House of Cards (50 page)

Mattie
watched
these
happenings
with
complete
astonishment,
rooted
to
her
chair,
clutching
her
saucer,
unable to
speak
or
move.
As
the
door
banged
shut
behind
the fleeing
secretary
she
rose
and
moved
over
to
the
phone, picking
the
dangling
receiver
up
from
where
it
was swinging
beside
the
desk
and
putting
it
to
her
ear.

The
voice
coming
out
of
the
phone
was
unrecognisable as
that
of
O'Neill,
or
indeed
anyone.
The
words
were incoherent,
indecipherable,
slowed
and
slurred
to
the
point where
it
sounded
like
a
doll
with
the
batteries
almost
dead. There
were
gasps,
moans,
long
pauses,
the
sound
of
tears.

falling, and of a man falling apart She replaced the receiver gently in the cradle.

Mattie went in search of the secretary, and found her washing her face in the cloakroom. Her eyes were red and swollen. Mattie put a consoling arm around her shoulders.

'How long has he been like that, Penny?'

‘I
can't say anything!' she blurted, and started weeping once more.

'Look, Penny, he's obviously in a very bad way. I'm not going to print any of this, for goodness sake. I would like to help.'

The other girl turned towards Mattie, fell into her arms, let the pain and worry of the last few months gush out, and sobbed until there were no more tears left.

When she had recovered sufficiently to escape from the cloakroom, Mattie took her gently by the arm and they went for a walk in nearby Victoria Gardens, where they could refresh themselves in the cold, vigorous air blowing off the Thames and talk without interruption. Penny told her how the Prime Minister's resignation had deeply upset O'Neill, how he had always been a little 'emotionally extravagant', as she put it, and the recent internal party turmoil and Prime Minister's resignation had really brought him close to a breakdown.

'But why, Penny? Surely they weren't that close?'

'He liked to think he was close to the whole Collingridge family. He was always arranging for flowers and special photographs to be sent to Mrs Collingridge, doing little favours whenever he could. He loved it all.'

Mattie shrugged her shoulders, as if she were shrugging off O'Neill's reputation once and for all. It's a great pity, of course, that he should be so weak and go to pieces just when the Party needs him most. But we both heard him this afternoon, Penny. Something has really got to Roger, something which is eating away at him from the inside.'

Mattie threw down the challenge. It wasn't fair, of course, but she gambled that Penny would not stand by and see O'Neill accused of weakness. She would loyally try to defend her boss - and would not lie in order to do so.

‘I
...
I don't know for sure. But I think he blamed himself so badly over the shares.'

"The shares? You mean the Renox shares?' said Mattie in alarm.

'Charles Collingridge asked him to open the accommodation address because he wanted somewhere for his private mail. Roger and I went to Paddington in a taxi, and he sent me in to do the paper work. I knew he felt uneasy at the time, I think he sensed there was something wrong. And when he realised what it had been used for and how much trouble it had caused, he just began going to pieces.'

'Why did Mr Collingridge ask Roger to open the address and not do it himself ?'

I've no idea, really. Perhaps he felt guilty because of what he was going to use it for. Roger just breezed into the office one day during the summer and said he'd g
ot a favour to do for Charles Co
llingridge, that it was terribly confidential and I was to breathe a word to no one.'

Her words reminded her that she had broken her promise - of silence and more tears began to flow, but Mattie soon reassured her, and they continued their walk.

'So you never saw Charles Co
llingridge yourself ?'

'No. I've never really met him at all. Roger likes to handle all the important people himself, and as far as I'm aware Mr Collingridge has never come into the office.'

'But you are sure it was Charles Collingridge?'

'Of course, Roger said so. And who else could it have been?' The dampness began to appear again at the comer of her eyes. She shivered violently as a burst of cold November air from across the river sent the dead autumnal leaves cascading around them. 'Oh, God, it's all such an awful mess.'

'Penny, relax! It will be all right. Why don't you take a couple of days off and let Roger take care of himself? He can survive without you for a little while. He knows how to use the office computer, doesn't he?'

‘H
e can struggle through on the basics reasonably well if I'm not around, but even he wouldn't pretend he's a keyboard magician. No,
I’ll
be all right.'

So it was O'Neill who had 'struggled through' with the computer file. Another piece fell into place in Mattie's mind. She didn't feel comfortable squeezing information out of a vulnerable and trusting secretary, but there was no alternative.

look, how can I put this
...
Roger sounds as if he is very unwell. He's obviously been under a lot of strain, and he might be having a breakdown. Perhaps he's drinking too much. I'm not a doctor, but I do know one who's very good at that sort of thing. If you need any help, please give me a call.'

They had arrived back in Smith Square by now, and prepared to part.

'Mattie, thank you. You've been a great help.'

'No, Penny. I'm the one who is grateful. Take care of yourself.'

Mattie walked the few hundred yards back to the House of Commons, oblivious of the chill and wondering why on earth Roger O'Neill had framed Charles and Henry Collingridge.

TUESDAY 16
th
NOVEMBER -WEDNESDAY 17
th
NOVEMBER

Urquhart declared his intention to seek the leadership of the Party at a press conference held in the House of Commons at 5 p.m., timed to catch the early evening TV news and the first editions of the following day's press. The surroundings afforded by the meeting room in the Palace of Westminster, with its noble carved stone fireplace, its dark oak panelling and its traditional atmosphere of authority gave the proceedings a dignity which the announcements of Samuel, Woolton and others had lacked. Urquhart succeeded in establishing the impression of a man who was being dragged reluctantly towards the seat of power, placing his duty to his colleagues and country above his own, modest personal interests.

It was seventeen hours later, on Wednesday morning, that Landless held his own press conference. He sat in one of the palatial reception rooms of the Ritz Hotel at a long table covered with microphones, facing the cameras and questions of the financial press. Alongside him and almost dwarfed by his bulging girth sat Marcus Frobisher, the Chairman of the United Newspapers Group who, although an industrial magnate in his own right, was clearly cast to play a secondary role on this occasion. Behind them for the benefit of the cameras had been erected a vast backdrop with the colourful logo TEN' carefully crafted upon it and highlighted with lasers. To one side was a large video screen, on which was playing a corporate video featuring some of the
Telegraph's
better advertising material interspersed with cuts of Landless being greeted by workers, pulling levers to start the printing presses and generally running his empire in a warm and personal manner. The press conference, for all its immediacy, had clearly been carefully planned.

'Good morning ladies and gentlemen.'

Landless called the throng to order in a voice which was considerably less cockney than the one he adopted on private occasions. 'Thank you for corning at such short notice. We have invited you here to tell you about one of the most exciting steps forward for the British communications industry since Julius Renter established his telegraph service in London more than a hundred years ago.'.

He shifted one of the microphones a little closer to stop himself craning his neck. 'Today we wish to announce the creation of the largest newspaper group in the United Kingdom, which will provide a platform for making this country once again the worldwide leader in the rapidly expanding industry of providing information services.

'Telegraph Newspapers has made an offer to purchase the full issued share capital of the United Newspapers Group at a price which values them at £
’I
.4 billion, a premium of 40 per cent above the current market price. I am delighted to say that the board of the United Newspapers Group has unanimously accepted the bid, and also agreed the terms for the future management of the combined group. I shall become Chairman and Chief Executive of the new company, and my good friend and former
competitor, now colleague.. .'
he stretched a huge paw to grasp the arm of Frobisher, as menacingly as if he were grasping him around the neck
-'...
is to be the President
’

Several nodding heads around the room indicated that they clearly understood which of the men would be in sole charge of the new operation. Frobisher sat there trying hard to put on a good face.

'This is an important step for the British newspaper industry. The combined operation will control more national and major regional titles than any other newspaper group in this country, and the amalgamation of our international subsidiaries will make us the third largest newspaper group in the world. To mark this new departure we are renaming the company, and as you can see, our new corporate title will be Telegraph Express Newspapers Company PLC - TEN
’
He at last released his grip on Frobisher and waved at the logo behind.

‘D
o you like my new corporate design?' he asked jovially. He hoped they did. His daughter's two-woman partnership had been given the contract
-
its first-for devising the company's new name and cor
porate design, and he was deter
mined that she be given almost as much attention as himself.

You
will find waiting for you at the door a document which gives the full details of the offer and agreement. So, questions please!'

There was an excited hum from the audience, and a forest of hands shot up to catch his eye.

‘I
suppose to be fair I ought to take the first question from someone who will not be working for the group,' jested Landless. 'Now, can we find anyone here who won't be part of the new team?' With theatrical exaggeration he shielded his eyes from the bright lights and searched the audience for a suitable victim, and they all laughed at his cheek..

'Mr Landless,' shouted the business editor of the
Sunday Times.
The Government have made it very clear in recent years that they feel the British newspaper industry is already concentrated into too few hands, and that they would use their powers under the monopolies and mergers legislation to prevent any further consolidation. How on earth do you expect to get the necessary Government approval for this deal?'

There was a strong murmur of assent to the question from around the room. The Government had made loud if imprecise noises during the election about their commitment to increasing industrial competition.

'An excellent point
’
Landless spread his arms wide as if to hug the question to his chest and slowly throttle it to death.

You
are right, the Government will need to take a view on the matter. And I hope they will be sufficiently wise and visionary to realise that the operation we are putting together, far from jeopardising the British newspaper industry, is vital to its continuing success. Newspapers are just part of the worldwide information industry, which is growing and
changing
every day. You all know that. Five years ago you all worked in Fleet Street with old typewriters and printing presses which should have been scrapped when the Kaiser surrendered. Today the industry is modernised, decentralised, computerised. Yet still it must keep changing. It has more competition, from satellite television, local radio, breakfast TV and the rest
’