Blair’s become quiet the last few days. Even if I was going to tell everything to Majken, I wouldn’t have anything to say, mainly because we’ve both been busy elsewhere and when I have been with her, she’s had little to say. She’s living inside her head.
“If I could’ve swapped places with your brother, I would.”
I know that Goldsmith has grasped Blair’s hand in his and is holding it tightly, murmuring about providing support. I watch through the rear view mirror as she pulls her hand away.
“Thank you for your kind words, Mr Goldsmith. We’ve been overwhelmed with the amount of support we’ve received these last few days.” Her tone isn’t cold, but neither is it encouraging.
Blair doesn’t want to be here.
“Have you decided on any funeral arrangements?”
I glance at Micky who’s sat in the passenger seat and trying not to laugh. He told me about Blair having a rather large tantrum about having to see Goldsmith tonight. It hadn’t been top of her to do list.
“Yes. We’re getting there.”
“I’m sorry. I can be tactless. What can I do to take your mind off things?” He reaches for her hand again but she pulls it away.
“I’m afraid I’m not good company at the moment, Mr Goldsmith.”
“I totally understand. And please, call me William.” There’s a pause. “How about we go for a walk? Maybe the fresh air will help?”
“No can do, Mr Goldsmith. We have to keep security tight. And walks need to be forward planned and checked out, I’m afraid.” It was the truth and a good reason to make sure Goldsmith didn’t get to be on his own with Blair.
We didn’t trust him.
The man who had shot Lennox was so far painting himself to be a raving lunatic, a whole remit of reasons why he’d put himself in prison for the rest of his life pointing at some instability rather than anything political.
None of us were convinced.
If someone else or a group were behind it, with the shooter a puppet they’d manipulated, they’d done a good a good job concealing the links – and that was our ongoing task: find out who he actually was.
“How about just in the grounds of my home?” Goldsmith looked at Blair.
I kept looking into the mirror to see what he was doing and I didn’t like it.
“Unfortunately I know that the security measures still stand.” She spoke quietly and firmly. “With what happened to Lennox we have to take the utmost caution.”
“Well, of course, but I’d like some time with you alone, Blair.” His tone was bordering on patronising.
I couldn’t work out whether Goldsmith was completely thick or had just underestimated her.
“With all due respect, Mr Goldsmith, I am not anxious to be alone with anyone except my closest friends and family at this present moment. I appreciate your sympathies and condolences and I understand you are anxious to maintain and grow the relationship between our two countries that Lennox was so keen on. However, now is not the right time and I am possibly not the right person.”
He still held her hand. She pulled it back as discreetly as she could.
“I apologise. Shall we simply go to the restaurant to eat?”
“That would be good.”
What would be even better would be if we could drop Goldsmith off at one of the gates of hell and go back to the house that’s been hired for a couple of nights while stuff is sorted in London.
Goldsmith continues to make small talk, all of which sounds fucking shit. He doesn’t seem to get the fact that her brother has died or that her father is terminally ill; instead he’s trying to ‘cheer her up’ with telling her about what to see in London and where he’d like to take her when she feels ‘up to it’.
Blair’s even quieter than she has been the last few days. She’s barely listening to Goldsmith when I park up the car and open her door, offering a hand that I know she doesn’t need but takes any way.
My eyes catch hers as Goldsmith carries on talking and I follow her into the restaurant that has been booked solely for our use. We’ve had a guest list and the staff have been vetted, the place swept. Everything is as it should be but my pulse is still higher than is healthy.
Goldsmith’s hand lands on Blair’s lower back. It’s intimate, far too much for either of us. I feel her flinch rather than see it and the growl I suppress burns in my belly.
