Weeks in Naviras by Chris Wimpress Read Free Book Online Page B

going to thank to her for not running a story, it would’ve implied that I owed her something. ‘I ought to go and find James, really. I’ll see you soon, I’m sure. Number 10 press drinks, perhaps.’
    ‘Thanks, Ellie,’ Liz pushed open the door and held it for me as I stepped back into the corridor. We walked away from each other, saying nothing more.
    There weren’t many MPs about – after the confidence vote they’d either gone home or to the bars. Still there were half a dozen Tories – all men – gathered at the door to the Commons behind the Speaker’s chair. One of them was the former chief whip under James’s predecessor, who kissed me on the cheek. They were jockeying, testing the water and gossiping.
    A security attaché was standing guard outside the door to the PM’s office as I’d expected, but slightly more surprising was Rosie’s presence, waiting to get some alone time with James, no doubt. ‘He’s on the phone just now,’ she said to me, not quite blocking my path but looking like she dearly wanted to. ‘To the White House,’ she added, once it was obvious I intended to troop past her anyway.
    ‘Don’t worry Rosie, I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.’ It came out in a patronising manner, I’m not sure whether I intended that or not. I walked past her and quietly opened the door. Inside James was sitting at his desk, he looked up in irritation at the interruption.
    ‘Thanks so much Morgan,’ he said into the phone. ‘It’s good to get it out of the way, and to be able to start planning things properly.’
    Even from four feet away I could hear Morgan’s voice reverberating from the handset. I couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying but some of the words were over-emphasised. I heard a laconic ‘so’ at one point, and then an equally drawn-out ‘know’.
    ‘Well I think it’s definitely worth pursuing,’ said James into the phone. ‘Turkey seems to think they can get Ramallah to concede the remaining settlements. I wouldn’t want to rule out at least exploring what the Israelis might offer in return.’
    There was more chat from Morgan. I distinctly heard the word ‘naïve’.
    ‘I certainly will,’ said James. ‘I agree, some continuity at the Foreign Office is ideal at the moment, it’s good to know everything’s, er, everything’s satisfactory on that front. Thanks. And you. Will do. Bye.’ He put the phone down and I took a couple of steps toward him. ‘What’re you doing here?’
    ‘I came to watch the confidence vote,’ I said. ‘Thought it would be a good show of support.’
    ‘You were up in the galleries?’ I nodded and he sighed. ‘Look L, that was very sweet of you, but I’d rather you’d discussed it with me first. It doesn’t look good on me, this idea that I need my wife here to help me through a Commons vote.’
    ‘Sorry,’ I said.
    He ran his hand through his hair. ‘It’s fine, it’ll probably get drowned out in the reshuffle news,’ James stood up, came over and kissed me on the forehead. ‘Glass of wine?’
    ‘I thought you were still busy shuffling?’ I still felt chastised.
    ‘I can afford a break. Anyway I need Rav, and he’s gone back to Number 10. She sends her love, by the way.’ James was opening a screw-top bottle of red wine, having produced two whisky tumblers from a cabinet behind his desk.
    ‘Her love? That’s a bit strong.’
    ‘You know what she’s like,’ James came over and handed me a glass. ‘Cheers,’ he said, clinking my glass before sitting down on the sofa opposite me.
    ‘Congratulations on the vote,’ I said. ‘I mean, not a single rebel.’
    ‘Oh, it won’t take them long to start making trouble, especially when they see who I’m sacking,’ There was a smirk lurking in James’s face.
    ‘So am I the first to know?’ I tried to make it sound flirtatious and it didn’t quite work.
    ‘Apart from Rav. I’ll need to get Rosie in here for a final briefing, is she still outside?’ I