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Sarah saw the look of anguish on her husband's face, and came over to sit beside him and hold his hand. It was trembling.
'Doctor, what can I do? I'll do anything, anything you want.'
'We need to find some way of reassuring him. He's desperately confused.'
There was a pause as Collingridge bit deep into his lip, hoping it would distract from the pain burning inside.
'May I talk to him, doctor?'
There was a wait of several minutes as Charles was brought to the telephone.
'Charlie, how are you old boy?' he said softly.
Henry, what have I done to you? I've ruined you, destroyed you!' The voice sounded old, touched by hysteria.
'Charlie, Charlie. You've done nothing. It's not you who has hurt me, you have nothing to feel guilty about'
'But I've seen it on the television. You going off to the Queen to resign. They said it was because of me and some shares. I don't understand it, Henry, I've screwed it all up. Not only my life, but you and Sarah too. I don't deserve to be your brother. There's no point in anything any more' There was a huge, gulping sob on the end of the phone.
'Charlie, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Are you listening? It's not you who should be asking for pardon, but me who should be down on my knees begging for forgiveness from you'
He cut through the protest beginning to emerge from his brother.
'No, listen, Charlie! We've always got through our problems together, as family. Remember when I was running the business - the year we nearly went bust? We were going down, Charlie, and it was my fault. And who brought in that new client, that order which saved us? I know it wasn't the biggest order the company ever had, but it couldn't have come at a more vital time. You saved the company, Charlie, and you saved me. Just like you did when I was a bloody fool and got caught driving over the limit that Christmas. The local police sergeant was a rugger playing friend of yours, not mine, and it was you who somehow managed to persuade him to fix- the breath test at the station. If I had lost my licence then, I would never have been selected by the constituency for the seat. Don't you see, Charlie, far from ruining it for me, you made it all possible. We've always faced things together, and that's just how it's going to stay.' 'But now I've ruined everything for you, Henry.. ' 'No, it's me that's ruined things. I got too high and bloody mighty, and forgot that the only thing that matters in the end is those you love. You were always around when I needed help, all the time. But I got too busy. When Mary left, I knew how much you were hurting. I should have been there. You needed me, but there always seemed other things to do. I was always going to come and see you tomorrow, or the next day. 'Always tomorrow, Charlie, always tomorrow.'
The emotion was cracking Collingridge's voice.
I've had my moment of glory, I've been selfish, I've done the things that I wanted to do. While I watched you become an alcoholic and practically kill yourself'
It was the first time that either of them had spoken that truth. Charles had always been under the weather, or overtired, or suffering from nerves - never uncontrollably, alcoholically drunk. They both knew there were no secrets now, no going back.
'I will walk out of Downing Street and will be able to say good bloody riddance - if only I know I still have my brother. I'm just terrified, Charlie, that it's too late, that I've neglected you too much to be able to ask for your forgiveness, that you've been alone too long for you to want to get better.'
The tears of genuine anguish were flowing down his cheeks. Sarah was hugging him tightly.
'Charlie, without your forgiveness, all this will have been for nothing.'
There was silence from the other end of the phone.
'Say something, Charlie!' he said in desperation.
'I love you, big brother.'
He let out a sigh of release and total joy.
'I love you too, old boy. I'll come and see you tomorrow. We'll both have a lot more time for each other now, eh?'
They were both laughing through the tears, with Sarah joining in. Henry Collingridge hadn't felt so whole for years.
She was sipping a drink, admiring the night view of London from his penthouse apartment when he came up behind her and embraced her warmly.
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