Polls Apart (22 page)

“You can’t resign. I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Henry and Richard looked at one another before both broke into raucous laughter.

“What’s so funny?” Anna asked, bemused and a little annoyed by their reaction.

“Don’t worry,” Richard beamed. “I spoke to Libby. She told me you were on your way and that I didn’t have to step down from the highest ranking job in the land after all.” He reached out and touched her arm. “I’m so sorry you were feeling so scared and I didn’t even stop to notice. Or maybe I just didn’t want to notice, because I wouldn’t have known how to fix it.”

“No, I’m sorry,” she replied, meekly. “I wanted to talk to you about it. But things were so hectic I just never found the right time – until yesterday.” Then, suddenly remembering the conversation she’d just overheard she turned to look at Henry. “But why were you saying you’d miss Richard?”

“Because one of us has just resigned I’m afraid.”

“Henry,” Anna gasped, open-mouthed. “You’re not leaving?”

“Just for a little while, yes. I’m going to take myself away to France for a few months to clear my head. I need to sort a few things out in my mind and this just isn’t the place to do that.”

“Sort things out?” Anna asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Henry stuffed his hands awkwardly into his trouser pockets. “I need to take a bit of time to work through everything that’s gone on in the last few weeks. My separation from Joy… and, also, some of the mistakes I made in the heat of the moment.” He bowed his head momentarily, and Anna knew emotion was getting the better of him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“You know,” Anna said, “I truly believe the things that happened during this campaign were meant to be, because we have learnt and we’ve emerged stronger. So don’t go all gloomy on me when you’re getting out of this madhouse.” Anna gave him a playful poke in the ribs.

“You two were born for this,” Henry laughed. “You won’t need me. And I’m not leaving the planet, I’ll still be keeping in touch and sticking my oar in. And before you know it, I’ll be back.”

Anna could feel her eyes welling up with tears. She attempted to fight them back but realised her hormones were far more in control than her senses. Instead she leant forwards to wrap a startled Henry into a bear hug.

“Thank you, Henry. We’ve all been through a lot together these last few weeks and we’ll miss you terribly.”

Henry’s face flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and emotion.

“I’ll miss you both too,” he replied croakily. “I’m going to go now before this gets harder. But I won’t be far away.” He reached out and clasped them both by the arm. “You’re going to be terrific.”

With that, Henry turned and walked the corridor of Number
10
, heading for the front door.

Richard and Anna watched in silence until he was out of sight.

“And then there were two,” Richard said quietly.

“I feel like we’re missing an arm now,” Anna replied, only half-jokingly.

A Downing Street press officer suddenly opened the door of the dining room to look for Richard, only to jolt back when he found him standing right outside. “Ready when you are,” he said, before closing the door quickly again.

“Will you sit in on the briefing with me?” Richard asked Anna anxiously.

“Course I will,” she smiled reassuringly. “We can do this, Richard. We just have to stick together; no more letting other people talk us into decisions we’re not comfortable with.”

“No,” Richard said, putting his arms around her. “This is strictly a double act from now on.”

“Soon to be a triple act,” she winked.

“Yes,” he stroked her cheek fondly, his face turning serious. “Do you trust me now, Anna? Are you ready for all this?”

“I’m ready,” she answered, confidently. “I guess I just needed to know you would put me before your career if it came down to it.”

“I would – and you must trust me on that. I won’t let you down again. Now we need to go and tell the people who voted for us that we’re ready to do what we promised to. Are you coming?”

“Yes,” she replied, wrapping her arms around his waist. They held each other tightly and Anna allowed herself to relax into his embrace, feeling safe for the first time in months. After a few moments she stepped back and tucked her arm under his.

“After you, Prime Minister,” she said before they stepped forwards together into the packed dining room.

Turning to face the press, Anna smiled confidently, before leaving Richard’s side and taking a seat next to a stunned reporter who clearly wasn’t used to having a Prime Minister’s wife as a seating companion.

“Don’t mind me,” Anna smiled at the now flushed young man.

“Will you be speaking today?” he asked sheepishly.

“No.” Anna turned to look at him. “I’m just here to support my husband – and you can quote me on that.”

Clare Stephen-Johnston,
38
, is a journalist from Edinburgh, where she lives with her husband, two sons and stepdaughter. She is a former editorial director of the Press Association in Scotland and Ireland, and magazines editor with the Daily Record and Sunday Mail.
Polls Apart
is her debut novel.