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Charles Goodman of the Press Association, using the formidable range of contacts and favours he had built up over the years, quickly discovered that there had been a meeting of all Cabinet Ministers at Downing Street that morning, although the Number Ten press office had nothing to say on the matter. Too many official schedules for 10 a.m. had been hastily altered for anyone to be able to hide the fact. On a hunch he then phoned the Buckingham Palace press office, which also had nothing to say - at least officially. But the deputy press secretary there had worked with Goodman many years before on the Manchester Evening News, and confirmed entirely off the record and totally unattributably that Collingridge had asked for an audience at '1 p.m.'
By 11.25 a.m. the PA tape was carrying the story of the secret Cabinet meeting and the unscheduled audience expected soon to take place between the Prime Minister and the Queen, an entirely factual report.
By midday IRN local radio was running a sensationalised lead item on their news programmes.
The news at noon is that Henry Collingridge will soon be on his way for a secret meeting with Her Majesty the Queen. Speculation has exploded in Westminster during the last hour that either he is going to sack several of his leading Ministers and inform the Queen of a major Cabinet reshuffle, or he is going to admit his guilt to recent charges of insider trading with his brother. There are even rumours that she is going to sack him. Whatever the outcome, it seems certain that in just over an hour's time somebody in Government is going to be very unhappy.'
In fact it took less than a couple of minutes to infuriate
Henry Collingridge for, when the Prime Minister looked out of his front window, the other side of the street was obscured in a forest of television cameras around which was camped an army of reporters and press photographers.
He was purple with rage as he slammed the door of his office shut with a noise which echoed along the corridor. Two passing messengers witnessed his fury. 'What was that he was muttering?' asked one.
'Didn't quite get it, Jim. Something about "oaths of office".
When Collingridge walked out through the front door and into his car at 12.45, he ignored the screams of the press corps from the other side of the road. He drove off into Whitehall, where he was pursued by a camera car which in its eagerness to chase him nearly crashed into the rear of the Prime Minister's police escort. There was another crowd of photographers outside the gates of Buckingham Palace. His attempt at a dignified resignation had turned into a three-ring circus.
As he watched these frenzied scenes on live television, Benjamin Landless, alerted more than two hours earlier by Urquhart, contented himself with a broad smile and a second bottle of champagne.
The Prime Minister had asked not to be disturbed unless it was absolutely necessary. After returning from the Palace, he had retired to the private apartment above Downing Street, wanting to be alone with his wife for a few hours. Somehow, those official papers no longer seemed so pressing.
The private secretary apologised. 'I'm terribly sorry, Prime Minister, but it's Dr Christian. He said it was important.'
The phone buzzed gently as the call was put through. 'Dr Christian. How can I help you? And how is Charles?' It's about Charles I'm calling, Mr Collingridge. As we have discussed before, I have been keeping him very isolated and away from the newspapers so that he wasn't disturbed by all the allegations. But we have a problem. Normally we switch his television off and find something to divert him during news programmes, but we weren't expecting the unscheduled programme about your resignation - I'm deeply sorry you've had to resign, by the way, but it's about Charles I am most worried. I have to put his interests first, you understand.'
'I do understand, Dr Christian, and you have your priorities absolutely right.'
'He heard of the allegations about you and himself for the very first time, and how they had helped bring about your resignation. He is deeply upset and disturbed, Mr Collingridge; it's come as a great shock. He believes he is to blame for all that's happened, and I'm afraid is talking about doing harm to himself. I thought we were just on the verge of making real progress in his case, and now I fear this will not only set him right back but in his present delicate emotional state could bring about a real crisis for him. I don't wish to alarm you unduly, but he needs your help. Very badly.'
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