‘That bugger Baddingham’s beaten us after all,’ said Dame Enid furiously. ‘I’m bloody well going to tell Gwendolyn Gosling how he enticed Maud away and bribed Beattie Johnson. I don’t give a damn what Declan says, we must be able to appeal.’
‘I don’t fink we can,’ said Freddie wearily. ‘The decision’s final.’
‘Nothing’s final,’ said Dame Enid briskly.
Taggie went white. ‘You don’t think Daddy will do something silly?’
‘Of course not,’ snapped Cameron, because she had thought the same thing and was frightened too.
Lizzie took Freddie’s hand. ‘I’m so sorry, darling.’
Freddie shook his head, near to tears too, unable to speak.
Next minute Freddie’s chauffeur rang from the car: ‘I ’eard the bad news on the radio, Mr J. I’ve picked up Mr O’Hara at South Ken.’
‘Is he OK?’ said Freddie.
‘Well, he’s not making much sense, but I’ll bring him back to Holland Park.’
Ten minutes later Declan walked into the drawing-room. For a second he looked like a thundercloud, so they all knew finally there was absolutely no hope. Then for the first time in weeks, he gave his wicked schoolboy grin: ‘It’s all right, my darlings. We got it.’
There was a stunned silence, followed by an explosion of cheering; everyone was hugging each other. Janey burst into tears, so did Charles. Dame Enid and Billy were wiping their eyes.
‘Fuckin’ ’ell,’ yelled Freddie, jumping up and down.
‘Good Lord,’ said Henry.
Taggie suddenly found herself hugging Cameron. ‘We got it,’ they both screamed simultaneously.
‘Are you quite, quite sure?’ said Bas incredulously. ‘Can we see the proof?’
Grinning broadly, Declan got the torn white letter out of his pocket. Everyone crowded round to have a look.
‘Bloody hell, it’s true,’ said Janey, giving a whoop of joy and hugging Billy. ‘We can move back to Penscombe.’
‘I’m going to be the next Trevor MacDonald,’ shouted Wesley.
‘I might even keep my cottage after all,’ said Marti.
‘What decided them finally to give it to us?’ Cameron asked Declan over the Tarzan howls and the deafening fusillade of champagne corks.
‘Mostly you,’ said Declan, putting an arm round her shoulders. ‘They thought you were marvellous, and they adored Freddie, but it was everyone,’ he went on, raising his hand for silence. ‘It was all of you turning up at the IBA that finally swung it. A case of everyone ventured, everything won. In the end, none but the brave deserved the franchise.’ He wiped his eyes. ‘I’m so proud and happy for us all.’
‘So am I,’ said Henry, who’d been laboriously doing sums on the back of an envelope, ‘I had one thousand pounds on us at 2–1.’
‘Christ,’ said Bas. ‘You can almost buy Joanna Lumley for that.’
Everyone screamed with laughter and started hugging everyone else all over again.
Over at Rutland Gate, Caitlin lay in Archie’s arms.
‘Are you sure that was all right,’ he asked her for the hundredth time, as he stroked her flat white belly.
‘Of course it was.’
‘I thought guys were supposed to go off girls the moment they’d had them, but I love you more than ever. You’re so beautiful. Did it hurt very much?’
Caitlin giggled: ‘One has to suffer to be beautiful. And we’ve got the whole holidays ahead of us. Have you got masses of work to do?’
‘Yes,’ said Archie.
‘So have I. We can do it together.’
‘Are you hungry? I am. I’ll see if there’s anything in the larder.’ Archie got up. Naked, still slightly plump, but to Caitlin entirely beautiful, he peered through the curtains. At three-thirty, it was getting dark.
‘Holy shit,’ said Archie. ‘My mother’s just getting out of a taxi.’
Frantically Caitlin kicked the bottle under the bed, put the two glasses in the bedside cupboard, dragged on her jeans, her black cardigan and her boots, and shoved her shirt, bra, pants and socks into her carrier bag. Archie turned off the bedroom lights.
Going into the drawing-room a minute later, Monica found Archie and Caitlin sitting on either side of an empty fireplace. Caitlin was reading
‘Hullo, Mummy,’ said Archie heartily, getting up and kissing her. ‘I thought you’d be at Dad’s celebration piss-up. I was about to join you.’
‘It’s been cancelled,’ said Monica numbly. ‘We’ve lost the franchise.’
‘What!’ exploded Archie. ‘We couldn’t have. All the papers said it was in the bag.’
‘They were wrong. For security, the IBA leave MI5 standing.’
‘My God, I’m sorry.’
Caitlin couldn’t take it in. ‘D’you mean Daddy’s got it?’ she said slowly.
‘I don’t know.’ Monica looked at Caitlin dazedly. ‘I suppose so.’
Still in her fur coat and headscarf, she sat down very suddenly on the sofa, stared at her rough gardening hands, with their huge diamonds, and burst into tears. Archie, who’d only seen his mother cry once years ago when one of her labradors had to be put down, was utterly helpless. It was like watching the
‘I just feel so sorry for him,’ sobbed Monica. ‘I know he’s done dreadful, dreadful things, left no stone unturned to try and win the franchise, but he wanted to beat Rupert and Declan so very badly.’
Rushing across the room, Caitlin put her arms round Monica.
‘I’m so sorry. I’m delighted for Daddy of course, but it’s like the Boat Race. Someone’s got to win, but it doesn’t stop it being horribly, desperately, publicly humiliating for the crew who don’t. There, please don’t cry. Get her some brandy,’ she ordered Archie. ‘Will you be terribly poor?’
‘No,’ gulped Monica, ‘I don’t think so. Tony’s got all his other companies. It’s just that he minded so much, and it’s such a shock. He was so certain.’
Struggling to her feet, desperately wiping her eyes, saying she must find a handkerchief, she stumbled off to her bedroom.
Thinking of the unmade bed, Archie and Caitlin looked at each other in horror.
‘I must be going senile,’ gulped Monica when she returned, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. ‘I could have sworn I made my bed this morning.’
‘You’ve been under a terrific strain,’ said Caitlin sympathetically. ‘My father topped up a whisky and soda with milk the other day. ‘
‘But I never leave it unmade,’ whispered Monica. ‘I can’t afford to go to pieces. Tony’s going to need so much support.’
She made a face like a little girl drinking medicine as she took a gulp of the brandy.
‘I’ll go and make it for you,’ said Caitlin. ‘That’ll make you feel better. Then Archie and I are going to get you some lunch.’
In the middle of Venturer’s amazed and joyful celebrations, the telephone rang. Dame Enid picked it up. Not bothering to put her hand over the receiver, she yelled: ‘It’s the boring old fart for you, Declan.’
‘Congratulations, Declan,’ said the Bishop of Cotchester heartily. ‘Delighted you’ve finally got the franchise. With the festive season nearly upon us, I’ve been pondering much on the nature of forgiveness. I think, on balance, my flock will understand if I overlook Rupert Campbell-Black’s lamentable behaviour. I would like to reconsider my position
A beatific smile spread over Declan’s face: ‘Flock off,’ he said, and hung up.
Cameron sat on the sofa cuddling Blue.
‘A penny for your thoughts,’ said Patrick, sitting down beside her. ‘Although, now you’ve won the franchise, I suppose they’re much more expensive than that.’
Cameron grinned: ‘I was thinking how odd it is to feel so wildly happy when one’s heart is breaking.’
‘It’s relief,’ said Patrick, filling up her glass, ‘to discover you’re going to survive after all.’
