“You’ve decided.” The waves rock us like we’re in a cradle. I don’t feel the cold even though I should,
She nods. “Yes. I don’t have a plan like Lennox did. But I know what needs to be done before any of Lennox’s plans could’ve ever worked.”
“I know you’ve thought all this through.”
“Almost nothing but, except when I’ve been with you. Or thinking about you. Promise me things won’t change. Or if they do, it’ll be because they’ve gotten even better.” Her eyes are pleading and I know if I tell her I’m not good enough for a queen she may change her mind.
I want her to change her mind. Then it will be easier to defend her, like I promised.
“What I feel for you won’t ever change.” The words will never make me a liar.
She nods. Smiles.
“What I feel for you won’t change either.”
Now I’m not sure who the liar is.
Chapter Eight
Hyde Park in October. It’s cool and crisp and if Blair makes one more comment about the colour of the leaves, I’m going to suggest she sits in the park all day and stares at them while I occupy Goldsmith.
“I love autumn.”
“I’ve gathered. We need to leave.”
We needed to leave around ten minutes ago, but I can’t get her to leave the window that overlooks the park.
“He’ll wait.”
“And he’ll get pissed off if you make him wait too long.”
She snaps her head round to look at me. “He’s going to be pissed off anyway, Ben.”
She called the meeting. Goldsmith was instantly smitten; Isaac relaying that his advisers were of the mind set that they had an agreement in the bag and Scotland would begin to accept some of England’s legislation, specifically around trade and oil.
“He is. Are you ready for it?”
She smiles. “Just about. The team have been good.”
Her advisors. Some had worked with Lennox; others had been closer to her father. Her father had sat in every meeting and come out smiling.
* * *
We leave twenty minutes late and head to Downing Street to meet the Prime Minister. It’s just another London day; the furore caused by Lennox’s death has dwindled and another scandal has taken its place in the media. There’s continuously a protest about something or someone trying to make a point, but that’s life.
I walk just behind her as we enter, no paparazzi around. Two of her team are here already, coming straight to the meeting from wherever they were the night before. I know Isaac is here for William, one of his advisors, maybe the closest.
“This is as far as I go.” I stop in a hallway outside a large door. A length of wood is missing from the outside near the handle. Someone has slammed it hard.
Blair turns round to look at me and for a second I see hesitation on her face.
“You know what you’re doing.”
“I’m not sure I do.”
“Anyone argued with you back home about your ideas?”
She shakes her head.
