Sweet Sorrow by David Roberts Read Free Book Online Page B

government take over the BBC. Quite right too,’ Byron said. ‘He set the precedent and it’s a good one. The BBC must remain independent of government. Even in wartime, though we may have to censor the newspapers and wireless broadcasts, the government must not be allowed to take them over and dictate what they print or broadcast. If it did, the public would never again believe what they heard on the wireless or read in the newspapers.’
    Edward had to agree. ‘What are you doing tonight?’ he found himself saying. ‘Verity and I thought we might have dinner and go on to the Embassy. It’ll probably be the last time before war breaks out, but I expect that sounds rather frivolous to you.’
    ‘Not at all. As it happens, I was thinking of doing something similar. I quite often go to the Embassy when I’m in London and I thought of taking my friend, Miss Burrowes – Frieda. Did I tell you about her?’ He was all eagerness – evidently not at all hesitant about introducing them to his girlfriend.
    ‘Well, why not join us?’
    Verity wanted to kick Edward for spoiling their last romantic evening in London.
    ‘Oh, no – I’m sure you want to be on your own,’ she said rather too quickly. ‘We wouldn’t want to butt in on a romantic evening . . .’ She smiled and wondered if Byron would be indignant with her for making it clear that she knew Frieda was his mistress. He gave no sign of it and said he particularly wanted her to meet Frieda. Edward, instead of taking the hint she had dropped about not wanting to ruin their romantic evening, insisted that they would be welcome if he and Frieda would like to join them.
    In a black mood, Verity sank back in her seat and attempted to read her book – Arthur Koestler’s Spanish Testament . To do Byron justice, he did not continue to make conversation but took out The Times and The Listener in which he buried himself until they reached London.
    It was odd, Verity thought, but in Sussex where there was no visible sign of the approaching war Edward had seemed restless and on edge. In London, with trenches in the parks and sandbags outside public buildings, he seemed more relaxed. His long nose seemed to sniff the air like a hunting dog catching the scent of a fox or badger. Most of the men under forty wore uniforms of one sort or another and, from the taxi, they saw a barrage balloon being hoisted up by a winch. In the sunshine it looked strangely beautiful, even innocent, like a child’s toy, but it sent a shiver down Verity’s spine.
    Edward paid off the taxi at the Foreign Office. Verity said that, as it was such a lovely day, she would walk to Fleet Street. They agreed to meet in his rooms in Albany at about six.
    ‘The porters will let you in if you get there before me, V.’
    ‘No need to be furtive now we’re married?’ she teased him. ‘Rather spoils the fun. It’ll be odd being there without Fenton, “yes, my lording” all over the place. How long are you going to manage without a valet?’
    ‘Mrs Brendel seems to fit the bill. To be honest, I got the feeling that Fenton decided to give notice as soon as we announced we were going to be married. Much as he liked you, V, he was used to living with a bachelor so it was perhaps a relief to both of us when he got his call-up papers.’
    As he entered the Foreign Office, Edward could not help but think of the many times he had walked up that imposing staircase. Always there had been some sort of ‘flap’ on, to use a phrase his nephew had taught him. Frank was a junior lieutenant aboard the destroyer HMS Kelly commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten and was constantly in his uncle’s thoughts. Would there be a great naval battle like Jutland in 1915 or would it be a war of attrition, ship against ship? Edward could only guess but he knew, whatever kind of war it turned out to be, that Frank would be in great danger.
    Oddly enough, Kelly came up in the conversation when, having kicked his heels for half an