Page 86 of Traitors Gate

While the two men disappeared inside the Jewel House, Harris strolled across to Haskins, the Chief Warder, and said, ‘I see the Gunners lost three-two at home to Spurs on Saturday.’ He assumed that would get Walter climbing onto his hobby horse, but the Chief Warder’s response wasn’t part of his well-rehearsed script.

‘I thought you’d retired, Phil,’ said the senior warder, taking Harris by surprise.

‘Couple of weeks’ time,’ said Harris, trying to recover. ‘In fact, this will be my last outing. You and the missus must come to my leaving do at the palace.’ Back on script.

‘That’s very generous of you,’ said Walter, a puzzled expression appearing on his face. ‘I’ll look forward to that.’

‘I’ll put an invitation in the post,’ said Harris. ‘But for now, better turn the car around before his nibs comes back out.’

‘Good thinking,’ said Walter.

Harris climbed back into the car but was shaking uncontrollably. He had to grip the steering wheel firmly. He began to turn a half circle with the Land Rover following close behind, but when his eyes weren’t on the Jewel House theywere on the entrance, fearing the real party might appear at any moment. When he came to a halt, he thought he was going to throw up. Something he hadn’t anticipated.

• • •

‘Damn,’ said William as the Lord Chamberlain’s car got stuck behind a Corporation of London road sweeper, its brushes whirring around, filling the air with dust. A service that William had previously thought were like owls, who only came out at night.

He checked his watch again. They were running well over time. He thought about making a second call to the Governor, but didn’t. An inconvenience that could hardly be described as an emergency.

• • •

When The Understudy entered the Jewel House, the Governor introduced him to the Chief Exhibitor, whose responsibility it was to hand over the crown and sword to the Resident Governor. They didn’t shake hands because the Chief Exhibitor was wearing a pair of spotless white gloves. The Understudy watched anxiously as the man lowered the crown gently into a black leather box withEIIRetched in gold letters on one side. A perfect fit. He closed the lid, locked it and handed the tiny key to the Governor.

The whole process was repeated by the senior Jewel House Warder as the Sword of State was placed in a far larger box, but equally well bedded down. A second key was passed to the Governor, while the Chief Exhibitor and the senior Jewel House Warder each picked up their own box and followedtheir masters slowly out of the Jewel House as if they were part of a funeral cortège. But whose funeral, The Understudy wondered, as they couldn’t have gone much slower.

When the Governor reappeared with the two Jewel House Warders carrying their black boxes, Harris remained by the back of the car and watched as both boxes were placed in the boot. He slammed the boot closed and locked it while his passenger and the Resident Governor continued to chat. Harris had to admit The Understudy was a real pro.

‘Would you care to join me for lunch at my club, old chap?’ said The Understudy, sticking to his script. ‘White’s suit you?’

‘How kind of you,’ said the Governor as his guest almost fell into the back of his car.

‘I’ll be in touch,’ he promised as Harris closed the door and quickly took his place behind the wheel.

They were just about to move off when the Governor stepped forward and tapped firmly on the window. The Understudy wound the window down, a bead of sweat appearing on his forehead. This wasn’t part of his script.

‘You nearly forgot these,’ he said, passing over two small keys. ‘Otherwise, you might have had to come back.’

‘And we wouldn’t have wanted that,’ said The Understudy, smiling before he’d wound the window back up. He put the keys in his pocket and tapped Harris firmly on the shoulder.

The moment Harris switched on the engine the three outriders immediately took off. Harris gave the Chief Warder a final wave and said under his breath, ‘Sorry you won’t be coming to my leaving party, Walter, unless you’re planning to visit Mexico.’

‘Or Pentonville,’ suggested The Understudy, which helped Harris to concentrate. He kept a steady pace as he drove across the middle drawbridge, along the river and throughthe open gate, receiving several salutes along the way. Once they were back on St Katharine’s Way, Harris continued up the slope towards a traffic light that wasn’t conveniently green. When would his heartbeat return to normal? Not until the wheels of his plane had left the ground, he suspected, and perhaps not even then.

When the lights changed, the three outriders swung left, disappeared over Tower Bridge and headed for Wandsworth while the Jaguar and Land Rover went in the opposite direction.

‘Don’t break the speed limit,’ Lamont barked. ‘Because if you do, we’ll end up with more than a fine.’

• • •

‘At last,’ said William, when the Westminster road sweeper finally turned left, allowing them to take off once again.

‘Don’t worry, guv,’ said Danny. ‘I’ll have you there in no time.’

Paul glanced across the road to see two cars with blacked-out windows passing them on the other side of the road. He swung round and looked out of the back window. Same year, P, same colour, grey, but he wasn’t able to get the number plate because Danny had already accelerated across the road, as he tried to keep up with the Jaguar as it sped down St Katharine’s Way.

The Lord Chamberlain’s party came to a halt outside the East Gate. William took out his warrant card so they wouldn’t be held up any longer. But what happened next certainly wasn’t in standing orders. The door of the Gate House swung open and out piled half a dozen guardsmen who didn’t present arms.

Could it be possible, thought William as they surrounded both cars.

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