat appearing on Hands’ forehead.
‘If I’m to cancel my appointment with the reporter from the Bristol Evening News,’ she said, once again tapping the file, ‘I’ll expect you to be off these premises by midday. Otherwise, I recommend you pick up today’s final edition, in which you’ll discover exactly what I think of doctors like you. Be sure to stay by your phone, as I have a feeling they’ll want to hear your side of the story.’
Hands rose unsteadily from his seat and left the room without another word. Once the door had closed, Emma picked up the phone and re-dialled the number she had promised to call back.
‘Thank you,’ she said, when a voice came on the line.
‘My pleasure,’ said Harry. ‘What time will you be home for dinner?’
‘If you’re going to spend the next month in London,’ said Harry after he’d heard Emma’s news, ‘where do you intend to stay?’
‘With Giles. That way I’ll be able to keep a close eye on his every move.’
‘And he on yours. But I can’t see him agreeing to such a cosy little arrangement.’
‘He’s not going to be given much choice,’ said Emma. ‘You’ve obviously forgotten I own the freehold of number twenty-three Smith Square. So if anyone’s going to be looking for temporary accommodation, it will be Giles, not me.’
Giles Barrington
1979–1981
6
‘Do you want to hear the bad news?’ said Giles as he strode into Griff Haskins’s office and plonked himself down in the seat opposite a man who was lighting his fourth cigarette of the morning.
‘Tony Benn’s been found drunk in a brothel?’
‘Worse. My sister is heading up the Conservatives’ marginal-seat campaign.’
The veteran Labour agent collapsed in his chair and didn’t speak for some time. ‘A formidable opponent,’ he eventually managed. ‘And to think I taught her everything she knows. Not least how to fight a marginal seat.’
‘It gets worse. She’ll be staying with me in Smith Square for the duration of the campaign.’
‘Then throw her out on the street,’ said Griff, sounding as if he meant it.
‘I can’t. She actually owns the house. I’ve always been her tenant.’
This silenced Griff for a few moments, but he quickly recovered. ‘Then we’ll have to take advantage of it. If Karin can find out in the morning what she’s up to that day, we’ll always be one move ahead.’
‘Nice idea,’ said Giles, ‘except I can’t be sure whose side my wife is on.’
‘Then throw her out on the street.’
‘I don’t think that would get the women’s vote.’
‘Then we’ll have to rely on Markham. Get him to listen in on her phone calls, open her mail if necessary.’
‘Markham votes Conservative. Always has.’
‘Isn’t there anyone in your house who supports the Labour party?’
‘Silvina, my cleaner. But she doesn’t speak very good English, and I’m not sure she has a vote.’
‘Then you’ll need to keep your eyes and ears open, because I want to know what your sister is up to every minute of every day. Which constituencies she’s targeting, which leading Tories will be visiting those constituencies and anything else you can find out.’
‘She’ll be equally keen to find out what I’m up to,’ said Giles.
‘Then we must feed her with false information.’
‘She’ll have worked that out by the second day.’
‘Possibly, but don’t forget, you have much more experience than her when it comes to fighting elections. She’s going to be on a steep learning curve and relying a lot on my opposite number.’
‘Do you know him?’
‘John Lacy,’ said Griff. ‘I know him better than my own brother. I’ve played Cain to his Abel for over thirty years.’ He stubbed out his cigarette before lighting another one. ‘I first came across Lacy in 1945, Attlee versus Churchill, and like a Rottweiler he’s been licking his wounds ever since.’