|
Henry had agreed to ensure that Charles would watch his behaviour, or rather that he would watch Charles's behaviour himself. But he never really had the time, and he knew that Charles would promise anything even while he became increasingly incapable of delivering. He couldn't moralise or be angry, because he knew it was always the other members of the family who suffered most from the pressures of politics. And Williams understood that, too, for hadn't he gone through three marriages since he first entered politics nearly forty years ago?
It was not a matter of lack of love, more a lack of time for loving, with lonely women and neglected families stuck at home and suffering much more from the unkind barbs of politics than the politicians themselves. Politics left a trail of pain and tortured families in its wake, all the more hurtful because it was incidental and unintended. Even the hardened Party Chairman felt a twinge of sorrow as he watched Collingridge stumble from the room. But such feelings were not a sound basis on which to run a Party, and he resolved to have another discussion with the Prime Minister now that the election was over.
Michael Samuel, the Secretary of State for the Environment and one of the newest and certainly most telegenic members of the Cabinet, came over to greet him. He was young enough to be the Chairman's son, and he was something of a protegé for the elderly statesman. He had been given his first major step up the greasy Ministerial pole by Williams when, as a young Member of Parliament, on Williams' recommendation he had been made a Parliamentary Private Secretary, the unpaid skivvy to a senior Minister who is meant to fetch and carry, to do so without complaint and to offer his support without question on any issue — qualities designed to impress Prime Ministers when selecting candidates for promotion. Williams' help had ignited a spectacular rise through Ministerial ranks for Samuel, and the two men remained firm friends.
'Problem, Teddy?' Samuel enquired.
'Michael. A Prime Minister can choose his friends and his Cabinet, but unfortunately not his relatives.'
'Any more than we can select our colleagues.'
Samuel nodded towards Urquhart, who had just entered with his wife after driving up from his constituency. Samuel's glance was cold. He did not care for Urquhart, who had not supported his promotion to Cabinet and who on more than one occasion had been heard to describe Samuel as 'a latter day Disraeli, too good looking and too clever for his own good.'
The veneer over the traditional and still lingering anti-Semitism wore very thin at times, but Williams had offered the brilliant young lawyer good counsel. 'Don't be too intellectual,' Williams had advised, 'and don't look too successful. Don't be too liberal on social matters or too prominent on financial matters. And for God's sake watch your back. Many more politicians have been betrayed by their colleagues than have ever been destroyed by their opponents. Remember it.'
Samuel watched unenthusiastically as Urquhart and his wife were forced by the crush of people towards him. 'Good evening, Francis. Miranda.' Samuel forced his practised smile. 'Congratulations. A 17,000 majority. I know about 600 MPs who are going to be very jealous of you in the morning with a majority like that.'
'Michael! Well, I'm sure you managed to hypnotise the female voters of Surbiton once more. If only you could pick up their husbands' votes as well, you too could have a majority like mine!'
They laughed gently at the banter, accustomed in public to hiding the fact that they did not enjoy each other's company, but there was an embarrassed silence as neither of them could think of a suitable means of disengaging rapidly from the conversation.
They were rescued by Williams, who had just put down the phone. 'Don't let me interrupt, but Henry will be here any minute.'
I'll come down with you,' volunteered Urquhart immediately.
'And you, Michael?' asked Williams.
I'll wait here. There will be quite a rush when he arrives. I don't want to get trampled.'
Urquhart wondered whether Samuel was having a gentle dig at him, but chose to ignore it and accompanied Williams down the stairs, which had become crowded with excited office staff as the word had spread of the Prime Minister's imminent arrival. The appearance of the Party Chairman and Chief Whip outside on the pavement galvanised the cheerleaders, who resumed their attempts to raise the spirits of the crowd. An organised cheer went up as the armoured black Daimler with its battalion of escorts swung around the square, to be greeted by the brilliance of the television lights and a thousand flaring flashguns as both professional and amateur cameramen tried to capture the scene.
14/134 首页 上一页 12 13 14 15 16 17 下一页 尾页
|
